For gastronomes still trying to make up for lost time during the Circuit Breaker, the current dining restrictions is yet another piece of bad news in a long string of those. Thankfully, most of our favourite restaurants have picked up lessons from the last round of restrictions – and have switched around to takeaway and delivery much faster, with more innovative offerings.
Here’s a roundup of fine-dining restaurants that are bringing the experience into people’s homes.
Restaurant Zen
Restaurant Zen’s wildly popular takeaway options are back – this time with several new items. This includes a “bucket” of wonderfully moist, buttermilk-brined spicy fried quail, served with sides like sweet corn-truffle slaw, and housemade pickles. There’s also a selection of onigiri stuffed with luxurious combinations like foie gras, unagi, and truffle; and king crab with sea buckthorn. Favourites from the last round of lockdown-induced takeaways are also back: fluffy parker rolls baked with Brillat Savarin and nduja, and sweet cardamom rolls. Look out for the restaurant’s weekly specials – which currently includes a decadent construction of cream-filled kombu beignet topped with an ungodly amount of caviar.
For the grazers, get the Zen gift basket, which comes filled with treats like baked goods, house-made preserves, smoked pork belly, and wine.
Order online from the Restaurant Zen Oddle page
Nae:um
Forced into lockdown just weeks into their opening, Nae:um has rapid pivoted by introduced a series of set menus featuring chef-owner Louis Han’s contemporary Korean cooking. There’s a Bansang meal, which comes with a choice of grilled meat (options include Iberico pluma and wagyu), a series of sides, soup, appetisers like Han’s signature duck galbi, and dessert. There’s also a Somyeon set for those seeking a refreshing meal; as well as lean selection of a la carte options that includes jujube ice cream, and Korean pancakes.
Order online at Nae:um’s website.
Nouri
With their penchant for innovation, Nouri has entered the third round of dine-in shutdown a series of “TV dinners” – convenient one-box meals filled with fine dining-spun takes on everything from Swiss steak to fried seafood. The Perfection burger is also still available – a patty that’s carefully calibrated for, well, perfection. While base burger comes with cave-aged Gruyere and vegetables, there’s also a Korean take with homemade kimchi, perilla, and spicy sauce. Staples like their delicious distilled vegetable broth, and sourdough are still available.
Order online at the Nouri eStore.
Basque Kitchen
Forced to vacate guests from the dining room not long after they’ve moved into their new digs at the Fullerton Waterboat House, Basque kitchen has pivoted remarkably well with an extensive takeaway menu of, well, Basque and Spanish comfort dishes. Think slow-cooked and honey-glazed Iberico pork ribs; a wagyu txuleta (vintage cows) burger; and croquetas in truffle and jamon flavours. To share, there’s the seafood marmitako, a pepper and tomato-based Basque seafood stew with a whole lobster and scallops. Don’t forget the try the burnt Basque cheesecake, which chef-owner Aitor Jeronimo Orive makes with Idiazabal sheep’s milk cheese.
Order online from the Basque Kitchen eStore.
Buona Terra
As a restaurant blessed with its own driveway, Buona Terra is offering a drive-through experience where one just has to order ahead of time, drive down to the restaurant, and dine in their car. While clearly not as comfortable as dining at home (they have the option to deliver too), the trade-off is food that’s as fresh as you can get without dining in the restaurant itself. A la carte options include a selection of pasta, sharing mains, desserts, and starters – with highlights being a cold capellini with sea urchin and tomato essence; and herb-crusted lamb loin. For something more indulgent, tins of caviar with accoutrements are also available, as well as an entire five-course tasting menu.
Order online from the Buona Terra website.
Sommer
Sommer, one of our favourite openings this year, enters its first dining-in shutdown with a concise menu of classics. This includes beef wellington and sides, which comes as part of their set menu that also features a pressed ham terrine with picalili, salad, and brioche; and a 72% Araguani chocolate dessert with set hay cream and macerated cherries. Available in sets for 2 and 4 pax. Meanwhile, the restaurant’s a la carte menu features treats like Kaluga caviar and blinis, lobster linguine in a red pepper coraline sauce, and choux puffs filled with passionfruit cream and mango.
Order via Sommer’s Tabletop page.
Aisa
1-V:U’s chef Ace Tan can’t have any guests in his dining room right now, so he’s going into guests’ dining rooms with Aisa On The Move, serving the menu that was originally planned for his residency at 1-Altitude. For this, Tan and his team will serve as private chefs in guests’ homes, preparing an 8-course menu featuring Tan’s heavily Asian-inflected cooking. Expect dishes like white asparagus porridge, as well as marron served three ways as a tartare, with Chinese yam on a chicken rice cracker, and a marron dumpling. Minimum 2 pax, comes with a bottle of champagne or wine of choice.
