GRAZING STEALTHILY AT 'WINE GARAGE' IN SINGAPORE
More than 4 years ago, I wrote my first 'Grazing' review of a Singapore restaurant here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1046363347/
Global reviews followed but I always came back to a few places in Singapore:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1151245040/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1047285651/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1047962271/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1046769663/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1179168981/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1176319176/
I even posted 'Not Grazing" reports that were merely photo-essays:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1161697952/
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1161583224/
Many WFEDders commented that for their quick trips to Singapore, they wanted restaurants that were located in more touristy areas so they did not have to search for places to eat. Recently, we tried a new restaurant, right by the river and opposite the popular Clarke Quay. In fact, a footbridge joins both sides of the Singapore River at Riverside Point. The area is full of restaurants, bars and night clubs serving both tourists and locals looking for a good time. The Singapore branch of UK-based night-club, 'The Ministry of Sound' is in a converted warehouse on Clarke Quay with a 'Hooters' bar across the street (woo-hoo).
Riverside Point, Singapore
'Wine Garage', 30 Merchant Road, #01-07 Riverside Point
The 'Wine Garage' is the latest member of the Brewerkze Group that includes the old stalwarts - 'Brewerkze' microbrewery restaurant and 'Cafe Iguana' tequila bar & Tex-Mex restaurant in the same building.
Its Executive Chef is Travis Masiero who wrote the following about restaurant food critics in his blog:
"Having been here for a year I have yet to read a review that really tackles the guts of a restaurant and offers a critique that is fair and just. Most of the reviews, including the ones of my restaurant are almost always announced, meaning the reviewer comes in for a meal with me knowing, making for a highly contrived experience. Restaurant critics for highly lauded publications in the States and Europe visit restaurants anonymously, many in disguise and multiple times to paint an accurate picture of what the restaurant is really like. They speak about the food, the wine, the décor, service, the phone greeting and numerous other topics that deliver a view of the holistic experience of dining out. As a chef I welcome the thoughts of those critics who evaluate the experience, rather than simply write an essay on what I fed them at a food tasting."
Well, Chef Masiero, you asked for it! So far, I have been unrecognised and stealthy in my observations. Why, you almost tripped over my feet twice to greet regular guests with bonhomie, which is the way I like things to be.
Along your line of thought, here is an essay about 'Excellence' and not necessarily about food:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1105887096/
Most of the tables are outside the 'Wine Garage' for al fresco dining-by-the-river on dry balmy evenings. The waiters' outside service station looks like a service bay of a garage with faux-asphalt driveway, painted yellow lines and scattered oil drums. There was an element of strategic calculation involved for choosing to sit outside or inside. What is the chance of rain? Are we dressed appropriately to sit inside? I am not referring to our sartorial elegance (smart casual) but to the chilly temperature (13 - 15 deg C) of the restaurant area, that doubles as the wine cellar!
All down one wall of the restaurant are the wine storage racks that allow the labels to be seen. The ceiling ducts were industrial style refrigerator vents and the flooring was rubber tiles with regular circular studding reminiscent of airport floors fro the 1970s. All the tables lined the opposite wall with crisp white linen. Bench seating was fixed along the wall and variations in party size were catered for by joining the tables in increments of 2 diners i.e. for 12 diners, they would join 6 tables to form a long table.
Oil lamps lent a warm glow to the proceedings and we needed their heat too. The concept for this restaurant is that "customers come first for the wine but they return for the food" - there are at least 300 labels and more than a 1000 bottles in the dining-cellar area. The 'house wines' are a selection of quality but affordable wines, unlike some places that just serve plonk as house wine.
Singapore is one of the most expensive countries for alcohol so even a "cheap" bottle of wine is multiples of the prices in other countries. As the tax tariff does not go up proportionately to the price of the wine, a good rule is to drink the most expensive wine you can afford because most of the price of cheap wine is the tax portion. The prices at 'Wine Garage' did not appear to have enormous mark-ups unlike most restaurants. I usually don't like talking about prices but as a guide for our global readers, my standardised bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, Geyser Peak, Sonoma, California, 2004 would be about USD 43 before service and sales tax here.
Amuse bouche: Crispbread and Hummus bi tahini
Homemade but with little sesame tahini in the mix, this was a good, time-wasting nibble with our drinks.
Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millésime 1995
This house in Reims has the reputation of being the most reliable name in the luxury sector, steadfastly refusing to declare vintage years except in truly exceptional years. The late Daniel Thibault, who died in 2002, was an excellent winemaker and blender, and was responsible for "probably the finest wines ever to bear the label of Charles Heidsieck".
Golden yellow with age, the intense aromas and flavours of berry and citrus, butter cookie and ginger meld through the supple mousse in this elegant Champagne to a coffee finish. It is balanced and focused through the finish.
Crispy Braised Pork Belly with Apples, Arugula and Fennel
Rumour has it that it takes three days to prepare this dish. The crispy crackling releases the aroma of luscious pork when broken. The accompanying salad is arugula a.k.a. rocket or Italian cress tossed with toasted hazelnut, apple and fennel. The bitterish aromatic salad leaf with its peppery mustard flavour was counterpointed with sweet apple and even the sweet juices from the pork. The toasty hazelnut flavour also matched the buttery brioche mousse of our Champagne.
Arugula is notorious for being gritty unless well washed. I can happily report that we did not find one bit of grit - this is the attention to detail that I look for in competent kitchens.
Proudly billed as "The Freshest Oysters from the Coldest Waters of the World" - Featured Oysters: Coffin Bay, South Australia in three styles:
Raw served with Mignonette and Lemon - simple and straight up; this was the true test of freshness that I can attest to.
Poached served with Spinach and Bacon - the middle was still 'oyster-like' rather than a solid fried egg texture.
Fried served with Green Olive Relish - somehow the crumbs and frying process seemed to swell up the oysters to nearly double their plumpness but a little greasy. Not so good.
My favourite was the butter-poached version, which still maintained the minerality and texture of the raw oysters but without the harsh 'tannic-like' aftertaste. The salty bacon seemed to 'sweeten' the mollusc and the spinach was a welcomed refresher before the next oyster.
Syrah-Grenache-Mourvedre, Prieure de Saint-Jean de Bebian 1997, Coteaux du Languedoc, France. (13.9% alcohol)
This was a perfect example of untrustworthy and pointless marking by that Parker fellow and Wine Spectator. Their low scores were given (as they always do) when the wine was young and bear no relationship to present reality. This is a fine, mature wine with ripe sweet berry flavours and a good texture, with some wet grass notes and a smoky aroma. Very ripe, with moderate tannins on the finish.
Since 1994, this former legendary estate (Daumas-Gassac) has been owned by Chantal Lecouty and Jean-Claude Le Brun, who were wine critics publishing the 'Revue du Vin du France'. The general upgrade in quality has brought honour to the Midi again.
“Garage” Burger with Aged Cheddar, Zuni Pickles and Hand Cut Fries; Extra topping of House-made Bacon
We finally figured out the credo of 'Wine Garage' with this dish. They select the best ingredients they can find or they make it themselves, before assembly with minimal fuss. We asked for "medium-well" done meat and we got medium-well done meat.
The string-cut fries were crispy on the outside but cooked through inside with a few characteristic bent ones. Were they double fried i.e. at 177 deg C and then at 190 deg C? Or did they use the 'Methode Joël Robuchon' - just enough cold oil to cover potatoes in a saucepan and fry at high heat, stirring until golden?
Did they make their own mayonnaise and tomato ketchup? They certainly did not taste like our usual supermarket brands available in Singapore. All in all, the current Mrs MTF pronounced the whole assembly as "very good" and that, fellow WFEDders, is all the proof we need.
Roasted Kurobuta Pork Chop with Braised White Beans, Marjoram and Arugula
A fine piece of meat on a bed of succulent beans that was most agreeable with the aromatic red wine.
Of course, not quite in the same league as the "High Altar to Pork" that is 'Lauburu' in Tokyo but then again, who is?
http://www.network54.com/Forum/131774/message/1109839887/
Hon-Shimeji Mushrooms
Our shared side-dish of braised mushrooms was a little gritty (sand) on top and it came late. It could have been a miscommunication somewhere between the waiter and the plating station or hot line? Anyway, the only part that the diner sees is the dish arrived late.
