It was down to the last Christmas meal of 2011 and to tie in with the heralding of the new year as well, the companions chose Ember - which was and still is always top of the list choice for me. I can probably head back 10 times and still lust after the next visit. Reservations are hard to get, yet another friend was told "full house" when the night drew past without being full.
I am totally crushed that the camera decided to die on me before the meal started, as much as I would have loved to remember it graphically. Make do with the grainy iPhone pictures and probably let the words sugar-tempt you.
Requests for bread were made so early into the meal and the kitchen was perhaps still kneading dough but it took almost eternity to arrive. Nothing can stand in between me and my carbs - especially for their tomato bread!
Ohhh-lala.
Crispy chip!
A delicious mess.
Pan-roasted Foie Gras with Fried Maitake Mushroom, Porcini Sauce, 1 Hour Poached Egg and Truffle Salt ($24)
So many times I have missed out on their foie gras dishes, this time I had to have it. The only pity about this incredibly aromatic dish is it was not served hot. I was told to break the egg and mix it up. 2011 taught me to eat runny eggs and the yolk was slightly overcooked but I loved it all the same. An atas version of the half boiled eggs in the kopitiam with a whole lot more sass. Don't get me wrong, the whole dish was faultless...flavours worked right down to the crispy parma ham that came with it and of course, that slab of piquant velvety foie gras. Good heavens, I rest my case on livers. Goose livers.
12 Hour Cooked Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage, Apple Puree and Spiced Calvados Jus ($36)
I felt pork-ish as much as beef is the usual calling. It could be the plating but the portion seemed slightly smaller than the last.
All of the best captured in one plate - crispy skin, well seasoned meat and best of all, awesomely executed. I felt this was better than the last attempt and officially, picking this as my consistently favourite one from Ember!
On hindsight, the companions did comment that their famed tenderloin underperformed. A conclusion reached about beef is, the accompanying sauces can make or break it which is usually highly dependent on the diner's tastebuds.
Warm Banana Tart with Vanilla Icecream ($14)
Having tried most of their dessert items, I was toying between fig cake and banana tart given these were the only two new additions. Their tarts have been so amazing thusfar, that crispy buttery mindblowingly addictive puff pastry meets bananas. Banana, Apple, Pear Tart...all great!
Here's what the rest of the gang tucked into and wiped their plates clean for.
Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Sweet Wasabi Aioli ($13)
Roasted and Poached Foie Gras with Mirin and Shoyu, Shiitake ($26)
Crispy Cinnamon Apple Pie with Homemade Icecream ($14)
Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Bean Icecream ($14)
Three visits later, I am officially truly, madly, deeply infatuated. Albeit service level seems to take a nosedive for dinner, Ember's food just keeps me going back time and again. Certainly does not help that the companions are all huge fans. Head for lunch for the same fare and better service though dinner goes at a leisurely pace. Either meals, I am still hooked.
2012, Ember is so on my list of to-return.
Ember
Keong Siak Road
I am totally crushed that the camera decided to die on me before the meal started, as much as I would have loved to remember it graphically. Make do with the grainy iPhone pictures and probably let the words sugar-tempt you.
Requests for bread were made so early into the meal and the kitchen was perhaps still kneading dough but it took almost eternity to arrive. Nothing can stand in between me and my carbs - especially for their tomato bread!
Ohhh-lala.
Crispy chip!
A delicious mess.
Pan-roasted Foie Gras with Fried Maitake Mushroom, Porcini Sauce, 1 Hour Poached Egg and Truffle Salt ($24)
So many times I have missed out on their foie gras dishes, this time I had to have it. The only pity about this incredibly aromatic dish is it was not served hot. I was told to break the egg and mix it up. 2011 taught me to eat runny eggs and the yolk was slightly overcooked but I loved it all the same. An atas version of the half boiled eggs in the kopitiam with a whole lot more sass. Don't get me wrong, the whole dish was faultless...flavours worked right down to the crispy parma ham that came with it and of course, that slab of piquant velvety foie gras. Good heavens, I rest my case on livers. Goose livers.
12 Hour Cooked Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage, Apple Puree and Spiced Calvados Jus ($36)
I felt pork-ish as much as beef is the usual calling. It could be the plating but the portion seemed slightly smaller than the last.
All of the best captured in one plate - crispy skin, well seasoned meat and best of all, awesomely executed. I felt this was better than the last attempt and officially, picking this as my consistently favourite one from Ember!
On hindsight, the companions did comment that their famed tenderloin underperformed. A conclusion reached about beef is, the accompanying sauces can make or break it which is usually highly dependent on the diner's tastebuds.
Warm Banana Tart with Vanilla Icecream ($14)
Having tried most of their dessert items, I was toying between fig cake and banana tart given these were the only two new additions. Their tarts have been so amazing thusfar, that crispy buttery mindblowingly addictive puff pastry meets bananas. Banana, Apple, Pear Tart...all great!
Here's what the rest of the gang tucked into and wiped their plates clean for.
Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Sweet Wasabi Aioli ($13)
Roasted and Poached Foie Gras with Mirin and Shoyu, Shiitake ($26)
Crispy Cinnamon Apple Pie with Homemade Icecream ($14)
Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Bean Icecream ($14)
Three visits later, I am officially truly, madly, deeply infatuated. Albeit service level seems to take a nosedive for dinner, Ember's food just keeps me going back time and again. Certainly does not help that the companions are all huge fans. Head for lunch for the same fare and better service though dinner goes at a leisurely pace. Either meals, I am still hooked.
2012, Ember is so on my list of to-return.
Ember
Keong Siak Road
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