Table of contents for February 2018 in epicure

After the fleeting joy from a five-day 21°C cold spell, we are once again entering into familiar tropical climate territory in February. Temperatures are rising in our office too, but for a different reason, as our team celebrates Valentine’s Day and looks closer to home to put together this Passion & Perfection issue. Digital editor Natasha Venner-Pack reviews a new hotel in Kuala Lumpur and recommends three of her favourite fine dining restaurants for a quick couple’s getaway (page 92). Staff writer Jessica Chan checks into Novotel Singapore on Stevens and shares the reasons why foodies will take to this new lifestyle hub cum hotel (page 96). Of course, we can’t forget our readers in Indonesia who have been faithfully following our magazine. Jakarta-based writer Divya Pridhnani recommends five of…

Blue Box Café Even without the swept-up hair, black dress and cascading pearls, diners can still emulate the soignée Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s within Tiffany & Co.’s first retail dining concept, Blue Box Café. Sitting on the fourth floor of the flagship boutique along 5th Avenue, a striking robin’s egg blue décor – the brand’s trademark colour – is splashed across the walls, plates and sofas. Complemented with cool herringbone marble and amazonite stone, the sophisticated and dreamy interior pays homage to the luxury jeweller’s evolving craftsmanship and heritage. There’s a prix fixe menu for breakfast (US$29/S$38) and lunch (US$39), but we have our eye on the picture-perfect afternoon tea (US$49). The three-tiered set offers finger sandwiches alongside intricate desserts, such as the Tiffany Bird’s Nest and Chocolate…

Golden Peony’s executive chef Ku Keung has whipped up several Cantonese set menus and à la carte menu to celebrate the Year of the Dog. Highlights include the Fortune 3-D Meringue ‘Yu Sheng’ ($888 for 30 persons and more) with New Bedford Scallop, Salmon, Crispy White Bait and Fish Skin, which is artfully arranged in the shape of a dog, and the Roast Whole Suckling Pig with Shanghainese Sticky Rice, Fritters and Chicken Floss ($338). Level 3, Conrad Centennial Singapore, 2 Temasek Boulevard. Tel: 6432 7482 Savour fine Cantonese cuisine in an elegant setting at Cassia. The Deluxe Fortune Set ($199/ person) is an ultra-decadent six-course dining experience. Start the feast with an auspicious combination of Crispy Suckling Pig with Minced Shrimp, Panfried Goose Liver with Roasted Duck, and Steamed…

With its hot desert climate, ultra-modern mega malls and space-age architecture, Dubai may come across as intimidating and a tad soulless. However, the emergence of The Bulgari Resort and Residences Dubai just two months ago has transformed the emirate’s futuristic landscape with its upscale Mediterranean village aesthetic. Since 2004, the Italian jewellery and luxury goods brand has been flexing its architectural and interior design muscle with sumptuous five-star hotels bearing the Bulgari name in major cities like Milan, London, Bali, Beijing – and now Dubai. All five projects were conceptualised and brought to fruition by renowned Milan-based architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners, which counts Valentino, Ermenegildo Zegna and Alain Ducasse among its clients. Mediterranean in the Middle East Staying true to the DNA of Bulgari’s properties, The…

Our team goes undercover to suss out the latest and most talked about restaurants in town. FOOD: 5.5/10 SERVICE: 8/10 AMBIENCE: 9/10 AVERAGE DINNER BILL FOR TWO, WITH DRINKS: $180 MUST-TRIES : GUACAM …OLE! AND BURRITO LOVE AFFAIr 14 Bukit Pasoh Road. Tel: 6224 5466 TONO Cevicheria, Super Loco and boCHINche aside, there’s a dearth of good Latin American restaurants in Singapore. Our curiosity was piqued when Casa Poncho quietly launched on Bukit Pasoh Road last December. Opened by the trio behind 13% Gastro Wine – Geoffrey Weckx, Gregory Marchand and Bruno Vaillant – the cheerfully decked out joint is a breath of fresh air when compared to the minimalist and modern interiors of most new restaurants. The concept centres around a Latin American man named Poncho and his love…

This special Zodiac Dog magnum of Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2013 will be a hot item for collectors. Chinese artist Li Fu Yuan has created a dynamic label to match the contents, where Sangiovese expresses itself with aplomb – structured, jammy fruit with savoury thyme and laurel aromatics. 488 bottles worldwide, $1,455 (1.5 litres) from Castiglion del Bosco SCOTCH SHARE It’s not too late to be a partowner of GlenWyvis Distillery, a groundbreaking community-owned whisky distillery in historic Dingwall, Scotland. With first master distiller Duncan Tait (formerly Mortlach) on board, the ambitious brand will begin its initial production of single malt, while already selling craft gin in the meantime. The second Open Share Offer starts from £250 (S$455), and you’ll be joining some 2,200 investors who raised…

