Singaporeans’ love affair with Japanese cuisine shows no signs of abating, what with the continued proliferation of sushi joints, ramen eateries and kaiseki restaurants across the island. Now you can tuck into another omakase meal or sample another marbled cut of wagyu beef with the second edition of Gourmet Japan, which runs from 26 April to 31 May 2013. epicure is proud to be the official food magazine of this Japanese food extravaganza.

Gourmet Japan will offer a host of events to showcase the diversity and the intricacy of Japanese cuisine. Highlights include a Kansai Experience with the Wines of Villa Maria Estate, a dinner where Chef Seiichiro Arakawa from Han will showcase his kushikatsu and Osaka-style cuisine paired with the award winning winery of Villa Maria Estate from New Zealand. Other not-to-be-missed events are afternoon tea and international buffet with Japanese Showcase by The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka’s chef Mitsutoshi Sato at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, and exclusive kaiseki dinners at Ki-sho and Kaiseki Yoshiyuki. A selection of 20 Japanese restaurants will also be offering special set lunches and dinners under the Taste Japan promotion.

Apart from exciting events that pair Japanese cuisine with whiskies and wines, Gourmet Japan will also be running a month-long Mixology Japan promotion where eight bespoke bars will whip up exclusive Japanese cocktails.

For more information, visit www.gourmet-japan.com

lavender flower udon
3 tsp sea salt
2 cups warm water
5 cups wheat bread flour
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup bread flour, for dusting
20g edible fresh lavender flower petals, minced

• Dissolve the salt in warm water.  Whisk bread flour and all-purpose flour in a large mixer bowl using a dough hook.
• Slowly add in the salt water into the flour mixture. Continue mixing until the water and flour is well combined and forms a ball of dough, about 5 to 7 mins.
• Knead the dough on the board until smooth, about 10 mins.
• Dust with bread flour, keep kneading and folding it over for 8 to 10 times. Flattened the dough, cover it with a cling film, and allow it rest in a warm place for 3 hours.
• After 3 hours, knead the dough into a ball and roll it out into 2cm thickness.
• Dust the top of the flattened udon dough with bread flour and then fold it into thirds or fourfold.  Cut the dough into ribbons of about 1cm to 1.5cm thickness using a long sharp chopper. If the dough gets very sticky, dust it again with extra flour to prevent the strands from sticking together.

AU CHOCOLAT

BALZAC BRASSERIE
The flimsy shoestring fries from Balzac Brasserie may be the plain Jane among the other flavoured ones that we have shortlisted, but they are so seriously addictive, they almost diverted our attention away from our main course. Chef Jean-Charles Dubois deep fries the hand-cut thin strips of Idaho potatoes twice in sunflower oil, giving them a golden sheen and irresistible aroma.  #01-01 Rendezvous Gallery. Tel:6336 0797

THE COASTAL SETTLEMENT
We visited this eatery in a quiet nook of eastern Singapore on a weekend evening, and it was packed to the rafters, which probably explained why our Truffle Fries took quite a while to arrive. But the wait was worthwhile: served in a retro mess tin, the fries were crisp enough, and the saltiness and truffle aroma were balanced, without overpowering each other. The dish also comes with a bittersweet tomato relish. 200 Netheravon Road. Tel: 6475 0200

THE QUEEN & MANGOSTEEN
If you like having a variety of textures in your fries, make a beeline for these thick-cut beauties with varying sizes. These golden-brown gems are served piping hot, with a thick crust of exceptionally crispy skin and a steamy soft interior. The chilli crab dip, made fresh daily, comes with generous chunks of crabmeat, and its sweet, salty and spicy flavours make it a delicious accompaniment to the dish. #01-106/107 Vivocity. Tel: 6376 9380

NOVUS RESTAURANT & BAR
Novus Restaurant & Bar was once known for their triple-cooked fries—a tedious offering that requires the spuds to be first steamed, frozen and then deep-fried. But it has since been replaced by equally delicious truffle fries that are served in a rustic bucket.  Idaho potatoes are deep-fried once at 138°C then lightly tossed in white truffle oil and a fine dusting of parmesan cheese. #01-02 National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road. Tel: 6336 8770

