SINGAPORE — In the 18 months since it opened, Keystone has won a respectable following for the consistently classy dining experience that it purveys. Recently, the restaurant’s chef de cuisine Mark Richards relocated to Myanmar with his Burmese wife. Taking over the mantle is his former sous chef, Immanuel Tee.

Only 26 years old, Tee cut his teeth under some big names. He spent several years working for Andre Chiang at both Jaan and Restaurant Andre, before moving to Guy Savoy at Marina Bay Sands, followed by a short stage in Brussels at the two Michelin-star Pastorale.

Having worked at Keystone since October 2011, Tee is naturally familiar with the innovative modern European cuisine that the restaurant has built its reputation on. As such, his debut 10-course tasting menu doesn’t deviate far from this style. Each plate was well composed, with intricate, multiple components that melded together elegantly.

We had a well-balanced starter of scallops cooked sous vide and then seared so that they were silky within and golden without. These were paired with dollops of cauliflower puree and sliced cauliflower, and anointed with a miniscule dash of sweet ponzu that brought all those soft flavours to life.

In his foie gras course, Tee presented a dark slate plate beautifully adorned with what could have been a three-dimensional snapshot of a forest floor. There were discs of foie gras dusted in gingerbread crumbs, shimeiji mushroom caps resembling toadstools and shards of dehydrated milk skins shaped like tree bark. However, it tasted more like a mushroom course as the goose liver’s flavour got lost in the earthiness of the porcini-infused milk skin that dominated the dish.

While Tee’s food and technique cannot be faulted, it is evident that he still has some way to go before coming into his own. His dishes certainly represent the current gastronomic Zeitgeist — a vegetable course presented to resemble an artist’s palette; a runny egg paired with bacon made from Iberian black pork and potato foam.

These are all very good and delicious, but they lack the element of surprise. Anyone who dines at fine restaurants regularly will have come across variations of these same dishes. That said, Tee is certainly not short on talent, so perhaps a little more time, exposure and experience will nudge him towards the culinary greatness he is surely capable of attaining.

For those unfamiliar with dishes of this ilk, the 10-course dinner menu is excellent value for money at S$155. There is also a five-course option for S$88. Or come at lunch, when a delicious three-course meal is priced at S$43. ANNETTE TAN

3.5/5 stars

Keystone Restaurant

Where:

11 & 12 Stanley Street

Telephone:

6221 0046

Opening hours:

Monday noon to 3pm; Tuesday to Saturday noon to 3pm, 6pm to 10.30pm