Jean-Charles Dubois, executive chef of Sofitel Singapore City Centre, is someone who is filled with positive energy. Perhaps it has something to do with where he hails from. “I come from the vibrant, historic city of Angers in the Loire Valley, reputed to be the garden of France because of the region’s amazing produce and the fact that the land is watered by Le Loire, France’s longest and mightiest river,” says the 42-year-old Frenchman proudly. The third largest city in the country was once a bustling waterway and frequented by French royalty. The Pays de la Loire region was crowned a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, as a tribute to the Loire Valley’s outstanding cultural and architectural contributions to the country. Angers is home to a population of 300,000…

Designed by architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners, Bulgari Resort Bali marries Italian sophistication with Balinese tradition. The resort’s signature hand-cut volcanic cornerstones, natural lava and palimanan stone blend in with Uluwatu’s rugged landscape, while a collection of unique Balinese antiques and art pieces add a touch of elegance and heritage to the property. The stunning resort offers one- and two-bedroom villas and up to Five-Bedroom Mansions, which come with the same opulence found in other Bulgari properties in Milan and London. In particular, the Five-Bedroom Mansion pampers the wedding couple and their families with a spacious living room, open-concept dining room and bar, five separate bedrooms, sun decks, a gazebo with open living areas, and a private pool and garden overlooking the sea. Cool cocktails, fine wines and…

As Valentine’s Day draws near, the rush to book a spot in one of Singapore’s many fine dining establishments can put a damper on our mood. Rather than compete with the crowds, consider another alternative, a mere one hour’s flight away – Kuala Lumpur. Having grown up in the local food paradise that is KL, a recent trip back reminded me of some hidden gems that are perfect for a gastronomic rendezvous, from a well-acclaimed restaurant that champions uniquely Malaysian ingredients, a modern Mediterranean seafood haven in the heart of town, to a mind-blowing tapas hotspot, complete with one of the best views of the city. BABE: JAPAS FUN DINING With a sweeping view of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline, and its location in an office block in the leafy suburb of…

Can we really talk about the first meal of the day without mentioning freshly baked bread? In this issue, we make a toast to artisanal multigrain breads, the dark horse of all breakfast bakes. A great source of dietary fibre because of its grain mix, multigrain breads also serve as generous sources of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B and manganese. The loaves also carry a characteristic heavier and bitter depth of flavour than white breads due to the dark tannins found in wheat. A lengthy natural fermentation process allows for active enzymes to break down the gluten in the flour, and makes for a more robust flavour and texture. For this round-up, we look to purveyors who use traditional baking methods. The perfect multigrain breads should be prepared with…

Indulge in a five-course dinner ($128) against the stunning backdrop of the Marine Bay skyline at Me@OUE. Savour Pumpkin Velouté, steamed Chilean seabase, and Poulet À L’Asiatique, the latter a spice-crusted chicken breast with smoked lentils. Or enjoy an eight-course feast ($198/person) comprising of fresh oysters, lobster, a Beet-crusted Turbot with ‘Ume’ Beurre Blanc, and the coveted Kumamoto A4 Wagyu Beef. Start your gastronomic journey with a decadent yuzu-spiked Foie Gras ‘Monaka’, and end off with an exquisite and textural Lychee & Rose dessert. Pair these chef creations with their array of wines and sakes to complete your dining experience ($68 for 6pm’s fivecourse menu, $88 for 8pm’s eight-course menu). For a more intimate evening with your date, request for the restaurant’s booth seats. OUE Bayfront Rooftop, 50 Collyer Quay.…

After six years at Marina Bay Sands, Italian restaurant Caffé B has found a new home on Club Street. The shophouse restaurant comprises three distinct spaces – the ground floor bar, the sit-down dining room on the second level, and a mezzanine that is ideal for private parties. The bar counter, in particular, was designed to look like a large dining table so that guests feel more comfortable chatting with the bar staff. Helming the kitchen is executive chef and culinary director Masanao Saito, who was the personal chef to the Japanese ambassador in Sweden. Modern Italian plates are whipped up with Japanese ingredients, such as the bar bite of Iwate Oyster ($15 each) with wasabi foam and ikura. A single jalapeño sliver atop the mollusc is balanced with yuzu…

Your foodie news around the world Famed restaurateur and cookbook author Hari Nayak helms Masti – Cocktails and Cuisine, a two-storied beachfront complex heating up the south of La Mer leisure centre. The lush yet vibrant interior of contrasting colours and patterns goes hand in hand with his playful take on Indian cuisine. Expect a mix of African and Indian flavours in the Bhatti Merguez (AED60/S$22), a succulent lamb served with a chilli garlic masala, and a splash of South American influence in the Steak Kali Mirch Soft Tacos (AED75), where fermented rice pancakes sandwich slowcooked black pepper short ribs. Post-dinner, head upstairs to the Masti Lounge for a panoramic view of the Arabian Gulf as well as unique cocktails. We have our eye on the Jaggery Old Fashioned (AED65),…

