Lunch at Restaurant André, Singapore

After a pretty long break from fine restaurants due to work commitments, I finally made time for lunch today at Restaurant André. The restaurant is the brainchild of Taiwan-born André Chiang, who had trained in France under giants such as Pierre Gagnaire and Pascal Barbot. Upon his return to Asia in 2008, he first made his mark in Singapore's gastronomic scene as the former head chef of Jaan restaurant in Swissôtel The Stamford, pushing it to international attention by making the St. Pellegrino World's Top 50 list in 2010, before deciding to set up shop in this small space just next to Majestic Hotel in the Chinatown area. His own flagship has since garnered numerous awards, including Best Restaurant in Singapore at the inaugural St. Pellegrino Asia's Top 50 list in 2013, and the Chefs' Choice Award this year.

Upon arrival, I was struck by the presence of an olive tree. As the maître d' Alain would later tell me, this is the only real living olive tree outside Europe! In this weather it is obviously non-fruiting, but it is indeed a fitting tribute to Chiang's French culinary roots, and a lovely gesture that transports diners immediately to another part of the world.

Waiting lounge

Private dining area / chef's table

Main dining room

The restaurant seems very popular amongst Japanese people, and I was literally surrounded by them on this occasion. They even have a Japanese sommelier on the service team. As you will see from the dishes very soon, this is perhaps not too surprising considering that the cooking often displays very strong Asian (particularly, Japanese) influences. Much of the fish and seafood is also imported daily from Japan, presumably for their quality. Chiang himself is a champion of nouvelle cuisine which advocates light, creative and beautiful dishes with strong regional influences, made only with fresh ingredients and natural seasonings, not dissimilar to the kaiseki aesthetic.

The rest of the staff is pretty international too, and with very impressive backgrounds; Alain is of Brazilian-French parentage and grew up and trained in France at top restaurants such as Pierre Gagnaire and Guy Savoy, while general manager Stepan is Czech and had been responsible for running the now-defunct Gordon Ramsay outpost in Prague before relocating to Singapore.

The main dining space was very elegantly appointed yet retained a charming shophouse feel to it. I felt at easy very quickly in this intimate and cosy environment.

Adorable ceramic doves by the window!

Chiang is best known for his 'Octaphilosophy' dinner menu, a tribute to his personal and culinary heritage, featuring eight courses that highlight one characteristic each (for example, 'Texture' or 'Terroir'). Lunch is however much cheaper at less than half the price for 5 courses, which is a good idea if you're just wanting to test out the place without breaking the bank. When making the reservation, I had requested for an extended lunch menu at a small supplement.

It is worth mentioning that only tasting menus are available for both lunch and dinner (i.e. no à la carte). Also, with two notable exceptions (which you will see later), no two dishes are the same from one day to the next, as Chiang fixes the menu only during the morning before the restaurant opens, depending on what he gets sent for the day. I do love this element of surprise, but only in the hands of a good chef!

The meal started off with an apt flamboyance; a whole array of canapés was served in quick succession, and this proliferation of colours and textures was very impressive indeed.

'Snacking'

These were thin crispy films of Japanese purple yam (beni-imo), Swiss chard and scallop. Note that I called them 'films', not 'crisps' or 'chips'. I have no idea how the kitchen achieved this, but the feather-light and translucent pieces were just bursting with incredible flavours and aromas. I loved especially the deep umami of the scallop one. Each bite was so brief and ephemeral, yet more than sufficient to tantalise the tastebuds.

Next came two stronger bites: chicken masala cracker with mint cream and cep mushrooms, and a disc consisting of various textures of onion (jellied, puréed and caramelised). These distinctively Indian morsels were very tasty. The cracker had an intense spiced flavour that was aptly enhanced by an earthy touch of ceps and balanced by some fresh and light mint cream. The onion disc had a surprisingly sweet flavour and was not as pungent as I thought it would be. The three different textures also displayed a sophisticated technique that was as effective to the palate as it was striking to the eye.

