Sofitel So Singapore wants you to know they have more than a pretty pool with an awesome city view. With their newly appointed Chef Trevor Paulo heading the the hotel’s gastro-bar dining concept restaurant Xperience, their new star attraction is gonna be the delicious mod European dishes.
We put Chef Trevor to the test with his four-course Christmas Eve dinner ($88 onwards).
We started with the Amuse bouche of Potato Blinis, topped with a dollop of refreshing dill Greek yogurt and a salty herring roe.
Entrée was a house-cured Salmon Gravlax on a bed of edible truffle and mushroom soil and pickled shallots. Interesting textures though it felt a little dryish when brought together. Perhaps a tad more creme would provide a smoother sensation.
For the main course, Chef Trevor will personally present a Hay Roasted Savel Chicken at the guest’s table. Lots of theatrics involved in this main course, including the firing of roasted hay and on the spot carving of that tender bird.
My my the chicken was so damn good. The white meat was flavorful on its own and even better with the creamy stuffing of mushroom pate, brioche, shiitake and truffle. The touch of truffle split jus added more umami to the dish. The jus is full of fatty goodness from the roasted chicken, which was sauteed with a mirepoix and deglazed with red wine, reduced further for 1.5 days and given a touch of truffle oil at the end. Yea.. Such dedication is given to an accompanying sauce.
If the meal were to end there and then, it would bask in the glory of the chicken. But (yea the but..) the deconstructed version of the Pear Tarte Tatin spoiled the meal with an overall dry and bland experience. The individual components were decent actually (lovely chiffon and honeycomb) but they just didn't gel together as a dish. The lack of pear flavor also didn't sit too well with me either. I found myself craving for the traditionally intense cinnamon spice, butter, and pear. Well just give me a regular pear tart and that would have been perfect.
That said, the sampling was sufficient to convince me that there are more reasons to come back to Sofitel So Singapore. Check out their Festive menus which include prix fixe and buffet options from $88 onwards. Something to look forward to is certainly Chef Trevor's specialty Croque En Bouche.
Xperience Restaurant
35 Robinson Road, Singapore 068876
Tel: +65 6701 6800
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