World Eateries

Mr.Fancy Pants: Restaurant Andre, Singapore 

Foodie

S.Pellegrino "fine dining water" has a list of the 50 best restaurants in Asia. Firstly, what the hell is fine dining water. I'm sure Nam Tip (basic Thai drinking water) is not going to affect the taste of your favorite piece of foie gras but hey, when you got it, flaunt it. I'll stick to normal water, thank you very much.

On this list
50 Best Restaurants in Asia
At No.5 is restuarant Andre. A simple name of a true culinary experience. I am very privileged to have a father who indulges in all his sons eccentricities. From imported hamsters, cooking school and expensive eateries he has always encouraged in his own way ("I hope you marry rich because you will never afford places like this on your own") for us to always try and explore new things.

So like everything else in life, I told him we are going to this awesome 'simple' place to eat. "Everyone eats here, and its moderately priced" (at this time I am crossing my fingers toes and any other organ that wishes to be crossed). After a quick prayer for my lies, we were off.

We entered what looked like a old shophouse that was beautifully renovated on the outside. Still keeping the Asian heritage, but you could feel something special was inside, and out she came. A beautiful lady who greeted us and knew my sister's name (she made the reservation). A little offended as I was by far the best looking bunch in the trio, she escorted us upstairs to explained how it works:

Next to each place setting was this. The menu she explained carefully thought out by her husband (I KNEW IT!!! Had to be a catch). There is a wine pairing option with the menu or you can have a bottle picked out but their sommelier (cool name for wine expert). We decided (I did) that we should go all out. Give us the wine paring as well. My dad was stunned, there's no description of what's in the dish, no fancy French word with a simple "roast chicken" underneath. WHERE HAS MY SON TAKEN ME??

Me well, I was in cloud 9. Reading this menu made you feel alive and excited; the anticipation is like the first time you learn to undo a bra and bundels of joys will be all yours. This was what food is about. Wetting the appetite before you even seen or smelt anything.

All the staff seemed to be having fun and gave you this smug look like, "I hope your ready to get YOUR MIND BLOWN".

The sommelier, an old Japanese man came and explained that all the wines are from boutique vineyards. No chatau Margox or Petrus here. Some of the wines we will be sampling are from vineyards that only produce 10,000 bottles a year. Most of them you will not find anywhere in Asia.

Boutique wines, in Thailand we have boutique hotels!!
WHAT! IS! GOING! ON! You instantly feel your genitals are larger, you're better looking all of a sudden. You are in no sense of the word GOD.

Note: I ate here before I decided to become a world renowned food blogger so the pictures are not so good,  in my excitement I forgot to take pictures of most of the wine. (which means I will have to go back again. Sorry dad!)

Amuse bouche

From Left to Right: Masala Chicken skin, Tuna Tartar & Vanilla Popcorn

The chicken skin was like eating a potato chip. Brittal and lightly spiced with some Indian masala, it was a good awakening of the palate.

The tuna tartar was amazing. High quality tuna warped with homemade brown bread that was like a crouton.

Vanilla sauce and popcorn. If I have to write a description of how good this is, please stop reading and go away.

Just magic. The progression of flavours from rich masala, to fresh tuna and fresh vanilla and buttery popcorn to round things off. If this was a sign of things to come. ME LIKE!

Lets GO! 

Yup. A garden of joy. Ok this is going to take some explaining  Firstly everything is edible; from what looks like dirt, to the leaves to the heads of the shrimp that look like fried grass. 

The things shaped like mushrooms are a mushroom crisp or trill. Mushrooms are cooked, blended and then spread on a sheet, cut and then baked. Yes all that effort to cut a shape that looks like its original state. 

The little things that look like baby eggs are imported potatoes with an aioli, mayonnaise tasting filling. 

The yellow grass looking things are shrimp heads friend tempura style, keeping all the flavour in. 

The soil is a mixture of garlic chocolate and some other goodies. 

The dish tastes like it looks, earthy and warm. You get a sense of comfort with this. You know along this journey there will be somethings that will scare, awe you and even repulse you. This is Andres way of saying 'don't worry take a leap of faith' I'll be with you every step of the way (or your pretty wife, whichever is convenient).

Mussels from France. The body of the shirmp whose heads we just ate. Cucumber gazpacho. We are told there is no salt on this dish. A captial crime in French cooking. They put salt on their butter and toast. 

Fresh and vibrate, the flavours speak from themselves. The gazpacho brings all the elements of the ocean beautifully toegther and livens up the dish. 

This is a true expression of seafood. 

Clean, complex and fresh.

 

Apple mousse sitting on a bed of fresh oysters garnished with micro mushrooms apple slices and micro herbs. 

If you have not traveled to Singapore please do. They have an area called the gardens by the bay. This is where Chef Andre got his inspiration from for this dish. 

I always am sceptical about oysters that are not in the shell. Violent food poisoning that resulted in 3 days in hospital with all kids of liquids being injected in my arm will give you this unjustified paranoia. 

