Mention Daniel Boulud, and the most striking dish to come up to mind would be the popular DB Burger. Famed for his French-American cuisine, Boulud is probably the least you would expect when it comes to bringing the flavours of the Mediterranean into his creations. But then again, the creativity of a chef knows no boundaries.
Daniel Boulud and most of the other Celebrity Chefs of Marina Bay Sands will be in Singapore during this period leading up to the F1 Grand Prix, and it might be possible to catch them in action in both the restaurants and maybe even while watching the cars fly by.
The theme of Mediterranean dishes will be making a limited appearance each month, and it comes as an additional feature to the spread already available in the a la carte menu. It is a special selection and introduction of the Mediterranean cuisine spread available in his latest restaurant Boulud Sud in New York.
The traditional starter of Sourdough Bread and Butter. I had a glass of Rose Wine to pair the appetizers to come. Also as a pre-meal starter, the MV Pierre Paillard, Bouzy Grand Cru, Cuvee Daniel Champagne was served as well.
Wine Pairing : 2007 Chatteau la Rouviere, Rose, Bandol
Spiced Duck Kataifi was the first appetizer in which I dug into. Individual portions of duck meat is coated with vermicelli like strands and deep fried for that beautiful crisp coating. And the final touches included Date Chutney and a little bit of arugula. Savoury bold meaty flavours followed by a change in texture and lastly an embracement of the sweetness permeating through in strong cascading waves of fruitiness and a hearty middle eastern delight.
For a taste of the ocean, Daniel brought in the Grilled Octopus. Done with Marcona Almonds, Arugula and Jerez Vinegar, the texture of the octopus was nice and chewy yet easy to the bite. Slight natural flavours are key here and anything at the side is made to bring out the unique sweetness of the octopus itself. But my tastebuds will still go for the Spiced Duck Kataifi
The Chickpea and Eggplant comes as a combination of savoury patties with Herb Falafel, Fresh Hummus, Babaganoush and Lavash. Meaty flavours throughout, the flavours of the Mediterranean lands really stand out in this dish.
And for something to savour the sauces with, there is the toasted herbed bread crisps.
Seared Spanish Mackerel with Piquilo Vinaigrette. The rustic sea scent with a good sprinkle of sea salt and a rough smoky flavour.
Vitello Tonnato, served a strikingly medium rare with sparse herbs and drizzles of sauce was well appreciated by me. The natural flavours of the meat were not too be missed and the sauce tenderises the flavours with a creamy touch.
Still, the Cured Anchovies is one dish that is to be acquired. Maybe its the strong briny flavours of the anchovies itself, but the ingredients did not exactly make a complete harmony with each other for me. A personal preference.
Ah but the portion of Daurade a la Plancha is something to talk about. The fish is sweet, nutty and meaty, with a crisp outer skin from the hot searing with oil on the side. The tomato sauce at the side was however the real steal of the dish as when combined with the freshness and flavour of the fish, a unique level of tangy sweet umaminess is created. Its like a wonderful combination between the sweetness of the earth and the tenderness of the sea. Nice.
Wine Pairing : 2007 Bodegas Naia, Naiades, Rueda
2007 Querciabella Wine pairing with the next dish : Charred Wagyu
Tuscan Style Dry-Aged Ribeye summarised the end to the lunch that day. Served with Crushed Fava Beans and Salsa Verde, this was a good piece of meat, delectable in its juiciness. While the attention may be on the beef, I would say its rather on the Fava beans. Itself meaty with a delightful wholesome flavour, the beans are an excellent complement as a meaty pair to the ribeye itself. By the way, Fava Beans are also known as Broad Beans (you know the ones in Kachang Puteh)
Wine Pairing : 2007 Querciabella, Chianti Classico, Tuscany
This was my first encounter with the Grapefruit Givre and I have to admit I was very contented with it. A frozen grapefruit shell encasing a grapefruit sorbet, fresh grapefruit, grapefruit jam, rose turkish delights, and cream, topped with a sugar cookie made to melt around the sides. A sweet tangy delight that refreshes the experiences, and clears the senses from any heaviness.
Break the shell and the cream comes out!
I managed to get a video on youtube on how the Grapefruit Givre is made. Cool stuff.
Petit Fours for the lunch.
Far left : Panfork Dia Sienna (Italy) – Dark Chocolate Paste, Roasted Almonds, Ginger, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Cinnamon, Black Pepper.
Center : Torrone (Italy) – Roasted Hazelnut Nougat.
Right : Bakiava (Greece) – Phyillo pastry layers with green pistachios paste and thick syrup.
The wines served during the lunch.
Chef Daniel Boulud, Me, and db Bistro Moderne Executive Chef Stephane Istel
db Bistro Moderene’s unveiling of these Mediterranean dishes will be available and featured selectively each month. The full range will be available in Boulud Sud in New York, but with Daniel’s expansive creations from all his restaurants, db Bistro Moderne could very well be moving into a sampler into the larger culinary world of the kitchens of Daniel Boulud.
Thank you Marina Bay Sands for the invitation. Thank You Chef Daniel for hosting the lunch.
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