Was there for
lunch during the first visit, and now back for a taste of their dinner menu that was just launched in September.
"What would you like to drink?" To this, I'd say M Wine, please. Yes, I really like the Millennium Hotels and Resorts private label wine collection. Mellow, light and easy to drink. It pairs well with almost anything. My choice for dinner? Always red.
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| M Wine @$12++ |
Let's get on with the meal, shall we? To start proper, we had soup. The incredibly sweet, pumpkin puree soup. Took a sip and immediately, there was a noticeable difference. The visuals would be of any other pumpkin puree soup but it had a refreshing taste due to the clever infusion of lemongrass. It has a smooth mouthfeel and that's probably due to the use of young onion oil in there. Good to share the soup with your partner.
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| Pumpkin Puree Soup @$14++ |
Next up, something light to whet the appetite (no, not salad). We tried the steamed clam chorizo, a favourite of JC. Our table likes this dish and one could mop up the sauce with the sourdough slices provided. I'm not a fan of chorizo, unfortunately. Granted, the clams were meaty but do watch out for the shell bits.
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| Steamed Clam Chorizo @$26++ |
If you are out on a date and had sudden cravings for chili crab but the thought of working through the shells and making a mess with your hands doesn't appeal to both of you, then at Beasts, they have a solution for you. Delicious chili crabs with chunky meats, and deshelled so that we can eat it prettily. Yes, served with deep fried mantou (but just 4 of it!). You could also request for steamed mantou, for healthier choice. But, where's the joy without the deep fried crispy on the outside but soft pillowy sweet on the inside mantous?
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| Chili Crab @$36++ |
The sauce was sweet and spicy, with spice level at Level 3 out of 5. Lovely, and we scooped up the sauce to drink, I meant to eat.
Next, there were burgers on our table. Cajun Chicken Burger and Impossible™ Burger. The burger was served with a side of mesclun and potato fries. The salad was dressed in the appetising goma sauce.
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| (front, back) Cajun Chicken Burger @$24++ and Impossible™ Burger @$27++ |
Loved that they used brioche buns (well buttered, is a must!) to sandwich the patty. The Cajun Chicken burger uses chicken thigh, so it was juicy. It was less enjoyable for me due to the existence of a herb that I didn't fancy on the chicken.
First time trying the Impossible™ burger and didn't know what to expect. Would the texture be weird? Would it taste beefy? Would the patty be dry as a cardboard?
Wild thoughts and it all disappeared on first bite.
Wow. It tasted...like a good beef burger.
It's been 5 years since I first came across Impossible Foods way back in 2014 during the Techcracker 2014 event, organized by the Li Ka Shing foundation, Horizons Ventures, NUS Enterprise and Vertex Ventures Holdings Ltd.
Here is a related article on Li Ka Shing and Impossible Foods Inc founder, Patrick Brown.
The secret to the beefy taste? Here is a research article off the web for your reading pleasure:
https://singularityhub.com/2019/04/19/what-makes-the-impossible-burger-look-and-taste-like-real-beef/
The Impossible
™ burger patty is plant-based and at Beasts & Butterflies, the burger is jazzed up with sautéed baby spinach, white button mushroom, melty cheddar cheese, and tomato slice.
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| hey, good looking |
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| sure this is not beef? |
Next up, we are going to have meat. Yes, the real things. Duck, Chicken, Lamb and Pork. Essentially, those but let's do it with fancier flair~
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| Cassoulet Duck Confit @$35++ |
French cuisine, where the duck leg was cured and sous-vide cassoulet with cannellini beans, tomato concasse, spicy sausage and pork bacon. Chef Shahnaaz said, the cured duck leg was similar to 臘鴨.
My favourite roast that night, was actually the Roasted Baby Chicken where the cornish spring chicken was brined, pat dried and cooked with roasted butter herb marinated injected right beneath its skin, and served with sides of baby potatoes and spring vegetables.
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| Roasted Baby Chicken @$28++ |
It's rare to say but I liked even the breast meat of the Roasted Baby Chicken dish. A well-cooked dish that tasted good. This was one dish that made me wanted to finish it all. By myself. And, with sips of the delicious M Wine.
