Ma Cuisine Singapore is loosely affiliated with the Michelin-recommended establishment of the same name in Beaune, Burgundy. In a departure from the original Ma Cuisine in Beaune, owners Anthony Charmetant and Mathieu Escoffier are excited to introduce a new generation of winemakers from traditional wine regions like Burgundy, Rhone and Bordeaux, as well daring, delicious new world wines, in a market like Singapore where they believe wine lovers are more open to trying new things. The young French owners here have curated a collection of over 600 labels from diverse terroirs from wine-producing regions in France to more uncommon regions like Hungary and even Lebanon.
If you have a chance, let Anthony take you on a tour through the climate-controlled wine cellar and feel the crunch of a carpet of lava stones under your feet while he regales you with stories of winemakers and vintages. The owners' specific knowledge of the winegrowers, vineyards, grapes, histories, and the colourful, irreverent way they tell these stories, takes guests on a voyage of discovery and is what makes the experience at Ma Cuisine unique.
Watch this video:
A Côtes du Rhône La Vie On Y Est Domaine Gramenon 2016, for example, pairs beautifully with the La Pissaladiere, a caramelized onion tart with anchovies and olives, the savoury umami-ness of the pizza-like dish bringing out the ripe apricot flavours in the wine. You can also try the terrine of jellied ham and parsley here, a dish recommended by the Michelin inspectors from Ma Cuisine in Beaune. A spiced lamb shoulder with winter root vegetables served in a Staub cocotte made the perfect partner to the Domaine Laurent Combier 2015, a stunning vintage in Crozes-Hermitage with its intense fruitiness and peppery notes.
While it may seem a little strange and pretentious that the wine menu does not offer anything by the glass, the reason, as the owners explain, is simple: Every bottle tells a unique story that has to be experienced from it being chosen in the cellar accompanied by anecdotes told by Anthony or Mathieu, to its flavours evolving as you decant it and taste it over the course of the night. And when you're done with a bottle that you've fallen in love with, Anthony will take it to their glass-cutter at the back and return with it repurposed as a candle holder with the label preserved, a thoughtful souvenir for you to take home.