HOUSE
First it was their legendary truffle fries—thin-cut strips of potato goodness topped with sprinkles of salt and lashings of white truffle oil. Then came their addictive sweet potato nibblets, lovingly dusted with sesame seeds. Now HOUSE has dreamed up a new quartet of fries, of which the curry mustard version—straw-cut potato fries seasoned with paprika powder, curry powder and a drizzle of mustard oil—got us ordering a second batch even before we finished our first. 8D Dempsey Road. Tel: 6475 7787

THE FACTORY
This hole-in-the-wall café understands that condiments can make all the difference in the world when it comes to fries. Their fat chips, crispy shoestring fries, or a mix of both, are served with eight different sauces. Dress up your deep-fried potato with marmite honey aioli, sweet onion and bak kua, smoked cheddar and blue cheese, tartare with chopped gherkin, laksa pesto with roasted cashew, spicy roasted tomato with chinchalok, curry mustard aioli and vegetarian chilli crab. The fun is in trying all the dips. 22 Lim Tua Tow Road. Tel: 6283 7680

SPATHE PUBLIC HOUSE
We came to this hip restaurant to taste its signature Mohamed Sultan Meter Dog, but the garlic fries were an undisputed hit. To achieve an even golden colour, chef Claudio Sandri uses young Russet and Désirée potatoes for the optimum sugar and starch content, and soaks the batches in cold water before frying so they come out perfectly crisp without being greasy. Coated with a piquant spice blend of garlic, oregano, black pepper and a few other secret ingredients, these are the ultimate shoestring delights. 8 Mohamed Sultan Road. Tel: 6735 1035

PS. CAFÉ
While the chic café also serves chunky fries with garlic aioli and tamarind dips, we love the truffle shoestring version. It’s a generous portion—all 600g of potato that has been deep-fried to crunchy, crispy perfection. These fries are coated with grated parmesan cheese and boasts a notable aroma of fragrant truffle oil. 45 Ann Siang Road, #02-02 Ann Siang Hill Park. Tel: 6222 3143

&MADE
It might be the burgers taking centrestage at &Made, but the garlic and vinegar fries certainly put up an outstanding supporting act. Chef Bruno Menard uses B15 potatoes, a flavourful hybrid variety of potato developed from the French Belle de Fontenay and German Flava potatoes. Once the straw-cut potatoes are deep fried, they are topped with a seasoning of homemade roasted garlic oil and Xérès vinegar. #01-04-06 Pacific Plaza, 9 Scotts Road. Tel: 6690 7566

Dab some oregano oil onto your hand and you’ll be aware of a gentle heat spreading across your skin. The oil has an antiseptic quality, and is commonly used to treat skin infections; a remedy that traces its roots to ancient Greek times, when the herb was also used to alleviate digestive problems, convulsions, and respiratory ailments.

Oregano oil is also said to soothe headaches and sore throats, and contains a high amount of vitamin K (which promotes cardiovascular and bone health), giving it the reputation of being nature’s antibiotic. Known by its binomial name as oregano vulgare, the herb is a close cousin of the marjoram, and grows mainly in temperate regions in Asia and the Mediterranean.

In Mediterranean cuisine, the herb is best known for its use in pizzas and pastas: it adds a mild, bittersweet, peppery flavour to those dishes. Desmond Lee, chef de cuisine of Private Affairs—a modern European restaurant—thinks oregano is best paired with other stronger herbs like rosemary and thyme to enhance its aroma. Dried, ground leaves, which are readily available from supermarkets, possess a more intense aroma than fresh oregano leaves, although the latter is always preferred in a bouquet garni, salad or as a stuffing. “The herb is also very versatile with any kind of sauce, from a rich tomato-based offering to the classic beurre blanc,” adds Lee.

The simplest sauce and dressing you can make with dried oregano is an oregano ‘pesto’ sauce—mix the herb with olive oil, and you can use it in a light pasta dish or as a dip. Lee uses the oregano ‘pesto’ sauce in his Seafood Pasta, letting the herbaceous notes of the plant meld with the briny touches of clams.

