Dill - Amazingly Magical Scandinavian Cuisine

Scandinavian Cuisine is quite a rarity in Singapore and is a needed addition here to our melting pot of different cultures manifested through food. So when I found out about Dill, a Norwegian restaurant helmed by Michelin Star Daniel Hasvold Jung-Eldøy, I knew I must come here to get a taste of what Norwegian Fine Dining is like.

And after an awesome, one-of-a-kind dinner here, I can say that Norwegian cuisine is one of my favourites!

The food here is full of harmonised, well-balanced, distinctive flavours, perked up by hints of zest. The taste is light yet complex at the same time. It is so different and distinct from other cuisines that I definitely feel like I’m dining in a faraway land full of seafood caught from the cold waters, fresh and specially fermented vegetables.

With Chef’s impressive resume, my first assumption will be that the restaurant tends towards formal dining style. So I’m pleasantly surprised by how cosy, homely and intimate the space is. Decked in light beige wooden panels and partitions, populated with pale wooden furniture and decorated with dainty light-coloured florals, this stylish minimalist place is like that quaint little Nordic restaurant packed with the owners’ passion.

The service is excellent, being so friendly, especially with the awesome host, who ensures patrons feel welcomed, enhancing that homely feel.

This is a must-visit for the foodies, the curious and the adventurous.

The first appetiser of Löyrom, which is Nordic roe, Cheese and Chives, all of which have very distinctive strong flavour, is surprisingly well-balanced in taste. The mildly briny sweetness matches so well with nutty pungency of cheese, especially with the chives adding a layer of soft vegetal freshness. And the Onion Cream is the magic that elevates the dish, evoking that "wow"moment. It adds complexity to the taste and its pungency highlights the natural sweetness of the roe and cheese. The pastry shell's texture is buttery and crumbly, blending seamlessly with the smoothness of the cheese. An awesome start to the meal. 

Fluffy Sourdough Bread with crispy shell is a delightful snack to enjoy on its own or with the Norwegian butter. First time I'm trying Norwegian butter and I'm impressed. As compared to the famous French butters, this butter is lighter on the palates while being sweeter at the same time. It fits with the whole theme of the meal, which is light and full of flavours. 

The Scallops here, interestingly served cold, are the most refreshing scallops, in a good way, of course. The soft briny sweetness of the scallops is rendered complex and oh-so-good by the vegetal sweetness of peas, the zest of the sauce, the pungency of herbs and yes, the lovely char aroma of grilled seafood. I love this so much that I finish every single drop of the sauce.

Next up is the warm dish of Cod, which is so different from any other cod dishes. I'm not exactly a fish person, but I totally love the cod here. Because the cod is perfectly cooked, being juicy with that iota of firmness, and featuring a thin layer of browned surface, and the pungency and zest of fennel and fermented celeriac cut through the oilness and brininess of the fish to retain the milky sweetness.

The beef is packed with meaty sweetness and is so tender with a good amount of char to impart an extra sweetness. The grilled vegetables are da bomb: the grilled sweetness of Baby Gem is so amazingly good that it makes me go "wow". The whole dish is made exciting and refreshing by the herbal zest of ramson.

The dessert of Rhubarb, Strawberry and Cream is light and refreshing with different layers of flavours, from mild sweetness, tanginess to a touch of earthy herbal taste. The crumble at the bottom is the magic here, adding a satisfying crunchiness and a buttery sweetness to round up the flavours nicely. 

Lovely White Whine

Smooth Red Wine

Thoughts: Falling in Love with Nowegian Cuisine!

33 Duxton Road

Marcy's - Of Delicious Food with Robust Flavours and 1950s Aesthetics

Part of the reason I love dining is the opportunity to get transported to another world for the night or afternoon. And Marcy’s, a seafood bistro specialising in cuisine with Peruvian, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese and Italian influences, is exactly what I need to enjoy great food in a posh restaurant reminiscent of the stylish romantic 1950s bar.

The food here features robust, exciting flavours that tease and please the palates. And I love the generous amount of fresh seafood added to each dish, totally satisfying my cravings for the treasures of the sea.

The place is like a hip, lush, swanky old world bar scene of the 50s with the high chairs with florid patterns and golden tassels, lots of ornate retro lamps such as Tiffany lamps and Flower vintage lamps, lush curtains embroidered with golden threads, retro music playing in the background, and shelves of alcohols highlighted with red light. I love the ambience here so much. It is so different from any other places. And with the soft yellow lights lighting up the place, the vibe is so soothing and romantic, and everyone looks like a million dollar here with this lighting 😉

And I also gush over the various beautiful porcelain plates with retro floral patterns.

The service here is stellar, especially the bartender, who takes good care of the patrons at the bar counter.

