Iggy’s. 45th Restaurant in the world according to the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2009 (the same list with El Bulli, Fat Duck, Tesuya’s, La Bernardin, and other greats). There are only 3 restaurants from Asia covered in the top 50 and this is one of them. It was 2nd in the Miele Guide for Asia’s Finest Restaurants 2009/2010. Could it possibly be that special? Could anything live up to that amount of hype and not fall short?

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.

A chill seaside locale for brunch in Singapore

It was a typical Singapore afternoon….hot, sunny and humid. What better to do than chill by the water over a leisurely brunch with friends? So off we set to Keppel Bay Marina to meet a group of friends at Prive Bakery & Café.  Iced cappuccinos, sunshine, muffins, friendly conversation, mimosas and chill atmosphere await…

Prive Bakery & Care serves all day breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, bakery items and desserts. Its really a rather long menu with a great many options – nothing fancy, just breakfast and lunch staples and basics.

In his effort to sample every burger in Singapore, Paul ordered the LA Burger A 200g wagyu beef burger with Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado, a fried egg, tomato, lettuce and dressed with aioli (S$26 / $18.75USD). Paul really enjoyed the burger and felt like it was a solid execution. Often time wagyu burgers are a bit messy…all that fat that creates the flavor prevents the meat from binding, and thus wagyu burgers tend to crumble unless they are blended with another type of beef.  But the LA Burger was well crafted and sturdy. With that said, it still didn’t beat Paul’s benchmark – the PS café wagyu burger that lives large in his memory.

I ordered a BLT. Prive’s rendition was a hearty version with grilled whole wheat break, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheddar, a fried egg and aioli (S$13.50 / $9.75USD). Again, another solid execution….while it didn’t set my taste buds on fire, it was simple and satisfying.

Our dining companions had various pastas, omelets, sandwiches and such, and without boring you of the detail of the other 15 diners we were with…the comments were essentially the same. No one was unhappy, but at the same time, there were no oohs and aahs of spasmodic delight either.

At the end of the day, the main reason to come to Prive Bakery & Café is the view. Let me elaborate…in our opinion, Prive’s food is average….not bad….don’t misunderstand. But this is not destination dining. You’ll get a competent execution of culinary basics. Come here for the view and chill vibe…meet friends, have a drink a sandwich and relax on the marina edge.

Prive
2 Keppel Bay Vista
Keppel Bay Marina

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

It was only a matter of time before our Sunday brunch group broke from the main island and ventured over to the Disneyland-like island of Sentosa. I was apprehensive at first. The island is almost too planned and organized, meaning there’s little to be found or discovered. Plus with the cost of rent on the island I’m sure there’s never going to be an undiscovered hole in the wall serving up great food at amazing prices. We decided to set aside our cynical nature and answer one question – could we find good value on the island (factoring in extra travel costs, entrance to island fees, etc)? Surprisingly we did.

Braise was a bit hard to find… or maybe that was just our horrible Comfort Cab driver (don’t get me started on these guys lately). After driving around for 45 minutes or so and actually calling the restaurant 3 different times we managed to be dropped off near the restaurant and had to walk about 5 minutes in the rain to the restaurant. To be perfectly honest this had set me back and I worried if the restaurant could possibly please at this point.

Braise shares it’s location with Silkroad and is located on the second floor. We stepped inside to find a simple, modern space. The architecture featured walls of glass with tables and benches in white, giving an open, bright feeling to the dining area.

As I looked over the menu my spirits began to lift a bit. Braise offers a combo buffet / meal. The menu is divided up into courses with the first course of Entrees all you can eat. Dishes off the Entree menu varied and came out in large portions for the table to share. Dishes included a lovely Caesar Salad (lots of crispy bacon here surprised me… I’m normally not a Caesar Salad fan).

Pan Fried Crab Cakes with Curry Aioli

Spanish Olive and Parma Ham

Soup of the Day

Charmoula Squid

Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Orange-Ginger Dressing. This dish was a slight miss. The soft shell crab wasn’t crispy… probably had been waiting to come out for a bit and was a bit mushy in texture (not in a good soft shell crab way).

