Venue by Sebastian
I was devastated when celebrated Chef Sebastian Ng exited the food business entirely. Restaurant Ember, which he steered to glory as Chef de Cuisine, was never the same after that. So when I heard that the good chef returned to the scene, with an iteration wholly owned by him this time, I was ecstatic. I'd missed his chilean seabass (that truffle butter was awesomesauce), and crossed my fingers that he'd bring it back at this new venture.
The cherry on the already delicious parfait: the new restaurant, Venue by Sebastian, is now super duper convenient to get to: it's right smack in middle of the CBD at UOE Downtown. The corresponding downside: even with the bigger premises (compared to Restaurant Ember's 40-seater space) it's ridiculously packed EVERY weekday mealtime, i.e. reservations are, as before, a must.
Clearly, the break away has not diminished the chef's craft. I've dined at Venue several times since it's opened, and tried just about every dish on the menu, and he's hit it out of the ballpark every. single. time. The food's hearty, yet polished, and the produce is finessed with an effortless flair. No pig, or lamb, or fish ever dies in vain for Chef Sebastian's kitchen.
But what's most incredible about Venue is how, despite serving up one of the best modern European fare in Singapore, prices are managed within the $20's range. Usually, when I see restaurants priced in this range, it's usually an indication of mass-market mediocrity. But here at Venue, the price points belie how sensational the food is. Everyone's always surprised when the bill arrives, because it's always several ticks below expectations. And to be honest, I'd gladly fork out more money for Venue's food: it's just that remarkable.
The kombu-flecked and truffle-burnished Cold Pasta ($23), umami and aromatic, was refreshing and possessed a delightful bite.
The bittersweet notes of the Grilled Asparagus ($12) was contrasted with the salty richness of the miso butter and Parma ham crisps. A perfectly poached egg lent texture to the crunch of the asparagus.
The Prawn Stuffed-Shitake Mushrooms ($9) was addictive AF. Like Pringles, you can't stop at one. The juxtaposition of the earthy shitake and juicy prawn mince was absolutely scrumptious.
The popcorn-like Cauliflower Florets ($10), sided by a lightly spiced mint aioli, was excellent, I'm generally not a fan of aioli, but this was delightfully light and bright.
The velvety smooth Pan-Seared Foie Gras ($27) paired with a poached egg, roasted maitake mushrooms, and cep jus, was exquisite.
Ahh the house signature, Chef Sebastian treats a Chilean Seabass ($36) like no other. The exterior was beautifully golden, and the flesh moist and flaky. This was set atop a scrummy mushroom-bacon ragout, and a bed of truffle yuzu butter sauce.
A riff on chilli crab, the 12-Hour Braised Lamb Foreshank ($28) was fork tender, its full-bodied heft was picked up by the sumptuousness of the spicy burnt pepper paste-like sauce. Glorious. A couple of fried buns were on hand to mop up that fantastic sauce.
The Grilled Iberico Pork Jowl ($18), imbued with a smoky char, was superb. Lemon and a herbaceous gremolata lent brightness and levity.
The Tiramisu ($12) is luscious and potent and nuanced. I particularly liked the kirsch-steeped cherries generously dotted throughout the little cup.
The Textures of Coconut ($14) may look a stodgy whiteout, but this was fantastic. A friend who loves anything and everything coconut, went nuts over this.
Another must-try signature, the Chocolate Fondant ($14) with vanilla ice-cream and fresh strawberries was fantastic. I loved that they use semi-sweet chocolate, so it never gets cloying.
I actually don't like camembert, but the Alleosse Camembert ($15) was brilliantly matched with pickled beetroot and a stout port reduction to balance out the intense pungency of the cheese.
VENUE by Sebastian
6A Shenton Way
Downtown Gallery #01-02
Tel: 6904 9688
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 2.30pm for lunch; 6.30pm to 9.30pm for dinner;
Closed on Sundays
Website: venuebysebastian.com
The cherry on the already delicious parfait: the new restaurant, Venue by Sebastian, is now super duper convenient to get to: it's right smack in middle of the CBD at UOE Downtown. The corresponding downside: even with the bigger premises (compared to Restaurant Ember's 40-seater space) it's ridiculously packed EVERY weekday mealtime, i.e. reservations are, as before, a must.
Clearly, the break away has not diminished the chef's craft. I've dined at Venue several times since it's opened, and tried just about every dish on the menu, and he's hit it out of the ballpark every. single. time. The food's hearty, yet polished, and the produce is finessed with an effortless flair. No pig, or lamb, or fish ever dies in vain for Chef Sebastian's kitchen.
But what's most incredible about Venue is how, despite serving up one of the best modern European fare in Singapore, prices are managed within the $20's range. Usually, when I see restaurants priced in this range, it's usually an indication of mass-market mediocrity. But here at Venue, the price points belie how sensational the food is. Everyone's always surprised when the bill arrives, because it's always several ticks below expectations. And to be honest, I'd gladly fork out more money for Venue's food: it's just that remarkable.
The kombu-flecked and truffle-burnished Cold Pasta ($23), umami and aromatic, was refreshing and possessed a delightful bite.
The bittersweet notes of the Grilled Asparagus ($12) was contrasted with the salty richness of the miso butter and Parma ham crisps. A perfectly poached egg lent texture to the crunch of the asparagus.
The Prawn Stuffed-Shitake Mushrooms ($9) was addictive AF. Like Pringles, you can't stop at one. The juxtaposition of the earthy shitake and juicy prawn mince was absolutely scrumptious.
The popcorn-like Cauliflower Florets ($10), sided by a lightly spiced mint aioli, was excellent, I'm generally not a fan of aioli, but this was delightfully light and bright.
The velvety smooth Pan-Seared Foie Gras ($27) paired with a poached egg, roasted maitake mushrooms, and cep jus, was exquisite.
Ahh the house signature, Chef Sebastian treats a Chilean Seabass ($36) like no other. The exterior was beautifully golden, and the flesh moist and flaky. This was set atop a scrummy mushroom-bacon ragout, and a bed of truffle yuzu butter sauce.
A riff on chilli crab, the 12-Hour Braised Lamb Foreshank ($28) was fork tender, its full-bodied heft was picked up by the sumptuousness of the spicy burnt pepper paste-like sauce. Glorious. A couple of fried buns were on hand to mop up that fantastic sauce.
The Grilled Iberico Pork Jowl ($18), imbued with a smoky char, was superb. Lemon and a herbaceous gremolata lent brightness and levity.
The Tiramisu ($12) is luscious and potent and nuanced. I particularly liked the kirsch-steeped cherries generously dotted throughout the little cup.
The Textures of Coconut ($14) may look a stodgy whiteout, but this was fantastic. A friend who loves anything and everything coconut, went nuts over this.
Another must-try signature, the Chocolate Fondant ($14) with vanilla ice-cream and fresh strawberries was fantastic. I loved that they use semi-sweet chocolate, so it never gets cloying.
I actually don't like camembert, but the Alleosse Camembert ($15) was brilliantly matched with pickled beetroot and a stout port reduction to balance out the intense pungency of the cheese.
VENUE by Sebastian
6A Shenton Way
Downtown Gallery #01-02
Tel: 6904 9688
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 2.30pm for lunch; 6.30pm to 9.30pm for dinner;
Closed on Sundays
Website: venuebysebastian.com
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