We arrived on a drizzly, cold Sunday night to a near empty dining room. The space is massive. Decorations are simple, clean, and white. Laris’ interior would work wonderfully in a more intimate space, but in their cavernous Bund location leaves the restaurant feeling stuffy and lacking personality. It’s a stark contrast to the group’s lower level Jean Georges, which manages to transform the vast space into something warm and sexy.

Surprisingly, even though there were only three tables dining that evening we were all grouped together. So what could have been a more romantic, intimate table for two turned into us trying not to hear the ramblings of the over excited girl at the next table. Might sound like a minor point, but with so many empty spots, why group all the diners together?

The menu is divided up into meal courses and then priced according to the number of courses you want to take. You can order a simpler 3-Course meal for 480 CNY on up to a 6-Course mini tasting for 780 CNY. Then of course there’s the restaurants signature Tasting Menu at 888 CNY.

Joanna opted to put together her own 6-Course meal consisting of:

A very light and fresh Crab with Avocado & Lemongrass Gazpacho. Though she did find a bit of crab shell in the dish

Next out since they were out of the Warm Potato with Foie Gras and Truffle was a Lobster Bisque Sambuca Fennel Foam. The dish had a fantastic aroma and wasn’t heavy like a normal bisque.

Then came a Wild King Fish with Braised Mushroom Ragout. The fish was perfectly cooked and was another stand-out dish for Joanna.

Out next was a Blackmore Farm Wagyu. It sounded so good in the description but was over seasoned almost to the point of being inedible and unfortunately the temperature was off as well. I think Joanna throws these high end places for a loop, ordering mid-well steaks… they’re so used to sending out the bloody slabs that I so love that they seem incapable of doing anything past medium correctly

After the Wagyu was the Homemade Tagliatelle with Clam Chowder Sauce. The pasta was more like fettuccine than tagliatelle (why do people always try to pass off fettucini as tagliatelle???) and the taste in general was good but not great.

Last out was the Scallops with Cauliflower & Celeriac with Bacon Jus and Red Pepper Foam. It sounded good, looked good, and was decent all around. I think I ended up eating most of this dish as Joanna normally doesn’t even enjoy scallops, but was trying to grow her appreciation.

I was excited for my tasting menu. I mentioned the cold, rainy evening earlier and so I was excited to see the tasting titled “Comfort Food”. Perfect for a night like this, I thought. I started with a Laris Sashimi of Oysters, Toro and Kingfish. Despite my usual distrust of foamy dishes, I found the Oyster portion to be my highlight.

Then came a Creamed Salad of Quail Eggs & House Smoked Mackarel. Unique in presentation and taste.

Out next was a Poached Foie Gras with Saturn Jelly, Persimmon, Sweet Ginger, and Orange Compote. I’ll just come out and say that while I appreciate all forms of foie (and the sacrifice the duck or goose makes for me), I generally prefer a nice saute. A well sauteed foie for me doesn’t need anything else added to it. Poached foie on the other hand needs all the jellies and breads it can find. The jelly was good, but there just wasn’t enough of it.

Now we were getting to comfort foods for a rainy night – Crab Chowder with Corn Puree and Parpika. The soup itself was as standard as any lobster or crab soup you’ll find anywhere in the world… but that corn puree was beautiful. I would have gladly had a dish centering more around that than the crab.

Afterward came my highlight for the evening, a Risotto of Jerusalem Artichoke and Sage Butter Lobster. This was the dish I had been waiting for. Risotto well cooked, flavors all there. It would have been a lasting highlight if not for the more refined risotto I tasted the next night at Stiller’s.

The last “main” of the night for me was a Red Wine Braised Veal Cheek with Truffle, Sweet Peas, and Baby Carrots. Though not overly remarkable or inventive, this was a successful comfort dish.

For desserts I had a Cheese Fondue with Fig Jam… it tasted about how it looks, which was in a word, underwhelming.

And then a Dessert Sampler with Poached Pear with Goat Cheese Cream, Sticky Date Pudding, and a Parfait of Kumquat. Good, but again… not great.

Lastly some Laris Signature Chocolates. This is something they’re known for in town. They have a full chocolate workshop in back near the restroom (bad place for chocolate shop? ) where you can see them at work. It’s nice to have some quality western styled chocolates as I generally don’t like the Asian varieties.

So the food wasn’t quite up to our expectations. It wasn’t bad food, but for being one under Gunther’s on the Meile Guide, we struggled to understand the rating. Joanna and I both had two items of the six that we’d return for (she marked her notes with a check mark), but if I wasn’t re-reading the notes I’d be hard pressed to remember what they were.

