Finally, the meat: Grilled Pork Fillet with Wild Fennel and Vegetables in Tomato Sauce. I thought meat is something a Michelin starred chef should definitely get right. Once again, no flavour, and unpleasant "porky" taste throughout. Basically, although the meat itself was cooked well, it lacked of herbs and seasoning to bring out the flavour.
The $123 bill was something to be pretty upset about, thinking that if I had cooked any of these dishes, I would have considered them a miss, and also that I know of a few good Italian restaurants in Singapore where I could eat like a king at the same cost. It's never joyful to feel ripped off. Good luck to "La Barca", but I believe the days that you can get away with expensive, sloppy Italian cooking in Singapore are gone.
La Barca
Website: http://www.labarca-sg.com/about-us.php
It is actually the 40 hands owner who has a share in this restaurant, where he guarantees that speciality coffees are served. The quirky setup certainly keeps diners entertained, with the kitchen bringing action into the narrow dining room, natural light filtering from the glass ceiling at the back, the rustic materials such as brick walls, steel and rusted chairs. Such exciting combinations make the place feel "real" and alive, for once away from the polished, aseptic setups that have been out of fashion abroad for quite some time and are also becoming dated on this island.
Chef Ryan Clift from Tippling Club also has a stake in this restaurant as the food concept supervisor. Unlike the Tippling Club which is more experimental, the menu here is very simple and earthy, the kind of food which you would enjoy for a Saturday or Sunday lunch. And it was in fact during a Saturday lunch that I visited the place and tried a couple of their dishes.
The Flamed tuna carpaccio with radish and yuzu salad (S$19) came topped with abundant "radish noodles" in a tangy yuzu sauce. The tuna medallions were lightly seasoned and seared all around them for flavour. I liked the fact that the slices of tuna were thick enough to appreciate the texture of the fish.
The Grilled carrot salad with snow peas, orange walnuts and cardamom dressing (S$16) was a bit of a pleasant surprise. A bed of fresh rocket salad unveiled a warm carrot pureé, which also served as the sauce for the whole salad. Shreds of carrot and walnuts added a bit of crunch. This was really a bit of a welcome twist to what I would have expected from the description.
Unfortunately, the Pork belly with parsnip puree, braised quinoa and celery (S$29) looked better than it tasted. I must say that the amount of meat was incredibly generous, in fact too generous perhaps, for a cut of meat which is so extremely sinful. In this case, less is more. The lack of sauce to complement the meat was where this dish fell short, as the parsnip puré was just not enough to help it come together. On the other hand, both the quinoa and parsnip chips were excellently done.
I enjoyed the Roasted salmon with panzanella salad although the salmon was surprisingly quite raw (they claim it's 80% cooked, but it seemed more like 60%). This was perfectly fine with me, since I like my fish raw, but some customers might return it, if unaware at the time of ordering it. The panzanella dressing was a fantastic combination, and the crispy fried basil leaves were beautiful and aromatic.
We were too full to try the desserts, or perhaps there was nothing on the menu that was tempting enough. I was intrigued by the fact that "Amaro Montenegro" was available in the list of spirits. It is my favourite "amaro", a very Italian drink virtually unknmown abroad. It goes to show that this place really tries to offer something different! Overall, the place offered a good dining experience both in terms of setting and food. Don't expect anything out of the ordinary, but you will get some modern, earthy, no frills food at affordable prices in a cool setting in an up and coming district. I would go back try this again soon.
Pain a l'ancienne is perhaps my favourite bread I have produced so far. I love its colour, texture and flavour. The golden brown cracking crust, the white airy crumb, the sweetness that is released as you chew it. I like having this straight out of the oven (after a 15 minutes resting period), soaked in quality olive oil. It doesn't need much more to keep you eating it!
I would like to share my recipe, which is a mix of the baguette recipe I found in 
Two days in advance (I usually start Friday night for bread that I bake on Sunday morning), mix the flour and water (in which you will dissolve the yeast first) for the poolish in a small plastic container that you can hermetically seal. Also, mix the flour and water for the main dough (244g flour and 120ml water), knead until fully incorporated, shape into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and store in a separate tightly sealed plastic container. Put both containers it in a wine cellar at about 12-14C, and let ferment for about 18-24 hours. The poolish should look very bubbly and airy through the plastic container.
