Table of contents for June 2017 in epicure

Treat dad to a highly palatable six-course family set menu ($188 for four diners) from Cassia. Start with a platter of five-spiceroasted pork belly, Chilean sea bass coated with mayonnaise, roasted duck and chilled jellyfish, then move on to the nourishing double-boiled soup of the day, followed by dad’s choice of wokfried broccoli with scallops or the sweet and sour prawns with bell peppers and pomelo. Then tuck into the intensely flavoured braised duck with sea cucumber and flower mushrooms before ending the feast with refreshing chilled mango pudding served with fresh fruits. Till end June. Capella Singapore, 1 the Knolls, Sentosa Island. tel: 6591 5045 With the gorgeous Marina Bay as its backdrop, Forlino is where he can indulge in an Italian buffet brunch. The appetiser station offers scrumptious…

Yardbird and Sunday’s Grocery pop-up Hong Kong’s famed Yardbird spreads its wings to The Lawn at The Upper House. The modern izakaya, which changed the game for yakitori in Hong Kong (and some say Asia), and its curated convenience store Sunday’s Grocer will have pop-ups at The Upper House every Thursday (6pm to 10.30pm) to Sunday (3pm to 10.30pm) until June. Tipples from Sunday’s Grocer will include the Yardbird White Russian, Whisky Lemonade, Jumbo Ozaki, Sunday’s Sake and Sunday’s Shochu. Expect stylish servers outfitted in NikeLab Essentials. Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2918 1838 Hot new eats The concept of farm-to-table dining is nothing new to many in this part of the world. But in a fast-growing city like Chengdu, it’s a trend to toast to. Luxury…

O n 24 April, chef Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida celebrated his birthday and kicked off a week-long celebration in conjunction with Hashida Sushi’s fourth anniversary. epicure was invited on board as co-presenter for the evening. The invite-only event was graced by restaurant regulars and special guests of epicure. Guest bartender, Daiki Kanetaka from D.Bespoke, personally prepared two sake-based cocktails for the night. The refreshing cocktails were finished with Sanpellegrino sparkling juices for a touch of fizz. epicure’s group publisher Ho Sum Kwong and Hashida welcomed guests and conducted the sake breaking ceremony. “Thank you everyone for coming. Please drink and don’t go to work tomorrow,” quipped the chef. Ho led the guests in singing a birthday song, and together with publisher and executive director Cecilia Goh surprised a visibly touched chef…

Even before you fly… you can tuck into an unforgettable fine dining meal, grab a gourmet sandwich, or pick up limited edition wines. The only Michelin-starred restaurant in an airport Top Air (Level 4, Terminal 1, C. Wöllhaf GastroService GmbH, Richard Wagner Straße 18/1, 70184 Stuttgart, Germany. Tel: +49 711 9482137) at Stuttgart Airport is a destination in itself – the restaurant has held its Michelin star for 25 years. Currently helmed by head chef Marco Akuzun, it offers globally influenced German cuisine, with menus aptly named Boarding Time and Ready for Takeoff, plus a 400-bottle strong wine list presided over by sommelier and restaurant manager Ralf Pinzenscham (who has been with Top Air for more than two decades). The cherry on top? From the dining room, you get a panoramic…

Over a wine dinner at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei hosted by local wine specialist Ch’ng Poh Tiong, guest of honour Matthieu Bordes looks right at home wielding chopsticks and toasting in Chinese. The energetic 43-year-old general manager and winemaker of Château Lagrange has been spending more time promoting wines in Asia since taking over the top spot in 2013, after joining the winery in 2006 as assistant manager. Although born in Bordeaux city and spending most of his career on the Left Bank, Bordes had a challenge of scale on his hands when he joined Château Lagrange, which is the largest of the classified growth estates with 118 hectares under vine. Bringing in the data Château Lagrange, founded in 1630, grew in success over the years and was ranked Third…

The nutritional power of Japanese green tea, matcha, is undisputed and has long been accepted in Asia. Green tea contains catechins which have a host of health benefits, from decreasing blood cholesterol and body fat to preventing cancer. Green tea is also rich in saponin (lowers blood pressure), fluorine (prevents tooth decay), vitamins and minerals as well. Besides being a superfood, green tea has also emerged as a major flavour for foods as well – from ice cream to bread, and now, the whole ramen dish. Tokyo tonkotsu ramen house Menya Musashi, a known ramen innovator, has created the Matcha Latte Ramen, which features pure, antioxidant-packed green tea powder in its noodle and broth. The restaurant’s head chef Tsutomu Koga came up with the recipes, which use 100 percent Japanese…

I make two trips back to my hometown of Penang annually, and as the years pass, it’s amazing to watch how the dining scene evolves. George Town, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, is now the perfect blend of old and new, with traditional and contemporary restaurants and bars housed in shophouses of myriad hues. It’s hard for Penangites to pigeonhole the new establishments into a single category due to our cornucopia of influences brought by English, French and Japanese immigrants, and the chefs and proprietors’ personal experiences. New and old coexisting During a recent trip back home, my first stop was dinner at Chin Chin Gastropub, a laidback, 30-seater joint run by chefs Beh Weng Chia and Jack Yeap. The former trained in the States and…