The food was good but forgettable, but what really left a lasting memory was the service. Not only was it bogglingly slow (this place is massive, yet there were only 3 tables of 2) but also a bit rude. Halfway through my tasting the staff decided it’d be time to clear down the restaurant. And so we were treated to clanging glasses, silverware, and plates removed from all the empty tables while dining. The staff joked and talked with one another as they worked, somehow managing to never make eye contact or check to see if we needed more wine or water. I’m a former waiter and so am very forgiving, but at a restaurant operating at this level it’s unacceptable. To be fair, they didn’t pour wine in our water glass like the folks at Jade 36, but it was still bad. This could be blamed on local talent, but at M, T8, Stiller’s, Jean G’s, and others they’re all working exactly as you’d expect….

I might sound harsh here. I don’t mean to say that Laris isn’t among the best of Shanghai. It’s a good restaurant, striving to push the culinary scene in Shanghai. Maybe on a full night, with the chef in to watch over his domain the restaurant is better. But for me, you need that consistency every night to reach that next level and that’s what Laris was missing for us, that extra something. I don’t doubt that it can get there, I just wish it had for us.

Laris
6/F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu,
The Bund
near Guangdong Lu, Metro Line 2 Nanjing Dong Lu Station
Phone: 6321-9922

Paul

Yes & Yes!

Iggy’s is the anti-big restaurant (as are most of the restaurants topping the world’s best list). Located in the Regent hotel in Singapore, Iggy’s is quietly tucked away in a corner… if you didn’t know where to look for it chances are you might not even know it was there. The Iggy’s logo, in fact, is almost completely hidden by a plant and statue!

Walking inside the restaurant one is immediately at ease. Minimal artwork on the walls. A handful of tables, evenly spaced out with simple, clean linens in one section. And a counter top in another section which gives a peek, via panorama window, into the inner workings of the kitchen.

You are greeted immediately by the incredibly elegant, attentive yet discreet maitre d’ and asked if you’d like to start the evening with a glass of champagne and then given a choice of waters. At a place like this, how can you refuse champagne?

The menu is placed in front of you. You can check it online before coming, it seems to go monthly based on seasonal ingredients. It’s a clean, unfussy white piece of paper with 9 courses laid out in front of you. They’ll ask if you have any allergies or preferences and will make minor changes to accommodate, but otherwise you’re in the loving hands of the chefs… a great place to be.

The only major selection to face is the wine list… which in stark contrast to the one-page menu is a massive leather bound tome. Well of course it is. Founder Ignatius Chan trained extensively as a sommelier before opening Iggy’s in 2004. The list features heavily from old world regions and varietals. Since the menu covered so much ground, we found it best to go by the glass… mostly due to it being only two of us and not wanting a super boozy night. We shared our desire to start with a white after the champagne and move to a red for the end of the meal. The assistant manager stunned us with his sommelier-like knowledge of the wines and gave an articulate account of why we might prefer a non-sweet Reisling to follow the champagne, and why an old world Pinot would pair lovingly with the wagyu course. This was a rare treat in Asia where normally the waitstaff has memorized a spiel to give the clients and aren’t able to think on their feet and clearly articulate the wines (the only other one that compares is Gunther’s).

With our selections made it was time to start the meal. First out was a choice of two expertly baked breads. We opted for the olive loaf. I marveled at the level of detail in the staff as the waiter poured out exactly the same amount of olive oil for both of us… right to the second rim both times and not a drop more

Now onto the menu… but oh wait. Of course a restaurant like this would start with an unanounced amuse bouche. The waitor presented us with a beautifully plated uni (sea urchin) and pureed cauliflower. I watched for Joanna’s reaction. She’s not the biggest sea urchin fan, but since it wasn’t listed in the menu she didn’t know to tell them she’d prefer something else. Well it was a good thing she didn’t know and tried it anyways, as the urchin here was wonderful… it made a convert (or at least someone who can now tolerate the thought of it) out of Joanna.

After the urchin there was another surprise amuse. This time a gratinated fin de claire oyster in a chamber filled with smoke. As the chamber was opened a fragrant cloud of smoke unfolded and enveloped the table. Again a surprise ingredient that Joanna normally doesn’t like (oyster)… and again she enjoyed it. As if we weren’t already excited for the main courses, this was certainly jazzing us up… they were able to turn ingredients normally uncared for into delicious works of art… no small feat.

