Guccio Ristorante by Chef Marco @ 20 Gemmill Lane

Am a supporter of Restaurant Week organised by DiningCity for a while now and recently made reservations for their Chef's Signature event at Guccio. It is actually within 2 minutes walking distance from The Clan Hotel, which I was staying for that weekend. Events such as this, would be a nice opportunity to try new places without having to think too much about what to choose as the set menu is usually pretty limited choice and is meant to showcase the specialty cuisine of the selected restaurant.

I arrived on time for the 1.30pm slot, which I think would be pretty late for lunch? A quick look revealed that most diners were nearing the end of their meal.

Was given a choice of sparkling or still, but I am with Bernice and the choice is clear, because why pay for still when you could get sparkling? Hahaa!

sparkling @$10++

Chef's Signature Lunch Menu

Wendy arrived shortly after I had quenched my thirst, with refreshing taste of sparkling with a slice of lemon.

Bread was served after we placed our orders. Requested for balsamic as it was not offered by default. The bread was cold when served.

Was happy when our appetizer was appeared. The Calamari, came looking colourful and succulent. The olive coloured blobs were actually eggplant puree. The poached baby calamari was tasty and soft but not mushy. Each component on the dish played a part but the star of the dish was still the unassuming yet flavourful calamari.

Calamari

  

Next, was the Gamberi - New Zealand prawns 'tartare'. I think this would be my first time having any prawns 'tartare'. The sprouts on it was rather cute. The green pea puree was fragrant (because I do like green peas~). Not sure why but there was a light hint of citrus on this dish and it was a refreshing taste with mild sweetness.

Didn't enjoy the trout roe as much because it was of an awkward size. Was bothersome (for me, not sure if anyone else shared the same sentiment) because it was not big enough to 'pop' nor was it small enough to ignore and swallow.

Gamberi (supplement $10++)

Next, was our main course. Pork and fish.

Salmone

The pan-fried Norwegian salmon was Wendy's choice. The blobs of red that I thought was tomato, was actually beetroot cream. The seasonal greens on the plate was tasty. Fish was good although we would have preferred it to be slightly more pink.

Salmone - side view

I had the Maialino, slow-cooked Spanish suckling pig belly. Lovely plating. There's red apple compote and berry sauce.

Maialino (supplement $10++)

lovely layers

The skin was not of the crispy crackling kind, but the meat inside was lovely. The downside, was that the meat had stronger flavours of pork, hence a glass of wine would help. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the flavourful meat with lovely textured layers of lean and fats.

And then, we were at dessert. The choice was obvious. Of course, we got to try Chef Marco's mom's signature Tiramisu.

Tiramisu

Just be careful not to inhale while trying to get that spoonful in. I was careless and choked a bit on the cocoa powder. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed the tiramisu.

The Chef's Signature event menu is a good way to try some of the signature dishes on their regular menu without doing too much damage to the wallet. Guccio's Set Lunch Menu @$38++ had similar mains offered as well.

The Chef's Signature lunch set was good value and portions were adequate. Compliments to Chef Marco and his team.

Spent about $68 per pax.

Guccio Ristorante 

Address: 20 Gemmill Ln, Singapore 069256

Website: https://www.guccioristorante.com/

Contact: 6224 1684

Business Hours:

Tues to Sun: 11:30am–2:30pm, 5:30–11pm

Closed on Mondays

$100Gourmet June 2016 - Kentaro & Keisuke @ Lewin Terrace

Finally decided to give this a try. The $100Gourmet series is a monthly ongoing affair where an award winning overseas chef will fly in to Singapore to pair up with two Singapore-based restaurants to create a collaborative 6-course meal. Priced at SGD100++ per ticket for Citibank cardmembers.

Took a  look at the menu and decided to go for Chef Kentaro Torii and Chef Keisuke Matsumoto's collab at Lewin Terrace. First time to Lewin Terrace and also a first in trying the creations of the two chefs. Expect Italian and French Japanese fusion from Chefs Kentaro and Keisuke.

valet parking

path leading to Lewin Terrace

Chose the 1.30pm seating and the sun beating down on us. Lucky to have requested for indoor dining in the cool airconditioned comfort.

looking outside

indoor comfort

looking forward to the 6-course gourmet dining from Chef Kentaro and Chef Keisuke

fusion of east-west cutlery

Had their namesake cocktail, the "Lewin Terrace". Sweet and refreshing but first time having a cocktail served in such a glass. Haha!

