It had been a while since my last visit in LaBrezza at St. Regis Singapore and in that interim, the venue got itself a new chef de cuisine, Armando Aristarco, who hails from Torre el Greco near Naples in Italy. Along with the new chef comes a new menu with a focus on southern Italian inspirations.
Chef Armando follows the principle of using only three major components per dish and I got to see this when I sampled the new degustation menu of 6 courses which goes for SGD 128++ per person. There is also an emphasis on natural and healthier ingredients and this can be seen in some of the more stripped down dishes.
We started the meal with Chef Armando’s signature dish – the Boston Lobster with Panzanella Salad and Burrata Cheese. The creamy exterior belies the lightness of the dish. The cheese came sweet with tender and luscious chunks of lobster – a great start to the meal.
As a second antipasti, the Duck Breast with Apple Compote and Rosemary Gastrique was so light as if teasing the palate with extremely thin pieces of the bird along with fatty skin.
The Risotto with Sea Lettuce, Scallops and Baeri Caviar is perhaps a solid proof of Chef Armando’s focus on healthier ingredients. There is not a single dairy product that goes into the preparation of the risotto and the resulting rice has a firmer texture than what one would expect from the grain. Dig a little bit underneath and you’ll also discover the surprise – the velvety sea lettuce giving color to the whiteness of the risotto.
The Paccheri with Pork Collar Ragout and Crispy Onion is a good segue way to the main. Despite being topped with chunks of pork, the pasta dish was (again!) surprisingly light on the palate. The paccheri was done excellently – chewy and with a firm texture.
The Angus Been Striploin was my favorite dish in the degustation menu. The meat was oh-so-tender and flavorful – good enough to eat on its own or with the taste further enhanced by the bountiful pizzaiola sauce.
We ended the meal with Mascarpone Mousse. Essentially, it’s a softer and more foamy version of the classic Italian dessert, Tiramisu. Delightfully milky from the first bite, it was a wonderful ending to the degustation dinner.
LaBrezza
St. Regis Hotel
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247911
+65 6506 6884
I was invited for a tasting at LaBrezza. However all opinions are my own.
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