And a Pan Seared Foie Gras with Carmalized Banana and Chocolate Sauce (you only get one of these, which is honestly enough as the banana combined with the foie gras is actually a bit heavy and rich together and lacks anything acidic to cut the fattiness of the foie gras).

Once you’ve decided you’ve had your fill of the Entrees, you move on to either Eggs or Pancakes. You can choose to have your eggs done in a number of styles including Benedict, Scrambled, Fried, or Crispy with Sausage, Bacon, or Cured Salmon. The sides actually come out for all to share and enjoy and are again refillable.

Everyone who ordered pancakes had theirs come out a bit burned. To be fair, they didn’t taste as burned as they look in these photos and were actually quite light and fresh tasting… with just a hint of char.

After breakfast its time to move on to the mains. There’s a nice selection of dishes going from seafood to beef, though nothing for vegetarians. Those at the table who ordered the Sauteed Black Pepper Slipper Lobster with Angel Hair all seemed to enjoy their dish more than anyone else.

The Roast of the Day that day was a Wagyu steak. I was excited to eat it until it came out. I like medium rare to rare steaks but this one came out looking a bit odd and had an almost tartar like texture. It was decent, but not what it could have been.

There was also an Oven-Baked Codfish with Tapenade Crust & Mustard Beurre Blanc

Duck Leg Confit with Gratin Potato & Orange Sauce

As if all that food wasn’t enough, after the Mains it’s time for desserts. There are standard dessert fairs including a lovely Chocolate Lava Cake with Coffee Ice Cream.

Classic Tiramisu

and a nice change of pace with a Cheese Selection from a Trolley. Careful, this isn’t a playing it safe cheese menu and features some truly stinky cheeses (to the delight of Dutch friend).

All of this totals out at only 68++ per person if you’re opting only for mixed drinks and juices. For 118++ you can make it a boozy brunch with a free flow of Diebolt Vallois Champagne. It was a great Sunday brunch, despite our initial troubles finding the spot and longer than normal travel times coming to the island. It was a joy to sit and dine, watching Singaporeans frolic on the beach or playing net ball. The staff was courteous and attentive without being overbearing, allowing us to dine at a leisurely pace. I’d recommend it as a brunch destination, particularly with larger groups.

Braise
60 Palawan Beach Walk
Level 2 Sentosa, Singapore, Singapore
+65 6271 1929

I’ve visited Mimolette late on a Friday night for the split music nightclub and had a great time. The setting was remote, the decorations seemed hip without trying too hard, and the crowd was a nice mix of people. (Of course this was 12:30 a.m. after a 3 hour free flow on Dempsey Hill ) I was excited when I heard they also did a Sunday brunch….

I left not as excited. Part of this was expectations based off the nightclub and, I hate to say it, part of this came down to poor execution.

The location near a horse ranch and farm is ideal. The road leading up to the restaurant is lined with tall trees and lush greenery, hiding the city skyline from view. The large white building looks like an old plantation house. There’s seating indoors and outside under fans surrounded by the landscaping. So far a perfect brunch place….

We took our seats inside, anticipating a quality, enjoyable Sunday brunch afternoon… and then we were greeted by the clown, making balloon animals. Our group was the first on the scene inside, and with no other tables to impress, the ladies of our table were treated to well-made (though slightly misplaced for our group) balloon jewelry. I was presented with a balloon rifle – I have to admit it kept me entertained much longer than it should have

We quickly realized that the Sunday brunch would not be bringing in the same crowd as the Friday nightclub. As we waited for the rest of our group to arrive, the building quickly filled with families… lots of families and lots of kids. Certainly not a bad thing in itself, but something you should be aware of if brunching after a solid Saturday night out or when looking for a peaceful, slower paced brunch option.

