When chef-owner of Tippling Club, Ryan Clift, invited Benjamin Cross and Stephen Moore, chefs of Ku De Ta Bali’s experimental kitchen Mejekawa, we knew we could expect phenomenal food and great alcohol to boot.
On the 25th and 26th of April, Tippling Club became the haven to an eight-course dinner inspired by pan-Asian cuisine. Innovative and bold, the dishes sought to showcase the best of both restaurants, and in our opinion, they did a pretty good job.
1.Caviar
The black pearls of caviar resting on a dollop of cremé fraiche went superbly with the hot donuts that were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The pop of caviar, coupled with the creaminess of the cremé fraiche and the mushroom-tinged donuts made this a tantalizing starter, great for intriguing the taste buds.
2.Sea Urchin
The tangerine orange sea urchin and the purple shiso flowers made this dish a feast for the eyes as well as for the palate. Served on a piece of pain d’epice (a type of bread), thinly sliced and made into a crisp, the decadent Lescure butter melded with the creamy sea urchin to give you the feeling of enjoying a very luxurious club sandwich.
3.Chicken Waldorf
As this dish was served, we were first warmly greeted with the aroma of sesame oil, a common condiment in Asian dining. The skin was delightfully crispy, and as we scooped up the oyster cream, celery and a piece of the chicken into a heaping bite, it is like having an amalgamation of flavours blending in harmony.
4.Raw Beef
Holy cow! The raw beef coated in Szechuan oil and stacked on a piece of soy blew our minds. The beef was tender and complimented the soy while the enoki mushroom and chives garnishing the beef added an earthy flavour to the dish.
5.Agnolotti
The mini ravioli like agnolotti was served in a soothing warm chicken brodo, with little shrimp and lime leaves interspersed within. The aroma of the leaves and the shrimp infiltrating the broth and agnolotti brought a distinct Asian flavour to this dish.
6.King Fish Collar
The chilli paste coating the King Fish Collar gave the dish a kick that can leave Singaporeans saying “shiok ah!” Literally falling off the bone, the flaky fish was juicy, tender and complemented the slightly sour pickles. Perhaps a fancy take on our sambal fish, we dig this too.
7.Master Stock Pigeon
As the chef came around to grate more slices of truffle onto our plates, we knew we were in for a treat. The deliciously pink stock pigeon was enough to get us salivating, but coupled with the truffle and mushroom soy, it took the fowl to a whole new level of delicious. It was a warm earthy flavour that went well with the potatoes and the pigeon was cooked to the right amount of tender.
8.Goats Milk
This dish was heavily inspired by the snake fruit, known as Salak. Native to Indonesia, this exotic fruit was served with a spoon of cold goats milk ice cream and served with caramel and sea salt. The dessert was not especially sweet, but had a unique taste which will probably leave you fascinated and intrigued.
9.Bali Kopi
A very Balinese inspired dish. From the brown sugar crisp to the coffee flavoured meringue and the scoop of vanilla ice cream, there was a riot of different textures to be sampled in this one dessert. It is just like sipping a cup of Bali Kopi by the Ku De Te sunset.
Tippling Club
38 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088461
Opening Hours: 12pm – 12am
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