SATS’ stable of international culinary consultants comprises Dean Brettschneider from New Zealand, Eric Teo from Singapore, Gwak Man Keun from South Korea, Idham Mirwan from Indonesia, and Qian Yibin from China. Director of kitchens Rick Stephen and his team of chefs worked to adapt and execute the culinary consultants’ dishes for epicure’s cover story. Chef Stephen, what are the biggest challenges you face when designing an in-flight menu? “To make the dishes comparable to what people have at home or in restaurants, bearing in mind it is not straight from the pan. The food has to go through a cook-chill process, which is necessary to comply to strict hygiene and food safety regulations. We also try to avoid fried or crispy items as they will not hold well when chilled…

Mealtimes are precious and the latest dining programme by Mastercard® recognises that by connecting you to the things you cherish most: making meaningful use of your time to indulge in new experiences with loved ones. With the new suite of privileges, Platinum, World and World Elite cardholders can now give their children a taste of the world simply by paying with Mastercard. Be exposed to the rich culture and diversity of Asia with InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts. Whether you travel south to India or prefer a short getaway to Vietnam, children aged 12 years and under enjoy a complimentary meal with every paying adult with Kids Dining Perks. You’ll appreciate the extra flexibility of being able to choose from the Planet Trekkers children’s menu that is packed with nutritionally balanced…

F ood has always been an important part of the cruising experience. But the world of cruise travelling has come a long way, having shifted dramatically from providing endless buffets and portside burgers and fries, to more exclusive fine dining and speciality-themed offerings. Cruise companies are in furious competition with each other, each trying to steer ahead of the pack through novel culinary programmes, whether it’s offering speciality restaurants on board, interactive cooking classes, celebrity chef appearances, and offshore wine and market tours. Embracing the locavore creed As well-heeled cruising passengers are getting younger, the demand for a more diverse range of cuisines on board has also increased, and the foods that you are accustomed to eating on land are now readily available at sea. For example, in addition to…

Drink for a cause The globally celebrated Negroni Week is back from 5 to 11 June, and is expected to involve 50 bars in Singapore this year. Participating bars will donate at least $1 from each Negroni or Negroni-inspired cocktail during this period to a charity of their choice. Some go above and beyond. Bartender Loga Raj at Fat Prince is matching each donation with $1 from his own pocket, going to the Children’s Cancer Foundation. His cocktail is Her Royal Highness ($23), incorporating maceinfused Campari, The Botanist gin and butterfly pea flower-infused Cocchi Americano. negroniweek.com An initiative that began quietly last year has again brought together a diverse group of sommeliers to give back to society. The Flying Sommeliers, who comprise Amir Solay (Unlisted Collection), Mohamad Fazil (Salt Tapas…

Surf ‘n’ turf, a classic gourmet choice aboard cruise liners, is archetypically a sublime combination of red meat and seafood, an ideal choice when you want to savour the best of two worlds. Though there are several renditions of the dish, beef steak typically makes up the meat component, while the seafood element may vary to include prawns, shrimps or even scallops. And the perfect dessert accompanying this hearty main course is none other than the decadent crêpe suzette, the classic flambéed French dessert prepared tableside. Famous for being created out of a mistake made by Henri Charpentier in Paris in 1895 for the Prince of Wales, the dish had become a popular speciality in the City of Lights by 1898. But don’t be intimidated by the intricately exquisite presentations…

Most visitors to the Golden State wax poetic about its splendid Mediterranean clime and endless rows of vines stretching into the horizon of blue skies and bright green landscapes. On my first wine trip to California in January, I arrived the same time as a ferocious rainstorm that washed out roads and ponded unfortunate low-lying vineyards. But this was very good news on the whole. The wet winter season that ensued was much welcomed by residents as it officially brought an end to the historic six-year drought that has plagued the state since 2012. Sodden itinerary aside, my time in Sonoma County, Napa Valley and Livermore was still filled with the exhilaration of checking out some of the region’s most well-known vinous names. The daunting scale of the wine industry…

Audemars Piguet B2-207 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6688 7595 Bulgari B2-200/207/208 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6634 8313 Chopard #01-03 Ngee Ann City Tel: 6733 8111 Christofle #02-11/12 The Shopping Gallery Hilton Tel: 6733 7257 Enoteca Wine Shop #B2-02 1 Takashimaya, 391 Orchard Road. Tel: 6836 3068 Franck Muller L1-55 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6509 3380 Foundry www.foundry.com.sg Tel: 6339 6381 Glashütte Original B2M-215 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6688 7201 Grand Vin #08-139 TradeHub21 18 Boon Lay Way Tel: 6465 3081 Global Vineyards #04-26 Vertex Tower B, 33 Ubi Avenue 3 www.globalvineyards.net Icon Wines #06-77 Midview City, 22 Sin Ming Lane Tel: 6297 7548 IWC B1-126 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6688 7088 Jaeger-LeCoultre B2-240 The Shoppes…