Excerpt from the May 2013 issue of epicure

Makes 8-10 pieces

Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes

special equipment
metal tubes measuring 2.5cm in diameter and 13cm in length, available at Phoon Huat

dough
450g plain flour
2½ eggs
60g fine castor sugar
60g vegetable shortening
(Crisco)
pinch sea salt
pinch ground cinnamon
4 tbsp Marsala wine
egg wash
1 pot or ½ litre soya bean oil for deep frying

• Mix together all the ingredients except the Marsala wine. Add the Marsala, as needed, to form a stiff dough.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thick.
• Cut the dough into ovals, roughly 7.5cm by 12.5cm.
• Wrap the dough around the metal tubes and seal the ends together well with egg wash.
• Let rest for an hour or two before frying.
• Preheat the deep fryer filled with soybean oil to 180°C.
• Lightly fry the pastry shells until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, and drain on a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Once cool, remove the metal tubes and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

ricotta cream cheese filling
1kg ricotta cheese
570g fine castor sugar
½ cup double cream, add in a bit more as needed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 drops cinnamon oil
30g candied citron
30g white chocolate chips

• In a mixing bowl, fold ricotta cheese with the sugar and cream as needed. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon oil, candied citron, and chocolate chips. Refrigerate until needed.
• Fill a pastry bag with ricotta cream cheese filling and pipe into cannoli pastry tubes from both ends.

AU CHOCOLAT
What we really liked about this boeuf bourguignon was the distinct red wine note coming from its dark and dense stew. Though the meaty beef chunks were not quite as tender as the other beef cheek renditions found on this list, their flavour was faultless. The stew, topped with mashed potatoes, bacon strips, mushrooms and baby carrots, was sided by garden greens and a slice of toast. Bay Level L1-03, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue. Tel: 6688 7227

L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON
Robuchon’s interpretation of this classic is as delicate and balanced as a well composed tune. The refined dish features fork-tender beef cheeks coated with rich and plummy Burgundy wine sauce that gives off hints of Morello cherries. We alternated between bites of meat and onion pearls resting on the stew. The dish is also served with Robuchon’s famous mashed potatoes—another reason to order it. 8 Sentosa Gateway. Hotel Michael, Resorts World Sentosa. Tel: 6577 7888

VERRE WINE BAR
Known more for its excellent, extensive wine list than food, Verre surprised us with its Beef Bourguignon, a soft and juicy chunk of fatty beef and crisp bacon coated in a rich red wine sauce peppered with bay leaves. Pair the mouth-watering dish with a Burgundy from Côte de Beaune. #01-05/06, 8 Rodyk Street. Tel: 6509 1917

COCOTTE
The thing that hits you first when they set down the boeuf bourguignon is the delectable perfume of fried lardons mixed with freshly chopped herbs. With all the heartiness of French countryside Provençal cooking, the braised beef is served bonein with chunky carrots on a bed of creamy mashed spuds and rich red wine sauce that you can’t get enough of. We love how the texture of the meat still retains that chewiness. Do call to check if the dish is available as the it is not on Cocotte’s regular menu. 2 Dickson Road. Tel: 6298 1188

BISTRO DU VIN
The moment we sunk our teeth into the Beef Cheeks Braised in Red Wine, we wondered what took us so long to discover this gem in this cosy bistro (in previous visits, we had always ordered the escargots and coq au vin). Cradled in a casserole filled with sweet carrots, juicy pearl onions and earthy mushrooms, the generous chunks of beef—braised for three hours—are forktender and pillowy. #02-12 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road. Tel: 6733 7763

LE BISTROT DU SOMMELIER
When the server at Le Bistrot du Sommelier removed the clay pot lid to our red wine braised beef cheek with carrots and mushrooms, the dish’s strong aroma of red wine and rosemary was enough to fill the small dining room. The meat was so tender you could cut it with a spoon, and it carried the robust flavours of its stew with each bite. This marvellously hearty dish is served with a little cocotte of boiled potatoes, sprinkled over with sea salt and parsley, on the side. 53 Armenian Street. Tel: 6333 1982

PAMPLEMOUSSE BISTRO + BAR
This is a generous hunk of short rib painstakingly marinated in red wine, herbs and aromatics for 24 hours before being cooked sous-vide for another 36. The rich, deeply flavourful sauce is made with a touch of savoury-sweet kecap manis, giving it an appealing glaze and tempering the acidity of the red wine. Complete with velvety pomme purée, melt-in-your-mouth pearl onions and malty Guinness foam on top, this is one exceptional dish that should stay on the restaurant’s menu. 7 Dempsey Road #01-04. Tel: 6475 0080

