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Iggy's trumps other Asia dining options
By Aubrey Buckingham |
February 8, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FOR the traveling gourmand, the island state of Singapore is a culinary paradise. Japan may have its unprecedented Michelin stars, Hong Kong may have its "glamour puss" eating establishments, but when it comes to the sheer diversity of dining destinations, the Lion City blows its neighbors out of the water.
Battle hardened travelers may argue its Southeast Asian neighbors, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, trump the city state on multiple fronts; the fare in less developed parts is said to be more authentic and tastier to boot.
Fair play, but while street food has its quaint charms, Singapore goes one step further to actually guarantee the hygiene of what you eat at its designated hawker stalls and coffee shops. There's nothing like tucking into a lip-smacking plate of nasi briyani (spiced rice with curry) or a cheap, steaming bowl of prawn noodles, safe in the knowledge that the indulgence will not leave you better-acquainted with a porcelain bowl.
The flipside to this culinary plenty is that, unlike its cosmopolitan counterparts, there is greater restraint when it comes to splurging on a gastronomical odyssey. Why pay more when the cheaper alternative satiates hunger all the same? The hoi polloi simply cannot fathom paying, for example, S$22 (US$14.60) for gourmet Hainanese chicken rice (pretty much the national dish) when the greasier, standard option can be had for just S$3.
Despite this handicap, the phenomenal Iggy's has surpassed expectations with ease since its September 2004 opening. Hailed the best restaurant in Asia by the inaugural Miele Guide and a fixture in the annual British magazine "Restaurant Top 100" poll, Iggy's impresses with both its ambition and its delivery.
The restaurant is helmed by former sommelier Ignatius Chan, long-time buddy to Justin Quek (Xintiandi's La Platane). The two were partners in Les Amis before going their separate ways - Justin to conquer the region and Iggy's his hometown.
Inspired by Robouchon's Ateliers, Iggy's is an intimate, 26-seater in the Regent Hotel featuring the same counter concept made popular by the French maestro, in turn influenced by the ubiquitous Japanese sushi bars. It works well here given the Japanese touches adapted to the modern European fare from local chef Sufian Zain.
The counter seats are the first to get snapped up, while a separate room packs a homey feel (complete with trophies on the bookshelf) for more conventional dining. Only a pre-fixed gastronomic menu is available (S$195) which changes every month.
The January 2009 spread began with vitello tonnato, a classic summer dish for the equatorial nation. The cold braised veal in tuna sauce seemed almost ordinary, but turned out to be the calm before the storm.
Modern fare does not just mean the fanciest chicanery, but an intelligent combination of flavors and textures. The jamon with grilled watermelon was simply genius, a delightful pairing of the hugely sought after and delicious Spanish ham with the juicy, fleshy fruit, grilled ever so gently to the right temperature. Presentation was flawless, with edible flowers sprinkled judiciously and chopped tomatoes adding color.
The pan-fried shirako (which the impeccable waitstaff resisted announcing was fish sperm sack) in green curry foam was a little too ironic for my liking, with the rich, creamy spunk lingering a little too long with the ephemeral espuma meant to simulate the aftertaste of spice. I'm sure others liked it.
The abalone pasta was perfect timing for Chinese New Year. The braised, green-lipped Australian sea snail is a delicacy across Asia, and the astute sprinkling of truffle jus reminded that truffle oil was for amateurs. Next came steamed barramundi with Brittany vegetables in tamarind broth.
The delicate soup and vegetables more than made up for the farmed fish; while purists may make a fuss about the seafood's providence, there was no problem here as the broth washed out any chemical traces farmed fish tend to exhibit.
The piece de resistance was a spiced herb-crusted Challand duck breast with foie gras. So far so traditional, but the Asian spices, braised red cabbage and Puy lentils were modern twists to the classic.
Naturally, this was followed by salad, deceptively listed as Cheese Fondue, which turned out to be stinky Fontina cheese on a bed of sweet violet potato (big in Japan for its refinement) and shavings of winter black truffles.
The strawberry shortcake for pudding was a superb culmination of the meal. Served like a sundae, the mascarpone ice-cream, syrup and fresh strawberries was light enough after that rewarding feed. Then, to cap off the performance, a miniscule lemon tart full of pop rocks again showed pretenders how it was done - keep the portion small, and have enough of the sparkling candy to set off proper explosions in your mouth.
Iggy's was an outstanding culinary experience, subtle and nuanced and never intent on getting in your face. For all the pomp and posturing of many European chefs, it is good to see an Asian creation take on the big boys and come up trumps.