Next, a wooden box containing a deep fried prawn head and a roasted baby potato with aioli cream and chorizo coulis, on a bed of chocolate and garlic soil. The contents were all warm, and this was sheer comfort food. The prawn head done tempura-style was extremely light, crispy and fragrant. Its slightly heavier jacket potato-like companion was very tasty (you can't go wrong with an garlic-and-chorizo flavour combination) and still rather less starchy and more fluffy on the inside than I was expecting it to be. For me however, the truly inspired touch came in the soil - who thinks of using chocolate in this manner?! Its slight bitterness and fruitiness was a remarkably effective pairing for these morsels and for the intense garlic aromas permeating this box. This soil was so delicious that I was still eating it with my fingers well after I had finished the two main bites; I would have finished it if I weren't embarrassed about being in a fine restaurant! Upon seeing how much of the soil had been finished when he came to clear the box, Alain couldn't help but chuckle as well.

Lastly, 'gin and tonic' in a crispy nougat-like form on green olive soil. Again, no mean technical feat with the 'G&T' - no idea how the kitchen did it, but despite its chunky nougat-like appearance it was absolutely crisp and light, with no resistance or stickiness whatsoever when chewing. Each bite released authentically fresh and bitter flavours - a truly striking re-interpretation of G&T. The soil introduced a savoury dimension, but even though I do love olives, this dried soil version was a little too intense and briny for me, and threatened to overpower the 'G&T' even when the latter was just lightly dipped into it.

Amuse-bouche: blanched asparagus with textures of broccoli (puréed, fresh and deep-fried), macadamia shavings and miso cream.

The asparagus was crunchy, juicy and sweet, while the variations on broccoli highlighted different aspects of the vegetable's flavour. I liked the deep-fried bits best for their caramelised flavour and crispness. Macadamia shavings imparted a lovely crunch while dollops of miso cream enhanced the delicate vegetal sweetness of this dish very effectively with a deep umami. On the whole this was a simple, elegant, and wholesome way to begin the meal proper.

First course: lightly cured kanpachi (yellowtail) sashimi with a touch of yuzu vinaigrette, on a bed of fromage blanc. Toppings of tapioca pearls, Oscietra caviar, celery and mustard pearls, daikon strips, grapefruit pulp and olive oil.

Japanese sashimi with a French slant, the delicate flavour of the fish was wonderfully complemented by the yuzu vinaigrette, which was the first condiment to strike me due to its unmistakable aroma. The bed of fromage blanc, a fat-free unfermented fresh cheese similar to yoghurt, was very light and imparted a delightful smoothness to each mouthful whilst not overpowering the subtle flavours of this dish at all. The rest of the accompaniments also did their part in enhancing the fish. The caviar and olive oil in particular were of particularly high quality; the caviar had a juicy salinity to it beneath the thin gelatinous membranes, while the olive oil was incredibly fresh and fruity with a slight bitter edge.

Second course: 'white on white' - warm salad of cauliflower (shaved and puréed), fromage blanc, ajo blanco (white garlic) sauce, ika (Japanese squid) à la plancha.

This warm dish made an immediate impression with an intense garlic aroma combined with a lovely caramelised edge from grilled squid. Despite its monochrome appearance and seemingly chaotic plating, it tasted every bit as good as it smelled. The delicate sweetness and freshness of cauliflower and fromage blanc were perfectly contrasted by the rich and foamy garlic sauce. The cauliflower shavings had a pleasant juicy crunch while the purée was smooth and creamy. The solid bits of fromage blanc snow surely made a visual impact when the warm garlic sauce was poured over the dish, half-'melting' the snow into bigger viscous blobs. Hidden between the layers of shaved and puréed cauliflower were amazingly tender, succulent and tasty pieces of squid. We all know how easy it is for seafood such as squid/cuttlefish/octopus to be overcooked and become rubbery and chewy, so this was surely proof of the chefs' skills.