SAVEUR
We are glad that the chefs at Saveur choose to serve this classic French dish with short ribs for a more succulent, tender result. Unlike other boeuf bourguignons in which the meat is stewed over low heat on the stove, the beef here is painstakingly cooked sous-vide for over 12 hoursin a vacuum bag with herbs, red wine and a mirepoix. The result: flavourful, evenly-cooked pieces that meld luxuriously with the sweetness of the red wine glaze.We also like the earthy mushrooms and the addition of peppery rocket leaf in the accompanying mesclun salad, which cuts the fattiness of the rich short ribs. 5 Purvis Street, #01-04. Tel: 6333 3121

SHELTER IN THE WOODS
We were told that chef David Thien only serves this dish when he is able to get a suitable cut of beef, and currently that means using beef cheeks, as they develop a beautifully gelatinous texture when slow cooked. Tender and juicy, the beef cheeks were doused in rich red wine sauce and served atop a generous bed of smooth mashed potato. For a satisfying spoonful, mix the beef, mash, and sauce together with bits of the accompanying pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon strips. 22 Greenwood Avenue. Tel: 6466 6225

TARATATA BISTROT
When our waiter recommended the Boeuf Bourguignon for our main course, we had a feeling we’d be in good hands. What we really liked about the dish here was the sauce: it was one of the richer and more aromatic ones we have tasted so far. It also had a piquant sweetness, thanks to chef Bertrand Raguin’s generous use of sliced carrots. We paired the tender, irresistible beef with a glass of Côtes du Rhône red from Chapoutier, and our lunch was nudged to perfection. 35A Keong Siak Road. Tel: 6221 4506

Commonly used in desserts like pies and tarts, the rhubarb is viewed by many chefs as a fruit, and thus its nickname ‘pie plant’. Taxonomically, the rhubarb is considered a vegetable, a species of the Polygonaceae family of flowering plants. Its stalk, which varies from light red to purple, grows from thick rhizomes or roots whose dried forms are consumed as a laxative in traditional Chinese medicine.

Semantics and medicinal topics aside, the only edible part of the rhubarb for gourmet purposes is the stalk (its leaves are poisonous, containing the toxic oxalic acid). But munching on a raw rhubarb’s stalk isn’t exactly an appetising experience. “The stalk has a very acidic taste, and if you don’t balance it with something sweet, its very tart character can be overwhelming for the palate,” remarks Yew Eng Tong, chef de cuisine of The Cliff restaurant at The Sentosa, A Beaufort Hotel.

The rhubarb’s tart taste, says Yew, works best with fatty or juicy meat, such as foie gras, duck, pork belly and marbled beef. The gelatinous quality of those ingredients tempers the plant’s acidity, creating a tantalising, bittersweet combination. The rhubarb is also high in vitamin C and calcium, and is available fresh and canned, although Yew recommends going for the former to ensure you get the best out of the rhubarb’s tender character (pick a crisp stalk with taut, bright skin that is free of insect damage and disease).

The rhubarb’s tenderness makes cooking it a cinch. Apart from the common method of boiling it in sugary water, the stalk can also be turned into a jam, confiture, or purée, as its texture softens very easily and quickly. For his Foie Gras Espuma, Salted Biscuit and Rhubarb Confiture, Yew takes inspiration from the classic French combination of foie gras and jam, turning the goose liver into a delicate foam and the rhubarb into a piquant, rich jam.

Excerpt from the April 2013 issue of epicure

Not many restaurants can boast about the history and cultural significance of their location but the aptly named AMMO is one of them. Set up by celebrity chef and restaurateur Tony Cheng and chef Roland Schuller formerly from The Drawing Room, the dining establishment is housed within the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre—a site that was once a explosives magazine compound created by the British army in the mid-19th century. Today, the centre has been converted by the renowned New York-based architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, into a place for lectures, exhibitions, performances, film screenings, tours, seminars and conferences.

As a nod to its military past, copper is the dominant material in the space. Minute details reveal gleaming copper ribs that support the arched bunker-like ceiling while copper pipes back up the spine of high stools. “We wanted to have a loose association with the history of the location and not an in-your-face reference like hanging up machine guns,” says Joyce Wang, the head designer of WANG Studios tasked with coming up with a high-end experience to fit the context.

