GOURMET TO GO
The pandemic has caused fine-dining establishments to pivot to the home delivery experience. Eight restaurants, ranging from Michelin-starred institutions to stalwarts of Asian heritage cuisine, stand up to our team’s tried-and-tested reviews.
ODETTE
Topping Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for the second year running, the three-michelin-starred modern French establishment features an elegant showcase of iconic and seasonal plates by Chef Julien Royer and his team. The best part about having an Odette meal delivered is that you get to unleash your inner chef by plating your own fine French meal. Each dish arrives in boxes with ingredients packaged neatly in vacuum-sealed bags, complete with garnishes. Along with an image of the dish are easy instructions on how to heat and plate it. The entrée of Obsiblue Prawn “Comme un Ceviche” featured fresh prawn chunks in a rich, creamy sauce of coconut, avocado and vadouvan spices. This was followed by the clean, delicate flavours of the Normandy Crab Dumpling with yuzu, shiitake slices and a light pork and ginger broth, which prepared the palate for the main dish of tender Milk-fed Axuria Lamb with farcie aux herbes, crushed potatoes, niçoise olives and confit tomatoes. The sweet finish was the heavenly Trio of Tartlets – Jivara Chocolate & Tonka Bean, Yuzu Blanc-manger, and Gariguette Strawberries – an absolute delight to look at and indulge in after an elegant meal.
To order, head to odette.oddle.me.
SUMMER PALACE
While top Chinese restaurants do cater for private events, most locals do not usually order dinner deliveries (dim sum for lunch, yes) from a revered institution, much less a one-michelin-starred establishment helmed by the respected Chef Liu Ching Hai. However, Regent Singapore’s Summer Palace proved that its reputation can easily endure takeaway packaging and a 15-minute car ride. A large cloth bag neatly packed with the five-course Jade Set for two, was delivered promptly to my door by a uniformed hotel employee. The dishes, which are some of the greatest hits in Cantonese dining, arrived still warm and ready to eat. The Braised Minced Crab Meat and Green Spinach Soup was hot enough to be enjoyed immediately without the need for reheating, which is a feat. The deep-fried pork slivers (of Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple) were placed in a box in a paper bag separate from a mini tub of sweet and sour sauce to preserve their crispiness, and boy, were they a delight for all the senses. The Drunken Chicken Roll came with lots of “jus” to keep it moist and tender. The Wokfried Green Asparagus and Shimeji Mushroom were still crunchy. The star was the Stewed Ee-fu Noodles with Shrimps and Mushrooms, which could potentially be a soggy mess but was so springy and flavourful. I think the selection for this menu is clever – dishes that would survive the time lapse of delivery and can be eaten even at room temperature are chosen. My added à la carte order of Sauteed Glutinous Rice with Assorted Meats and Dried Shrimp was simply a masterclass of this evergreen favourite. Portions were generous. The cutlery was packed in two individual sets, but in deference to a wonderful Chinese feast at home, use proper chopsticks, please.
For the menu and to order, visit regenthotels.com/regentsingapore/dining/summer-palace.
LOLLA
Make Lolla your go-to if you’re after Mediterranean-influenced small plates combining premium ingredients and seasonal produce. Must-haves are the signature decadent Sea Urchin Pudding Set, which arrives with two portions of luscious squid ink pudding and 40g or 100g of fresh uni, and the light yet satisfying steamed Crab Lasagne with blue swimmer crabmeat, Hokkaido scallop mousse and cream in between house-made thin egg pasta drizzled with tangy lemon butter sauce. The pan-fried New Zealand Lemon Sole with crispy capers also deserves a special mention for its perfectly cooked moist flesh. Consider the Takeout Set if you have two or more persons. It includes Beef Tongue Tonnato, Busiate Pasta with ultra-fresh Brown Crab, Potato & Speck Terrine, tender and flavourful Octopus Stew with Bacon & Olives and an Apple Tarte Tatin. All dishes arrived at the right temperature (with extra notes should refrigeration be required) and perfectly cooked. Of course, no Lolla meal is complete without the todie-for umami Kombu Butter spread and freshly baked sourdough bread. For dessert lovers, the spectacular Basquestyle burnt cheesecake with two types of Spanish cream and smoky Idiazabal cheeses is one of the best we’ve had.
View the menu at lolla.com.sg and call 6423 1228 or Whatsapp 8591 8651 to order.
KIN
Serving dishes that showcase time-honoured cooking methods and recipes with indigenous ingredients, Kin is your best bet for robust yet wholesome Asian heritage cuisine by Chef Damian D’silva. We sampled the restaurant’s all-time favourites offered in its Heritage Meal sets (served with Jasmine rice). The Chi Pow Kai are fist-sized bundles of scrumptious Cantonese paper-wrapped boneless chicken seasoned with Pop’s (Chef Damian’s granddad) marinade with delicious juices collected in the paper wrapping, served with garlic chilli for added bite. With its crispy crust, the Hakka Fried Pork is seriously addictive belly slices marinated with red fermented beancurd, five spice, artisanal black bean sauce served with a chili vinegar sauce. The Indonesian dish of Gulai is done with a Kin twist. Beef cheek is slow-cooked to a melt-in-your-mouth texture in a 15-spice coconut gravy that almost resembles a rendang, but with Indian spices. For greens, the Eurasian lunch staple of still-crunchy Okra with Dried Prawn Sambal was a hit as well. But the pièce de résistance has to be the Sambal Buah Keluak or “black gold” to some Peranakans. Mix in a big dollop of the rich house-made sambal of chilli, belacan, candlenut, buah keluak and coconut milk into your rice along with the accompanying spicy sambal belacan to add more oomph to the meal. Remember to save any leftover sambal for buah keluak fried rice the day after.
