Heard rave reviews about this place and I brought my friend down to try their 3-Course Set Lunches which are priced at $39.50++. My tastebuds are easily satisfied and I found the food was generally awesome.
Complimentary bread (Sun-dried tomato focaccia)
Served warmed, it was crusty on the outside, soft, fluffy, and a little chewy on the inside. The aroma is simply heavenly, the flavours of sun-dried tomato, basil, and others that I couldn't detect really went well together. We were so tempted to ask for a 2nd loaf, but we exercised enough self-restraint to prevent over-stuffing ourselves.
Crispy tofu with foie gras-mirin sauce and white truffle oil
The wobbly soft tofu had shiitake mushrooms embedded within and was deep-fried till crispy with nary a sign of oiliness.
The thick and creamy foie gras sauce is what makes this otherwise-plain tofu so magical. It was unique, intense and pungent, yet so delicious that it just begs you to slurp it all up. Topped with bonito flakes, this was a clever play on textures and tastes.
Not.a.single.drop.of sauce was spared.
Spiced Crabcake in Oriental sauce
The crabcake was soft and moist, with a slight crispy exterior. I could taste the slight sweetness of the crab meat, and there were hints of wasabi in it, which neither of us could appreciate.
Marinated Cod with Black Miso, accompanied by sweet peas and herbed potatoes
This was generally a sweet dish. The cod was fresh and so tender that it threatened to fall apart at the slightest scrape with a fork. The fish had a slippery and buttery texture, but it did not give me the greasy, unctuous feeling that I hate. The black miso glaze was a little sweet but still had that savoury taste to it.
Pan-seared Chilean seabass with mushroom and smoked bacon ragout in truffle-yuzu butter sauce
The sauce was rich and complex in flavours, and the ingredients (yuzu, truffle, butter) really went well together. Actually, I could only taste more of the truffle and butter but that was enough to make me swoon.
I loved it so much that I practically licked the plate clean. This prized fish came in a generous portion; the thick slab of it definitely satisfies fish lovers like me.
It was tasty enough; like the cod, it was fork-tender but it still retained its bite. I could still chew on the fibrous texture of the flesh.
Sticky date pudding with Grand Marnier ice-cream
This was their dessert of the day. Its more like a cake than pudding, but it was really moist and I could taste the dates embedded within, as well as a subtle whiff of ginger. It was only lightly drizzled with butterscotch sauce, and it wasn't overly sweet, making it easy for one to finish it all without
getting sick of it. The Grand Marnier ice-cream melted very fast due to it being home-made.
Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla bean ice cream
I just love it when the thick molten chocolate oozes out of the crispy, soft tower of a warm chocolate cake. The ice-cream was dottled with speckles of vanilla beans which I absolutely love it it's subtle taste of sweetness and vanilla fragrance. Similar to the Grand Marnier ice-cream, this melted at a rapid speed as well.
A sweet ending to a yummy lunch.
1) The wait staff were very rude in their tone and the way they carried their message across. One of them even threw the napkin on my lap and left.
2) What's with the permanent scowl on their faces? I would appreciate if they had spared us their irritated expressions even if they couldn't manage a smile.
3) They literally chased us out of the restaurant, and I lost count of the number of times they told us "we're closing". They even pointed us to the door, which literally meant "Get Out Right Now".
However, if you're able to put aside all the shitty service, I would still recommend this place for its yummy and innovative dishes.
Restaurant Ember
Hotel 1929
50 Keong Saik Road
63471928
Open Weekdays 11:30am-2pm, 6:30pm-10pm; Sat 6:30pm-10pm
Restaurant Ember
Hotel 1929
50 Keong Saik Road
63471928
Open Weekdays 11:30am-2pm, 6:30pm-10pm; Sat 6:30pm-10pm