The apple mousse is richer, still fresh but has a little more depth. Having only one type of seafood makes you concentrate of the quality of the produce and the deliberate paring of flavours. Salty sea water with zesty green apples. 

Hot and Cold. We were told to have a piece from the right side and then some thing from the left. The combinations of temperatures was like David Guetta in your mouth. Just a party. What amazed me was the simple preparations of these dishes. The quality of ingredients was second to none, I mean why else would the portions be so small. 

All jokes aside, the combination play was sophisticated. This took thought, experimentation and lots of failure before almost perfection was achieved. A light risotto just helps soak up all this delicious wine we are having as well. 

Duck tongue aubergine mousse. With some French black sea salt on a custom designed plate. 

Now this is just taking it to another level! Whats wrong with normal China!!! 

Snob time now, this was good, hardy rich deep flavours. It was also small, pretty basic and nothing compared to the complexity and skill of the other dishes. 

The thing that springs to mind is the star ingredient; why ducks tongue? People have it as a snack in Hong Kong and China, certainly not a gourmet meal. Unlike tongues from other animals, it didn't possess a whole lot of natural flavour. The texture was well...like a rubbery squid. 

Squid Ink Risotto LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER EATEN IT BEFORE. All doubts about Mr. Andre's ability quickly disappeared. Almost like a slap in the face comes this dish.

Simple, beautiful and extremely complex. What seems like squid all curled up in black is actually the risotto. It's cooked and then blended, spread on to a sheet, cut and then fried. Yes all that for a risotto to look like squid.

On the bottom is risotto rice shaped squid pieces. Each individual piece of squid is as big as a rice grain.

Cooked to perfection, deceiving everyone on the table (but me of course) The textures and the balance was something from another planet.

Now, this is what food should be. Simple classical dishes brought in to a whole new dimension with the help of creativity and technology.

After the last dish, I was a little drunk, and very very happy. You cannot get better then that. A party trick of a dish and so satisfying as well, how, how could you top that. 

Simple foie gras and truffle. This combination of two words smilar to Victoria secret and Orgy or Money and Free, it just brings out excitement. 

It's just magical. foie gras mousse with a culi of truffle. Every bite made the hairs on my body stand (trust me its like a moving forest). The creamy, silky foie gras and rich aromatic truffle is just Gods combination. To tell you the truth orgasms don't feel as good as this, because no matter how good an orgasm you can't close your eyes and feel it again. As I write this I can still taste and imagine these flavours send my mouth in to abyss. If you don't eat foie gra, stop reading and never try to make contact with me as I might slap you. 

 For a self proclaimed foodie and know it all, my achilles heel is cheese. Never been a fan and never understood what all the fuss is about. In all honesty it's just spoilt milk.

Then came this.

The staff told us to open the seal and smell what was inside. Lucky for me I smell everything before I eat, but the look on the other poeple on the tables face was one of skepticism and intrigue. A beautiful aroma of fresh herbs and fresh cheese and a hint of honey. If ever there was a pallet cleanser, this was it. The flavours are off a due filled morning where is air is crisp and you can smell the fresh grass. This was almost to say everything you have eaten is now in your memory.

A certain sadness had crept up on me. I knew. We were at the end.

This is the chef's way of saying clean your pallet and this will be the end of our adventure together.

Deconstructed snickers bar. The powdery substances was a nut mixtures, there was ice cream hidden in this pile of joy as well as homemade marshmallows. This was like when you a kid at the end of a ice-cream sundae, the melted ice cream and whatever else is at the bottom and your rummaging though and enjoying every surprising bit. 

This was the perfect ending. Familiar flavours presented in an unfamiliar way, a reminder that food, however complicated must transport you to your happiest moments. 

Andre.

What a meal. What an adventure. How do you describe it, or begin to sum it up? When people say best restaurant or top 10. I have a smirk and doubt. I go in thinking how many things can I find wrong with this place. It's an awful habit but I think it's almost a challenge, "We are the best! Come on let's see what you can find wrong." 

But this place deserves every bit of praise and award and pat on the back. An explosion of flavours; a showcase of pure raw talent. In every instant letting the beauty of fresh ingredients express themselves but helping them along in creative and magical ways. 

If you're not a foodie DON'T GO! The prices are exorbitant, the portions microscopic. You will not eat Wagyu beef, or sea urchin. Nothing you see will be a something you can brag as a one off "I ate a sharks penis". The atmosphere is not one of old french elegance. Your date will ask you "Where's my salad? Or I cant eat that?". Your customers will wonder why did I trust this guy with money when he gives me 3 pieces of duck tongue and tells me this is fantastic. 

This is a place for people who sit, have a cold beer and just tell stories about their food adventure. A place you go and just forget about the world. A place for the pure at heart who eat because we love to not because we need to. 

Mr. Andre. You have given me a meal that is unforgettable. I salute you as a fellow foodie and can't wait to see what you do next.