Third course: 'paella' of gambas and potage - with Mozambique prawn done two ways (pan-fried and deep fried), poached Japanese abalone and Spanish prawn, rabbit wrapped in Bigorre bacon, senbei (rice & nori cracker), edamame and piquillo pepper purées, and saffron-infused paella sauce.

Stepan announced this dish with, 'Now you don't have to leave the restaurant to be transported to Spain, on the other side of the world!' Indeed, they had taken me there with a deconstructed luxury version of the classic Spanish rice dish - although there wasn't a single grain of rice here, this dish was still absolutely comforting and bursting with flavour from all the premium seafood and meat in the plate. The Mozambique prawn stood out for its different textures (firm juicy body with a light and crispy head), the abalone for its tenderness, the rabbit for its rich gamey flavour aptly enhanced by the bacon wrap, and the senbei for its crispness and deep umami. All these were bound together by a generous pool of very tasty paella sauce, infused with the bright colour and subtle aroma of saffron. This dish, familiar in so many respects, also demonstrated a strong and effective fusion of Japanese and Spanish elements. Presentation-wise, it was really colourful and appealing when it arrived but too bad I couldn't snap a picture in time before the paella sauce was poured in, submerging the meticulous plating beneath!

Fourth course: 'champignons' - textures of mushrooms: puréed, grilled, blanched, dried and dehydrated (powdered), using black trumpet and cep mushrooms. Surrounded by herb oil and purée, and topped with shavings of Périgord truffle.

Mushroom broth poured in - heavenly!

For a mushroom lover this was pure bliss; the deep earthy flavours and aromas of mushrooms in their various forms were omnipresent and simply intoxicating. The incredible variety of textures present within just one main ingredient was testimony to the chefs' technique, and a sheer delight for the tastebuds as I worked my way through different layers in one mouthful. Carefully-shaved truffle discs formed the jewels to the crown. The surrounding herbs were a very good idea indeed for keeping the palate fresh through all this indulgence.

Fifth course: slow-braised Japanese abalone in seawater, konbu (Japanese kelp) risotto with okra and wild kelp coulis. Topped with grated botargo and a leaf of Japanese sea lettuce.

The basic ingredient of Japanese cooking, konbu, was wonderfully combined with an Italian staple here. For a while I couldn't quite decide whether this was more of a zosui (Japanese-style porridge) or risotto; both appeared to be equally credible options. This seemingly delicate dish had a remarkably deep flavour from konbu and botargo, while the rice grains had retained the firm and satisfying bite typical of a good risotto. The abalone came in much thicker chunks than in the earlier 'paella' dish but was still amazingly tender and easy to chew through - no signs of dryness or rubberiness whatsoever. The truly ingenious touch for me, however, was mixing okra (lady's finger) with the risotto to re-create an authentically rich, silky and creamy texture without actually using cream or butter in the cooking sauce. The result was a rice dish that felt really luxurious to the palate, yet remained extremely light, fresh and wholesome throughout.

Sixth course: 'memory' - warm foie gras jelly, Périgord truffle coulis, fleur de sel and Japanese chives.

This dish was clearly a tribute to Chiang's classical French training as well as a delightful re-interpretation of the popular Japanese side dish of chawanmushi (steamed savoury egg custard). It is actually the only true staple of this restaurant - part of the more elaborate dinner menu but also served at lunch. The foie gras jelly had a very soft and rich consistency and intense musky flavour, and it met its equal in the deep earthy aroma of the truffle coulis. A sprinkling of sea salt and chives was the icing on this petite but extravagant creation.

Seventh course: 24-hour sous-vide short rib, charcoal-grilled baby leek, XO beurre blanc purée, pickled shallots, shredded dried scallops, garlic bread crouton, beef jus.

