The interior is rustic, with elements of boldness and class setting it apart from those of other establishments. While the settings is of no doubt elegant and chic, there is a light casual vibe hanging around it that makes one feel immediately comfortable and at ease. Another thing I love about the place is that in the room we dine at, all the tables there are tables for two. Tables for groups are in other dining rooms. So without very chatty groups beside us, we can truly enjoy the food. I really appreciate this level of thoughtfulness put into the seating arrangement. For the record, I do not mind sitting near other groups if I am dining with a group.
First up is, of course, the bread, whose quality is an indication of how detailed the restaurant crew is when it comes to creating that perfect dining experience. And the slice of sourdough bread is served warm, yes! Saved for the crunchy crust, this bread is very soft and fluffy, with just that iota of stretchy quality to yield the perfect texture. Paired with Echiré and sea salt, it tastes so wholesome.
The first appetizer of Western Australia Marron captures my heart the moment I set my sights on it. It looks so beautiful, with all the flowers and leaves meticulously scattered over the plate. And the taste matches up to its looks. I love delicate sweetness of the sea packed within the marron, which is a type of crayfish. And its taste is enhanced by the light pungent milky flavour of fresh curd and splashes of seawater. With all the edible flowers added, tucking into this dish feels like dining in the gardens by the sea! The pickled watermelon rind adds a hint of refreshing tangy flavour to the dish and gives an extra dimension to the overall texture of this dish. A very well-executed dish.
Before the first appetizer, we actually had the amuse bouche of beans, tobiko and egg custard, which hints at the chef’s approach to creating his dishes. The overall taste is mellow yet distinctive due to the umami of the roe and egg. The beans incorporates a delightful crunchy texture to this dish.
Next up after the appetizer is the best duck meat I have ever sink my teeth into. The flavourful meat is unbelievably tender. It is amazing since duck meat is usually pretty tough. The earthy flavours of Chinese jelly mushrooms and eggplant cream complement the duck meat very well. The kanten noodles and water chestnuts give a refreshing nice contrast to the texture of the duck meat.
Slow roasted Iberico pork collar is unbelievably tender, in fact, it has that melt-in-your-mouth quality. The steamed shitake custard and pork rib broth add a subtle Chinese influence to the dish, which my companion absolutely loves since he has a preference for dishes that are warm in nature. For food that are cold in nature, think sashimi and most appetizers. I am the opposite of him, but I am still loving this dish due to the amazing texture of the pork and the silkiness of the yin & yang scallop skin accentuating this quality of the pork.
Since we do not consume beef, the team at Whitegrass is really awesome to readily change it to Japanese Sea Bream. And after my first bite of the fresh, firm yet pliable fish soaked in sauce packed with earthy flavours, I immediately squeak, "Good thing we change to the fish!" The beef may be very good, I never know, but savouring the fish is more than enough to keep me happy. It is the best cooked fish dish I ever have in such restaurants. There is absolutely no hint of fishy smell that I can usually detect in fish dishes I had tried in some of the best restaurants in Singapore. The fish is perfectly cooked to have a crust on top while retaining the moisture within the flesh to yield a flavourful yet succulent fish.
Dessert is an interesting combination of single origin Peruvian chocolate and shaved macadamia nuts covering frozen chocolate, wood roasted coffee and prunes. The macadamia nuts add a pronounced nutty flavour and buttery taste to the chocolate, which works really well.
Petit fours are just as interesting. Lychee gummy is blissfully sweet and the other one is like a condensed form of watermelon cloud that surprises me when I pop it into my mouth. A nice and unique way to end the meal.
The service are friendly and very professional. And we are very impressed with the managers who made the effort to ask for our opinions of the food and also remind us to watch out for steps along the way to our designated dining room.
One of the highlights of this place is that all dishes are good, there is no weak link. And the ambience is so perfect. This is one dining experience that both of us thoroughly enjoy!
My thoughts: Splendid! Great for dates!
Nearest car park: Car park at Chijmes
Nearest MRT: City Hall
30 Victoria Street
#01-26/27 Chijmes
Singapore
Contact No: 6837 0402
