Iggy's @ Regent Hotel

4 consonants and 1 vowel, that was what surfaced on the mind when the sis let the cat of the bag for the birthday location this year. Iggy's, the place where food dreams hopefully become reality.

They were closed for lunch throughout CNY which was really a dampener but then again...it's Iggy's I'm waiting for! Miele's guide, Asia's guide...World's Top 100 restaurants, the accolades being piled onto Iggy's is not stopping. That, has to be something...right?

Hot off the visit, here's my review on Iggy's visited just last Friday. :)



The mini chair drawn for the arm candy to sit pretty on...rendering the bag hook totally useless. Loves it!



The promised "kitchen seat", you can barely see what's going on...there goes watching the chef prepare my food.



Bread rolls with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salted butter

Served upon request. These baton-shaped bread rolls were inconsistent somehow, ranging from dense tight doughsticks to warm crusty loaves of joy. I enjoyed them nonetheless.




I have to mention how in love I am with their salted butter. Like a beehive, parmesan cheese was cleverly woven into it...pleasing the tastebuds to no end.



Amuse Bouche
Duo of Tomato

A wedge of tomato pierced with a two prong fork and a miniature beer jug of foamy clear liquid. Right to left, as advised.

You had me at hello.

No ordinary tomato, the portion is enough for a mouthful. An explosion of flavours, first the slightly savoury skin, then the juices overflowed. Our expressions were classic, if only we were caught on film, the face of surprise breaking into a blissful cheshire cat grin. I probably never enjoyed a tomato this way, ordinary is way ahead of an understatement.

Moving onto the jug, smelt somewhat salty. Miso and tomato I was enlightened. I sipped it gingerly, the rest disappeared without a trace. Beer, is what it reminded me of...from the outlook to the taste. The foamy layer, the light fizzy tinkling sensation on the tongue, absolutely ingenious! Who'd have thought the essence of tomato could be so brilliantly captured. The best alternative to beer, ever. If only the bars could offer this, beer could be my very best friend.

Divine, I wish I had more to say of this...simply divine. I've probably not raved of an amuse bouche as much as this...but truly, Iggy's showed off its prowess high and mighty before the meal even began!



Little Neck Clams
Sauteed Clams, Tarragon, Burrata, Rice and Sago Pearls

Largely dominated by Oriental flavours. The sago pearls were sadly, ornamental. Within five spoons, the dish was wiped clean. It's like a mild flavoured risotto that did not fare too badly, just lacked the oomph.




Hamachi
Gratinated Yellowtail, Radish, Fine Herb Salad and Sesame Lime Dressing

A taste of sea this was, the lightly seared yellowtail sliced thinly was flavourful. The fine herb salad was a bed of greens, literally...with strong flavours like basil and mint leaves snatching the lime light from oregano.




Chicken
Roulade of Chicken and Foie Gras, Wilted Spinach, Olive Rice, Black Winter Truffles

Originally placed under mains, we had it swopped for appetiser. Yet another infused with Asian flavours. Foie Gras was melt in your mouth (which the sis mistook for chicken fat!)...for once, I get the fuss about foie gras. I figure the inspiration source of this had to be Hainanese Chicken Rice. How about Truffle Chicken Rice?



Tomato Tart
Tomato Tart, Basil and Parmegano Reggiano

Tomatoes yet again! Like bolognaise sauce on top of spaghetti, the basil, parmegano and baby tomatoes were a hearty combination. I adore how the tomatoes have varying degrees of doneness, from firm juicy bites to slightly mushy. The Feuillete layers were crispy though soggy at some parts.



I love my greens and reds!



Cappelini
Sakura Ebi Cappelini with Konbu and Home-made Scampi Oil

Converted this hugely raved about dish from Appetiser to Mains, I'm so glad we did. Insanely magical. Angel hair pasta tossed in the cutest of ebi and scampi oil. Looking at the pile of nicely tossed pasta made me smile from within. The greatest pity is always finishing every strand and wishing there was more.



Iggy's Burger
Home-made Wagyu Beef Burger, White Truffle Sabayon

See above pic for approximate portions, small enough to stuff into my mouth if I wanted to.




I chose not to heed the advice of the rest and insisted on their signature. Local bakery toasted sesame bread sandwiching the wagyu beef patty coated with egg. Ramly burger, seems to be its distant cousin. It baffles me how awesomely executed the bread rolls were but how far off these buns were- Light, porous and lacking in bite. The barely marinated soft patty lacked the meaty punch steak would have otherwise offered.



Two neatly squirted rows of ketchup and four thick cut fries saved the day. Crispy and moist.

I honestly do not need a visit to Iggy's for the burger, the fries justified it though. Carl's Junior serves up a more impactful heavyweight, most unfortunately.




Chocolate
Caraibe Chocolate Bar, Mascarpone Icecream, Green Lime Zest

The chocolate bar was mousse with a torched sugar shard. Loved the mascarpone icecream, milky, smooth, thick...like milkshake!




Coffee Soil
Banana Emulsion, Sous-Vide Kalamansi and Walnut Sorbet

The heart, soul and mind was all ready for Pina Colada and Souffle, only to discover it was removed from the menu. Sheer disdain. Headed for Coffee Soil despite being a non-coffee drinker. Requested for coffee to be removed but was rejected as the desserts were "pre-prepared".

Felt the dessert was well-named, the coffee granules scattered around like soil, even the banana was coated in coffee. Thick espresso cream blobs line the plate, good enough for the jab of caffeine. Like a wild flower garden with splashes of green and yellow.

Walnut sorbet tasted like icecream, nice!



A peep beneath the soil.



Passionfruit and Vanilla paired with cookies Birthday Special

The last birthday "cake" this year, courtesy of Iggy's. Vanilla Bean Yogurt with apricot slices and passionfruit, found it strangely comforting. Double joy came in the form of chocolate cookies with coconut and mango...queer combination but I loved it!



Not so ordinary vanilla yogurt with popcorn-like pebbles that melted so very quickly.



Earl Grey to end this much awaited meal.

Iggy's takes simple ingredients and adds on the finer touches to make them signature, the ingenuity of the kitchen. Starting from the butter, to their icecreams (with the exception of the burger)...every item had something different. It could be the parmesan cheese, or the milk added...little touches here and there. Appreciate how the kitchen is willing to make exceptions with the minor substitutions here and there.

Surprise awaited me with dishes with Oriental touches, given how European cuisine seems to be Iggy's forte. I can't help but admit, Iggy's has its way with the dishes...the magical touch that makes you break into a smile after eating...perhaps the most desired reaction of every chef.

Service, unfortunately was hovering on the pretentious scale.

"How's the dish?"
"Really good..."
"Fantastic!"

"Fantastic" was perhaps the most used word for the meal, too rehearsed infact. If the accolades weren't so heavily ladden on Iggy's, I would not have expected beyond the world of its service.

A major grouse came in the form of a pair of Parisians who behaved as if the cosy place was theirs and theirs alone, lasting the full meal and marring the supposed calm and quiet fine dining establishments should have.

Given the misses, Iggy's still wowed me. Birthday or not, it was memorable on its own accord. Seconds, some day!

Iggy's
Regent Hotel