A Year Of Deliciousness

Of the many, many dishes we sampled in 2016, these are the ones that left an impression. Add them to your must-eat list.

- Tan Min Yan

MACKEREL, $18, SALTED & HUNG (www. saltedandhung.com.sg)

For a chef who’s built his reputation on his meats, chef Drew Nocente does a pretty mean fish dish too. The Norwegian mackerel is first cured in Applewood Gin (from Applewood Distillery in Adelaide Hills), then torched lightly for a deliciously smoky and tangy finish. It’s served with powdery nori ash, and pickled cucumber and radish – which add flavour, depth and texture respectively – as well as a dollop of horseradish for a subtle kick. Makes for a great appetiser, but just as impressive as a main.

In 2017… “We’ll be looking to use all parts of sea produce – fish offal, undercuts, shells and bones. We will also make some of our own cheeses, and have plans for a seafood charcuterie board with items such as tuna prosciutto.” – Chef Drew

PREMIUM WAGYU DON, $88, SUSHI JIN www.sushijin.com.sg

One of the most decadent Japanese rice bowls we’ve ever seen. Cubes of tender A4 wagyu beef and panseared foie gras are layered atop a bed of rice (fried garlic or white, it’s up to you) and topped off with generous servings of golden uni and truffle caviar, a wobbly onsen egg, and a dressing of yakiniku and truffle shoyu. A veritable taste explosion, and seriously Instagram-worthy.

In 2017… “The menu will be leaner, to reflect the shift in focus towards better quality seafood dishes. This will allow the chefs to concentrate on bringing out the best characteristics of a particular dish or ingredient, as well as its presentation and execution.” – Sushi Jin

DUH MEAT BOARD, $28, FAT LULU’S (WWW.FATLULUS.SG)