While we were here, we thought we’d find a really nice dining experience and I booked us a table at Nouri – it’s considered a global fusion restaurant in that they take inspirations from food cultures all over the world and blend them into unique creations.
I’d heard of before Nouri, and was definitely keen to take the chance to check it out while we were here. The restaurant itself is one of those open kitchen places where the staff are so well drilled you don’t hear a peep out of any of them… everyone knows their jobs and it (outwardly) appears to run like a well oiled machine. The atmosphere, was classy yet not stuffy, and the service was exceptional.
We had to try their iconic Crossroads Menu – which is a chef’s tasting menu which delightfully came with a saké pairing flight. There was a European sommelier who was guiding us through out saké flights, and I swear, I’m no slouch in the saké department, but this guy has probably forgotten more about saké than I’ve ever known. He was so informative and very generous with knowledge, I was truly pleased we had decided to forgo the wine and opt for the saké.
The start of the tasting menu was ‘The Snacks’…
Rye sourdough, Vegetable broth, Silken cheese, Tomato as a sauce, Escabech Gelée and Shanklish… it was all delicious, but OMG the Shanklish was fabulous!
Silken Cheese…
Shanklish…
Escabeche Gelée…
Tomato as a sauce…
Narezushi…Otoro tuna, cultured rice cake, prahok, Oscietra caviar and katsuboshi…
Pamonha… Japanese white corn custard, bafun uni, and blue corn velouté…
Barbarians’ Head… Turkic dumplings, confit chicken skin, beef consummé, wagyu, ‘nduja jambu.
Bouride… turbot in it’s own broth, bouquet garni (brewed table side, garlic skyr, and sesame paste.
Acarajé, Afro-Brazilian style fritter.
Vatapá… turmeric and coconut curry, salted prawn emulsion.
Beouf à la Presse… A5 Keisan-guy wagyu ribeye, white kimchi, pressed beef jus.
At this stage of the meal, we were offered tea… this came in the form of, what sort of tea do you usually enjoy and what are your favourite flavours. I responded ‘English Breakfast black tea and vanilla, maple and bourbon’ as the first thing that came to mind, and Mr K replied with ‘Earl Grey, and lemon, whiskey and root beer’.
I don’t know what magic was conjured up as he brewed some combinations of leaves for both of us, but he somehow handed both of us the most delicious cup of tea that was specifically chosen for our individual preferences. No, my tea didn’t taste of the things I listed, but it was absolutely marvellous to my palette… whereas I thought Mr K’s was really ordinary, and he loved it!
Troy de Champenois… violet granita, pickled lemon, sparkling wine.
Chocolate Fish balls… chocolate sorbet, ikan billis, wild pepper leaf, colatura di alici.
Petit Fours…
Nutmeg candy and Giandujotto…
Coffee and Hazelnut Dorayaki and Osmanthus Jelly
Season fruit… mango.
And because I mentioned the now much celebrated 25th wedding anniversary in our booking notes… there was also this delightful peach dessert to finish the meal.
This really was a dining experience like no other I had ever had before. The food was all so incredibly and passionately researched, and the chef was happy to share that inspiration and research with patrons who were interested. The saké flights were fantastic on every level – on one pairing, our sommelier (what is the saké equivalent I wonder?), suggested we try the saké he had chosen, then take a bite of our dish, and he then promised the saké would completely change in its flavour… and it really did! It went from tasting like a fresh crisp and somewhat citrusy saké to being more mellow, and tending towards a melon flavour. It was incredible how the food changed the profile of the drink.
I would highly recommend a night out at Nouri in Singapore. It’s pricey, but absolutely worth it. I will definitely be keeping an eye out to see what Chef Ivan Brehm and his team get up to in the future. 11/10 would absolutely do again.
