Lunch with guest chef Giancarlo Perbellini at Dolce Vita, Singapore

Singapore's annual World Gourmet Summit is here again, and having received prior notification from personal friend and Mandarin Oriental's Director of Restaurants Jan Imhoff I knew I had to be back for lunch at Dolce Vita. This week, the restaurant is hosting 51-year-old Giancarlo Perbellini, president of the Italian Commission of the prestigious competition Bocuse d’Or for chefs since 2010, proud Verona native, and chef-patron of 2-starred Casa Perbellini in the oldest part of that city. Casa Perbellini is a surprisingly casual establishment with a large open kitchen, where diners may witness every stage of the food preparation. The restaurant purports to 'combine innovation and tradition in the choice of dishes', and for this year's WGS, chef Perbellini has created several tasting menus for lunch and dinner, featuring many of his signature dishes which you will read about very soon. As usual, I opted for the more expensive Lunch 2 set with an extra dessert ($128++).

I had previously written to Jan about Dolce Vita's tablecloths, which were usually somewhat crumpled and unsightly (a pet peeve of mine); he readily acknowledged that problem, and informed me that the hotel was in fact the process of procuring new and better tablecloths for its restaurants. True enough, this time I was greeted by absolutely crisp and white sheets, a lovely way to begin this bright and sunny afternoon. For a Saturday lunch service, the restaurant was surprisingly empty, considering the reputation of the chef and the extremely reasonable prices. Of course a meal here is never going to be very cheap, but I've certainly had far more expensive and worse experiences elsewhere in Singapore.

Amuse-bouche: zabaglione ghiacciato e caviale affumicato (frozen sabayon and smoked caviar)

A typical welcome from Casa Perbellini, this lovely bite-sized morsel consisted of exactly what the description said - a small dollop of frozen sabayon topped with a surprisingly generous portion of smoked caviar, and one single large grain of coarse sea salt on the side for additional flavour. This was all to be eaten in a single mouthful, and what a punch it packed for the tastebuds: the classic Italian sabayon, a creamy, aromatic and bittersweet combination of egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine, was simply perfect with the buttery texture and the deep, smoky, briny taste of the caviar. I was amazed by how such a diminutive portion could be this wonderfully stimulating, and really looked forward to the rest of the main meal.

Starter: wafer al sesamo, tartara di branzino, formaggio caprino all'erbe cipollina e sensazione di liquirizia (sesame seed wafer, seabass tartare, goat's cheese with chives, licorice sensation)

Next was a Perbellini signature, and the staple starter to his tasting menus. It consisted of three wafers sandwiching two relatively generous layers of seabass tartare, with a mixture of goat's cheese and finely-chopped chives spread thinly on the insides like a base layer of butter or mayonnaise. As my teeth sank through, the variety of textures and flavours was simply delightful. The contrast between the aromatic, crisp and feather-light wafers and the fresh-tasting and succulent tartare was most obvious, and the rather strong but sparse layers of goat's cheese with chives aptly contributed body and depth, without overpowering the overall delicate tone of this starter. Finally, a few drops of concentrated licorice emulsion were provided on the side in a teaspoon, from which one could lick off for an additional kick of bittersweetness in each mouthful. Very tasty and well-balanced on the whole.

Pasta: spaghetti freddi in insalata di seppie e basilico, gamberi marinati e profumo di limone (cold spaghetti in squid salad and basil, with lemon marinated red prawns)

It was at this point that Jan appeared and of course I was very happy to catch up with him at the table after a few months of not seeing each other (people in the hospitality industry work such long hours that it is virtually impossible to meet them socially outside their workplaces). I enjoyed this dish whilst finding out about recent developments in his professional and personal lives, and it is always lovely to hear that a friend is doing well.

There was nothing to dislike about this well-composed classic Italian dish. The spaghetti had a great al dente texture with a satisfying bite, and the delightfully fresh aroma of basil was present in every forkful. The lightly poached seafood remained tender, springy and moist, without the slightest rubbery hint. The marinated prawns were particularly memorable due to a subtle citrusy aftertaste that rode on their natural sweetness. The accompanying sun-dried tomato paste was no less stellar, with its deep tangy sweetness and thick chunky texture. Look no further for the best of Mediterranean produce!