Lewin Terrace cocktail @$18++ - Sake, Yuzu Ju, Sakura Syrup

First course was the "Hassun" or small selections of amuse bouche. Lewin's Chef de Cuisine, Chef Igarashi was on-hand to explain about our first course. There were 6 small items presented. There's Agu Okinawan Pork Rillettes & Onion Tartine, Amakusa 'Buri' Yellowtail Carpaccio, White Asparagus and Truffle Marmalade, Broad Beans Espuma & Pecorino Romano, Mozarella Pannacotta & Tomato and Kumamoto Shrimp with Provence Herbs. This platter of amuse bouche was crafted by both Chef Kentaro and Chef Keisuke.

Hassun (amuse bouche) - (front) Agu Okinawan Pork Rillettes & Onion Tartine and Amakusa 'Buri' Yellowtail Carpaccio

Since Chef Igarashi didn't say which one to start with, I went with the ones from the bottom row. Particularly enjoyed the yellowtail carpaccio, broad beans espuma and the mozarella pannacotta. The least enjoyed item was the shrimp. It tasted rather peculiar!

White Asparagus with Truffle Marmalade

(left to right) Mozarella Pannacotta & Tomato, Broad Beans Espuma & Pecorino Romano

The broad beans fragrance and flavours were good, with lovely mild pecorino cheese taste towards the end of the mouthful. The pannacotta was lovely with its wobbly 'sticky' texture, combined with salty bits of ham (I think?) and sweet tangy tomato.

Next up, was the Foie-Gras & Corn Velouté. Velouté is a French word and means "a white sauce made from a roux of butter and flour with chicken, veal, or pork stock". This dish was the creation of Chef Keisuke Matsumoto. Served in a large bowl and with a thin layer of custard-looking velouté sitting right at the bottom of the bowl. Kind of zen. 

Foie-Gras & Corn Velouté, with soba seeds

do you wonder how the Foie-Gras & Corn Velouté taste like?

The first mouthful brought on a smile. Now I understand. It was like eating an upside down sweet corn crème brûlée. The foie-gras must have been infused into the pudding, and each bite brings about a smokey, slight savoury and sweet crunchy sensation wrapped in silky creme pudding. What a lovely dish!

After the teasers, now it was time for something more substantial. Chef Kentaro's Tagliolini. When this dish was brought out, our attention fell onto the Kumamoto Noble Scallop with its interestingly, brightly coloured shell. "Natural colours." We were informed. So cool to see bright orange and purple coloured scallops shells!

Tagliolini - Kumamoto Noble Scallop, Mussel, Saffron Sauce, Bottarga and Lemon

The Tagliolini was topped with dried (or was it deepfried? Sorry, my memory is failing...) chopped parsley and rocket leaves for the herbed flavours. If you're expecting a burst of umami flavours... don't. It was a given that the pasta was cooked to the perfect texture. The small mussels were rather cute and lent a somewhat slightly briny flavour to the dish. First time having bottarga too. Bottarga is a delicacy of salted, cured fish roe. Hmm...it's one of those things that you either like or don't like.

Next, Chef Keisuke Matsumoto himself came to the table to present his creation; the Amakusa Sea Bream with Shiso, Tomato and Purslane. I must say that it is kind of rare to see Purslane used in restaurants. This plate has many components going in it; sharp herby shiso flavour, sweet flavours from leek, carrot puree and tomato, the slightly salty and bitter taste of purslane, and it was a pleasure to enjoy each distinctive taste profile as well as the overall harmony of those flavours. The sea bream seemed to be the blank canvas that drew out the rest of the flavours.