View the menu at straitsclan.com/restaurant-kin/bewithkin and Whatsapp or call 9723 7028 to order.
MANHATTAN
Lavish doesn’t even begin to describe the new boozy Brunchto-go by Manhattan. Much like the bar’s signature AdultsOnly Cocktail Brunch held on Sundays, the experience at home involves an abundant spread and copious cocktails – enough to make you grateful that you’re already settled on your couch. For cocktails, pick from one litre of Bloody Snapper cocktail mix with a 700ml bottle of Widges Dry Gin or a litre of Bloody Mary Mix with 700ml of T&T Vodka, complete with garnishes and two 500ml bottles of tonic water. Requiring minimal assembly, most of the spread arrives on two prepared platters: one with seafood like Alaskan king crab claws and Boston lobsters, and the other with whiskey-infused Roasted Beef Tenderloin, Cajunroasted Lamb Racks and roasted vegetables. Sides include assorted bagels with cream cheese schmears, cold cuts, and a Lentil and Quinoa Salad with Mixed Grilled Vegetables. For dessert, enjoy the 500g Sea Salt Milk Caramel Chocolate Passion Fruit Cake from Dolcetto by Basilico – rich with creamy chocolate mousse complemented by tart passionfruit. Manhattan Brunch-to-go is for two to three persons and available on weekends only with 48 hours’ notice required. To order, head to bit.ly/ Me_regent_delivery, call 6725 3057 or email diningreservations@ regentsingapore.com.sg.
KI-SHO
Japanese for “aristocratic craftsmanship”, Ki-sho lives up to its name with decadent dishes executed so beautifully that they’re a feast for the eyes as well. The modern kaiseiki restaurant offers Chef Hamamoto’s exquisite omakase experience with thoughtfully curated dishes that arrive perfectly and artfully presented. If you’re craving for premium quality seasonal seafood, the Omakase Hassun features Ki-sho’s Signature Uni & Caviar topped with special rice vinegar dashi jelly and vegetables, along with the weekly catch from Japanese fish markets such as firefly squid and octopus. Another must-have is the Chef’s Omega Bakudan Don with creamy Hokkaido sweet bafun uni, a generous portion of melt-in-your-mouth bluefin tuna belly or otoro slices, and marinated ikura pearls placed on a bed of white and red shari (sushi rice) – each seasoned with a different type of organic vinegar. A sublime buttery organic egg yolk marinated with artisanal shoyu from a 300-yearold brewery near Chef Hamamoto’s hometown is the cherry that tops this thoroughly satisfying dish.
For the menu, visit ki-sho.com.sg/menu/ and call 6733 5251 or Sms/whatsapp 9061 6109 to order.
BUONA TERRA
Recreate the fine-dining experience at home with the one-michelin-starred restaurant’s contemporary Italian creations. Select one of chef Denis Lucchi’s curated set menus: The #Unitedwedinesg 5-Course Degustation Menu where dishes are fixed, or the Chef’s Experiential 5-Course Tasting Menu, which is customised to highlight the best seasonal ingredients of the week. The former includes a starter of Cuttlefish Salad with Celery, Melon, Mint and Caviar, as well as Buona Terra’s Signature Herb-crusted Lamb Loin with Eggplant and Tomato. All the food is delivered in neat boxes with individual ice packs for dishes meant to be served cold – even the delicate ones like the Sicilian Red Prawns, Burrata, Artichoke, Bottarga and Feuille de Brick arrived in mint condition like a work of edible art. A dish that does not often travel well is pasta, but the Oxtail Ravioli with Mix Mushrooms and Black Truffle came warm, still held a firm texture and was topped liberally with shaved Manjimup black truffle. For those that prefer not to take the risk, the restaurant also offers convenient ready-to-cook pasta kits with your choice of pasta and sauce.
To order, head to buonaterra.oddle.me, call 6733 0209 or Sms/whatsapp 9456 3147.
BRACI A CASA
Chefs Beppe De Vito and Mirko Febbrile of one-michelin-starred Braci offer a dining experience as personal as dining at the restaurant with a new concept. Braci A Casa (“Braci at Home” in Italian) sees an all-new menu with dishes reinvented for a cosy at-home experience. The set menu for two allows diners to customise a meal by choosing an appetiser, two pasta dishes, two mains and one dessert from the à la carte menu. Also included is the freshly baked Altamura Bread (Italy’s oldest bread from Puglia) & EVOO Kit with light yet flavourful Extra Virgin Olive Oil and garlic herb oil from Chef De Vito’s family farm in Puglia. Each generously portioned dish arrived at the right temperature and neatly packed with a card that included a photo, description and instructions on how to assemble and plate it. The Foie Gras Semifreddo, kumquats, brioche and fig vincotto is a fantastic starter with its rich texture and delicate flavours of marsala wine, fleur de sel and chocolate. A musttry for seafood fiends is the rich 32-egg yolk tagliolini with charcoal-cooked Mozambique scampi paired with a fresh Hokkaido uni sauce, scampi bisque and Amalfi lemon. If you’re mad for truffles, try the pappardelle with white asparagus and generous shavings of summer truffle. Meat lovers will appreciate the 30-hour slow-cooked wagyu short ribs marinated for 24 hours with balsamico from Modena with romanesco, mushrooms and paired with the creamiest potatoes whipped with mascarpone cheese, butter and black truffle. Impressive was the Cioppino – cod with clam essence and lobster bisque with sweet datterini tomatoes, baby radish and fennel, which was still firm and perfectly seasoned when delivered. For dessert, we highly recommend the Tiramisu. Done Braci style, the incredibly light sweet treat with a flaky pastry top comprises three types of chocolate with mascarpone cheese and espresso coffee infused with Japanese Yamazaki whisky.
For the menu and to order, visit braci.sg/casa.