MARCY'S CRAB TOAST immediately impresses at first bite. Anchovy Mascarpone, Umami Butter, Brioche with loads of moist, briny sweet crab meat is packed with essence of the sea, intensified by buttery goodness in core of toast. This lush dish has the root vegetables added for that refreshing crunchy element. Definitely a star dish here.

MAFALDINE with Raw Prawn Crudo, Fried Spot Prawn, Lime Leaf is a pasta dish full of textures and like no other pasta dishes. It’s the first time I’m trying Mafaldine pasta, which is like ribbon with curly edges. And I love it for that unique texture. Yes, the shape of the pasta does affect the eating experience.

The sauce the mafaldine is soaked in has this warm, briny sweetness that is intense yet light at the sane time. The rich taste is made exciting by the tart pungency of laksa leaf . The raw prawns are crunchy and succulent while deep fried prawn is crispy, an excellent feature of two types of prawns in one dish.

SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA CRUDO topped witg Escabeche Granita, Yuzu, Seagrapes packs lots of robust flavours. It is refreshing and simulating in taste. I like the crunchy cold granita that juxtaposes very well with generous slabs of tuna.

A BETTE NOIR CAKE Valrhona Chocolate Cake, Passionfruit Coulis, Cherry has a smoky rich intense chocolatey taste, complemented so well by the crispy and tart coulis. The cake itself is moist and rich 👍🏻

Complimentary drink after the dessert. This is good!

Thoughts: Awesome Experience of getting transported to the Cool Swanky Scene of the 1950s

39-40 Duxton Road

Monte Risaia - Classy Lovely Japanese Italian Cuisine

This restaurant is no longer in operation 

I have just uncovered another gem through the sudden impulse to walk through Duxton Road! The upmarket black Lattice walls of the exterior of Monte Risaia made me stop in my tracks. When I saw it's Japanese Italian cuisine, I immediately conjured an image of soft carbonara spaghetti, and that did make me turn away as I'm looking for unique dining experiences. But somehow the exterior of the restaurant is so unique and classy that I had this feeling that the food here might surprise me. So on second thoughts, I turned back and strutted into the restaurant. And this is a great decision I had made 😉 Trusting my instincts instead of my assumptions.

Upon stepping into the restaurant, I'm totally impressed by the ambience here. The interior is posh, modern and classy. With black as the main theme for that stylish, mysterious vibe, the contrasting cherry wood colour of the kitchen counter immediately caught my attention. Yes, I get to see the chefs in action right in front of me.

The food is actually unique in its own rights and most important of all, delicious and palate simulating. Influenced by traditional Japanese cuisine, it is lighter in texture and taste, the dishes are packed with flavours.

The service here is very helpful and friendly. And he gives some good recommendations on food and wine.

I go for the omakase, naturally lol, since I want to get a feel of what the food here is like. And I really like what I have for the omakase.

First appetiser of Italian Prosciutto Ham with cherry tomatoes and shredded cheese is the one of the more Italian dishes in the omakase. The delicate, salty, meaty flavour of the paper-thin ham is enhanced by the fresh sweetness juices of the tomatoes. And the cheese adds a layer of light creaminess to the taste. Very appetite-whetting. Now I’m excited on the next dish.

The homemade bread here is a must try because it is so unique in texture. It is very dense, yet super fluffy and bouncy. I love it. The olives do very well refreshing the palates between the courses.

The soup features fresh, meatiest, most succulent clams. The taste of the clear soup becomes better with each subsequent sips as the sweetness of the clams and vegetables layers onto each other.

The risotto is my ultimate favourite of the meal. Obviously risotto is an Italian dish, but the chef incorporated the umami basis of Japanese cuisine into this lovely mould of starchy rice. Each grain is soaked with flavours that develop in the mouth to evoke a sense of warmth and satisfaction.

The seafood spaghetti is al dente 🎉 which overturns my assumption that Japanese spaghetti is usually softer than al dente. Packed with flavours, I actually enjoy every mouthful of this, despite my tendency to avoid spaghetti.

The grilled duck is impressively served in a wooden crate filled with smoke and rosemary twigs. The moment the frate is opened, I’m greeted by wisps of smoke with the herbal smoky aroma of rosemary. The duck meat is rich in taste and tender in texture. I love it.

Savouring Japanese Peach with nougat ice-cream is a very Japanese Italian way of finishing the meal. It features the glorious goodness of Japanese fruits and the creamy richness of Italian dessert. And they go very well with each other in this dessert.

I was only expecting a good satisfying meal when stepping into this restaurant, but Monte Risaia exceeded my expectations to provide an unique dining experience.

Thoughts: Lovely Meal!

59 Duxton Road

Nearest MRT: Maxwell or Tanjong Pagar