Amakusa Sea Bream

Next, was the highlight of the meal. Chef Kentaro's 'Steak & Chips'. Comprising of a succulent gorgeous-looking Kagoshima Wagyu Sirloin, and potato textures. I think the potato textures referred to potato done two-ways; fried potato squares and creamy mash. Served with two small ravioli-like parcels of cheese and pickled onion.

For this main course, Chef Kentaro himself was there to present his dish, asked us about the food and to put the finishing touch, of drizzling some beef jus over the juicy steak.

Steak & Chips

look at that juicy grilled Kagoshima wagyu steak

Yummy and satisfying. Grilled Kagoshima wagyu, I liked you a lot! Such a charming dish. 

If the Sea Bream dish was like a walk in the park where one could leisurely spot a squirrel, pretty flowers and birds chirping, the Steak & Chips was more like going to an amusement park and head-on straight to the rollercoaster! 

Soon, it was the last course of the meal, the desserts. It was as pretty as a picture. Assembled to resemble  a tree, it felt like summer.

Miyagi Strawberry Two Ways

White Chocolate, White Balsamic Vinegar and Passionfruit (Chef Kentaro's Italian sweets)

Baba Bouchon, Bee Pollen, French Rum (Chef Keisuke's French sweets)

And, we had coffee with our desserts.

coffee @$6++

Overall, quite an interesting experience. Service was good and we enjoyed our food. Thank you to the Chefs and staff of Lewin Terrace. And thanks dear friend for your company.

Lewin Terrace

Address: 21 Lewin Terrace Singapore, Singapore 179290
Website: http://lewinterrace.com.sg
Contact: 63339905
Business Hours:
Monday to Sunday
Lunch: 12:00pm – 03:00pm (Last order at 02:00pm)
Dinner: 06.30pm – 11:00pm (Last order at 09.30pm)

Szechuan Court & Kitchen 四川阁 @ Fairmont Singapore

With regards to Chinese cuisine, I grew up predominantly on Hokkien and Cantonese dishes as a kiddo, and progressively having some exposure to Hakka, Teochew, Shanghai and Beijing dishes when in adulthood. The latter was mainly due to easy availability of such cuisine in Singapore and also attributed to the opportunity to travel. If you ask me whether I've tasted szechuan cuisine before, I'd be hard pressed for an answer. The only szechuan I've eaten would be the szechuan preserved vegetable (mustard root). Doesn't count, right?

Thanks to the invitation from Hungrygowhere and hosted by Fairmont, had the opportunity to dine at Szechuan Court at Fairmont. This restaurant serves up fine Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine under the helm of Master Chef Mok Wan Lok.

interior of Szechuan Court

cosy dining

The restaurant is spacious and comfortable, with a modern Chinese interior. While waiting for the mains, one could sample the snacks already available on the table; the boiled peanuts and szechuan pickled vegetable. The pickle was delectably crunchy and tangy with a touch of chili. Quite addictive.

szechuan pickled vegetable with chili

boiled peanuts

let's have some tea, 饮茶

For tea alone, diners are spoilt for choice. Take your pick from premium leaves of Lion's Peak Dragon Well (狮峰龙井), High Mountain Dongding Oolong (冻顶乌龙), Aged Old Pu-er (陈年旧普洱) 12 years or handcrafted tea, amongst others.

Feeling ravenous, we started with the cold dishes of "Chong Qing" Poached Chicken in spicy peanut sesame sauce and the Braised Beef Tripe with Shimeji mushrooms in peanut chili sauce.

Combination of "Chong Qing" Poached Chicken, Spicy Peanut Sesame Sauce (重庆口水鸡) @$18++

Was pleasantly surprised that the spice level of the poached chicken was actually very likeable and not of the mind-numbing variant. The sauce was more of a fragrance inducer with a tingling of spice to excite the taste buds. The chicken itself was smooth and tender.

The overall texture of the beef tripe dish was enjoyably tasty, 爽口.

Braised Beef Tripe, Shimeji Mushrooms, Peanut Chili Sauce (老干妈五香牛肚伴松茸菇) @$18++

The first two dishes are strong in flavours, and if you prefer something more soothing, do try the Braised Bird's Nest with Cabbage in Chicken Broth.

