Celebrate in Singapore; Tippling Club, Fifty-Three, Gunther's, Iggy's?

[epeter03]

I'll be spending the first week of September in Singapore. I have something special coming up and want to celebrate with a great meal. From reading through the threads i've been focusing on these three options but would be open to any thing you think is on-par. I have been able to find any real opinions on Chow about Tipping Club....

Background'; I've been living in Shanghai for over three years. My standards for good for would be Amber and Caprice in HK. I'm okay with spending 200-250 USD per head if it is going to be a great meal.

I'm also interested in any other great food fines that are must tries while in Sing.

[chloehk]

Hi epeter03,

My sweetheart and I went to Tippling in July.

I really enjoyed it -- the food is more natural/less processed than other tasting menus I've tried. My favorite dish was a delicate curry crab made with red seaweed. Really lovely.

But I think that the drinks are exceptional and misunderstood. It's not a tasting menu for lushes. The drinks are very subtle and inventive. A particularly memorable one had fresh tomato juice, citrus, and pisco with a sprig of fresh thyme housed in a big, wafty glass -- sort of like a terrarium. It was very pungent and aromatic and fresh.

Overall, I found the menu to be very well thought-out, each course set up the next in a surprising and interesting way. There's a nice sense of humor about high and low food (an apple calvados drink in a square package made to look like a fast-food apple pie served with very yummy fois gras, followed by a 2003 Rottenberg pinot gris accompanying a subtle, earthy vegetable terrine).

The setting has a casualness/ease to it, which seems very Australian. For me, being an American and Californian, it was a very pleasant place to *enjoy* eating. But I found some of the design details a little adolescent. Can't put my finger on it, but it felt like a Williamsburg, Brooklyn hipster bar; and the food calls for more than that. Without getting stuffy, I think that they could step it up a bit and make the environment more magical. The staff are impeccably dressed and dramatic behind the big bar.

Hope this helps!

[epeter03]

Chloehk.

Thank you for the tip. It sounds like Tippling could make for a great experience.

I actually have a dual chef tasting tonight in Shanghai with Adam Liston & Ryan Clift sharing a kitchen. If it goes we'll and with your review Tippling will be gaining ground.

[chloehk]

Wow -- lucky you! If you have time to share a few details of what they make, would love to hear...

[epeter03]

Overall i enjoyed the meal and some of its play full bits of Ryan's cooking but realized that its also not my favorite style of cooking. Yes it is great and imaginative but some of the dishes lacked substance and that overall satisfaction you get from a good meal.

The highlights for me were the Blackmore beef, great texture and meaty flavor and the vegetable garden.

So here it is:
clam dashi, cucumber, kombu, wild herbs and flowers - RYAN
Prosecco Angela Viano Brut

Foie Gras, spiced gaufrette biscuit, granny smith – RYAN
2004 Eden Hall Museum Release Riesling

Cured Salmon, cauliflower, olive, corn froth, lobster emulsion, caviar – ADAM
2009 Eden Hall Riesling

The Vegetable garden – RYAN
2009 Eden Hall Riesling

Suckling Pig, “mojo” sauce, creamed & raw cauliflower, Jamon – ADAM
2005 Eden Hall Cabernet Sauvignon

Blackmore Beef “n” Beet, hose radish, beet crunchies, cress – RYAN
2006 Eden Hall Shiraz

Nitro Museli - RYAN
2004 Eden Hall Ratafia

Broken Ice cream sandwich – ADAM
2004 Eden Hall Ratafia

[chloehk]

Hi epeter03,

Apologies for the slow reply -- I didn't see that you'd posted.

Thanks for the round-up of the meal. The flavors sound very light and straightforward. I wonder if they intended this to seem exotic in the context of the more complex flavors of Chinese cuisine and Shanghai's sophisticated restaurant scene.

Sounds like a strategy that could work or backfire...

In any case, hope you have (had) a wonderful meal at Iggy's or elsewhere in Singapore. I hope to try those places myself on our next visit.

Cheers!