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FOOD: 7.5/10 SERVICE: 7/10 AMBIENCE: 7.5/10 AVERAGE DINNER BILL FOR TWO: $150, WITH DRINKS MUST-TRIES: PROTEIN BOWLS, UNI SOBA, OMAKASE PLATTER 204 TELOK AYER STREET. TEL: 6220 0723 MOJO Serving lunchtime protein boxes with an Asian slant in the Telok Ayer neighbourhood, Mojo turns into a watering hole soon after, with early happy hour promotions (from noon on weekdays and 3pm on Saturdays). The 50-seater venue then transforms into a yakitori-tapas izakaya haunt by night. For lunch, the variety of healthy ingredients offered at the simple canteen-style service line is impressive. Grilled protein choices include Norwegian salmon, Japanese tilapia, chicken, shrimp and beef steak. For a carb base, choose between brown rice, quinoa, baby spinach and cha soba. We recommend getting the beef or tilapia with quinoa. Likewise, miso eggplant, kimchi slaw, Japanese marinated sprouts…

M arcus Samuelsson’s early life was hardly a bed of roses, but without it, he might not be the chef he is today. Born in Ethiopia, he lost his mother to tuberculosis when he was just one-year-old, and along with his sister Linda, was later adopted by a Swedish couple and whisked to Gothenburg. There, his adopted grandmother Helga inculcated in him a love for fresh, local food. So it was only natural when his professional football career didn’t pan out that Samuelsson turned to the kitchen, chalking up stints at Aquavit and three Michelin-starred Georges Blanc. There’s no denying that Swedish restaurant Aquavit (now two Michelin-starred and helmed by Emma Bengtsson) in Manhattan owes much of its initial success to Samuelsson. After apprenticing there in his early 20s, he…

Ever wonder where the tender roast prime ribs or perfectly grilled ribeye that you are having for dinner comes from? Meat aficionados know that an exceptional hunk of steak originating from the best reared cattle can make all the difference in taste, texture and flavour. When it comes to the provenance behind beef, two premium brands from Australia, Westholme and Wylarah, offer consumers the last word in quality. Produced by Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), Westholme beef has its origins from three Japan-born, Hongenregistered champion sires and Hongen-registered Kedaka, Tajiri and Fujiyoshi females. For more than 20 years, Westholme cattle has been raised on expansive Australian stations – four times the size of Singapore – and fed on natural grass as well as a proprietary blend of freshly milled grains. With…

Most chefs credit their love for the kitchen to spending countless hours cooking besides their mom or grandmother from a young age, learning traditional family recipes that have been handed down over the generations. But not Gunther Hubrechsen, chef-owner of the eponymous Gunther’s Restaurant in Purvis Street. His love for cooking only emerged after he started his culinary apprenticeship at 16, despite his father’s discouragement. Still, food remained an important part of his childhood. Born and bred in Ostend, the largest fishing town on the Belgian coast, Hubrechsen grew up experiencing both the city life and the Belgian-equivalent of a kampung lifestyle. He and his brother spent weekends and holidays at their grandparents’ home, while their parents worked in the city. “I loved staying at my grandparents’ house, especially since…

A McLaren MP4-12C, Ferrari 458 Spider and Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead line the driveway of this 5,200 sq ft, three-storey Mountbatten bungalow belonging to Elaine Lim-Chan, 46, and her husband Chan Kok Weng, 48, while their bright home interior is filled with designer furnishings such as B&B Italia’s iconic UP5 armchair and Patricia Urquiola’s Tuftytime Sofa. However, when it comes to their taste in food, it’s strictly ‘made in Singapore’. “Weng and I really love local food and Chinese cuisine, which is what we often serve when we entertain,” shares Lim-Chan. “It’s not the usual fine dining fare.” A worthy reflection In many ways, the Chans’ home channels their warm, outgoing personalities. Upon entering the couple’s abode, we’re greeted by their three pooches – Tin Tin, Miu Miu and Zo Zo…

On 9 June, Denis Lucchi, resident chef of mod-Italian restaurant Buona Terra will host a one-night-only four hands dinner with Eelke Plasmeijer, chef-owner of Locavore Bali, ranked 22nd on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017 list and a recipient of the Highest Climber Award in the same year. For this collaborative dinner, Lucchi and Plasmeijer will prepare a thematic sevencourse tasting menu with a focus on umami. Look forward to a special dish simply titled Umami, where organic brown rice porridge is cooked in mushroom stock, finished with egg yolk sauce and served blanketed in a thin sheath of champignon dusted with homemade MSG powder. $248/ person, with additional $108 for wine pairing. Visit www.buonaterra.com. Tel: 6733 0209 We’re loving Taste, the new gourmet grocer and dining concept at Raffles…