The next evening:
The next morning, take the box out of the cellar 60 minutes in advance, and switch on the oven at 270C. I highly recommend you have a baking stone (I purchased a lava stone from 
The dining room hasn't changed, which is a good thing for me, since I believe it's one of the most tastefully furnished fine dining restaurants in Singapore. The menu includes an introduction of the Chef's background and his mission statement. I like it as it's really a no-frills introduction, simple and concise. He believes in tradition, combined with creativity and fresh ingredients from the best producers.
Right after ordering the food, we were served an impressively presented thin bread with a "lentils hummus", the Chef's personal interpretation, made from Saint-Flour lentils and chestnuts. The presentation was both modern and artisanal at the same time, with a combination of stone and wooden utensils. Minimalist and warm.
All the small bites that were served with the bread were beautifully presented and were absolutely delicious. The hummus was slightly sweet for me, as I prefer to start my meal with more savoury flavours.
It was with great surprise that we discovered shortly after the amuse-bouche was yet to be served: a cep sabayon with fresh walnuts and lovage. It came served in a double-walled glass and it looked like a dense mousse.
When the waiter poured an infusion of boiling wild mushroom tea right in front of us, the magic happened and the dish transformed into a mushroom cappuccino. Flavoursome, hot, creamy, sophisticated and yet simple. I must say that with these two unexpected courses, the Chef already built a great momentum to the dining experience, and we were eager to find out what would be next.
The
Landes Foie Gras and Rabbit ballotine was a core of Foie Gras, rolled into rabbit breast meat, then again coated with a thin layer of lardo di colonnata to retain the moisture. Decorations of gingered butternut, hazelnut and pickled onions added dimensions of flavour and texture that could be combined with the protein.
The other starter was pure indulgence: a large raviolo, stuffed with soft, oozing egg yolk, and topped with cheese and truffle, on top of a dense mushroom sauce. Once again, very elegantly presented, pleasant and balanced to the palate. The fresh hazelnuts added an extra seasonal touch to the dish, which unfortunately in Singapore we tend to forget and neglect.
The main dish was an assorted serving of the most rich or flavoursome cuts pork: cheek, belly, short rib, pig's trotter. Unsurprisingly, the belly was the best, with those rich layers of fat and the unmissable crispy skin, followed by the cheek which was tender and coated in a rich glaze. I liked the distinct charred flavour of the short rib, which was quite lean and dry on its surface, but a delicacy that I couldn't resist from grabbing with my fingers and devour like a caveman. The pig's trotter was deep fried into a small ball in classic French style, which has never been my favourite way of having this delicacy, however this was the leanest I had so far and was overall quite pleasant. It is stating the obvious, but any pork lover would have to order this.
The second main dish was fish, for a change: an Atlantic cod with baby squid, Chanterelles mushrooms and summer beans. The fish was well cooked, moist and flaky. The beans were cut into strips and gave a bit of a light crunch to a dish that was otherwise mainly composed of soft textures. While most of the flavours on the dish were quite mild, they were compensated by the pieces of baby squid which were very savoury.
The main dishes were certainly not disappointing, and the momentum was still up there. Then another surprise course appeared in front of us. We were served a palate cleanser, which was essentially a blueberry pannacotta, topped with a 2-temperatures foam.
As one of the desserts, we tried the cheeses. There was a great cheese selection, with a couple of outstanding soft cheeses. I can't recall the name, but there was a special soft cheese that really had a buttery texture and intense taste I never encountered before in both French and Italian cheeses. The cheeses were accompanied by a selection of crackers and homemade jams, including delicious candied ginger which I wiped all out.
