Showing posts with label Grill Fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grill Fish. Show all posts

Sunday, 12 March 2023

One Prawn & Co’s – 12 Course Seafood Grill Dinner [Media Invite]

Fresh from earning a spot in Michelin Guide 2022 Bib Gourmand, Executive Chef / Owner Gwyneth Ang and her team are proud to present to you dinner service at One Prawn & Co’s (‘OPC’). Serving 12-course Seafood Grill.

Combining her 10+ years of culinary experience in established restaurants Burnt Ends, Tong Le Private Dining and Forlino, with quality seafood ingredients sourced from different parts of the world. OPC is now ready for its sophisticated evening culinary delights.

The Ingredients
For those who have been to OPC for their prawn noodles, the evening experience is just different. While you can’t change the décor, you can definitely set the atmosphere. From the onset, you will be welcome by the service crew dressed in long sleeves black shirts, black pants and black mask. Once seated, you will be presented with the menu and cold towel as well. To spice up the mood, you will be serenaded by chill music from the BOSE speakers throughout the evening.

One of the Service Crew
The 12-course dinner is priced at $128++, you can choose to top up $30++ for free-flow house pour sake or go for ala carte’s seasonal sake pairing and other drinks. As the team is committed to presenting the best of each course to customers, limited slots are available and all dine-ins will be strictly by reservations only.

OPC 12-Course Seafood Grill Dinner Menu
House Pour Sake
Dinner started with Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp, Avocado, Tomato, Rice Flower. A crunchy sweet shrimp, toss with tangy avocado and tomato mix sitting on light and crispy rice crackers. A nice appetizer to open up the palate.

Amaebi
Amaebi
To accompany our meal, LD chooses the free flow house pour sake and I choose sparkling juice yuzu. LD says the sake helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the seafood.

House Pour Sake
Sparkling Juice Yuzu
The next four dishes are served together. Hyogo Oyster - Fresh Oyster, Mignonette Granita; Amberjack - Cured Amberjack, Soy, Seaweed; White Shrimp - Poached Shrimp, Coconut, Garam Masala; & Soft-Shell Crab - Tempura Soft Shell Crab, Kicap Manis, Baby Gem.

Hyogo Oyster, Amberjack, White Shrimp & Soft-Shell Crab
The Hyogo oyster is big, plump, juicy and naturally sweet, we almost can not taste the granita in the oysters. The amberjack is thickly sliced, and cured with a lovely smoky flavour, soy and seaweed. It was delicious.

Hyogo Oyster
Amberjack
White shrimp has a familiar taste that is close to home. The poached shrimp is coated with coconut cream. Although the menu says garam masala, I feel it tasted closer to rendang spices. The softshell crab has a crispy exterior and juicy flesh. It is sitting on sambal sauce and lettuce. We eat it like a crab wrap. We think it can do with a bit more kick / spiciness on the sauce.

White Shrimp
Soft-Shell Crab
Soft-Shell Crab
Maitake Mushroom - Grilled Maitake Mushroom, Burnt Barley Risotto, Chicken Jus. The team at OPC start to flex their creative muscles. The grilled mushroom on top is light and crisp. While the barley risotto is plump, smoky and when you bite the barley, the chicken jus just burst. A lovely mushroom umami overload.

Maitake Mushroom
Maitake Mushroom
Squid - Squid Noodles, Salsa Verde, Black Olives. We can’t believe that it is squid as it looks like some kind of thick noodle. The squid noodle is chewy with a strong fishy flavour. The jalapeno in salsa verde sauce brings out a nice heat to the dish while the herbs blend well with the squid, together with smoky black olives sprinkle.

Squid
Squid
King Scallop - Scottish King Scallop, XO Chilli Jam. When this dish was served to us, we can still see the sauce in its boiling state. The scallop is huge and juicy, while the XO chilli jam provided a multi-layer spicy flavour, like sambal instead of just a blow of spiciness. Nicely done.

King Scallop
King Scallop
King Scallop - Bite Size
Onglet - Hanging Tender Steak, Sunchoke Cream, Chives. The onglet has a nice sear externally and grill to the point of rare as the centre of the steak is reddish pink. It is meaty and tender with a bit of chewiness in it. The sunchoke cream is sweet, creamy and can easily be mistaken for cauliflower cream. Together with the gravy, it paired well with the steak.

