Fine Dining

A frisson of excitement passed through me when this beauty arrived at our table. A sheer sheet of pickled ginger gel, draped over an almost translucent amaebi shrimp and sambal petai on a slip of rice cracker, proved to be an exquisite balance of flavours, aromas and a festival for the senses. The refreshingly cool ginger gel acts as a foil to the pungent and subtly spicy petai, and the crunch of the rice cracker provided the needed textural element to bring everything together in this bite-sized firecracker of a hors d'oeuvre.

Taste: 4/5

An outstanding ceviche made with chunks of kingfish and heart of palm marinated in lively Asian citruses such as pomelo and kaffir lime, this was brightly flavoured, refreshing and elevated by a crisp rice cracker shard as well as an ebullient Thai basil oil. At once familiar yet exotic and really value for money as part of a set lunch.

Taste: 3.5/5

This alone is more than worth the price of entry to @thespot.sg 2-course set lunch ($33++).

Cooked to rosy-pink perfection, the butcher’s favourite cut was tender, juicy and umami. An intensely rich and nutty buah keluak dark chocolate mole was smoulderingly good and made great bedfellows with the steak, as did a luxuriant potato mousseline and charred broccolini.

Taste: 4/5

A lean cut that’s gaining in popularity, my portion of tri tip was cooked nicely medium-rare and was full-flavoured, a pity it was rather tough and chewy.

As sides, we had woody-tasting bluefoot mushrooms, mustard seeds over a mushy banana shallot that had been cooked a few minutes too long, and a rich if slightly cloying marmite and marrow jus. Everything worked more or less as a whole, even though there’s certainly room for improvement.

Taste: 3/5

Simple yet effective, an undeniably messy but scrumptious textural playground of a bowl, where decadent chocolate mousse is folded onto a bed of summery soft orange curd. The arrangement is completed by sticky shards of honeycomb and burnt orange segments.

Taste: 3.5/5

This'll give even the best Thai green curries out there a run for their money - an emerald lake of exuberant curry sauce bursting with vibrant flavour, fenced by a line of thicc scallops and charred broccoli. Not in scene is a bowl of fluffy coconut rice, perfect for soaking up all dat sauce with.

Taste: 3.5/5

Unorthodox is the first word that came to mind when I glanced at the ingredient list of the Catfish Taco. Walking the tightrope between novelty and balance, the skilled chefs of Catfish have created quite the magical appetiser here. Cradled in an explosively crunchy wanton skin, fine cuts of Japanese catfish sashimi are accentuated by the subtle sweetness of plum jam, tart creaminess of Umeboshi mayo and the entirety is lifted by distinct bursts of hazelnut. Very sexy.

Taste: 3.5/5

Conceptually intriguing but let down slightly by execution. Small potatoes aren’t great for hasselbacking, and the unseasoned chopped tuna was unnecessary. But the salty tobiko and unctuous wasabi mayo worked well enough with the crispy carb.

Taste: 3/5

Bold flavours abound here, with premium ara fish dressed in a savoury medley of sweet breads, bacon and italian parsley. The foamy, golden sauce made from chicken wings boiled for 6 hours is refined yet packed full of flavour, truly delicious.

Taste: 4/5

Paying homage to a French classic, Beni's version is elevated with foie gras and black truffle. The savoury finale to what had been a very fine meal so far, the whole golden duck pie which emerged from the oven was nothing short of stunning. Pity we only got a quarter each, because it was excellent.

The buttery, burnished pastry was par excellence, and what it contained inside was even more indulgent – a thin layer of black truffle, sandwiched between ground duck meat and foie. Not letting up on the decadence, a commanding Sauce Rouennaise was served alongside the pie. Its dominant duck liver flavour might put off those with less adventurous tastes, but I absolutely loved it. And we added black truffles for $10, because why not.

Taste: 4/5

Chef Kenji Yamanaka's Japanese influence really comes to the fore with this dish, which sees alabaster hunks of fugu meat coated in sticky rice and deep-fried to crisp, flaky perfection. Despite this, its flavour was incredibly delicate and natural, and the subtle chicken stock sauce peppered with pomelo and olive bits only served to enhance the fish.

Taste: 3.5/5

Beni's fine dining is of the Japanese-accented French ilk, characterised by luxurious ingredients, immaculately prepared and delicately plated. We enjoyed this starter very much, with chunks of fresh, springy lobster well contrasted by crunchy radish, Italian broccoli and baby parsnip. Textures of lobster such as squares of wobbly lobster jelly and a scattering of umami lobster roe powder solidified the theme and the encore of concentrated lobster bisque was an unveiling of deepest umami. Great!

Taste: 4/5