The Balvenie x Cure - Whisky-Paired Dining Experience

 

The Balvenie and MICHELIN Guide have come together for the second year, to present Handcrafted By, a platform that involves a series of whisky-paired dining experiences inspired by craftsmanship and heritage.

Helmed by Chef Andrew Walsh, newly minted MICHELIN-Starred Nua Irish Restaurant, Cure has crafted two dishes and a whisky-based cocktail that are all paired with The Balvenie’s roster of storied whiskies.

Main course features a dish of Salmon is cured, brushed with The Balvenie 14 Year Old The Week of Peat, cold-smoked, and then hot-smoked. Glazed with molasses treacle, it has a stickiness and umaminess that pairs with the smokiness of the whisky. Horseradish is added for some heat and topped off with some roe and flower.

Dessert is presented inside a box and is inspired by Chef Walsh’s childhood winter memories with his father. Charcoal dough is cut into small logs to resemble peat. They are deep-fried with filled with a peat-smoked milk ice cream. They are served with The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old to enhance the smoky aroma. The whisky’s vanilla and cinnamon notes lift the dessert.

Lastly, to celebrate its recent MICHELIN Star accolade, Chef Walsh and his team have crafted a cocktail called Star in Orbit. Using The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old as the base, lime juice, umeshu, honey, sage, and egg whites are added. The hint of fruit and toffee notes from The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old provide a lingering finish to this cocktail.

You can enjoy these whisky-paired delicacies at Cure, available from 21 Feb to 21 Apr 2022 at S$396.00++ (full menu + alcohol pairing)

Full Menu

Soda, Stout & Treacle Bread

Irish Razor Clam

Potato Crisp Sandwich

Aged Duck Ham

Brown Crab

Gallagher Speciale Oyster

A Porridge of Grains

Salmon

John Stone Beef

A Cup of Barry’s Tea Tart

Lucky Gold & Chocolate Pot

Alcohol Pairing includes:

One dram of The Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood

One dram of The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask

One Star in Orbit cocktail; and

Other complementary pairings.

The Balvenie drams can still be ordered a la carte if you opt to order without the full alcohol pairing.

You may reach out to them at +65 6221 2189 to make a reservation

Location: Cure, 21 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089128

Goodwood Park Hotel’s Durian Fiesta 2022 - Eight NEW Unique and Exquisitely Handcrafted Creations

 Say YES to Durian! Highly anticipated Durian Fiesta at Goodwood Park Hotel returns from 28 February to 24 July 2022.

Look forward to an impressive range of handcrafted creations such as Deep-fried D24 Mochi Ball, Pan-fried D24 Blue Bea Kueh Salat, D24 Lychee Blossom Cake, D24 Strawberry Mascarpone Filo Tart, D24 Crystal Apricot Dome, Mini D24 Roulade Trio, D24 Banana Flambe Cake and D24 Raspberry Sacher Bar. Not forgetting their mainstays like the signature D24 Mousse Cake, D24 Crêpe, D24 Puff and Durian Ice Cream Tubs are also available during this period.

D24 Raspberry Sacher Bar ($19.00) Layers of D24 pulp, chocolate mousse, raspberry curd, and sacher-torte sponge, set on a crispy base of hazelnut feuilletine and coated with caramel glaze.

D24 Banana Flambe Cake ($18.00 / slice or $120.00 / 1.3KG) D24 mousse sandwiched between layers of moist banana cake studded with chocolate chips and a vanilla biscuit base coated with chocolate sponge crumbs. The cake is topped with caramelised bananas, drizzled with durian sauce, and sprinkled with chopped baked walnuts

D24 Crystal Apricot Dome ($18.00) Each glossy dome-shaped treat showcases a well-balanced pairing of subtly sweet apricot and rich D24 durian, consisting of apricot compote and mousse with flourless chocolate sponge, enveloped within velvety D24 mousse. It is then completed with a chocolate biscuit base and a mini apricot macaron.

D24 Lychee Blossom Cake ($19.00 / slice or $128.00 / 1.2KG)  Atop a crunchy base of digestive biscuits are ambrosial layers of rose sponge, lychee mousse and creamy D24 pulp. This alluring creation is cloaked in rose white chocolate glaze, then garnished with lychee, rose petals, and dried roselle.

D24 Strawberry Mascarpone Filo Tart ($19.00) Each tart features eight intricately assembled layers of flaky filo pastry. Luscious D24 mousse and mascarpone cream are filled within, before crowning with fresh strawberries and chopped roasted pistachio

Mini D24 Roulade Trio ( 6 pieces / $28.00) Mini Swiss rolls in three crowd-pleasing flavours (Pandan, Coffee and Strawberry) These petite treats are generously packed with D24 mousse rolled in pillowy soft sponge cake and coated with icing sugar.