The Lamb Shank here was well braised in red wine (classic French style) and served with sides of mashed potatoes and ratatouille. I only ate a few pieces before it was gone. But those mouthfuls were good. Flavourful, meat was tender and clean tasting (aka not gamey at all) and thoroughly enjoyable. Didn't care much for the vege though but loved the soft creamy mash.
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| Lamb Shank @$38++ |
If you're still hankering after more meat, there's Pork Knuckles to consider. We did half-portion and it arrived looking crackly. Is it me, or does the namjin sauce tasted much spicier than previous? Get the meat that has some fats and of course a good portion of cracklings. Dip swiftly into the namjin sauce and enjoy the sensation on first bite. I still like this.
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| Crispy Pork Knuckles (half) @$26++ |
If you like Teochew porridge, or fish soup where the grainy rice is added to the soup, you will like the Lobster Porridge at Beasts & Butterflies. A luxurious pot of lobster rice porridge in crab broth, with sweet baby abalone, crispy conpoy, some bonito flakes, fried shredded ginger and scallion thrown in.
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| Lobster Porridge @$38++ |
Once in a while, Chef Shahnaaz Wong, Executive Chef of Beast & Butterflies, came to interact with us. She recounted about her time in Sri Lanka and the inspiration it gave in the pumpkin puree soup dish. A passionate and creative individual who loves travelling, Chef Shahnaaz has curated a small but multi-faceted, multi-dimensional menu to cater to a variety of palates.
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| Chef Shahnaaz spotted the camera |
Thus far, my favourites from Beasts & Butterflies are Roasted Baby Chicken, Chili Crab, Lamb Shank, Impossible Burger, Pork Knuckles, Hokkien Mee, salads (didn't think I'd say this!), and crab patties.
Let's have some dessert before we call it a night.
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| Yam Brulee @$12++ |
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| closer view |
The Yam Brulee was 'yammy' with gingko nuts and candied pumpkin, served with coconut ice-cream. I've enjoyed this the previous time but it's a 'heavy' dessert after a heavy meal hence, was feeling it at that moment.
The Purple Sweet Potato Montblanc was pretty in purple. Didn't read the menu carefully, and was a tad surprised when its inside was coconut gelato. Hahaaa. I wanted cake actually. But, it was a happy dessert with pretty details like the gold flakes and the chocolate butterflies. The pearl bursts excitedly and it was a sweet sensation having this dessert. Gelato was refreshing as expected.
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| Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc @$12++ |
We were filled with some trepidation while waiting for the finale dessert; the Rojak Ice-Cream Toast. We were like
What did we order?! What have we done!
And, it arrived looking like.... a large portion of shibuya toast.
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| Rojak Ice-Cream Toast @$12++ (half) |
We ate it like we were analyzing it deeply. It tasted pretty much as it sounds. Rojak, toast and ice-cream.
It's not weird at all and after a few bites, it became rather addictive. I like rojak sauce, and this had so much of that sweet salty savoury rojak sauce all over it with crunchy peanuts and all, and the toast was so crisp on its outer skin, it was like replacement of the crunchy 'youtiao' (fried dough fritters) minus the oily feeling. Add ice-cream to this concoction and voila, it became a dessert!
We kept on checking with the staff it this was half portion. It was affirmative. I cannot imagine how one could finish the mammoth of a full portion!
To end, we had coffee. As with previous, we get a kick of seeing printed image on the milk foam. Just ask Kenny on how to get this done so that you can surprise your loved ones.
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| JC with her printed image |
Dinner with
Darren, Jeff and JC. Missing Gilbert.
Thank you Fiona and Chef Shahnaaz, Beasts & Butterflies and kitchen team for the delicious meal. Not forgetting Kenny, who came by to assist when we had questions about the coffee printing.
Beast & Butterflies
Address: M Social Singapore 90 Robertson Quay Singapore 238259
Website: https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/singapore/m-social-singapore/beast-and-butterflies/
Contact: +65 6657 0018
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