On this last day of 2022, I wanted to spend some time revisiting the memorable dishes that we had over the course of the year. But instead of simply listing them out, I thought it’d be fun to curate a hypothetical seven course dinner.
And to make things more challenging, only one item can be picked from any one restaurant. For each course, several candidates from the many wonderful places we dined at were shortlisted, before I decided on the best dish for each course.
It was not an easy exercise, but it was definitely entertaining. And away we go!
Amuse Bouche
To start off the meal, I chose the delightful uni, ikura, nori and fresh wasabi from Ippudo (yes, the ubiquitous ramen joint). The creamy aka uni and bursts of salty umami from the ikura is perfectly matched with the fruity notes of freshly-grated wasabi in this little bite of heaven.
Unfortunately, it’s not an item on their regular ala carte menu. Instead it was part of a limited Sake x Uni x Ikura promotion that they occasionally organise. What we had at Ippudo was very oishii, but you can probably cobble together the same combination at any decent Japanese restaurant.
Appetiser
With our taste buds properly tickled, it was time to officially commence dinner with the first course. Out of the many possible appetisers I had to choose from, the one that really stood out was the impressively large and prehistoric-looking roasted bone marrow at Boeuf.
Soft and jiggly marrow is topped with diced mushrooms, pine nuts, parsley and bread crumbs is an acquired taste. Both in terms of the intense beefy flavour and the jelly-like consistency. It’s not for everybody, but we definitely loved it.
Soup
What do you get when you heat up pink guava juice, stir in some secret spices and serve it in a pretty soup bowl/plate? Well, probably the most intriguing and inventive soup you’ll ever drink.
The unmistakable scent hits you first, followed by the warm and comforting embrace of a truly magical broth. I’m not sure if this is a typical Bengali dish, but the chefs at Aapon deserve a standing ovation for putting this on the menu.
Salad
I hate strongly dislike the taste of beets. So it’s nothing short of amazing that the beetroot salad at FOC was selected. The earthy grassy taste of the deep purple cubes melded strangely well with the sweet strawberries, smokey olive oil ice cream and punchy horseradish cream.
An added bonus was how pretty the entire plate looked. Each component was distinct but the entire composition came together as a harmonious whole. Green tendrils from the watercress garnish added the final touch to this delicious work of art.
Seafood
Peranakan food is one of the more unique cuisines that you can find in Singapore, and the 69 year old Guan Hoe Soon is one of its torchbearers. Straits Chinese Signatures is their outpost at The Esplanade and while the décor is more upscale, the flavours remain hearty and robust.
Of the many classic dishes available, the Udang Asam Goreng is our favourite. Sticky sweet, sour and spicy sauce is drizzled on top of lightly deep-fried prawns, imparting a complex and multi-layered flavour that’s amazingly addictive.
Meat
Because of its inherent gaminess, lamb is a very polarising protein — you either love it or hate it. If you sit squarely in the latter camp, please give it one more chance and try an Iskender lamb kebab. Beirut Grill in the Kampong Gelam enclave makes an especially tasty version.
Juicy minced meat is masterfully grilled and piled on top a mound of pita bread. A rich and spicy tomato sauce is then slathered on top, followed by generous lashings of tangy yoghurt. If this doesn’t turn you into a lamb fan, then well, I guess nothing will.
Carbs
Ever since the Serangoon Gardens branch of Jumbo Seafood closed down more than a decade ago, we’ve been searching for that long-lost chilli crab flavour. We finally found it earlier this year at their outlet in Ion Orchard, together with the less renowned seafood mee goreng.
It doesn’t get featured in their menu, which is a pity because it’s quite fantastic. Yellow noodles are wok-fried with chunks of scallop, prawns and squid, together with a (very) spicy sauce that’s slightly sour with a tinge of sweetness.
Dessert
Yeung Ji Kam Lu (杨枝甘露) is a classic Cantonese dessert made with mango, pomelo and sago. It’s a refreshing way to end a heavy meal, and the one at 15 Stamford is among the best I’ve ever had.
The presentation in a martini glass is decidedly modern and if that wasn’t atas enough, nitrogen-frozen coconut “snow” is theatrically dusted on top. It looks terribly fancy, but once you have the first spoonful, you know exactly what you’re eating.
Petit Fours
No fine dining dinner is complete without the post-dessert dessert, otherwise known as petit fours. And the award for the best petit fours goes to Gemma, for their yuzu white chocolate truffle.
It’s a cute little morsel that is a perfect way to end the meal, especially with the whimsical heart-shaped leaf perched on top. It must be a pain to cut them out piece-by-piece, and if you’re the kitchen staff assigned to this punishment task, you have my thanks. In addition to my sympathy.
So there you have it, a hypothetical seven course dinner featuring my favourite dishes from 2022. It’s been a great year of culinary exploration, and may the next one be equally exciting. Here’s wishing one and all a Happy New Year!
