Restaurants should be like sharks in the F&B industry in Singapore - you gotta keep moving or you will die. If that's the case then Mitzo at Grand Park Orchard in Somerset (just behind Abercrombie & Fitch) is very much alive, with their seasonal menu updates. I had the pleasure to taste a combination of both their new Ode to Spring menu recently by Executive Head Chef Nick Ng and found it as good as the first tasting I went for. Exquisite, fine Cantonese food in a modern upscale setting paired with some delicious cocktails with an Asian twist? Check!
From now to 30 June 2016, here are the two-tailored 6-course Ode to Spring set menus:
- Menu 1 is at S$78++ per person or S$108++ per person inclusive of two cocktails pairing, minimum two persons, and
- Menu 2 is at S$98++ per person or S$128++ per person inclusive of two cocktails pairing, minimum two persons.
Here are the dishes you get to sample per course. What's special about the spring menu is the use of edible flowers like chrysanthemum, butterfly peas, saffron and even zucchini flowers that had to be specially imported!
I really liked the refreshing Lolita Julep cocktail which is a refreshing and floral twist to the timeless Mint Julep, made from Citron Vodka muddled with fresh Japanese cucumber, slaps of fresh mint sprigs, fresh lime juice, elderflower liqueur and flower water. For a really hot day, this is just what I need!
We then proceeded to taste some of the wonderful creations, like this Floral Dim Sum Platter which has a jasmine xiao long bao in the glass tea pot, butterfly pea shrimp dumpling (the blue har gow!) and baby abalone and pork dumpling topped with ginger flower bulb (siew mai). There's even a lychee flavour burst in the shrimp dumpling, in the form of a sago seed like bubble. I really enjoyed the subtle twists to the classic dim sum items.
I did find the pork dumpling in the teapot slightly unwieldy to eat though, but at least that saves you from bursting it!
We also gave their classic superstar dishes a spin - the super delicious roast duck and roasted BBQ caramelized pork. Faultless as usual. The roast duck's skin was so thin and crispy.
So good. The BBQ pork from Mitzo is different from normal char siew because the skin here is almost crunchy from the caramelizing that goes on. If you want the BBQ pork you have to call head to reserve because they are that good. Remember!
We also had a bowl of nourishing double-boiled chrysanthemum pork ribs and clam soup. While I am not so hot on the clam (that big yellow piece there), the pork was really soft and melted off the rib. There's also the use of a special black chrysanthemum in the soup, along with figs! I love figs!
The Zucchini flower tempura stuffed with wasabi shrimp was really interesting because I don't think I have tried the flower of the zucchini before? The tempura batter was light, not too oily and when you bite into it, the plant inside had a pleasant greenish taste but not very strong either. The wasabi was not very perceptible but you can tell it is there, to cut through the shrimps that's enclosed within.
Then comes the least impressive dish of the lot - the poached fine noodles with crab meat in superior saffron sauce. It was rather bland despite the saffron, and the crab meat felt a little fishy. But this is the carb dish in the set to fill you up, I suppose.
I'm glad to say that both menus feature the same dessert - a very refreshing roselle aiyu pudding served with cherry crush. I'm so glad there's none of that mango pudding jelly things at Mitzo because it is incongruent with the rest of the items! The pudding was not too sweet - in fact, a little tart, and the lychee sorbet above was such a touch of genius.
Mitzo continues to delight and surprise with their creative menu offerings that gives Cantonese cuisine a much needed twist. I would highly suggest you check them out if you haven't already for their dim sums, or give the new Ode to Spring menus a turn! To start go with Menu 1, and then return for II. Till 30th June only.
Mitzo Restaurant & Bar
Level 4, Grand Park Orchard, 270 Orchard Road, Singapore 238857Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11.30am to 2.30pm
Tel: 6603 8855
Thanks to Bless Inc and Mitzo for the invite!
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