We ordered coffees and mains. There were many good brunch and full menu items on the menu so selection was difficult for a few of us (don’t worry we’ll be narrowing the list down for you in just a bit). The coffees arrived and the servers were clueless as to who the coffees went to, even with us raising our hands to motion the coffee over. The female head waitor stepped in and cleared the confusion, but it was obvious some of the staff here needs a bit more training. I wouldn’t complain if we were dining at California Pizza Kitchen, but with some dishes topping out at 30 SGD (plus 10 & 7 %) I expect everything on point. There was a large group celebrating outside and some large 15+ tops inside so I’ll give them a slight pass on service, but will say the coffee and main ordering processes were already a bit off when it was just our group inside. The White Rabbit is widely criticized online for their service, but it completely blew this place away (maybe they swapped servers?)

Some of the food came out very quickly. The first on the scene was Lemon Hotcakes (14SGD). They looked vibrant and fresh on the plate. Thankfully the hotcakes themselves weren’t infused with lemon, but it was actually the whipped cream topping on the side that had an essence of lemon. Actually a solid menu item and a good value price wise.

Next out were the salads. Caroline ordered the Seared Tuna Salad (21 SGD). The plate was colorful and fresh. Caroline said it was a very decent salad.

Kalpana opted for the Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (19 SGD). Unfortunately she wasn’t so lucky. Her exact words were, “I had the Chicken Caesar from Carl’s Jr earlier this week and it was better.”

I went with the Mini Mimolette Wagyu Burgers (28 SGD). Burgers were just barely OK. The texture and flavor reminded me more of a sloppy joe than a quality burger (PS Cafe). The fries, however stole the show and everyone enjoyed them a lot (can be ordered as a heaping side plate for 10 SGD). The dish as a whole was easily the worst value of the afternoon.

Monica went with the Toasted Sesame Honey Chicken Sandwich (18 SGD) and was equally unimpressed. I think she maybe ate 1/3 of it before giving up and deciding to hold out for dessert. It sounded really lovely on the menu, but the dish served to us didn’t resemble the description at all.

Next out was Joanna’s Croque Madame (18 SGD). It featured layers and layers of ham coated in cheese… she gave it points for being rich and satisfying overall, but subtracted points because it was basic and simple in flavor – and not a traditional rendition of a Croque Madame.

Joe’s eyes lit up when he saw Joanna’s plate arrive at the table. They quickly sank like a dog watching his master leave in a fully packed car as his plate was lowered to the table in front of him. Joe is our “Eggs Benedict” guy. He’s ordered them at every place we’ve visited so far… and these were the worst. According to Joe the ham was most likely packaged at best and probably processed, the hollandaise was crusty on top and separating, and the overall plating lacked imagination and precision.

Lyon ordered the Farmer’s Breakfast (20 SGD). He said it was a good “diner breakfast”. On the menu it sounded like lots of food, ordering he realized he had read to hastily and didn’t realize all the options were choices not all included. At Irish Pubs farmer’s breakfasts are usually massive ordeals that cause one’s heart to flutter upon finishing due to the amounts of food…this one was sparse and lacked quality ingredients.

Some of us were satisfied and ended the meal with another coffee. Remember when I said Monica was the least satisfied and thought she’d treat herself instead to a dessert? She discovered there was no real dessert menu for brunch. You could order the hotcakes or from an assortment of cupcakes, muffins, etc. So she went for the chocolate cupcake… only to again be disappointed. “Super Dry” was all she had to say

All in all it was a bit of a let-down. I’m sorry the review is a bit negative…but sadly I’ve restrained myself a bit and tried to find a few nice things to say throughout. There were a couple dishes that were decent and a few that were failures. The environment was well-suited to a Sunday family outing or brunch for those in the area. The fries were heads and shoulders better than the “famous Barracks fries”. But considering the long cab ride to the location from where we live, the prices, and the quality of the foods served – we won’t be returning soon (unless it’s to dance some late Friday night).

Mimolette
55 Fairways Drive
Phone: 6467 7748

If the brunch at the 4 Seasons Bangkok was elegant and indulgent… the Sunday Brunch at Brasserie Les Saveurs at the St Regis, Singapore was a downright decadent and debaucherous feast only one step back from the famed parties of ancient Rome.