Finally it was time to start the advertised menu. First out was “Vegetable Garden” – asparagus, avocado, beetroot, carrot, mint, and mustard. What you can’t tell from reading the menu is that the mint came in little gels that would dissolve in your mouth, leaving a wonderful mouthfeel. Also, the garden was covered in what looked like plastic, but what was in fact a creation made out of tomato! These small feats of molecular gastronomy weren’t just there to impress visually, but actually tied the ingredients together and elevated the dish to a new level. Normally I’m not a fan of molecular gastronomy for shock sake, but this was restrained and elegant and really impressed me.

Next out was the “Ocean Trout” – served with violet potato, artichoke, and avruga caviar. This dish was good, but surprisingly the standout was the “violet potato” which was probably the best potato salad I’ve ever eaten. I would love to partner with these guys and do an Iggy’s BBQ and serve this is a feature side. It was THAT good. The fish was slightly under-seasoned, but this was actually intent I think as it was meant to be eaten with the caviar which would give the salt the fish otherwise lacked. If you’re not a fan of caviar however the fish was superb with just a touch of sea salt.

Then came what was probably our favorite dish of the night. Listed simply as “Egg” -with potato, poultry jus, Parmesan, and alba white truffle. It came presented in a little Staub oven. The egg was cooked at precisely 62.5 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes and was perfection in my mouth. I’m not a good enough writer to explain everything that happened in my mouth, but I could eat this dish daily and never grow tired.

Next out was the most ambitious dish of the night “Lobster” – wth oats, gizzard, and fennel. This dish was one of the most aromatic of the night. It left a lasting fragrance at the table that was warm and comfy, reminding me of the breakfast smell of oats and cinnamon. And the lobster was perfectly prepared. It wasn’t our favorite though. I applaud the effort and not playing it safe, but somehow we just didn’t love the irreverent combination of lobster and cinnamon oats.

Then came “White Truffle” – cappellini, poultry jus, Parmesan (at $9 SGD a gram extra on the ticket). This dish reminded me of the dish at Gunther’s which reminded me of the classic from Le Bernardin. Most restaurants of this caliber these days seem to have a dainty pasta dish. We opted for 3 grams of truffle each and enjoyed the complexity in our mouth. It was a simple dish, perfectly executed.

After this course came another surprise course, a palate cleanser dish. A duo of tomato – momotaro Japanese tomato with tomato water soda (looked like a tiny tomato beer – which prompted one of many bursts of laughter at our table when Joanna encouraged me to chug, chug, chug ).

Finally out came “Wagyu” – with daikon, jamon, and pinot noir. The sauce on this one was a touch runny for our tastes and a bit sweet. The meat, which was slow-cooked for 40 hours, was fork-tender and though it wasn’t as much a standout as “Egg”, it was still a treat to enjoy. I think for the both of us, after so much creativity, we were almost hoping for a small respite with the wagyu… just a basic bit of meat, respectfully cooked to feature fully the wonderful grade of the beef. Again, it was good, but not what we were hoping for.

Then came “Feijoa” – gin and lime. This was a palate cleanser, but man was it better than a boring old sorbet. It had layers and complexity not found in most “palate cleansing courses”.

Finally it was time for dessert. We were getting a bit worn out. The food was amazing, but we were nearing our belly’s threshold. The first dessert was “French Toast” – with milk, sabayon, and chocolate. The sabayon was made with white truffles and while it did work, I actually would have preferred the dish sans truffles. I’m sad I didn’t get a better shot of the dish to show this off as I realized too late… the dish when looked at in a certain angle resembled toast with eggs and bacon. I found that to be a lovely little play on the dessert plating and it made me really happy. Sorry I didn’t get a shot of this but use your imagination

Finally was the last course of the evening “Petit Fours” – lemon flavored tarts. Our server informed us that this was an Iggy’s specialty and to put them in our mouths and let nature run it’s course. If you don’t want the experience spoiled skip ahead -

I popped it in my mouth and waited. Nothing at first. Just a sensation of flaky pastry crust and lemon… not an overwhelming lemon (probably the only flavor I don’t regularly enjoy) but a mild, almost sweet lemon. As the crust disolved on my tongue I began to feel a familiar, childhood sensation. There were tiny explosions going on in my mouth. I opened my mouth and heard the familiar crackling of pop rocks! I burst out laughing (not the first time in the evening I smiled after putting something in my mouth). I didn’t care if other diners saw me eating with my mouth open, I wanted to fully enjoy the experience

We ordered coffees and reflected on the meal as we awaited the check. The meal as a whole was truly amazing. First,  it had taken a few ingredients that Joanna doesn’t normally like and transformed them into things she actually enjoyed.

