This week, Makan Kaki Don Mendoza recommends a restaurant that has been around for a long time and has made a name for itself under the helm of the talented Chef Sebastian Ng, who recently handed the reins over to another who’s also no slouch in the kitchen himself. The new chef? Sufian Bin Zain, formerly of Iggy’s and Waku Ghin. The restaurant? Restaurant Ember, of course!
So with this change in head chefs, how’s the food? There isn’t a huge change, but in contrast to the restaurant’s more robust signature dishes like the slow-cooked pork belly and the twice-cooked duck confit, what Chef Sufian literally brings to the table is a certain refined interpretation of contemporary European dining, with just enough Asian inflections to keep things interesting. And he has succeeded in celebrating Restaurant Ember’s legacy, yet bringing something fresh to to the updated menu.
Perhaps the dish that marries those two worlds is Chef Sufian’s Seafood Bouillabaisse. Not the expected thick stew we imagine for cold winter nourishment, but a lighter, more refined version, featuring fresh seared sea bass, Hokkaido scallops, clams and just-cooked sweet scampi that are really fresh, and cooked to perfection separately.This mini mountain of ocean treasures is then topped at the table with a rich yet delicately flavoured broth. The end result is an absolutely delicious seafood dish that has the texture of a silky bisque.
Now, this is just one of several outstanding, deftly-handled dishes from Chef Sufian’s updated menu, so do dine at Restaurant Ember soon and take advantage of their value-for-money set lunches!
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Read Don’s full review of Restaurant Ember on Today Online here.
Restaurant Ember
Hotel 1929
50 Keong Saik Road
Reservations: 63471928
Open: Mondays to Fridays, lunch 11.30am – 2pm; dinner 6.30 -10pm.
Saturdays, closed for lunch, open for dinner.
Closed on Sundays.
Makan Kakis on Gold 905 