16-01-2013

Meet you in Singapore

The small Asian republic is bustling with plenty of established and up and coming chefs

Pork belly kakuni, crispy crust, potato foam at Ke

Pork belly kakuni, crispy crust, potato foam at Keystone, 11 Stanley street, Singapore, tel. +65.62210046.
The small Asian state will have an important representative at Identità Milano, Sunday 10 February: Ryan Clift from the Tippling Club

In the last few years, a few globally known chefs have opened branches in the city of the Merlion, where the food scene is pretty lively. From Jason Atherton, who already heads up venues in two locations (one being the new Gardens by the Bay where his restaurant is aptly named Pollen) to Wolfgang Puck, the American chef who chose the ugly but trendy skyscraper at Marina Sands to open his pricey steakhouse Cut.

During our recent stopover in town, after getting our fix of local fare in food courts and traditional peranakan eateries, we decided to spend an evening in the modern and minimalist Keystone. The chef was born in Singapore but spent a few years training in Australian kitchens (such as Momo in Melbourne), gaining enough experience to come back home and take the helm of the new project by restaurant entrepreneur Eddie Han. In an area located between the traditional and a little touristy Chinatown and the business district, Mark Richards offers diners food influenced not only by Asian flavours but also western tastes, entirely nailing the concept of fusion.

In the foreground, chef  Mark Richards

In the foreground, chef Mark Richards

On the menu, porcini mushrooms and hijiki algae, kaffir lime and San Marzano tomatoes. The ingredients, ignoring the air miles involved (Welsh lamb, monkfish from Denmark) are always of high quality and used by the chef with outstanding flair. The results come across in the intense but delicate flavours, textures that go hand in hand beautifully pleasing the eye as well as the palate. Black seems to be the shade of choice: we find it in most of the dining area’s furnishing. We find it in the slate upon which the food is carefully assembled and brought to us.

Even the rosemary buns, served warm and soft, are jet black. Yet colourful hints don’t go amiss: the carbonated corn cappuccino has a sprinkle of green ‘cacao; the sous-vide lamb is surrounded by the warm tones of the orange carrots; the crispy pork belly is gently laid amongst cream coloured smooth potato bubbles. The flavours are there: the starter of free range quail stuffed with apricot and pistachio is the most memorable dish, where the base of Puy lentils supports a perfectly cooked meat enclosing a perfectly balanced filling.

With some dishes the chef has a bit of fun. We choose one of those for pudding, a Montecristo similar to that of the Roca brothers: a light crispy pastry cigar filled with Valrhona chocolate, served in a vintage looking crystal ashtray complete with grey tapioca ashes. Once more the colour notes join in with the darker hues: fresh mint leaves, raspberries and a cooling basil sorbet. Perfect, before going back into the hot Asian night.

Keystone
11, Stanley street
Singapore
+65.62210046
info@keystonerestaurant.com.sg
Average prices: starter 35, main 60, dessert 22 SGD
Closed Sundays


Dal Mondo

Reviews, recommendations and trends from the four corners of the planet, signed by all the authors of Identità Golose

by

Federica Carr

A British citizen from Naples, obsessive scuba diver, digital marketing manager Monday to Friday, foodie at any given time

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