Second it had awakened more than just our sense of smell and taste, but something deeper inside of us. I’ve read about this phenomenon at El Bulli… diners bursting into laughter in the middle of a meal. And I’ve seen it in Japanese movies about ramen (in Tampopo, ramen having the power to make someone laugh or cry)… I never really believed that was possible till this meal. I felt a refreshing glow over my entire body after it was over. It wasn’t just the buzz of wine, but was something else… I had been surprised, tricked, and delighted over the course of 2 1/2 hours!

Third and finally was the overall performance of the staff. Every detail was covered. The service staff was very attentive yet not on top of you all the time. The noise of the restaurant was never anything more than it should be (though maybe I could have done without the jazz version of Christmas classics if I had to be really picky ).

As we left, the servers showed us the rest of the restaurant, the chef’s table in back (new goal of mine, eat at that chef’s table), and the kitchen where people were still dutifully completing their tasks. I felt as if I was a regular guest… not someone there for the first time. As if everyone cared about me and I wasn’t treated differently than any VIP (cough cough Buko Nero). If I had to single out anything about out our experience as most surprising it was this – This whole experience that truly was world class… it was so down to earth. Nothing was overly fussy, I was never made to feel stupid or unwelcome… when I asked and re-asked about the timing and preparation of “Eggs” the maitre d’ calmly restated for me with a smile on his face. There was a confidence in everything done… they didn’t need to be snooty or look down on anyone…. a confidence I hope will infect other restaurants in the region.

My thanks to the staff and chefs at Iggys!

Iggy’s
The Regent Singapore #03-00, 1 Cuscaden Road
Singapore
6732 2234 (Do make reservations)

Paul

PS – I was so impressed I started researching and  found out most of the Iggy’s staff comes from a certain cooking school in Singapore and I’m honestly considering attending. I’d been considering cooking school anyway and this experience showed me some of the heights that a culinary career can reach. I’d love nothing more than to work at a restaurant like this some day and touch people through food and service.

Stunning presentation, impeccable service and inventive, modern French cuisine

It was Paul’s birthday, so it had to be special…something out of the ordinary and truly impressive. After much consideration I selected Gunther’s, #7 on the Miele Guide’s list for top restaurants in Asia. I think what got me, besides its reputation as one of the best restaurants in Singapore, was the idea of a menu-less, 8-course tasting dinner designed on the spot by the chef (who trained in a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris). The idea of every course being a surprise sounded exhilarating and like just the kind of unique experience I was looking to share with Paul on his special day.

And in fact, everything about our experience was absolutely flawless. When we entered  the restaurant we were treated like VIPs (and I didn’t even mention to them it was a birthday). They took my bag and carried it for me…lest I be perturbed with even the smallest nuisance of shouldering my laptop…and ushered us to our table. We were immediately greeted and the waiter did something I have never seen before….he brought the raw ingredients of today’s specials on a platter to our table for us to see them first hand. There was an impressive array of kuroge wagyu beef, lobster (still moving!), crab legs, a leg of Spanish ham on a carving tray, and a magnificent truffle covered by a domed plate. If there was any question about having the tasting menu, this completely removed it.

As we ordered the tasting menu, they asked if we had any special dislikes or dietary issues. I personally don’t like carpaccios (raw sliced meats / fish), and since I had seen these on the menu I decided to mention that. No judgment, no snooty derision…just a respectful reply of “of course madame.” We were asked if we would like the paired wine tasting as well….I said “yes”, Paul opted for “no” since he was getting over a cold. And with that the fun began…

1^st course
Japanese tomatoes with balsamic reduction and Spanish Ham

Why does everything Japanese taste better?….small, sweet and perfectly ripe tomatoes were an absolute delight with the Spanish ham. The balsamic vinegar served to cut the heaviness of the ham and the sweetness of the tomato and the result was perfect harmony.

2^nd course
Scallop carpaccio with tomato (for Paul) and grilled scallop with tomato (for me)

A stunning, simple presentation…..perfectly grilled in my case, and delicately seasoned and garnished in Paul’s case.

3^rd course
Capellini with caviar and white truffle

The domed truffle was no doubt used for this simple yet intensely flavourful dish. The earthly aroma wafted up from our dishes and I am pretty sure we didn’t speak as we silently savoured this dish. And in fact, it reminded Paul of a famous Eric Ripert dish from Le Bernardin in NYC.

4^th course
Cepe mushroom with scamorza cheese

Again, simple but harmonious combination of ingredients resulting in a delicate, yet satisfying mouthful.