Address: Level Three, 1 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore
Tel: 65-6732-2234
Battle hardened travelers may argue its Southeast Asian neighbors, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, trump the city state on multiple fronts; the fare in less developed parts is said to be more authentic and tastier to boot.
Fair play, but while street food has its quaint charms, Singapore goes one step further to actually guarantee the hygiene of what you eat at its designated hawker stalls and coffee shops. There's nothing like tucking into a lip-smacking plate of nasi briyani (spiced rice with curry) or a cheap, steaming bowl of prawn noodles, safe in the knowledge that the indulgence will not leave you better-acquainted with a porcelain bowl.
The flipside to this culinary plenty is that, unlike its cosmopolitan counterparts, there is greater restraint when it comes to splurging on a gastronomical odyssey. Why pay more when the cheaper alternative satiates hunger all the same? The hoi polloi simply cannot fathom paying, for example, S$22 (US$14.60) for gourmet Hainanese chicken rice (pretty much the national dish) when the greasier, standard option can be had for just S$3.
Despite this handicap, the phenomenal Iggy's has surpassed expectations with ease since its September 2004 opening. Hailed the best restaurant in Asia by the inaugural Miele Guide and a fixture in the annual British magazine "Restaurant Top 100" poll, Iggy's impresses with both its ambition and its delivery.
The restaurant is helmed by former sommelier Ignatius Chan, long-time buddy to Justin Quek (Xintiandi's La Platane). The two were partners in Les Amis before going their separate ways - Justin to conquer the region and Iggy's his hometown.
Inspired by Robouchon's Ateliers, Iggy's is an intimate, 26-seater in the Regent Hotel featuring the same counter concept made popular by the French maestro, in turn influenced by the ubiquitous Japanese sushi bars. It works well here given the Japanese touches adapted to the modern European fare from local chef Sufian Zain.
The counter seats are the first to get snapped up, while a separate room packs a homey feel (complete with trophies on the bookshelf) for more conventional dining. Only a pre-fixed gastronomic menu is available (S$195) which changes every month.
The January 2009 spread began with vitello tonnato, a classic summer dish for the equatorial nation. The cold braised veal in tuna sauce seemed almost ordinary, but turned out to be the calm before the storm.
Modern fare does not just mean the fanciest chicanery, but an intelligent combination of flavors and textures. The jamon with grilled watermelon was simply genius, a delightful pairing of the hugely sought after and delicious Spanish ham with the juicy, fleshy fruit, grilled ever so gently to the right temperature. Presentation was flawless, with edible flowers sprinkled judiciously and chopped tomatoes adding color.
The pan-fried shirako (which the impeccable waitstaff resisted announcing was fish sperm sack) in green curry foam was a little too ironic for my liking, with the rich, creamy spunk lingering a little too long with the ephemeral espuma meant to simulate the aftertaste of spice. I'm sure others liked it.
The abalone pasta was perfect timing for Chinese New Year. The braised, green-lipped Australian sea snail is a delicacy across Asia, and the astute sprinkling of truffle jus reminded that truffle oil was for amateurs. Next came steamed barramundi with Brittany vegetables in tamarind broth.
The delicate soup and vegetables more than made up for the farmed fish; while purists may make a fuss about the seafood's providence, there was no problem here as the broth washed out any chemical traces farmed fish tend to exhibit.
The piece de resistance was a spiced herb-crusted Challand duck breast with foie gras. So far so traditional, but the Asian spices, braised red cabbage and Puy lentils were modern twists to the classic.
Naturally, this was followed by salad, deceptively listed as Cheese Fondue, which turned out to be stinky Fontina cheese on a bed of sweet violet potato (big in Japan for its refinement) and shavings of winter black truffles.
The strawberry shortcake for pudding was a superb culmination of the meal. Served like a sundae, the mascarpone ice-cream, syrup and fresh strawberries was light enough after that rewarding feed. Then, to cap off the performance, a miniscule lemon tart full of pop rocks again showed pretenders how it was done - keep the portion small, and have enough of the sparkling candy to set off proper explosions in your mouth.
Iggy's was an outstanding culinary experience, subtle and nuanced and never intent on getting in your face. For all the pomp and posturing of many European chefs, it is good to see an Asian creation take on the big boys and come up trumps.
Address: Level Three, 1 Cuscaden Rd, Singapore
Tel: 65-6732-2234
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