Dine-In Exclusive at Min Jiang

Deep-Fried D24 Mochi Ball. Creamy mixture of D24 puree and fresh milk curd, wrapped in a handcrafted chewy skin made from glutinous rice, then coated in breadcrumbs, before deep-frying till crispy.

Pan-Fried D24 Blue Pea Kueh Salat. Their rendition of the traditional Nyonya delight boasts a delicate layer of D24 custard, paired with pretty blue-hued butterfly pea glutinous rice infused with coconut milk. Lightly pan-fried before serving.

Their popular ‘Mao Shan Wang’ Mousse Cake and ‘Mao Shan Wang’ Power Puff will also make its royal return from 1 May onwards, don’t miss that!

Card Promotions

Goodwood Park Hotel Gourmet cardmembers will enjoy 20% off selected takeaway Durian Fiesta pastries at The Deli.

Citibank, DBS/POSB, UOB credit and debit cardmembers will enjoy 15% off, as well as a special 20% off on every Wednesday for weekday delivery/self-collection orders.

Takeaway promotions at The Deli

Durian Bundles comprising select D24 pastries are also available at The Deli for takeaway from 28 February to 30 April, featuring three cakes or pastries at $43 nett (U.P. up to $56), or 5 types of cakes and pastries at $80 (U.P. $102 nett). 

Spend & Redeem at Coffee Lounge or L’Espresso

Exclusively from 28 February to 30 April, enjoy 1 complimentary takeaway box of Mini D24 Roulade Trio (6 pcs) with every $220 nett spent when you dine in at Coffee Lounge or L’Espresso.

Location: Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road, Singapore 228221

FOC Restaurant x JFOODO - Sake & Food Pairing

In collaborating with 30 participating restaurants across Japanese, Asian Fusion, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, Spanish and local Singaporean cuisine, JFOODO (The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center) launches “SEAFOOD LOVES SAKE” Restaurant Campaign to Promote Sake and Food Pairing. The idea is to bring awareness to the art of pairing sake with different international foods amongst Singaporean sake connoisseurs and ordinary patrons.

To support this initiative, FOC Restaurant, a modern Spanish restaurant in Singapore serving authentic Barcelonian Tapas and Paellas has selected 2 of their signature seafood tapas to pair with sake and I enjoyed it.

Smoked Cantabrico Anchovies on Charcoal Brioche with Salted Camerel Butter pair with Akashi-Tai Tokubetsu Honjozo (Akashi Sake Brewery). Smoked and slightly salty anchovies accompanied by salted caramel butter gives it a little sweetness, making it suitable to be paired with Akashi Tai sake’s clean and savory note

Grilled Hokkaido Scallops with Bonito Stock, Soy Caviar, Giner & Lemongrass Form pair with Sakari Junmai Ginjo (Nihonsakari). Sweetness from the medium rare scallops and saltiness from the bonito stock is perfectly balanced with Sakari’s refreshing finish.

Other dishes that I tried includes:

Prawns ‘al Ajillo’ in rich Garlic sauce ($24.00++) Succulent shrimp in a rich and garlicky sauce

Braised Oxtail in Port Wine with Foie Gras Parsnip & Basil Pesto ($28.00++) Aromatics, Flavourful and Pull-apart tender Braised Oxtail. I don’t even need a knife to slice it. Highly recommended

Suckling Pig & Scallops Paella ($32.00++) Must order dish whenever you are dining at a Spanish restaurant. It will be perfect if they can topped with a few pieces of suckling pig skin.

This Sake and Food Pairing campaign is available at FOC Restaurant from now till 13 Mar 2022. Remember to make a reservation before heading down to avoid disappointment.

JFOODO website: https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/jfoodo/

FOC Restaurant Website: https://focrestaurant.com/

Location: FOC Restaurant, 40 Hongkong Street, Singapore 059679

La Fête Wine Bistro & Bar - Affordable Delectable French Cuisines

This is a place that I will back again. La Fête Wine Bistro & Bar is a charming and cozy restaurant located in the heart of Telok Ayer street offering a premium selection of delectable French cuisines and wines.

The crunchy & refreshing White Anchovy Toast ($12.00++) is a perfect appetizer to start your meal

Scotch Egg ($12.00++) stuffed with generous Crabmeat and perfectly boiled egg with a golden yolk, served with Horseradish Cream.

 

You can probably find a lot of Restaurants offering Crab Meat Pasta but this is what Crab Meat Pasta should be! Linguine Blue Swimmer Crab Meat Pasta ($28.00++) topped with Ikura and Chunky Fresh Crab Meats!

Melt's in your mouth Iberico Pork Rock. This is a seasonal dish, not available in the menu. You may check with them if it is available when you are there.

Burnt Cheesecake ($14.00++)

 

Double Chocolate Tart with Black Sesame, served with Coconut Ice Cream ($14.00++)

 

Visit https://www.lafetewinebar.com/ for more info

Location: La Fête Wine Bistro & Bar, 165 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068617