Review: VENUE by Sebastian Going Strong at 7 Years With NEW Menu Items & Dishes

Longevity is not something that can be said for a majority of the players in the F&B industry these days. For an independent brand to thrive for 7 years is an achievement in itself. 

Originally launched in 2017, VENUE by Sebastian has been serving contemporary European cuisine in its Downtown Gallery location, outlasting most of its immediate neighbors. 

Its chef-owner, Sebastian Ng, is no stranger even to my relatively limited radar of the F&B scene in Singapore. I used to visit Ember (which he helmed) regularly back in the day in Keong Saik and I also checked out VENUE by Sebastian quite a few times within its first 2 years of opening back in 2017 to 2018. Chef Sebastian’s cuisine is hearty, and suits the Asian palate well despite using mostly similar ingredients as what you’d find in other restaurants focusing on European cuisine.

Despite enjoying VENUE by Sebastian, I had not visited for a while so I was thrilled to find that they recently revamped the menu due to their anniversary. They had also recently launched a 3-course dinner menu that starts from S$58++.

New in the menu is the Roasted Cauliflower Salad (S$18). There are quite a lot of things going on in Venue’s version, with the cauliflower complemented with almonds for an added crunch. Mint yoghurt is used as dressing which makes this a rather hearty kind of starter.

Among the starters, I found the Crispy Potato (S$9) to be quite a winner. The potatoes were finely shredded into thin slices and had an almost “Pik-Nik” shoestring potato quality to it. Chorizo, mushrooms and an egg were also added – the latter to create a more liquid consistency to what would otherwise be an extremely dry dish. This was quite an addictive snack!

I typically don’t go for foie gras but the Foie Gras Mousse (S$19) was intensely smooth and creamy as I spread it over the buttery brioche loaf. It didn’t require a relatively large amount of the mousse as well for me to taste the savory profile of the foie gras.

My favorite among the starters however, has got to be the Farro & Mushrooms (S$26). To the uninitiated, farro is a type of wholegrain, with an appearance not dissimilar from barley. Mushrooms are added into what is already a relatively bouncy assortment of farro – adding to the chewy profile of the dish. The mushroom-grain combo was generously flavored with kombu butter and parmigiano, rendering a rather heavy and creamy kind of starter which I totally liked.

Moving on to the mains, the Chilean Seabass (S$42) was tender with a slight crisp in its exterior. This is one of the classic dishes at Venue by Sebastian, having been around since the restaurant’s opening. 

We ended the meal with another one of the classic desserts at this venue (no pun intended). I have loved the dessert tarts ever since Chef Sebastian was helming Ember and remembered enjoying the Pear Tart (S$15) when Venue first opened. It remains just as enjoyable as I remember, with the delectable and flaky pastry, and contrast between the warmth of the tart and ice cream bringing memories from 7 years ago back with just one bite. It also brought back some memories of Restaurant Ember’s thinner banana tart, which it had a bit of resemblance to. 

The other dessert – a newer creation – was the Pistachio Financier (S$15). Although not shaped like a traditional financier, the slightly crispy exterior certainly suggested of one. I also appreciated the pillow-like fluffiness on the inside. Again, this was a contrast of warm and cold, with the financier also providing a hint of nuttiness. 

After all these years, it is refreshing to see Chef Sebastian still formulating new dishes to keep the menu exciting while retaining crowd favorites like the Chermoula Chicken, Angel Hair Pasta and Pear Tart. Venue by Sebastian has always been a restaurant I loved, just that it did not cross my mind again until recently with this new menu.

Venue by Sebastian
6A Shenton Way
Downtown Gallery
#01-02
S068815

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:30AM to 2PM / 6:30PM to 10PM

+65 6904 9688