Onglet
Onglet
Turbot - Grilled Turbot, Garlic Brown Butter, Capers, Pickled Papaya. I was surprised that turbot is on the menu as it is known to be a very expensive fish. Although we did not get the whole fish, it is easily one-third of the fish. It is grilled to perfection with a nice charred on the edges of the fish. We enjoy the fattiness of the flesh, infused with a smoky aroma and coated with brown butter capers. Though the capers are generously slathered on top of the fish, it was not sourish at all. The Asian touch of pickled papaya provided a subtle crunchy texture and balance the dish nicely. It is so so good; we clean up the fish to bare bones.

Turbot
Turbot
For the finale, Abalone Poached Rice - Baby Abalone, Signature Prawn Bisque, Egg Floss served in the Signature Claypot. This prawn bisque pao fan is a perfect end to the email. It tasted robust, loaded with umami and so comforting. The abalones are tasty, with a delicate chewy and crunchy texture. Although we were full, we did not waste a drop of the bisque. Yummy!!

Abalone Poached Rice
Abalone Poached Rice
Egg Floss & Crispy Rice
Abalone Poached Rice
Dessert is Seasonal Fruits - Specially curated from the local marketplace. Well, we had a bit of surprise this time, it was Japanese musk melon, strawberry and orange. The petite portion is just enough to cleanse the palate and leave you with sweet memories.

Seasonal Fruits
When we thought the dinner service is finished, the team surprise us with Burnt Ice Cream. A mini chocolate chip ice cream, infused with a smoky flavour. I must say, Chef Gwyneth sure enjoys playing with fire, OPC dinner service is her version of “Asador”.

Surprise!! Burnt Ice Cream
CBK Verdict: It was a lovely omakase treat by Executive Chef Gwyneth Ang and her team. The dishes are creative, superb and delicious. The portion is very generous, we heard some diners waiving the white flag during the fish dish. Although you can’t change much about the space, the team put in a lot of effort to change the atmosphere. For the amount OPC is charging, it is a steal. A must-visit. Cheers!!

One Prawn & Co’s – 12-Course Seafood Grill Dinner
Where: 458 Macpherson Road, Singapore 368176.
When: Tue – Sun, 18.00 – 23.00
Price: $128++ per pax / $158++ with free-flow Sake
Note: Dinner Service is by Reservation Only

Drink Menu - Alcoholic
Drink Menu - Non Alcoholic
Thank you very much Protegie, Chef Gwyneth and OPC Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 9/10
Value: 8.75/10
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Budget per Person: $81 & Above

One Prawn & Co by Red Marble
458 Macpherson Road
Singapore 368176

T: +65 9639 8668
OH:
Lunch, Tue – Sun: 11.00 – 17.00
Dinner, Tue – Sun: 18.00 – 23.00
Closed on Monday

Tuesday, 31 January 2023

[CLOSED] Basdban – Elevated Sichuan Food [MEDIA INVITE]

Welcome to Basdban! The sister restaurant of Birds of a Feather (review available here), under the umbrella of The Foreign Project Group. While Birds of a Feather showcase the elegant side of Sichuan cuisine, Basdban showcase an elevated version of Sichuan food.

Basdban Entrance
Decor in Dining Area
The décor at Basdban is edgy, funky and you can throw in the element of gastropub as well. While the bar is the centrepiece of the indoor dining area, the playful animated lights will brighten up the place with lively and funky music. There is plenty of seating outdoor as well, though the ambience is not as vibrant as the indoor seating.

The Bar
We kick off the tasting with Funky Fish ($18). Thick slices of salmon sashimi, dressed in funky sauce and yoghurt. The sashimi is fresh, while the funky dressing has the elements of sweet sauce and Sichuan oil. The yoghurt helps to temper the spicy oil. A good start to the meal.

Funky Fish
Funky Fish
Sticky Pork Ribs ($18) – Roasted Pistachio, Sichuan Sweet Vinegar Glaze with Housemade Pickles. Basdban uses the lean version of the pork ribs, similar to the baby back ribs. The sweet, tangy and spicy flavours come from the Sichuan sweet vinegar glaze, complemented with the crunchy roasted pistachio. I like the carrot and purple cabbage housemade pickles that balance the flavour nicely.