To book, WhatsApp to +65 8879 8765 or email mimi@1-group.sg.
Braci
Braci a Casa is back with a selection of favourites from the restaurant – like one of their signature starters, a decadent foie gras semifreddo with kumquat jam and fig vincotto to cut through the richness. There are also seasonal treats like white asparagus, poached in milk, glazed with a butter sauce, and finished with bottarga, squid ink, and salsa verde. The restaurant is also offering a selection of pasta kits. The selection includes house-made tagliolini, tagliatelle, and pappardelle; as well as sauces like grass-fed beef ragu and a winning combination of Hokkaido sea urchin, lobster bisque, and Amalfi lemons.
Order online from the Braci eStore.
Saint Pierre
From French stalwart Saint Pierre comes two distinct dine-out experiences. The first is Virtual Saint Pierre, which comes with a bento box filled with an entire multi-course meal. A Zoom meeting room will be specially set up for yourself and any dining companions – in which chef Emmanuel Stroobant will personally appear to walk guests through the menu. For something even more indulgent, there’s Room Service, which is a set menu for 4-5 people where the dishes are plated at the restaurant and sent directly to your home. While dishes will change weekly, the current menu features seasonal spring ingredients like white asparagus and hairy crab; and a large slab of wagyu beef for the main course. Vegetarian options are also available upon request.
To order, please email info@saintpierre.com.sg, call 6438-0887, or WhatsApp 9115-6553.
The Lounge at Riviera
There’s something for everyone with Riviera’s smattering of French and Morrocan dishes available for takeaway. Get pate en croute of veal, pork, and chicken with foie gras and truffles (served with pickles, sourdough, and salad) to go alongside a main ot Tajines Makfoul, a slow-cooked grass fed lamb shank that comes with fresh-baked batbout bread and jus-coated barley and almonds. Be sure to also try the umami-packed Pissaladiere, a combination of provencal bread, caramelised onion chutney, anchovies, and olives. For dessert, head for the Mon Choux, which features choux puffs filled with salted caramel ice cream, Glenfiddich 15 year-old, and Cubeb pepper-infused dark chocolate sauce.
Order online at the DHM eStore.
Esora
While “katsu” means to be victorious in Japanese, it also helps that katsu sandwiches travel well, and are just as delicious (as proven by all the combini sandwiches ever sold) when eaten cold. Esora’s refined version comes in omi wagyu, black angus, pork, ebi, and tamagoyaki variants that are subtly complemented by dressings like shiso, horseradish, and egg salad.
Order online at the Esora eStore.
Waku Ghin
Proving that they can cook just about anything, Waku Ghin is offering everything from Japanese curry rice with shabu-shabu Ohmi wagyu; to a Morrocan chicken Tajin (or Tagine) with seasonal vegetables and spicy roasted garlic. The relatively condensed menu also includes a vanilla-poached Canadian lobster salad, as well as various desserts – head straight for the luscious, well-balanced Basque burnt cheesecake.
Order online at the Waku Ghin eStore.
Preludio Shop
While Preludio’s cornucopian Box is still available, they’ve introduced several ready-to-eat options. For something unfussy, there are three bun-type creations available: a lobster roll with a ‘nduja pork sauce; a wagyu striploin in a koji bun with mushroom rub; and a pluma Iberico version with chimichurri and tomato relish. For something a little more involved, there’s the Preludio Journey, a series of 4 different menus offered across 4 weeks – where chef-owner Fernando Arevalo will be presenting each menu on Instagram Live. Elsewhere, other goodies available include veal and fermented mushroom pithiviers, various sweets and pastries, and homemade condiments.
Order online at the Preludio eStore.
Odette at Home
Taste three Michelin stars at home with Odette’s takeaway menu – featuring crowd favourites like a brown butter pain perdu (French toast) with Hokkaido uni, finger lime, and yuzu; as well as their pate en croute with foie gras and truffle jelly. Other comfort foods include the vegetarian Tart Riviera, an looker of a tart with confit vegetables; and La Truffade, a specialty from chef Julien Royer’s hometown made with potatoes, garlic, and cheese.
Order online at the Odette eStore.
Related:
Saint Pierre pushes the boundaries of takeaway with its new Room Service experience
- TAGS:
- Delivery
- Fine Dining
- Takeaway