Call it the rise of ‘breakfastarians’, but the trend for a dining tribe that craves breakfast-style meals any time of the day is thriving in Jakarta. With such fast and constant growing demand, the metropolitan city is now rich with eateries serving morning meals till late in the night. While the idea of a conventional ‘brekkie’ usually involves a combination of bread, eggs, bacon and sausages – accompanied with an all-too essential cup of tea or coffee – breakfast in Jakarta ranges from American classics to Asian delights and each restaurant’s own delectable signatures. Adding to the experience is the atmosphere that some of these places have to offer, whether it’s a view of the metropolitan city or a picnic-like setting. The one with all the classics Where: Social House…

Although forged with vibrant red lacquered ceramic to commemorate the Lunar New Year, Dior’s Rose des vent’s Nouvel an chinois 2018 earrings are delicate yet striking enough to accentuate a dainty ensemble. A twist of grains frames the medallion, which incorporates a diamond at the heart of an 18K pink gold wind rose. Price upon request. One of Bulgari’s most iconic and well-loved jewellery designs, the somewhat masculine B.Zero1 – crafted to resemble Rome’s majestic Colosseum – was groundbreaking when it made its debut in 1999. Fast-forward almost two decades and the unconventional ring has been reinvented to embody individualism and self-expression. The B.Zero1 Labyrinth four-band ring in white and pink gold with pavé diamonds daringly infuses a new layer while rose and white gold meld together to form a…

Increasingly, staycations are seen as mini breaks and a must-do on many urbanites’ time-starved schedules, an opportunity to unwind in-between the next ticket out of town. While there has been no lack of new hotel openings on our island for a quick relaxing fix, the modish Novotel Singapore on Stevens has the makings of an unforgettable city retreat. The perks: an infinity pool, commodious rooms and 14 F&B establishments. Best of all, it is located just outside the Orchard Road belt. More often than not, I shuffle out of a hotel’s lobby without a second thought. Novotel Singapore on Stevens’ glass-fronted building, however, sets an atmospheric tone, leading me into the open lobby space and a midday tipple at L’Apéritif Tapas Bar. Families and young couples lounge with their cups…

Bulgari B2-200/207/208 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6634 8313 Blancpain B2M-237 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6634 8771 Castiglion del Bosco Email: jessicaho.cdb@gmail.com CHIJMES #01-25 Caldwell House 30 Victoria Street Tel: 6837 0953 Chopard #01-03 Ngee Ann City Tel: 6733 8111 Dior #01-22/#02-13 ION Orchard Tel: 6509 8828 Iconic Wines 100D Pasir Panjang Rd Tel: 6262 1975 KAL Wine Source Asia Ground level 45 Niven Road Tel: 6298 9672 Le Rouge @ Raffles Place #01-25 Chevron House 30 Raffles Place Tel: 6532 7992 The Straits Wine Company straitswine.com Tiffany & Co. #02-11 ION Orchard Tel: 6884 4880…

Hai Tien Lo offers two opulent pen cai options. The Classic Auspicious Treasure Pot ($328 for six persons, $478 for 10 persons) is packed with whole abalone, dried fish maw, dried scallop, dace fishball, pork tendon, pig tripe, Matsutake mushroom, bamboo pith, Chinese mushroom, Chinese cabbage, lotus root and white radish. Or opt for the Premium Wealth Treasure Pot ($398 for six persons, $598 for 10 persons), which includes all the aforementioned ingredients, plus pork knuckle, roast duck, and dried oyster. Available till 2 March. Three days advance order. Level 3, Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6826 8240 Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant’s Prosperity Pen Cai with Fugu Udon Noodles ($438 for four to six persons, $688 for eight to 10 persons) brims with auspicious delicacies like abalone,…

MeatLovers, Singapore’s first meat concierge by ADiRECT, specialises in Wagyu, Kobe beef and other premium meat cuts from Japan and other parts of the world. For Chinese New Year, it has launched a special beef bundle ($132) comprising Hokkaido Snow Beef Kiriotoshi, Hokkaido Snow Beef Shabu Slice and Kagoshima Yakiniku Cut (250g each). Only 300 bundles are available. The novelty item is Olive Beef, a product of olive-fed cattle in the Kagawa Prefecture. Choose from four different cuts: Olive Beef Steak ($78 for 200g) for a hearty pan-seared steak paired with wine; Olive Beef Yakiniku ($75 for 250g) for grilling or barbecuing over a charcoal fire; Olive Beef Shabu Shabu ($75 for 250g) for Japanese hotpot; and the thicker Olive Beef Sukiyaki ($75 for 250g) to produce a flavourful broth.…

Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse has reopened right next door to its original location on Mohamed Sultan Road. The newly outfitted heritage shophouse restaurant exudes a more modern vibe inside – splashes of red, industrial-looking chandeliers, brick walls and sleek wooden finishings. Start your meal with their antipasti, the Barbabietole ($25) – bite-sized marinated baby beetroots on a bed of whipped goat cheese and meringueshaped avocado purée. Aside from their signature Bistecca alla Fiorentina ($158), there are new dishes like the Fettuccine with smoked pimentón pasta, succulent blue swimmer crab, roasted peppers, and lemon butter ($26). 26 Mohamed Sultan Road. Tel: 6735 6739…

Where to go: Hours Why here: Nestled in the lobby of an office building, surrounded by the bustling streets of Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta is Hours, an F&B newcomer that opened late last year. The restaurant is always buzzing with energetic chatter from the ever-flowing crowd of working professionals and couples. Art fills the space. A vintage car is placed at the entrance of the establishment, while the La Marzocio coffee machine design is inspired by Jo Malone, a British perfumer and one of the owner’s favourite icons. What to eat: You can sit and while the day away, but Hours only serves breakfast at the traditional timing. Early birds should drop by before noon to enjoy a range of sweet and savoury breakfast dishes such as egg on…

Alvaro Comenge comes from an illustrious family tree, one that the family has traced back at least five centuries. His grandfather Don Miguel wrote the definitive textbook on Spanish wines in 1942, La Vid y los Vinos Espanoles (The Vines and Wines of Spain). His father Jaime, after a distinguished career as a public servant, established Bodegas Comenge in 1999. In contrast, Alvaro calls himself a laidback guy, and quips, “I told my father that he got the worst salesman.” Given the chance, sporty Alvaro would have spent his career with horses, having competed in his youth and then bred them, owning over 40 horses at one point. He joined the winery full-time in 2003 in a commercial capacity, and today runs it with his father, who’s now 78. He’s…

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (smws.sg) has finally opened its Singapore chapter, along with Thailand and Malaysia editions too. Founded in 1983, SMWS is famed for buying and bottling its own single casks, which are made available only to members. Basic membership ($140 annually) includes member rates for events and at all partner bars (ncluding the U.K.) plus access to purchase their bottles, while pioneer status ($320) includes a welcome pack with a lapel badge and three 10cl limited release bottles. The partner bar is The Single Cask. #01-25 Caldwell House, CHJIMES, 30 Victoria Street. Tel: 6837 0953 The Macallan Quest Collection is the hotly anticipated global travel retail range from the leading single malt brand. The quartet comprises Quest, Terra, Lumina and Enigma, each with a distinctive cask and…

Poised, polished and inscrutable – three words that can be used to describe both Nikki Hunt, 50, the founder of interior design firm Design Intervention, and the 7,500 sq ft District 10 Good Class bungalow that she shares with her husband Stephen. Their two young adult children, Jaime and Sasha, are currently studying in the U.K. (where Hunt is originally from). Hunt left the finance industry in 1998 to become a stay-at-home mum, but after helping several friends with their renovations, she discovered her flair for beautifying homes, and Design Intervention was birthed in 2004. As we step into her sprawling abode, it’s as if the pages of an interior design magazine have materialised before our eyes. Hunt and her family have lived here for 12 years, but the furnishings…

Since 1535, Lima, the City of Kings, has been lauded by ancient civilisations for its wealth and strategic location by the sea. Today, she is an ethnic metropolis, shaped by pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern influences. Countless huacas or temples dot the valley, particularly the Pachacamac shrine – a major pilgrimage centre during the Incan empire and surrounded by every aspect of nature: ocean, islands, mountains, desert and vegetation. Perúvian gastronomy highlights the best of Latin America – Perú was awarded the title of Cultural Patrimony of the Americas since 2011, awarded by the Organization of American States (OAS). Perúvian culture pays a lot of homage to nature, and it is reflected in the way we let ingredients shine, without camouflaging them with too many flavours or spices. Our food is…

What does the opulent Atlas Grand Lobby & Bar in Singapore have in common with The Ribbon, an avantgarde marvel sitting along Sydney’s Darling Harbour? Both are the brainchilds of Matthew Shang and Paul Semple, principals of international design studio, HASSELL. The trailblazing duo has been accentuating skylines worldwide with defining venues, which are partly inspired by their travel experiences. From cruising across the Ionian Sea to partying in a 230-year-old warrior fort in Jaipur, their appetite for adventure is ceaseless. What does it mean to be principals at HASSELL? Semple: Along with fellow principals, we are an integral part of a multi-talented team spanning Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States. Presently based in Singapore, we will be working on projects locally and regionally. Right now, we are looking…