Fish: tonno fritto al pepe, spuma di rafano cren e burrata (pan-fried tuna loin with pepper, horseradish espuma and burrata cheese)

Jan had to get back to work but very kindly offered me a glass of Ruinart NV champagne on the house, to go with the next fish course. This crisp, dry and mildly spicy nectar was a perfect complement to the full-bodied taste of the medium-rare tuna. The moist and meaty flesh was effectively balanced and matched by a horseradish foam thickened with burrata cheese. The clean spiciness of horseradish combined with the warm milky buttery taste of burrata produced a result that was both sophisticated and comforting. A dash of pepper and coarse sea salt provided further depth of flavour and highlighted the freshness of the fish. This dish was probably the simplest-looking one of today's lunch, but when high-quality ingredients are used, they can be allowed to speak for themselves without excessive adornment.

Meat: agnello con piselli e spugnole al profumo di eucalipto (roasted saddle of lamb with peas and morels, perfumed with eucalyptus essence)

This was the most luxurious and substantial dish of the day. The premium cuts of lamb were extremely tender, moist and flavourful, and carefully cooked to medium-rare perfection. The meat was further enhanced by its own roasting juices, and given a deep earthy edge with the addition of morels, which are currently in season (spring) and second only to winter truffles in fungi ranking amongst gourmands. For balance, green peas (the fresh crunchy kind, not the limp frozen ones) and pea purée provided a delicate sweetness, while drops of eucalyptus essence, though invisible on the plate, made their presence known by lightening the dish with sporadic fresh spicy hints. This course filled me up quite nicely, with just enough stomach space left for the desserts to follow.

Dessert 1: composizione per cassata (Sicilian cassata composition)

Cassata is the representative dessert of Sicily, a fruitcake consisting of fruit liqueur-infused sponge with a large central filling of ricotta cheese, candied peel, nuts, and bits of chocolate or vanilla. The sponge is typically covered in a green-coloured marzipan shell, which is itself decorated with elaborate icing patterns and more candied fruit. Cassata-inspired gelato is also popular throughout Italy, featuring a frozen version of the ricotta mixture.

Perbellini's deconstructed interpretation of cassata laid bare the components of this traditional cake in a colourful and artistic manner. A base of pistachio sponge (note the intentional green) was topped generously with ricotta cream, pine nuts and pistachios, fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings. By the side lay randomly-placed strips of candied orange peel, drops of raspberry coulis and chocolate and vanilla sauces. I particularly loved the soft, moist and fluffy sponge, which was the perfect foil for the rich and velvety ricotta cream. The other accompaniments additionally made for a lovely diversity of textures and flavours in each mouthful, and I liked how the whole thing was actually not too sweet despite its apparent richness.

Dessert 2: mascarpone e caffè (mascarpone and coffee) 

No dessert screams Italian more than tiramisù, and this seemed like a totally fitting ending to today's lunch. The base consisted of moist pieces of lady's fingers sponge which had been dipped in a heady mixture of coffee and coffee liqueur. These were then completely submerged under a thick layer of mascarpone cream, and topped with dark chocolate shavings and an elegant chocolate tuile. Not surprisingly, I was completely won over by the mascarpone cream, which was so smooth and rich and possessed a delightful tangy sweetness.

[N.B. Both mascarpone and ricotta (of the previous cassata dessert) are well-known Italian sweet cheeses, with the main difference that mascarpone is made from cream coagulated by acidic substances such as lemon juice, while ricotta is derived from whey.]

It was around this time that chef Perbellini himself made the rounds, greeting guests at every table, and of course I didn't miss the opportunity to thank him and resident chef Omar Bernardi's kitchen team for an excellent lunch. As I was not previously familiar with Perbellini's work, we also exchanged a few words on his cooking philosophies and his businesses in his native Verona - that's really one historic town I hope to visit in future, as I've only barely covered the country once as a tourist.

With chefs Giancarlo Perbellini (left) and Omar Bernardi (right)

Looking forward to the next chef's visit!