Innehållsförteckning för January 2018 från epicure

Swiss luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen expanded their flagship boutique with Les Aviateurs, a pilot’s bar reminiscent of the roaring twenties. After browsing through the exquisite collection of handcrafted Pilot’s Watches at Globus, the region’s high-end department store, guests can saunter over to enjoy delectable tipples dedicated to these iconic timepieces. French pilot and author of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is not only recreated in a thematic tobacco brown calfskin and midnght blue dial in Mark XVIII Le Petit Prince, but also in Rose (CHF26/S$35.60), a delectable mix of Aviation American gin and Champagne Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé, inspired by the story’s iconic rose motif. It can be enjoyed in the comfort of Timothy Oulton’s retro yet sophisticated Chesterfield sofa and the alluring interiors of fine aged wooden floors and…

Si Chuan Dou Hua has given the traditional yu sheng a different spin with its fugu versions. The Bountiful Blessings Yusheng with Fugu is served with thinly sliced pufferfish sashimi shaped in the likeness of a dog ($178) or a crane ($198). Directly imported from the capital of pufferfish, Shimonoseki, you can expect fugu at its freshest possible. The Lunar New Year salad also includes seasonal vegetables like daikon, telegraph cucumber, edible flowers and fruits – fresh and cured – to complement sliced abalone and raw flounder. Available from 15 January to 2 March. sichuandouhua.com Executive chef Eric Neo of Man Fu Yuan has come up with five reunion menus (from $128/person) that weave in themes of longevity and prosperity. The Fortune Menu’s ($2,888 for 10 persons) highlights include Treasures…

Dubai’s grand star Along the scenic Dubai Water Canal sits the grandiose Renaissance Downtown Hotel Dubai, which is heating up the culinary scene of the city’s thriving Business Bay district. Award-winning chef David Myers leads the pack with hearty Italian fare at BASTA!, and a plethora of wood-fired dishes such as the King Crab Leg (AED240/S$88) and Dry-Aged Bone-In Ribeye (AED490) at Bleu Blanc. The latter, a Southern French farmhouse-inspired restaurant, features an extensive collection of Old and New World wines, alongside cocktails by renowned bartender, Sam Ross. Over at Bhar, chef Mohannad Al Shamali – previously from Qbara – highlights traditional Syrian dishes, including Baked Seabass in a walnut and herb crust (AED128) and Camel Milk Panna Cotta with pomegranate and rose jelly, hibiscus broth and a saffron pashmak…

Just a 40-minute drive from Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport and nestled among Uluwatu’s rural landscape in Bukit Peninsula’s crown is Indonesia’s first ever Radisson Blu resort. Opening this month, the resort, which is located on the southwestern tip of the island, offers Bali’s best surf on its doorstep, with many pristine shores and panoramic hangouts. Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu features 111 deluxe rooms with private balconies on upper floors and private sundecks on lower floors, while the resort’s 14 suites come with stunning rooftop terraces overlooking the blue ocean horizon or the pool. For palate pampering, there is all-day dining restaurant, Artichoke, and authentic Italian eatery Filini, Radisson Blu’s signature restaurant concept, which offers dishes with a Mediterranean bent. Three distinctly different bars complete the F&B offerings: tapas and…

From Fritz Hansen – the makers of the iconic Egg chair – comes the Favn (Danish for ‘embrace’) sofa. Featuring the Danish brand’s open yet rounded curves, the couch makes an inviting spot for almost anything: work, relaxation, and entertaining. The violet hue, in particular, creates a focal point and adds chutzpah to any space. $15,120 from W. Atelier. Seeking inspiration from the wide open spaces, shrubland, ancient mountains and breathtaking gorges of Languedoc – a former province in Southern France – French glass designer René Jules Lalique created the Languedoc Crystal Vase in 1929. This present-day violet-hued iteration features a cactus leaves overlay design in satin-finished and re-polished crystal. $1,760 to $10,400. Interpreted in a majestic amethyst hue, Poltrona Frau’s Archibald King in Nest Leather Ametista is crafted in…

FOOD: 8/10 SERVICE: 7.5/10 AMBIENCE: 8.5/10 AVERAGE DINNER BILL FOR TWO, WITH DRINKS: $380 MUST-TRIES: GRILLED FOCACCIA WITH LARDO, SALT DOUGH BAKED SLICED CABBAGE, WHITE CHOCOLATE BEETROOT-WASABI LOLLIPOP #01-01, 3 Stanley Street. Tel: 6221 3639 RESTAURANT LEROUY After stints at Alma by Juan Amador (which led to a Michelin star) and DSTLLRY Par Christophe Lerouy, Christophe Lerouy is back again with his eponymous Restaurant Lerouy. The elegant platform, which opened last November on Stanley Street, showcases modern French cooking tempered by an Asian and Middle Eastern flair. While Lerouy is the man behind the overall concept, menu and food, his silent partners are Willin Low (Wild Rocket) and Gwen Lim (Patisserie G). The former helped with the design of the minimalistic, industrial-chic space. Fuss-free white hexagonal tiles outline the kitchen…