My dessert was a "Choconuts": a Jivara mousse with peanuts and Macadamia ice cream. Clearly, one for nuts fans like me. The eccentric presentation, almost out of a futurist sculpture, somehow suggested I should start from the left (the ice cream), and then progress from the soft textures slowly onto the biscuit and chocolate wafer. Solid caramel, nutty, chocolate flavours dominated this quirky dessert.
...but that was not it! Final surprise, the petit fours. This presentation looked warm and cozy, yet again with a humorous, quirky touch: CaramBar candies! This rosemary based combination of sweet bites included chocolate coated marshmallows, truffles, buttery biscuits, and finally ice cream chocolate coated lollipops. In particular, I liked the rosemary infused melt in your mouth truffles and bouncy homemade marshmallows. I am always an enthusiast for fresh herbs in desserts and cocktails!
In summary, this was an incredibly satisfying meal, full of surprises, excitement, a beauty for the eyes and the palate. In particular, I was amazed by its value for money. There aren't many places in Singapore where you can enjoy what effectively is a 7 course fine dining lunch (3 courses, + pre-amuse bouche, amuse bouche, palate cleanser and petit fours) for just S$52++ per person! On top of the great food, service is always excellent at Jaan, with competent, discreet and attentive staff, and the bright, spacious, breathtaking dining room is certainly a plus for any diner.
I started with a beef carpaccio. Needless to say, it was served with a truffle sauce, as well as Parmesan shavings, all on top of a bed of lettuce. Overall the meat tasted fresh and the truffle sauce was a good combination, as it didn't have that unpleasant sour taste that you can find in some carpaccios. I wasn't too keen on the lettuce, which didn't integrate well both in terms of texture and flavour (it tends to neutralise the already subtle flavour of the beef and the sauce).
The focaccia bread that was served with the starter had an interesting texture, quite dense and airy, with a light crunchy crust.
There was nothing wrong with the pasta with prawns and zucchini, but yet something was lacking, and it failed to give me that desirable feeling of happiness that I can enjoy from a good pasta. I left aside the deep fried decorative vegetables on top, which were a tad weird and didn't really mingle with the rest.
The truffle ice cream on crumble and chocolate sauce was quite interesting at the beginning, although the truffle scent was too intense after a few spoonfuls. Good idea, but I would lighten up the dose of truffle oil.
I noticed that during the restaurant week the food served with the deals offered tends to be a little more "rushed" than on regular days. Yet, this was my first visit at Casa Tartufo, so I can only judge from what I had. I wasn't that impressed especially with the combinations of ingredients, but it might be that a regular meal at Casa Tartufo will score better. I would be interested to hear of others experiences.
The restaurant enjoys a spacious, elegant and contemporary dining room, with plenty of natural light filtering through the venetian blinds around its perimeter. The view over the bay makes it a perfect place for an evening dinner, but it's also a relaxing sight over lunch. The deco is simple and modern, with materials such as stone and wood, and a few Indonesian motifs to recall the theme of the menu.
While waiting for the food, we were served an amuse bouche together with some Indonesian chips and the Chef's signature selection of Sambal. Apart from the garlic sambal I enjoyed the rest, in particular the less mashed one, with roughly chopped chillies, ginger and shallots. 
For starters we had a selection of sate. Each one was served with its own sauce, although they didn't actually need extra sauce as they were perfectly flavoured. The Sate Padang Lidah Sapi ($27 for five skewers) was the biggest surprise. I have been familiar with beef tongue since I was a child, as it's commonly eaten in Italy. Having it as Sate was a bit of a novelty. It didn't actually feel like eating tongue and I wouldn't have guessed it if I hadn't been told, but the tender and succulent texture of this skewer was one of the highlights of the lunch. The charcoal grilled Angus Beef ($25) and Sakura Chicken ($22) skewers were also outstanding, although the beef tongue is really what I would come back for.
To clean the palate, we were served a Soto Ayam Lamongan ($15), a spiced chicken soup with shredded chicken. The flavours were clean and delicate, and half way through it I enhanced the flavour by adding a touch of squeezed lime which gave it a tad of sharpness.
