Braised sea cucumber stuffed with shrimp paste and foie gras in abalone sauce at Shang Palace ($68)
Chef Mok Kit Keung from two Michelin-starred Shang Palace in Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong is a welcome addition to Singapore's Chinese fine dining scene. He has introduced a slew of new dishes to the menu of Singapore's Shang Palace, including this divine braised sea cucumber. The traditional Chinese seafood delicacy is stuffed with a meaty shrimp paste redolent with creamy foie gras and braised till a fork-tender consistency. Resting on a bed of crisp, fragrant shredded ginger, the sea cucumber is then draped in a silky abalone sauce. 22 Orange Grove Road, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.
Fish on Fish? at Restaurant ARDS (part of the 15-course Piquant Illustration menu, $188++)
Presented on an exquisite glass dish from Italian designer Paola Navone's Fish & Fish series, ARD's fillet of red grouper is poached in scallop butter and seawater, the flesh sweet and delicate, topped with a savoury homemade XO sauce. It is served with plump flower clams fragrant with Shaoxing wine cooked in a claypot over hot stones. Most interesting are the little mounds of 'umami snow' that accompany the seafood. The powder is made with dehydrated wasabi, tapioca and furikake, and is, as its name suggests, deeply umami. This complex dish is just one of the many intricate creations in the 15-course tasting menu by Chef-owners Ace Tan and David Lee, who between them have had several prominent stints at establishments like Pollen, Bacchanalia, Les Amis and Melbourne's Attica. ARDS is their latest brainchild, a New Asian fine dining concept that seeks to showcase Asian culinary arts with ingredients sourced only from the region. 76 Duxton Road.
If there's a good time to be paying omakase-only restaurant terra a visit, it is now. The restaurant specialising in Italian food prepared with the finest Japanese ingredients is reaping the fruits of chef Seita’s latest visit to Japan. Only the freshest catch finds its way to terra's kitchen which means no one, not even the chef, knows exactly what they're getting until the new shipment arrives. Inspiring seafood makes a splash on terra's omakase menus, with ingredients such as the Hokkaido scallops (pictured) arriving at the restaurant alive. These fresh, high-quality produce paired with chef Seita's impeccable understanding and respect for each ingredient results in an exquisite ever-changing menu reflective of the Japanese seasons. 54 Tras Street.
Fat is flavour, and this new dish on Maggie Joan's revamped menu shows of plenty of it. The hole-in-the-wall Mediterranean-inspired restaurant turns two this year, and the dark intimate space has gotten a minor facelift with new furnishings. The dinner menu has also been refreshed, with our favourite addition being the beef tartare with kimchi and smoked beef fat. Here, tangy kimchi is mixed into chopped beef, wakame, shallots and chives. The star of the dish: Beef fat smoked in the restaurant's Inka oven, then mixed with a bit of Dijon mustard to cut through that creaminess. 110 Amoy Street.
From assorted sashimi to grilled items, it's all about enticing the senses at this new robatayaki restaurant. By the same people behind Kappo Shunsui at Cuppage Plaza, this new addition to the trendy Keong Saik Road delivers on both taste and entertainment. Just wait to the end of the meal to get what we mean — as a finishing touch, guests get a serving of Hokkaido rice nanatsuboshi covered with salmon roe. The catch: Chef doesn't stop doling out the ikura until you tell him to stop. The raucous cheers of "yoisho" as chef dramatically spoons on heaps of ikura adds to this fun end to a good meal. 29 Keong Saik Road.
There are some dishes where adding shaved truffles serves merely as a luxurious garnish. Not at Kamoshita. Here, chef Koki Miyoshi sources his ingredients with care, right down to importing fish bones from Tsukiji market in Japan to make his stock (according to chef, these fish bones imbue the stock with a sweeter flavour profile, as compared to fish bones bought at wet markets here). The fluffy Japanese rice grains are then plumped up with sea bream meat, black truffle salsa, and a generous layer of fresh Italian truffles so the whole dish sings with a balance of delicate and earthy flavours. 5 Neil Road
The signature sea urchin pudding at Lolla has made countless rounds on social media platform Instagram, and has become a dish instantly synonymous with this casual outfit. Now, Lolla's new head chef, Saiful Aziz, has come onboard to refresh the menu and introduce new dishes for the Autumn season. The omakase menu here showcases tasty dishes such as seared brill with salmon roe and a candied chestnut dessert, but it is this dish of French chanterelles that wins us over. The meaty mushrooms are sauteed with sprouted beans, then garnished with shards of aged Manchego cheese for a hearty combination. 22 Ann Siang Road