5^th course
Alaskan king crab with chili oil in a pasta shell

Beautifully presented and judiciously seasoned, a lovely a light mouthful before the heavier courses.

6^th course
Kuroge wagyu beef grilled with corn and potato croquettes

Meat and potatoes if you get right down to it….but this is no average meat, the pinnacle of beef from an ancient stock of Japanese black-haired cattle. So tender and juicy it melts in your mouth. And the simplest item on the dish, the corn, was remarkably fresh and amazingly sweet.

7^th course
Pan-fried scamorza cheese, white truffle and Spanish ham

It’s hard to say what was my favourite course – it was a toss up between this one and the kuroge beef. There is no more classic combination than ham and cheese and when elevated with the best quality ingredients plus white truffles…well, something classic becomes something divine.

8^th course
Apple tart with rum raisin ice cream + compliments of the chef mini macaroons, valhrona chocolate, cannelles and cookies

A creative take on a classic was the perfect finish to a truly perfect meal. I am also a sucker for macaroons, so I was delighted to have the added and unexpected bonus of these and other wonderful cookies and chocolates.

It’s not often we write a review without a hint of constructive criticism….but Gunther’s was in fact as flawless a meal and dining experience as we have had in years. Every detail was considered and perfectly executed in every part of the service….from the inventive presentations to the masterful, yet simple flavour combinations to the highly attentive but somehow unobtrusive wait staff. OK, our experience was expensive…it cost us around $800 SGD for the chef’s tasting menu for 2 with 1 person doing the wine pairing (with service and GST), but I do believe it was totally worth it. But don’t be scared off by our bill…if you order a la carte off the menu, entrees can be had for $38 – 75 SGD, so not every meal has to be as extravagant as ours was.

Honestly, the bar has been set so high now by Gunther’s in Singapore that I struggle to imagine a better meal at any restaurant in any country. Our immediate circle of friends may well be tired of hearing about our culinary masterpiece of a meal, but we never seem to tire of talking about it. If you haven’t been there yourself, revisit your calendar and make it happen – a culinary story of your own awaits.

Gunther’s
36 Purvis Street, #01-03
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6338 8955

Hey all,
I know foodies in NYC would shudder at the thought of trusting a food guide. They like to feel they’ve discovered places on their own and not heard about them from a “trusted source”. In Asia, it’s a bit trickier to locate and find good restaurants… there’s language barriers, clueless taxi drivers, and other obstacles to getting out on the streets on your own. So in Asia the Miele Guide has emerged in the last couple years and is about as good as it gets for us food review wise. They’ve recently announced the top 20 restaurants in Asia for 2009/2010. We’ve already dined at some and we plan on hitting up others in the future. The list after the jump.

The Top 20 From First To last (we’ll update with our own links as we dine at the various restaurants).

1. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Hong Kong, China.
2. Iggy’s, Singapore. (1)
3. Robuchon a Galera, Macau, China. (6)
4. Jaan par Andre, Singapore. (-)
5. Les Amis, Singapore. (3)
6. Mozaic, Bali, Indonesia. (5)
7. Gunther’s Modern French Cuisine, Singapore. (4)
8. Laris, Shanghai, China.
9. Ku De Ta, Bali, Indonesia.
10. Yung Kee, Hong Kong, China. (8)
11. Bukhara, New Delhi, India. (14)
12. Beijing Da Dong Roast Duck, Beijing, China
13. Zanotti II Ristorante Italiano, Bangkok, Thailand. (19)
14. M on the Bund, Shanghai, China. (17)
15. Nobu, Hong Kong, China. (16)
16. Caprice, Hong Kong, China. (11)
17. Antonio’s, Cavite, Philippines. (10)
18. Aubergine, Manila, Philippines.
19. Fook Lam Moon, Hong Kong, China. (18)
20. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Tokyo, Japan. (13)

>> (Richard Vines is the chief food critic for Bloomberg News. Opinions expressed are his own.)

We’ve dined at a couple of these and haven’t yet put the articles up. I will say that I’m excited to try the 6 above Gunther’s as I enjoyed one of the best meals of my life there for my most recent birthday. The list is obviously tilted towards western cuisine and celebrity chef western cuisine at that… but I think they can be forgiven as a lot of these restaurants are truly deserving. Also, it’s hard to establish consistency in care-free Asia and the western guys do a better job establishing and upholding standards… so they’re easier to recommend to someone who might only have one night out in a city and wants to ensure a quality meal.

Anyone been to any on the list and want to share their experiences?

Get the Miele Guide at any bookstore in Asia or by going to the website.

Paul