Sticky Pork Ribs
Sticky Pork Ribs
Sticky Pork Ribs
Lalalalala Fried Chicken ($28) – Wok Fried Chicken, Lala Clams, and Sichuan Chili. This dish will not be out of place in a Fear Factor challenge, as half of the plate is filled with cut Sichuan chilli. Well, I manage to get a few bites of the chicken cubes, that are aromatic and crispy. For the lala, it is like digging into the landmines, as seeds of the chilli or peppercorn might be hidden behind it. Not the dish for me, but Sichuan food lovers will appreciate this.

Lalalalala Fried Chicken
Two To Tango ($23) – Classic Sichuan Wok-Fried Broccolini, Caulilini and Minced Tofu. A superb vegetarian dish. Multi texture and multi flavour, complete with a kick of spiciness at the end. The tofu flavour completely transformed and can easily be mistaken for minced pork

Two to Tango
Two to Tango
Two to Tango
BB Prawn Aglio Olio ($28) – Sichuan Style Aglio olio, Tiger Prawns and Clams. Basdban interpretation of Aglio Olio. The tiger prawns are fresh and cooked just right. The pasta is cooked to al-dente, smooth, and silky with a touch of spiciness. The cherry tomatoes are plump and bursting with flavours while the Sakura prawns added a crunchy texture to the dish plus enhancing the umami flavour. Yummy!!

BB Prawn Aglio Olio
BB Prawn Aglio Olio
Wholey Fish ($48) – Whole Barramundi served in Mala Broth. Similar to the Chong Qing grilled fish. The whole barramundi is butterflied and deep-fried to seal the juice in the flesh and give the fish a crispy texture. It is then simmered in Mala broth to give it an aromatic and spicy kick. The spiciness level here is mild and easily acceptable to most people. However, if you like the super spicy version, don’t hesitate to ask the service staff to increase the spicy level to match your expectations.

Wholey Fish
Wholey Fish
The fish and other spicy dishes will go well with a bowl of white rice, that is served with furikake topping.

White Rice
Basdban Unagi Donabe ($45) – Sichuan Waxed Meat, Unagi, Morel Mushroom, Sakura Ebi, lard and Special Shoyu Sauce. A must-order dish here. The rice is soft and infused with multi-flavours from the waxed meat, unagi, mushroom, lard and Sakura ebi. The special shoyu sauce binds all the ingredients nicely. Once you scoop it in your mouth, it was a party in your mouth. Yummy!!

Basdban Unagi Donabe 
Basdban Unagi Donabe - The Rice
Basdban Unagi Donabe - The Unagi
We commence the sweet ending with Glutinous Rice ($15). The glutinous rice is done three ways; fried, boiled and pudding topped with grapefruit, pomegranate and sweet sauce. You get to experience different textures of the glutinous rice (crispy, wobbly, creamy) at the same time. An interesting dessert.

Glutinous Rice
Glutinous Rice
Pick Me Up! ($16) – deconstructed tiramisu. I like the coffee crumble, followed by the cream and coffee-liquor infused mascarpone. The dark chocolate sheet is crispy and solid. I feel they can be more generous with the coffee liquor for that extra kick.

Pick Me Up!

Pick Me Up!
Basdban also serves a great cocktail to go with the food. Since I can’t take alcohol, I get to try their Oriental Flair mocktail version.

Oriental Flair - Mocktail Version
Monday Blues - Cocktail
Kyoho - Mocktail Version
Basdban Old Fashion - Cocktail
Overall, it was a great dining experience with Sichuan street food. The team at Basdban successfully elevated the dishes by using better ingredients and controlling the level of spiciness. I recommend the Funky Fish, Two to Tango, BB Prawn Aglio Olio, Wholey Fish and Basdban Unagi Donabe plus the Pick Me Up! Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Thank you very much Kristine, Chef Eugene and Basdban Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 8/10
Value: 7.5/10
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance: 8/10
Budget per Person: $51 - $80

Basdban
51 Telok Ayer Street
#01-01
Singapore 048411

T: +65 9755 1058
W: https://linktr.ee/basdban.sg
F: https://www.facebook.com/basdban.sg
IG: @Basdban.sg
OH:
Mon – Sat: 11.00 – 15.00; 17.00 – 23.00
Closed on Sunday

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