The Caviar Scene
There’s a generally accepted way for eating caviar – raw on its own or on a blini or plain water cracker. We went to try Caviar in Singapore, a new fine dining restaurant that’s approaching things differently by incorporating the ingredient into main dishes. It serves not one or two types of caviar but eight – the widest range in the country – including the world number one, Kaluga Queen.
The fine dining restaurant exudes luxury through its décor and table placements, from the carpeted floor to leather napkin ties. The ambience is kept friendly, though, with an open view of the kitchen. We recommend sitting at the marble-topped Chef’s Table; you can observe the team putting together each dish, and head chef Karleen Kasim is always happy to chat when she can grab a moment.
The Food:
At 28 years of age, Karleen is one of Singapore’s youngest head chefs. Yet she has designed contemporary European dishes to cleverly showcase the incredible flavour of the sturgeon’s roe.
There are three different degustation set menus – lunch (5 courses, $98) from Wednesday to Saturday, dinner (5 courses, $248; 9 courses, $328) from Tuesday to Saturday, and Sunday brunch (7 courses, $198); dishes change according to seasonal ingredients. We popped in on a Sunday to experience the luxurious touches in each brunch course.
A trio of snacks was presented before the brunch proper. One, a lightly grilled smoked Japanese oyster, was served on a savoury choux pastry with cream cheese, and topped with Polanco Siberian caviar.
Highlights of the courses included eggs benedict featuring a grilled portobello mushroom and pan-seared jambon ham to replace the toast, and a foamy chardonnay sabayon topped with shaved foie gras. Caviar was the star of the pasta dish – a generous serving of Polanco Siberian added a savoury balance to the slightly tangy sauce that used fermented almond milk instead of cream.
Even the desserts at Caviar are elegant. Strawberries, for instance, come compressed in prosecco, accompanied by olive oil ice cream and seated on white chocolate almond crumble sprinkled with fennel pollen powder. The petits fours included a yuzu tart topped with Sturia Oscietra caviar to balance the sweetness, and a single origin chocolate truffle made from 72 percent full-bodied Venezuelan chocolate.
At the end of the seven courses, we were satiated without feeling like we’d overindulged. The service was attentive without being overly enthusiastic, which gives an unhurried pacing to the experience.
The Drinks:
The chef has selected three champagnes that pair well with the Sunday Brunch – Nicolas Feuillatte Grande Reserve ($98), Legrass & Haas Intuition ($128) and Dom Perignon 2010 ($388) – although you can opt for wine too.
Caviar
#B1-07 Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Road
9888 1217 | reserve@cvr.sg | cvr.sg
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This article first appeared in the March 2022 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