Enrique Tirado calls it his true obsession. In fact, the lean and charismatic 51-year-old winemaker can hardly talk about anything else. I enquire about his twin brother (also a winemaker), upbringing and hobbies, but the talk always swings back to Don Melchor like a pendulum restored to its equilibrium. It is the second time I meet Tirado, who’s back in Singapore for his celebrated 8 Parcels travelling masterclass. It’s a special milestone for Tirado, who joined Concha y Toro in 1995 and became Don Melchor’s lead winemaker in 1997. Don Melchor was created in the mid 1980s and debuted its first vintage in 1987. Those 30 years parallel the rise of super-premium wines in Chile, giving credence to the New World Wine industry that’s at once young but also timeless.…

Set against a stunning backdrop of Marina Bay, Me@OUE is Singapore’s only open-concept restaurant serving up Japanese, French and Chinese cuisines all under one roof. This year, executive chef Sam Chin will continue to impress his patrons with new dishes using rare and exotic ingredients to deliver the harmonious balance of flavours that his plates are well known for. Chin is also committed to sourcing seasonal produce from local suppliers as much as possible, presenting diners with exciting menu options. “To meet the demands of our younger, well-travelled and discerning clientele, we have created menus which can be complemented with a superb selection of wines, whiskies and sakes,” he says. A highlight of the new year will be sommelier Joel Lim’s comprehensive Wine By The Glass pairing option, which consists…

My cooking style is produce-driven. It is clean and light, but with strong flavors. Finnish cuisine is similar, in that it’s simple, driven by seasonal fresh produce but involves a lot of smoking, curing and fermenting elements. During my recent trip to Turku in October last year, I remember thinking that the high quality of local Finnish produce would be perfect for my menu at Maggie Joan’s, since I like to let the ingredients speak for themselves and have their natural flavours shine through each dish. I came back very motivated from this trip to create a new menu for my restaurant. Turku’s culinary scene I was invited to Turku late last year to participate in the fourth edition of Finland’s week-long Food & Fun Festival. Chef Siggi Hall of…

JULIEN ROYER started his culinary journey under the legendary Michel Bras in Laguiole, then moved on to work with Bernard Andrieux (a Maître Cuisiniers de France) and Antonin Bonnet. In 2011, he joined Swissôtel The Stamford’s JAAN as chef de cuisine for four years, before the opportunity arose to work with Wee Teng Wen’s The Lo & Behold Group to open his own restaurant, Odette. The modern French establishment has maintained two Michelin stars since the guide’s 2016 launch in Singapore. When chef-owner Royer is away from Odette, his right-hand men – senior sous chefs Levin Lau (left) and Adam Wan (right) – helm the kitchen. What are you up to this year? “I’ll be taking three members of my team to the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival this month –…

It’s a gastronome’s dream come true at FICO Eataly World. Touted as the world’s largest agri-food theme park, the 100,000 sq ft space offers a comprehensive selection of Italy’s sumptuous food and wines. Get your hands on Proscuitto di San Daniele, the coveted ham produced only in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Through a series of guided tours and cutting lessons, you can also indulge in hearty pasta classics from one Michelin-starred trattoria, Amerigo, or exquisite truffle dishes from Osteria La Fontana. Oenophiles can look forward to sampling regional wines such as the Alta Langa DOCG, an artisan spumante, during weekly masterclasses organised by award-winning winery, Fontanafredda. Via Paolo Canali, 8 – 40127 Bologna. Italy. Tel: +39 051 372727 Take a trip to Beijing, Korea, Mexico and more through one…

Whether raw or heated, plant-based cuisine is here to stay. With more restaurants incorporating raw, vegan or plant-based dishes on their menus, plant-based cuisine is expected to garner an even bigger following this year as the lifestyle for green living and eschewing animal-derived products goes mainstream. Meanwhile, flexiterianism, a practice of eating mostly vegan or plant-based fare while still occasionally indulging in a perfectly grilled steak is also on the rise. Ubud, an artful small town in the central of Bali, is no stranger to alternative lifestyles, and when a raw food restaurant opened there seven years ago, nobody batted an eyelid. Hence, Alchemy was born, later unleashing a wave of organic salad bars and vegan cafés. Nowadays, along with yoga classes, having an infused kombucha drink and a tasty…