Udang Blado Padang ($35) was a fried king prawn with sambal and cherry tomatoes on top of a grilled aubergine. I found this slightly under salted so the flavours didn't really strike my senses as hoped.
I was a lot more excited about the Ayam Sakura Tangkap Aceh Selada Mangga ($19), a green mango salad served with deep fried chicken and herbs. The chicken was crispy on the surface and juicy inside, but the crunchy herbs really added another dimension to it. A well executed classic!
Here comes what in my opinion was the best dish of all, the Ikan Bakar Jimbaran ($35). This fillet of sea bass was cooked sous-vide and brushed with a dark, slightly sweet, intensely flavoured sambal sauce. The roasted cherry tomatoes and pickled cucumber slices completed the range of flavours, freshening up the dish. The thick cut of sea bass was tender and succulent, and there was no unwanted "fishiness" to it. I would highly recommend trying this to any fish lovers!
Next, another surprise from the Chef: Angus Steak Rendang ($35). Instead of the classic beef Rendang, this dish combined a French steak with this well known classic. You can actually ask for the steak to be done to your preference, and it will come cooked to perfection, tossed in a rich Rendang sauce. While I personally prefer a braised cut to go with this kind of sauce, all of my dining mates enjoyed this dish the most for innovation and flavour.
The last savoury dish of the meal was a Confit Sakura Ayam Tuturaga ($33), a confit of succulent chicken cooked in its own fat (all rigorously free range!), served in a sharp curry sauce. This was certainly a beautifully executed combination of French cooking techniques, which brought out the Indonesian flavours while maintaining the natural juiciness of the meat. This would be another one of my recommendations.
Frankly speaking, I am not a big fan of Indonesian desserts, but the dessert is where the Chef could really make use of her French cooking skills to cater to a more international palate, while bringing Indonesian flavours into the equation. The dessert platter came with two creme brulee and one ice cream. I started off with the Gula Melaka ice cream. Perhaps because I like this kind of sugar and I am happy to eat it on its own, this flavour was absolute perfection for me. The wonderful rounded sugary flavour, with mild tones of caramel and licorice, was true heaven. For obvious reasons, I equally enjoyed the Gula Melaka Creme Brulee, which was less intense and less sweet than the ice cream, with the bonus of a light, crispy shell on top of it. I wasn't too keen on the Sri Kaya Creme Brulee ($17), coconut based with pandanus flavour, since it had that "Indonesian dessert flavour" that I usually tend to avoid, but you would surely like it if you are accustomed to that taste.
Chef Alicia Tivey introduced herself and explained some of the techniques and thinking that went into her dishes. It's always wonderful to hear from inspired Chefs who have such dedication and believe in creating an experience for the customer.
Luckily, the flavours haven't really changed from last year, since their selection has been largely appreciated, except from a new signature flavour: the Korean Black Garlic. Chef Then Chui Foong has been playing with this ingredient in combination with chocolate for quite some time now. In particular, I thought that her Korean black garlic ice cream was innovative and delicious. I bet she has been waiting for months for the mooncakes season, to come up with her ultimate black garlic creation. The fermented clove of black garlic placed in the middle of the mooncake releases a deep, licorice like flavour with a smooth tone of acidity. It is quite a unique taste with a tinge of garlic flavour, but extremely tamed, without the pungent, aggressive aspects of regular garlic. A must try!
My second favourite remains the salted caramel truffle. I like the combination of the gentle saltiness of Palm Island sea salt with the crunchy winter melon seeds.
The dark chocolate crunchy pearl mooncakes are quite familiar to many, since they are also sold by the Raffles Hotel. This mooncake will be appreciated by those who love chocolate, mint, and a bit of crunch. Really something quite different from the other classic truffle mooncakes, the mint-chocolate combination reminds me of the classic "After Eight" thin chocolates!
Besides the Espresso truffle flavour, there is also a Champagne truffle mooncake on the menu, which is the all time favourite for most and Jewel's one is outstanding. After all, I am such a big fan of their Perle Noir chocolate, which is basically made from the same Champagne truffle you would find inside the mooncake, surrounded by crunchy pearls!
