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Singapore, March 7, 2010 It has a new executive chef, Christopher Millar, formerly with Poppi in Legends Country Club, and a new communal cum a la carte dining concept. It even has a new name, Roast, to give the dining concept its own identity while the bar still operates as One Rochester. Dining tables are set up around the garden with some coves that are furnished with sofas for lounging. The outdoor area is charming with twinkling lights in the lush foliage but if the weather gets too muggy, you can opt for one of three tables indoors, where the air-conditioning is on full-blast. I am a fan of Chef Millar’s, an Australian who caught my attention with his refreshing take on traditional Western recipes when he was at Poppi. His cooking is not fanciful but never boring either. More importantly, the flavours always hit the mark. His ideas for Roast are homely meals for friends and family, which is why he came up with a communal dining concept. Priced at $65 a person, you get a “nibble” platter as starters, followed by a few choices of pastas or main courses and ending with a cheese or dessert platter. You need at least two people to order the menu and the bigger the group, the more main dishes you can choose. Everything is for sharing, so you will like this if you enjoy variety. And there is plenty of food. For example, the “nibble” platter alone was almost enough to fill my dining companion and me up. It comprised herb crumbed stuffed olives, potato skins filled with sour cream and ocean trout caviar, foie gras parfait, a rabbit and pork terrine, slices of ham as well as crudites served with tapenade and a yogurt dip. Not quite mind-blowing stuff but nice to nibble on. The two of us could choose two items from the pastas and main courses, and we opted for rack of lamb with crispy parsnips and a grilled cod fillet with fennel, orange and pistachio salad. Servings were generous, with four pieces each of both the lamb and the fish. Plus, there were side servings of a herbed leaf salad, a cauliflower cheese gratin and roasted rosemary potatoes. Everything was lovely, from the tender and juicy lamb to the smooth cod. Even the cauliflower gratin and roasted potatoes were so delicious I could not stop eating them – although I should be leaving room for dessert. For what came next was another platter of delights. Called rather dramatically Grande Assiette, the desserts comprise a flourless chocolate cake, a rose perfumed panna cotta, a pavlova, a lemon and lime souffle, and a honey and pistachio nougat parfait. They came in mini sizes but it was still plenty. Still, stuffed as I was, I could not bear to leave any of the delectable panna cotta behind. It was so delicately perfumed, without the choking bouquet that characterised many rose flavoured desserts. The a la carte menu is not as fun, and you will probably end up paying just as much – as I did when I was there another evening. Also, I picked main courses that were also in the communal menu. I did not regret it though, because the red wine braised wagyu beef brisket with creamy Paris mashed potato and horseradish ($38) was pretty amazing. It was cooked till melt-in-the-mouth tender, a texture achieved through a good marbling of fat in the meat. And the mashed potato was indeed creamy. The other main course of baby chicken wrapped in prosciutto with pine nut, raisin and truffle stuffing ($38) was delicious too. The meat was moist and well-seasoned, and the stuffing a complete winner. What I did not quite like was my starter of juniper cured salmon gravadlax ($20). The salmon was decent but the scrambled egg it came with was underseasoned and, as a result, underwhelming. Still, overall, Roast wins me over with its great concept and generally good food. Certainly a place worth toasting to. MUST TRY The marbling of fat in the meat gives it amazing flavour and perfect melt-in-the-mouth texture. The mash is pretty good too. ROAST – ONE ROCHESTER
One Rochester, which opened in 2006 as a wine bar, is now also a full-fledged restaurant.
Red wine braised wagyu beef brisket with creamy Paris mashed potato and horseradish ($38)
1 Rochester Park, tel: 6773-0070
Open: 6pm to 1am (Sundays to Fridays), 6pm to 2am(Saturdays and eve of public holidays)
Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Price: Budget about $75 a person without drinks
See pictures of food served at Roast - One Rochester