Come May 2018, GL events and Lingnan Group are jointly bringing the world’s top cuisine competition, the famed biennial Bocuse d’Or’s Asia-Pacific leg, to Guangzhou for the first time. Marking the upcoming 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Twin Cities of Guangzhou and Lyon, the joint collaboration is pivotal in positioning Guangzhou as one of the few cities to have the rare opportunity to host this prestigious cooking competition, dubbed the culinary Olympics of the world. Slated to be held in the Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center on 8 and 9 May, the event will throw the spotlight on Guangzhou as one of the world’s culinary capitals, simultaneously boosting the international development of catering, exhibition and tourism industries in the city. Says Philippe Pasquet, managing director of GL events…

Vinophiles know that magnums and other large and rare formats are the ideal size for ageing wines, be it Bordeaux, Champagne or Rhone. La Cave du Château has launched the world’s first dedicated website to assist customers with sourcing, packaging, and shipping these precious large bottles, with complete provenance transparency. You’ll find the likes of Vieux Château Certain 1988 (€500, magnum) and even spirits like Tesseron Lot No 29 (€775, 1.75 litres). bigfrenchbottle.com GETTING HOT AND BORDEAUX-ED The Bordeaux Wine School in Singapore welcomes its third accedited educator, veteran sommelier Daisuke Kawai, who joins Roderic Proniewski and Malcolm Tham in bringing workshops and events focused around Bordeaux wines. At a recent event, they worked with Justin Quek of Bordeaux wine gastrobar, Grignoter, to showcase adapted local pairings like a Chateau…

When it comes to nose-to-tail cooking, Jean-Philippe ‘JP’ Patruno, chef-owner of Dehesa is clearly an authority. After all, his Spanish restaurant specialises in alternative cuts and offal delicacies. Patruno’s cooking is synonymous with hearty flavours and he is able to combine Spanish ingredients with classical French cooking techniques. “I grew up on a farm, so it is normal for me to use the entire animal as best as possible. My normality may seem alien and unconventional to some, but it is part of my childhood and who I am as a person. Nose-to-tail eating isn’t supposed to be fashionable or trending. In fact, it’s about going back to the basics and making use of every part possible. For example, there is a lot more to a (white) pig than just…

Mention that you’re heading to Latvia, and you’ll likely draw blank stares. This is the enigma of my newfound crush, a republic that’s twice the size of Belgium, celebrating its centenary this year, and yet it’s as elusive as the Latvian Blue Cow when it comes to the international stage. The country has spawned talents such as theatre director Alvis Hermanis, author Inga Abele, film director Janis Nords, tennis player Ernests Gulbis and artist Mark Rothko – a remarkable pool for a nation of less than two million people. Walking the past and present The journey from Singapore to Latvia is comfortably achieved on Finnair, which makes a stop in Helsinki before transferring to a smaller plane for a one-hour hop to Riga. At first sight, Riga looks like many…

epicure is available at the following: Onboard Singapore Airlines (SIA) as an inflight magazine Airport Lounges/Airline Offices Air France KLM British Airways Cathay Pacific Airways CIAS DNATA CIP Lounge Emirates SATS Premier Clubs SIA KrisFlyer Gold Lounges SIA Silver Kris Lounges Skyview Lounge Thai Airways Deluxe Rooms & Business Centres of Hotels & Resorts in SINGAPORE Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa Amara Singapore Capella Singapore Carlton City Hotel Singapore Carlton Hotel Singapore Concorde Hotel Singapore Conrad Centennial Singapore Fairmont Singapore Four Seasons Hotel Singapore Furama City Centre, Singapore Furama RiverFront, Singapore Goodwood Park Hotel Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Grand Hyatt Singapore Hilton Singapore Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre Holiday Inn Atrium Hotel Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong Hotel Jen InterContinental Singapore Klapsons, The Boutique Hotel Le Meridien…

Brunch done right Spa aficionados would have heard of SO Spa, a wellness haven tucked away deep in Sentosa. The sprawling two-storey colonial bungalow (a heritage-listed 19th century building) also houses The Garden, which is a great spot to jumpstart your year on a healthy note. Botany printed wallpaper and wood furnishings set the idyllic environment at The Garden. What’s new is the organic buffet brunch menu, available on every last Saturday of the month. Go for the New Zealand Free Range Organic Eggs, Whole Wheat Asian Wrap with Organic Kale, Barbecue Tofu and Mango Chutney wrap, and the delicious Mix of Salad comprising pesticide-free local greens, protein-packed quinoa and sweet-tangy pomegranate dressing. For heartier dishes, choose from the Hot menu, which includes Organic Australian Braised Short Ribs Beef paired…