Three Artisanal Cheeses with Fennel, Chutney, Fried Bread, Apple and Honey on a Slate Tray:
1. Stilton Blue [England] Cow’s Milk, Notoriously pungent and creamy blue.
Long known as “The King of Cheeses”, blue Stilton is one a handful of British cheeses granted the status of a “protected designation origin” (PDO) by the European Commission. Only cheese produced in the three counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and made according to a strict code may be called Stilton. There are just six dairies licensed to make Stilton. They are subject to regular audit by an independent inspection agency accredited to European Standard EN 45011. To be called Stilton, each cheese must:
• be made only in the three counties from local milk which is pasteurised first
• be made only in a traditional cylindrical shape
• be allowed to form its own crust or coat
• be un-pressed
• have delicate blue veins radiating from the centre
• have a taste profile typical of Stilton.
Stilton is still made in much the same way as it was when Daniel Defoe, writing in his “Tour through England & Wales” in 1727, remarked that he “...passed through Stilton, a town famous for cheese”.
And yet, Stilton was NEVER made in the town of Stilton! Stilton is situated about 80 miles north of London on the old Great North Road. In the 18th century, the town was a staging post for coaches travelling from London to York. Horses would be changed and travellers served light refreshments at one of the hostelries in the town. Cooper Thornhill, an East Midlands entrepreneur, was landlord at the famous Bell Inn and it was he who introduced these travellers to a soft, creamy, blue veined cheese, which subsequently took its name from the town. Thornhill had bought the cheese from a farmer’s wife by the name of Frances Pawlett who lived near Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire). The rest, they say, is history!
2. Montgomery’s Cheddar [England] Cow’s Milk, Long lasting fruit and meaty flavours - a real Cheddar filled with 'umami' taste.
3. Senere Au Truffe [Italy] Cow’s Milk, Semi-soft, truffle perfumed cheese with a spice-rubbed rind.
All three cheeses were absolutely delicious and especially so with the medium bodied red wine we had. Let me be clear - regular WFEDders already know of my abhorrence of Stilton Blue...and yet...I actually liked this one. Has it finally happened? Have I 'developed' my WFEDder's Wings? Can I now sully forth confidently - an Epicurean at last?
My favourite was of course, the truffle perfumed Italian number......"t'was like angels dancing on my tongue!"
Watch Hers: Roger Dubuis Too Much
Watch His: Daniel Roth Retrograde Hour
Completely silver dial; any yellow tint are refractions from the oil lamp and the dining room down lighters.
The observant Reader will have noticed that we did not make it to dessert or the digestifs. The word on the grapevine (sic) is that the Molten Chocolate Cake is formidable and they have Dow’s 1963 and Fonseca's 1977 Vintage Port by the glass. Those are very attractive inducements to return.
Service and Housekeeping:
Most Singaporean restaurant reviews make cursory mention of the ambience or service. This may be because of the heavy emphasis on the food in this foodie-culture; it is the national sport of Singapore! Why else would people wait in-line for 90 minutes just to eat at a roadside stall?
I consider 'front-of-house' staff as crucial to the overall dining experience. One can have a great experience with just competent food AND a great maître d'hôtel / sommelier but even the best food has fallen flat with indolent staff.
Our waiter was polite, mostly efficient (late mushrooms) and actually knowledgeable about the food and wine, to a point. He may have even been a sushi cook in the past, from our conversation about blue fin tuna, which, was not on the menu. I was torn by the dichotomy of house actions when faced with a difficult wine query. On one hand, I applaud his honesty and initiative to go find out from his sommelier but on the other hand, shame on the sommelier for not even dropping by at some point to check on our satisfaction with the wine suggestions.
An adroit wait-staff can save the kitchen from agony and crisis by steering diners to make selections that are pre-cooked or less time intensive or even cooked / carved tableside to relieve pressure on the hot line. Obviously, the menu at 'Wine Garage' did not require such higher skills but it would be good to know if they had that added dimension.
We did not check out the 'lavatories' as this is not a Michelin review but I will be in there with my notebook next time!
CONCLUSION:
I think this is a fascinating concept for Singapore with the emphasis on the wine and competent food to bring the punters back. It may not be the place for 3-Michelin star dining but that is not it's raison d’être - this is a place to keep coming back to play 'mix and match' with the wine and food.
For the food: 1-and-a-half thumbs up.
For the whole wine and food concept: 2 thumbs up.
Photos and Text Copyright Melvyn Teillol-Foo, 2007.
