Springtime is easily our favourite season of the year, even more so with the newly unveiled menu at CURATE in Resorts World Sentosa.
Expect a myriad of vibrant hues, bold flavours and even a picnic party (yes, you heard us right), brought straight to your table the German way.
This immersive eight-course tasting menu is poised to bring diners back to what German families enjoy during springtime but with a contemporary twist.
CURATE beckons gourmands with vibrant hues and bold flavours of spring
Inspired by the freshest ingredients spring has to offer, Chef de Cuisine Benjamin Halat unveils a new tasting menu that is served in three parts – Brotzeit (snack time), Abendbrot (evening meal) and Naschereien (sweet treats).
In Germany, spring is a celebration of new beginnings. Needless to say, diners can look forward to revelling in a riot of colours and diverse flavours that are synonymous with the blooming season for many flowers.
Enjoy any of the three spreads prepared with homemade sourdough and breze, which is in fact a German pretzel.
Of course, what’s a German picnic without some refreshing beer?
While springtime classics like Leberwurst Brot usually comes with pork pate on bread with pickled gherkins, the chef gave the quintessential German snack a modern twist by using Foie Gras Pate with Pickled Cucumber Gel and a Dark Beer Chip.
During springtime in Germany, barbecues are commonplace and an integral part of the spring-inspired menu. Nevertheless, it was indeed a surprise as CURATE matched the outdoor experience with a live showcase of some sizzling goodness.
Radi & Rauch – smoked fish tartare with pickled daikon, was a delectable departure from the traditional version of Steckerlfisch, a charcoal-grilled fish available in beer gardens of all Bavaria in Spring and Summer.
German Pork Knuckle, anyone?
It is essentially the same deal but with a contemporary spin as it came in the form of a praline that was soft within and crunchy on the outside. On the side, the savoury sauerkraut was made into a jelly for pairing with white cabbage and dark beer emulsion.
Our senses were further invigorated with a compelling concoction expertly crafted with 32 different herbs and flowers originating from the Alps. In fact, these fresh ingredients were sent over by the chef’s family.
The culinary team surely pulled out all stops as they put together an stellar showcase, which brought out the exuberance very much associated with spring and certainly did justice to such tasty bite-sized delights.
What’s more, CURATE has recently clinched the much coveted award of Best Dining Experience this year and it is the sixth time an RWS celebrity chef restaurant has came up tops in this category. Absolutely well-deserving, indeed.
Abendbrot (evening meal) – culinary finesse through and through
The Forelle Mullerin Art or Trout Confit was truly a treat for our tastebuds with its light, unadulterated taste.
We relished every bite as the soft trout confit poached in butter practically melted in our mouth, with an added savoury crunch from the crusted almonds and crispy trout skin atop.
Well, could you blame us for polishing off the entire plate?
Besides, the use of pine needles from Germany – picked fresh out of winter – is deliberate for the ingredient is in-season amongst others such as white asparagus; and Wylarah beef from Australia (as for other courses).
Spargelzeit whetted our appetite even more with a divine pairing of French Gillardeau Oyster and white asparagus.
We were equally intrigued and smitten by how the salted egg yolk cream coating over the mildly sweet white asparagus well complemented the sapid flavour of the fresh oyster.
Chef’s Benjamin’s signature – Soufflated Farm Egg with Potato Cream shone with its rich and luxuriant flavours, especially with Champagne Foam on the side.
This contemporary spring classic was also topped with the most expensive caviar in the world – the Beluga Caviar. The full-bodied savoury flavour of these premium roes enticed our palate for it is not everyday that we get to taste such decadence.
When translated into English, “Himmel and Ad” literally means Heaven and Earth.
Chef Benjamin Halat’s distinctive take on this came through in his juxtaposition of apples alongside potatoes; where the former symbolises “heaven” and the latter representing “earth”.
Nevertheless, the Atlantic Cod Fish took centrestage with its delicate and ethereal taste, while offering a respite from the intense flavours that came before.
We lapped it up in no time with the soft and pillowy texture of the cod fish, which was wrapped in a lightly flavoured onion omelette interestingly covered in contrasting colours like black and yellow.
An exquisite delight like the Australian Wagyu Wylarah Beef Sirloin certainly had us at the first bite.
While Zwiebelrostbraten is normally a pub dish of beef steak and caramelised onions, the chef elevated the crowd favourite into a charcoal-grilled sirloin that was both succulent and chewy. Further, the steak came from the famed Wylarah Station in Southern Queensland, Australia.
Each bite offered a wide repertoire of flavours, ranging from the robust flavour of the medium done steak to the umami taste of its marbled texture.
On the side, the potato gnocchi topped with a little black truffle and beef jus simply added a pleasant finishing touch to such an amazing delicacy.
Naschereien (sweet treats) is never an afterthought
While it is a common practice to enjoy your dessert after completing your mains, it is never an afterthought at CURATE.
As fascinating as it looked, the first dessert struck our fancy with its multi-faceted taste.
We could savour a potpourri of flavours with hints of floral notes from the lemon verbena; acidity from the sea buckthorn berry, and the lactic acid from the buttermilk.
As Chef Benjamin Halat reminisced about the time spent in his grandmother’s kitchen in his younger days, he added a nostalgic touch to one of his desserts – Strawberry Pie.
It surely conjured up a keen sense of homeliness for us, just as much as it did for him. The effortless pairing of wild strawberries (flown in from Europe) and sour cream made sure we lapped this up in no time, despite the amount of fine food we had earlier on.
For the last segment of sweet treats, the spotlight was cast on ‘Kindheits Erinnerung’ that literally means “childhood memories” in English. It came in four parts with the likes of the chef’s very own rendition of Ferrero Rocher, Raspberry Pate De Fruit and more.
In all, this epicurean spring encounter comes replete with both a visual and gastronomic feast that diners will be reeling from even days after.
Be sure to savour the critically acclaimed chef’s culinary finesse and avant garde culinary techniques with this eight-course tasting menu that is available at S$188++ per person.
A selection of dishes by Chef Tanja Grandits from Basel’s Two Michelin-starred Restaurant Stucki who was invited to cook at the recent Art at Curate Series 10 is also available on a collaborative five-course menu at S$158++ per person.
Guests can pick their favourite dishes of both celebrated chefs from an a la carte menu.
The restaurant’s signature dining series – Art at Curate, is also noteworthy for discerning gourmands who love a taste of exclusive dining experiences involving Michelin-starred chefs from across the world.
Each year, renowned international Michelin-starred chefs will grace the restaurant four times a year to present their cuisine.
CURATE
26 Sentosa Gateway, Forum, #01-231 & 232
Resorts World Sentosa
Singapore 098138
The restaurant is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, 6.30pm to 10.30pm.
Find out more information here.
For reservations, please call +65 6577 7288 or email [email protected].
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