Nestled amid Shanghai’s bright lights and towering skyscrapers are charming enclaves of traditional Shanghainese architecture. Known as shikumen, these alleyway complexes are so-called because they’re framed by stone gateways. Accessed by narrow lanes, a shikumen cluster comprises two- or three-storey townhouses – each with a modest front yard enclosed by a high brick wall. A marriage of Western and Jiangnan architectural styles, these historical residences used to make up 60 percent of the city’s housing in the early 1900s. But by the 1990s, many had been bulldozed to make way for high-rise apartment buildings. The former French Concession is the only area where shikumen structures have been preserved, and it is in this quaint district that Capella set up shop four months ago. It also marks the luxury hotel group’s…

“There’s been an extraordinary return to the basics. When molecular cuisine exploded onto the scene, these apprentice sorcerers were playing with chemistry more than food. But it’s not the future for diners. Remember that food is an essential, even if you were cooking as my great-grandfather Auguste Escoffier had, for kings and the rich and famous. – Michel Escoffier, great-grandson of world-renowned toque Auguste Escoffier and president of the Auguste Escoffier Foundation and Museum in Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice “After elBulli burst onto the scene, we were given the tools to create an amazing world of combinations and flavours. Some used it for molecular cuisine, but others took it ‘backwards’ – to become more traditional, such as at Mugaritz. At Can Jubany, I give prominence to Spanish ingredients, without unnecessary frills…

Indonesia has long been one of the world’s top cocoa producers, but outdated and unrefined processes and low quality yields mean that most of the commodity ends up as in the local market as powders or butters. As the industry leader in luxury chocolate manufacturing, Valrhona is looking to change that with the first limited edition Cuvée Bali 68%, proving that the country is a well of untapped potential when it comes to high quality chocolate. In 2013, Julien Desmedt, a sourcing professional for Valrhona’s cocoa partnerships, took his first trip to Bali and through a serendipitous encounter, met members of Kerta Samaya Samaniya (KSS), a cocoa co-op based in the least populated, rugged and lush regency of Jembrana in West Bali. The fledgling organisation had already put in place…

Designed by architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners, Bulgari Resort Bali marries Italian sophistication with Balinese tradition. The resort’s signature hand-cut volcanic cornerstones, natural lava and palimanan stone blend in with Uluwatu’s rugged landscape, while a collection of unique Balinese antiques and art pieces add a touch of elegance and heritage to the property. The stunning resort offers one-and two-bedroom villas and up to Five-Bedroom Mansions, which come with the same opulence found in other Bulgari properties in Milan and London. In particular, the Five-Bedroom Mansion pampers the wedding couple and their families with a spacious living room, open-concept dining room and bar, five separate bedrooms, sun decks, a gazebo with open living areas, and a private pool and garden overlooking the sea. Cool cocktails, fine wines and light…

With over 40 years of experience in the maritimeshipping industry, it’s natural that Tim Hartnoll has a deep affinity for the ocean. Born and raised in Singapore to British parents, Hartnoll joined his father’s shipping company X-Press Feeders in 1982 and successfully transformed the business into the largest independent common carrier in the world today, covering Asia, the Middle East, Caribbean, Central America, Mediterranean and Europe. Not surprisingly, Hartnoll’s hobbies revolved around the open blue waters through boating, sailing, snorkelling and diving. In 2006, after stumbling upon Bawah Island in the Indonesian Anambas archipelago, his vision of creating a hidden eco-friendly, luxury resort escape came to fruition. After decades in the shipping business, what sparked your interest in developing Bawah Island? The opportunity came when I had relinquished the day-to-day…

Ampelia 294 Pasir Panjang Rd Tel: 6396 7935 / 8133 0615 BBQ Grill Culture #01-07 Serene Centre 10 Jalan Serene Tel: 6875 1657 Chikin 6 Bukit Pasoh Road Tel: 6910 2742 Culina #01-13 8 Dempsey Road Tel: 6474 7338 Dellarosa Wine dellarosawine.com Edible Garden City 60 Jalan Penjara ediblegardencity.com Fairprice Finest 6 Scotts Rd Tel: 6636 0290 Fuluxe #05-06 Aljunied Industrial Complex 623 Aljunied Road Tel: 8436 4500 Lalique #04-45 Paragon Tel: 6100 2124 Oaks Cellars oaks.com.sg Tel: 6224 2611 Phoon Huat #01-10 1 Sims Lane Tel: 6654 4333 Proof Living #04-16 ION Orchard Tel: 6509 0555 Rachelle The Rabbit Meadery rachelletherabbit.com Royal Selangor B2-92 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Tel: 6688 7167 Space Furniture 77 Bencoolen Street Tel: 6415 000 W. Atelier #01-01/02 75 Bukit Timah Road Tel:…