Maurie Barnes
Google
Last night we dined at Ammakase in Singapore. What a treat it was!
The restaurant is conveniently located at One Raffles Place which is in the Downtown Core district opposite Raffles Place MRT station. The restaurant has a vibrant feel with crisp table settings and quality furnishings throughout. They have recently been officially Michelin selected.
There is an extensive drinks menu and one of the best collections of fine whiskeys on the Island. The staff were welcoming and very attentive without being intrusive. Dietary restrictions and vegetarians are well catered for.
The menu offered borrows from the Japanese term Omakase where the Chef will showcase dishes that are inspired by the seasonal produce available, the geographical significance of the multiplicity of cuisines offered in India and, of course, what they do best.
We chose the 10-course tasting menu, which took us on a culinary pilgrimage along the coast of India, taking in the regional influences of places like Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Sir Lanka and West Bengal to name a few. It is an ambitious menu which was executed perfectly, the flavors and textures doing justice to their unique geographical origins. The visual presentation was superlative: true fine dining.
The orchestration between the kitchen and wait staff was well coordinated. Each dish came with a brief yet informative overview, the enthusiasm and knowledge of the intricate construction of each course by the team was truly impressive, entertaining and engaging. Attention to detail was spot on which made the whole experience appear effortless.
All courses were delicious, however for us, the standout dishes were: Coastal Crunch, a Tamil Nadu inspired duck taco with tomato pachadi, a Telugu word for chutney and the addition of a surprising ingredient; gunpowder. The ragu style of the duck was brilliant served in a taco casing with a wonderful sauce alongside.
The Kurma Cloud from Gujarat. Charred avocado, parsnip kurma and tadka butter, a technique of tempering ground spices into the butter which all works so well on the palette. The Sri Lanka inspired Prawn Lamprais served with coconut rice, eggplant and sambol. All presented in its wrapping as cooked, it was wonderful.
After a cleansing mango pudina (spearmint) jhol we tasted the lamb which was prepared Kerala style as a pepper fry with a potato puree and some delectable pea varuval. The whole dish was perfectly balanced and disappeared quickly off the plate. This was followed with a medley of ‘reimagined’ Indian sweets which were a treat and provided us tastings of several traditional items. At the end of service, a pleasant, personalised surprise awaits every diner.
The Chef and team should be congratulated for plating such complex dishes yet allowing the unique flavors of each to break through. Leaving guests wondering “how did they do that?”. Highly recommended.