The most substantial course of this lunch, this beef fillet was absolutely tender and juicy, and it had a most delightful crispy top layer as it had been pan-seared just before serving. Its rich flavour was well-matched by the creamy purée, which had a very familiar taste due to the addition of XO sauce (which, despite its name, is actually just a spicy dried seafood sauce popular in Cantonese cooking, and does not contain any cognac). Dried scallops, another popular ingredient in both Cantonese and Japanese cooking, were also featured, and contributed a lovely deep flavour to the delicately sweet and juicy leeks. The latter also went hand-in-hand with the crispy garlic bread croutons and pickled shallots, both of which had a similarly pleasant pungence. On the whole, this main course was luxurious, really tasty and aromatic, and ended the savoury part of the meal with considerable aplomb. I couldn't wait to see what other surprises the desserts might offer.

Meanwhile, Chiang was doing his rounds in the restaurant and greeting every table, and of course I didn't miss the opportunity for a photo with him (thank you Alain for this!). I could only say to him how great the food had been so far, but he's probably heard it thousands of times now!

First dessert: 'pineapple cake' - shell of fresh pineapple containing a filling of small chunks of caramelised pineapple, and coated with fine biscuit crumbs. Served with vanilla ice-cream and coconut chantilly cream.

With this first dessert, Chiang finally returned to his personal roots. There is arguably no pastry from Taiwan more representative than pineapple cake (鳳梨酥). This posh take on the popular Taiwanese snack seemed somewhat plain and straightforward compared to the preceding dishes, but what really mattered was how it tasted, and on that count it certainly delivered. Texturally, this was a sheer delight with crunchy and juicy fresh pineapples encasing a filling of soft and pulpy caramelised pineapples. The biscuit layer of this pastry came as no more than a fine coating of crumbs over the outer pineapple shell, making it possibly the purest and most lavish pineapple cake I would ever eat. The accompanying vanilla ice cream and coconut cream were a very solid combination which enhanced the tropical slant of this dessert very effectively. I particularly liked the coconut cream which, though seemingly copious and cloying, was in fact extremely light, airy and aromatic.

Second dessert: 'Snickers 2014' - chocolate and peanut soil, caramel jelly, vanilla ice cream with fromage blanc and fleur de sel. The ball contains a parfait of chocolate and nougat, with a caramel centre.

A standard dinner item for the whole year, this was yet another deconstruction, now of a Snickers bar, with its components put together in the prettiest and most decadent forms imaginable. This dessert had obviously been designed to impress and surprise, though I did feel it was somewhat more style than substance. The main ball was pure comfort food if a tad excessive, considering how refined and balanced all the preceding courses had been. I particularly liked the base of vanilla ice cream with fromage blanc, which are not actually part of a Snickers bar, but helped to temper, with their own freshness, the somewhat cloying nature of the other components. A sprinkling of fleur de sel also imparted a unique depth of flavour to a dessert that might have otherwise only been described as being uniformly sweet. Snickers is after all neither the most sophisticated nor subtle of snacks, so these diversions were both essential and effective in a fine-dining context.

No petit fours followed the last dessert, which was a little surprising for me, but I was already very full anyway so I didn't mind just finishing like that. In any case one shouldn't expect all the bells and whistles for a significantly lower price at lunchtime.

My extended lunch had taken me longer than the other customers to finish, and I was yet again the last person to leave a restaurant. The staff however remained entirely professional, and when I was ready to go at nearly 4 pm Alain sent me off very warmly and without a trace of impatience. I can tell you that such levels of service cannot be taken for granted in Singapore, even in fine-dining restaurants; the idea of hospitality as a legitimate and professional career is largely non-existent in this country, which often relies on cheap foreign labour and students/part-timers with very little true commitment to the F&B industry.

Already in the heat of preparing for the dinner service.

I was well and truly impressed with my first experience at Restaurant André and felt that this was so far the only fine restaurant I've been to in Singapore that truly matched up to European standards in terms of food and service. The staff were attentive but not obstrusive, and Alain and Stepan in particular made my day with their friendliness and warmth, as well as knowledge of, and passion for, food and hospitality in general. They all seemed genuinely happy and proud to be working here, and the positive vibes were infectious. I can't wait to be back for the actual 'Octaphilosophy' dinner when my pockets are more ready for it!