According to historians, the term orgy didn’t have the sexual connotation it now possesses. “Roman Orgies” were actually parties of “unrestrained indulgences during which guests consumed copious quantities of food and drink to such excesses that they often relieved themselves by vomiting.” I said one step back earlier because thankfully at the St Regis people aren’t openly vomiting… though we have heard stories…

The free flow begins once through the door. This is a “one-seating” Sunday Brunch so reservations are necessary. You begin to imbibe immediately as you make your way to your seat with a warm up Mimosa. Once seated the free flow free-gush of Moet & Chandon vintage champagne begins.

Drink in hand or left at the table you are free to peruse the stations. These are standard Sunday Brunch stations – elevated. Freshly shucked Oysters, imported Japanese Sushi and Sashimi (though to be fair I feel the quality of fish was higher at the 4 Seasons), European deli meats, bread stations, etc. I made two different passes through the stations. Though the bread was obviously freshly baked and the green and yellow zucchini salad with pumpkin and sesame vinaigrette looked amazing… I stuck to my Sunday Brunch guns and skipped the fillers to focus on the meat and the Moet.

About an hour into service everyone decided it was time to order off the cook-to-order menu. This isn’t just a buffet brunch. Joanna had the Wagyu beef fillet and I, being a good Texan, ordered the Ribeye. To be fair both were good, but I would recommend neither as a stand-alone meal in a 5-star hotel.

The real treats of the afternoon were the passed plates brought directly from the kitchen to the table…sometimes by the chef himself. Little cups of miso soup, foie gras crème brulee (amazingly better than it sounds), and other delights kept us rooted in our seats – a good and bad thing. Good because we were able to try new, fresh food that was better than anything at the buffet lines or on the menu. Bad because we weren’t walking around anymore… and walking around is the only way to judge if you’ve slipped past light-hearted Sunday celebration into something slightly more sinister.

I say only way to judge here because the staff are Moet ninjas, staggeringly adept at keeping your glass full. I’ve been to plenty of “free flows” where the owners maximized profit by having the bar staff unavailable for refills. Not so at the St Regis. I swear, one time I had just taken a sip and was lowering the glass from my lip when I witnessed an amazing sight out of the corner of my eye – the bottle sailing into position over my glass to replenish the champagne that had just passed into my system. With two dedicated servers stationed to our group of 8, our table was never want for drink, cleared plate, or passed delight.

With our pants and bellies now waging a minor border feud we braved the sprawling dessert stand. Tarts, macaroons, cookies, brownies, cakes… all excellently presented and dangerously good… I had to step over two seizing diabetics to make it back to our table.

3:00 PM arrived, we paid and stumbled out the door of the St Regis, full to bursting, but completely satisfied. The Sunday Brunch at the St Regis is absolutely worth doing once… but I don’t know that anyone needs that regularly. A brunch best kept for anniversaries, celebrations, and special occasions.

A few tips to make brunch even more enjoyable:

• Don’t eat the night before ?
• Make reservations. There are not many tables inside the brasserie.
• As Joanna has stated before come with friends and don’t make plans after – you will be in no state to do anything important/intense after this.
• Use this as an opportunity to branch out into new foods/styles. Maybe there’s something you’ve been scared or too intimidated to try. When the chef visits your table ask him what’s good/how he prepared it/what he recommends. These buffets typically feature a smattering of “fine dining all-stars” like foie gras, sushi, wagyu, or anything else currently trendy.

Brasserie Les Saveurs at the St Regis
Chef : Julien Royer
Hours : 6:30 AM – 11:00 PM Daily;
Afternoon Tea 3:00 PM – 5:00 pm Daily;
Sunday Brunch 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Address: 29 Tanglin Road. Singapore 247911. Singapore
Phone: (65) 65066888

Brunch for 2 a bit over 350 SGD after taxes, service, etc.