Recently launched at Marina One, The Spot is a sleek multi-concept venue that comprises an all-day-dining café and restaurant, bar and cigar lounge. Helming the kitchen is executive chef Lee Boon Seng, formerly of Osia and Curate at Resorts World Sentosa, who creates dishes anchored in European techniques and enriched with the ingredients of his Asian heritage.
Take a tour of The Spot in this video and watch as chef Lee introduces his cuisine:
Take a tour of The Spot in this video and watch as chef Lee introduces his cuisine:
First Look: The Spot
The self-proclaimed “saucier at heart” draws inspiration from his roots, infusing his sauces with South-east Asian fruits, herbs and spices like chrysanthemum, buah long long and Java peppers.
Chef Lee showcases his unique cooking style in this dish of classic beef tartare, tossed with tong cai, a piquant preserved Chinese cabbage and dressed with a creamy “mustard” made of grilled green chillies. He advises using larger and plumper green chillies which will hold up better to the low and slow grilling, drawing out their sweet, smoky and spicy flavours.
Chef Lee showcases his unique cooking style in this dish of classic beef tartare, tossed with tong cai, a piquant preserved Chinese cabbage and dressed with a creamy “mustard” made of grilled green chillies. He advises using larger and plumper green chillies which will hold up better to the low and slow grilling, drawing out their sweet, smoky and spicy flavours.
Hand-Chopped Beef Tartare
Lime, Sesame, Tong Cai, Garlic Chive, Slow Grilled Green Chilli "Mustard"
Serves 4 as a starter
For the beef tartare:
280g Australian grass-fed beef shoulder
1 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
24g tong cai (preserved Chinese cabbage)
24g spring onions, sliced
40g shallots, finely diced brunoise-style
20ml light soya sauce
8ml sesame oil
30g egg yolk
White pepper, to taste
1. Clean the beef shoulder, making sure to remove all the membrane, and chop finely. Leave some texture to the beef — it should not turn into mince.
2. In a bowl, add toasted sesame seeds, tong cai, sliced spring onions, brunoise shallots, light soya sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper and egg yolk.
3. Mix thoroughly and set aside in the fridge.
For the green chilli ‘mustard’:
100g large green chillies
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
14g shallots, peeled
2 tsp Thai palm sugar
3 tsp fresh lime juice
A dash of fish sauce
1 whole egg
2/3 tsp Dijon mustard
4ml white wine vinegar
70ml grapeseed oil
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
For garnishing:
80g garlic chive, blanched
6 slices watermelon radish, peeled and sliced
2 sprigs pea cress
80g pickled shallots
A sprinkle of jalapeño powder
8 slices sourdough, grilled or toasted
1. Grill the large green chillies, garlic and shallots until brown, smoky and soft.
2. Remove the chilli skin and blend chillies, garlic and shallots into a paste.
3. Combine the green chilli paste with Thai palm sugar, fish sauce, freshly squeezed lime juice and blend until it becomes a smooth paste. Set aside.
4. In a different bowl, blend an egg, white wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until they emulsify.
5. At a ratio of 1:2, thoroughly blend the green chilli paste with the egg emulsion. This makes quite a large portion. Any that is not used immediately may be kept in the fridge for up to five days.
6. To serve, scoop out the beef tartare on a plate and garnish with watermelon radish, garlic chives, pickled shallots, pea cress and jalapeño powder. Serve with a generous dollop of the green chilli-infused “mustard” and slices of grilled sourdough on the side.
Lime, Sesame, Tong Cai, Garlic Chive, Slow Grilled Green Chilli "Mustard"
Serves 4 as a starter
For the beef tartare:
280g Australian grass-fed beef shoulder
1 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
24g tong cai (preserved Chinese cabbage)
24g spring onions, sliced
40g shallots, finely diced brunoise-style
20ml light soya sauce
8ml sesame oil
30g egg yolk
White pepper, to taste
1. Clean the beef shoulder, making sure to remove all the membrane, and chop finely. Leave some texture to the beef — it should not turn into mince.
2. In a bowl, add toasted sesame seeds, tong cai, sliced spring onions, brunoise shallots, light soya sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper and egg yolk.
3. Mix thoroughly and set aside in the fridge.
For the green chilli ‘mustard’:
100g large green chillies
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
14g shallots, peeled
2 tsp Thai palm sugar
3 tsp fresh lime juice
A dash of fish sauce
1 whole egg
2/3 tsp Dijon mustard
4ml white wine vinegar
70ml grapeseed oil
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
For garnishing:
80g garlic chive, blanched
6 slices watermelon radish, peeled and sliced
2 sprigs pea cress
80g pickled shallots
A sprinkle of jalapeño powder
8 slices sourdough, grilled or toasted
1. Grill the large green chillies, garlic and shallots until brown, smoky and soft.
2. Remove the chilli skin and blend chillies, garlic and shallots into a paste.
3. Combine the green chilli paste with Thai palm sugar, fish sauce, freshly squeezed lime juice and blend until it becomes a smooth paste. Set aside.
4. In a different bowl, blend an egg, white wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until they emulsify.
5. At a ratio of 1:2, thoroughly blend the green chilli paste with the egg emulsion. This makes quite a large portion. Any that is not used immediately may be kept in the fridge for up to five days.
6. To serve, scoop out the beef tartare on a plate and garnish with watermelon radish, garlic chives, pickled shallots, pea cress and jalapeño powder. Serve with a generous dollop of the green chilli-infused “mustard” and slices of grilled sourdough on the side.
See more recipes here.