For inspiration, Wang drew from Alphaville, a 1965 science fiction film directed by French director Jean-Luc Godard. One of the visual elements borrowed from the dystopic masterpiece manifest as a trio of sculptural spiral staircases constructed as chandeliers purely out of copper plumbing pipes. “The spiral staircase with its dramatic sense of geometry is a recurring theme in the film,” says Wang, “It was the perfect architectural component to draw the guest’s attention upwards as we wanted to showcase the 7m high ceiling.” Naked bulbs and shades of futuristic chandeliers crafted out of bent copper mesh and rods, make a reference to industrial settings while mirrors that cover the ceiling further create the illusion that the spiral staircases are never ending.

Excerpt from the April 2013 issue of epicure

If there is any indication to the reasons for his meteoric rise from pastry apprentice to one of the world’s top chefs, it could well be French chef Yannick Alléno’s reaction to obtaining his third Michelin star while being head chef of Le Meurice in Paris. “This third star was my dream! It is the result of 22 years of work, passion and a desire to be the most accurate at every moment. Yet it also marks the beginning of a new life. This third star is a tremendous responsibility and it is now up to me to make it shine. More than ever, I want to perfect my work in order to offer a cuisine that is forever more rigorous, finer and more creative.”

When it comes to cooking, hard work will not come in the way of Alléno’s pursuit for perfection. Born in 1968 to parents who owned French brasseries, the exacting chef’s foray into a professional culinary career started with an internship at Le Relais Louis XIII with Manuel Martinez. Alléno went on to train under a who’s who of French cuisine—Roland Durand and Martial Henguehard at the Sofitel Sevres Hotela dn Louis Grondard at Drouant Restaurant, before becoming head chef at Le Meurice in 2003.

Just six months into his tenure, Alléno received his first two Michelin stars. His third was to follow in 2007. Which is why it was shocking to some when Alléno announced his departure from Le Meurice earlier in January.

Known for blending innovations and traditions into a signature style of French cuisine, Alléno’s culinary creativity encompasses an empire of restaurant concepts that include the Grande Table 1947 in Cheval Blanc Courchevel , S.T.A.Y (Simple Table Alléno Yannick) outposts in four different countries, and Terroir Parisien in Paris. Fans and followers of Alléno will know that his leaving Le Meurice only means a reinforced devotion to his other cuisine concepts.

Excerpt from the April 2013 issue of epicure

There’s a saying in Thailand that says you can eat three meals a day for an entire month and still discover something new about the country’s culinary delights. Such is the capacious complexity of Thai cuisine, which is underpinned by the impeccable balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy flavours. “Thais cook with their nose, not their mouth,” affirms Dylan Jones, referring to a local cook’s ability to tell if a dish lacks a certain ingredient just by nosing its aromatic components.

The chef-owner of Bo.lan, a restaurant in Bangkok that focuses on slow and sustainable Thai cooking, also notes that although royal cuisine isn’t as prevalent today as it was during the height of the Thai culinary arts, there are still traces of the labour-intensive preparations and intricate presentations to be found across the country, from the delicate feminine touches of glazed mung bean candy (look choop), to the time-consuming work behind coconut cream dips like lohn.   In a bid to explore this evolved and kaleidoscopic cuisine, we’ve taken in the flavours of Thailand’s four main regions.

NORTH

Unlike the rest of Thailand, coconut is seldom used in the north as the region has too temperate a climate for the palms to grow.  Most dishes contain less sugar and are seasoned with water or stocks instead, bearing less intensity than those found in other regions.

One of the most emblematic dishes of Chiang Mai, however, bears an exception to this rule: kao soi, curried noodles made with fermented egg noodles in a curried-coconut broth. As the largest province in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai has exerted the biggest culinary influence across the region. Pork plays a major role, whether cured (naem), smoked as sausages (sai oua), tossed with jackfruit in a curry, or its skin deep fried as an ambrosial snack with beer.
Sticky rice is the preferred carbohydrate here, and is sold raw as well as steamed, wrapped in banana or teak leaves, or packed in bamboo baskets.

Excerpt from the March 2013 issue of epicure.