A luxurious bowl of nutritious bird's nest on velvety smooth flavourful chicken broth. Very well prepared. Indeed a Chef's recommended dish.

Braised Bird's Nest, Cabbage, Chicken Broth (红烧菜胆鸡汁燕窝) @$42++

Next, we had the Steamed Cod fish with Soya Bean Crumbs.

Call me a novice but wasn't able tell what the topping was without looking at the menu. It looked pretty much like minced fried garlic. But its taste was of something more umami-ish. Really liked the soft-oily flesh of cod fish prepared simply by steaming it and doused with soy based sauce, with the fish topped with crunchy fried soya bean crumbs, minced garlic and a secret ingredient. Very good.

Steamed Cod Fish with Soya Bean Crumbs (豆酥) @$18++

Was happy to know that there are plenty of meat dishes in the menu.

The Wok-Fried Sliced Chicken dish was pleasant to taste with impeccably smooth and tender (嫩) chicken slices. The ginger tasted like pickled ginger and added to the tangy element of the dish. The Stir-Fried Duck Breast, surprisingly tasted more like tender beef/venison texture. Lovely dish, and loved the black fungus as well. Yums.

Wok-Fried Sliced Chicken, Young Ginger, Sweet and Sour Sauce @ (Small $28++, Medium $42++) 

Stir-Fried Duck Breast, Black Fungus, Pickled Wild Chilli @ (Small $32++, Medium $48++)

Next, we had the Braised Pork Belly Ribs with Crispy Rice and Sweet Vinegar Sauce. Come to think of it, Chinese cooking can be simple as well as complex. Boiled, braised, deep fried and then stir-fried. So many steps just for one dish alone! The presentation of this dish was as pretty as a painting.

Braised Pork Belly Ribs, Crispy Rice, Sweet Vinegar Sauce @ (Small $30++, Medium $45++)

Really enjoyed the crunch of the light batter, moist juicy meat and the perfect balance of sweet and sour in the sauce. Careful of the bones from the ribs though. The spice in this dish was of the peppercorn variant that provided a slight tinge of numbness (麻辣) on the lips.

In Chinese course meal, usually it will end with a carb of either rice or noodles. At Szechuan Court, we had Wok-Fried Fish Noodles, Shredded Pork and Black Pepper.

Wok-Fried Fish Noodles, Shredded Pork, Black Pepper @(Small $28++ , Medium $42++, Large $56++)

In the menu, there is an indicator of the spice level for each of the spicy dishes. But I think Chef Mok was kidding us when the menu for the Wok-Fried Fish Noodles stated an icon for 'pinch spicy'. This bowl of noodles was of the most spicy (from the black pepper) of all the dishes that we had tasted that night. It deserves an upgrade to 'Hot spicy' level! No worries, Chef  Mok has shared that if you prefer more spicy or less spicy, just let the staff know when you order the dish.

After sampling four of the spicy dishes that night, I'd dare say that the most of the spice level are acceptable to our foreign friends from the non-Asian countries.

Ended the night with a sweet cooling dessert of Pandan Ice Jelly with Honey Sea Coconut. Nice fragrance from the pandan jelly, with nice wobbly smooth texture.

Pandan Ice Jelly with Honey Sea Coconut @$8++

A big thank you goes to Medwin and Wendy for having us at Szechuan Court, Fairmont Singapore. Chef Mok for the delightful dishes and for spending time answering our queries. Many thanks to Hungrygowhere Singapore for the invite, and the foodie kakis, great company as always.

Szechuan Court & Kitchen 四川阁 

Location: 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560
Website: http://www.fairmont.com/singapore/dining/szechuancourt/
Reservation: +65 6431 6156 or email dining.singapore@fairmont.com
Business Hours:
Lunch:
Monday to Friday - 12:00pm to 2:30pm
Saturday, Sunday & Public Holiday - 12:00pm to 3:00pm

Dim Sum Buffet:
Saturday, Sunday & Public Holiday - 12:00pm to 2:15pm

Dinner:
Daily - 6:30pm to 10:30pm

Note: The information is correct at time of print. For more updated information, please visit the restaurant's website. Thank you