Severe weather the night before didn’t stop us from coming to Ando for a special lunch tasting featuring guest chef LG Han from Singapore’s Labyrinth. It’s not hard to see the striking similarities between the two restaurants and the two chefs behind, both on a mission to re-invent the cuisines of their respective home countries with a new take.
The menu was presented as a 10-course tasting menu, during which Chef Agustin and Chef LG each presented one course in alternate order. To start, a platter of “snacks” was presented – my favorite was the “Roti John” – an old school Singaporean omelette sandwich reinvented as finger food with bone marrow and tomato tartare rolled in a roti with curry mayo then a mini baguette. The Chicken Satay was cute, topped with pickled cucumber on top and served with the spicy pineapple dipping sauce on the side.
A series of chilled appetizers was next. Botan Ebi was topped with plentiful Oscietra Caviar and “Coral Sauce” – with rich umami flavor from reduced crustacean broth – and served with crispy “torilla” on the side. The unofficial Singaporean national dish of “Chili Crab” was presented in the form of ice-cream covered with yuba and picked local crab. Ajo Blanco is a familiar one from Chef Agustin, with beef tartare (from the French Blonde d’Aquitaine beef) mixed with the punchy Ajo Blanco sauce and muscat grapes with a nice mixture of creamy and meaty flavor and a touch of acidity.
“Bak Chor Mee” is probably not something you see often in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but here Chef LG uses thin tentacles of Yari Ika with pork presented in various textures, and on the side, scallop done tempura style. Then it was the Kinki fish, seared skin side with scales and served with the creamy caper sauce. I also liked the Bak Kut Teh chawanmushi co-created by them two, with the silky warm egg custard served in a small tea cup with spoonful of “Bak Kut Teh” reduction on top. That's served alongside with a piece of deep-fried pork rib, with tender meat layered with fat and cartilage.
The caldoso, which normally serves as the final savory course at Ando, was still there, except this time it was given a Singaporean touch with Chef LG’s Hainan Chicken, served with poached chicken on top with condiments on the side. Two desserts were served before the series of pretty mignardises, including the “Ice Kacang” with the refreshing flavors of melon-mint sorbet, ginger granita and Yakult espuma on top plus the chocolate-pecan dessert with hint of whisky infused.
A bummer to lose my day-off to this crazy rainstorm, but at least this 4-hand crossover lunch was the silver lining.
More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720311039320
When? September 8 2023
Where? Ando, 1/F, Somptueux Central, 52 Wellington St, Central
Menu Highlights? Ajo Blanco, Blonde d'Aquitaine Beef, Muscat Grapes
Drinks?
2020 Coco to Aru Pinot Rose, Coco Farm and Winery, Hokkaido
2010 Franklin Estate "Isolation Ridge" Riesling, Western Australia
2019 Domaine Fourrier Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy
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