epicure April - May 2022

At the time of writing, there are a total of 32 Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) by air, land and sea. While I have decided to wait a little longer before travelling, I know of many who have quickly hopped on a plane to places like Korea, Paris, Melbourne the moment borders reopened. Plans for a much-needed vacay are in the works though. If you are like me, there’s never been a better time to start researching your next holiday destination. Bali is on top of my list and I will definitely be heading there soon. Sundara at Four Seasons Resort Bali (p20) is a highly recommended dining experience – which is why it is on our cover. Located at Jimbaran Bay, its new barbecue menu features seductively balanced meats, seafood and…

AN EXCITING STORY BEGINS IN SINGAPORE What is renowned British chef Tom Sellers’ story? This April, you have the chance to find out as he will be bringing his two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Story from London to Flutes Restaurant at the National Museum of Singapore. For four weeks only, Sellers will lead his core team of chefs and front-of-house staff for their first full-length Asian residency, recreating its aspirational, interactive and playful dining experience in Singapore. Expect an “innovative tasting menu of delicate, masterful dishes” led by the British seasons. Each dish is inspired by a moment in Sellers’ life or the provenance of an ingredient – an edible story of memories through sight, sound and taste. The Singapore residency will feature signature dishes such as the Rabbit Sandwich, Paddington Bear, as well as…

With the rainy season behind us, it’s time to get fired up and enjoy a good cookout. In Singapore, a barbecue often involves boisterous gatherings with family and friends, all huddled together around the pit, first trying to light the charcoal, fanning the flames, arguing who should do the cooking, then getting covered in smoke and grease. And that’s even before the meat has touched the grill. The end result, however, is often worth the sweat and heat, because the smoky and succulent flavours of charcoal-grilled foods are hard to beat. Founder and grill master of Fyregrill (Singapore’s only integrated multi-brand barbecue retail store and academy), Desmond Tan, explains why: “As the meat cooks, the drippings which contain fats, sugars and proteins vaporise upon hitting the hot charcoal and rise back…

Tapas, 24 Singapore by chef Carles Abellán of La Barra de Carles Abellán and El Bulli fame is his first venture into Asia. Abellán is famous for revolutionising the modern day tapas culture with his “designer tapas” creations such as Ensaladilla Rusa with Olives, his signature traditional potato salad tapas. He defines himself as a man who’s happiest when propping up a bar because tapas is in his DNA, and it’s the most traditional bars and tapas that are his main source of inspiration. Abellán also owns and operates three other Tapas, 24 outlets in Spain (two in Barcelona and one on Formentera, which is part of the Balearic Islands). Born in Sabadell, Catalonia in 1963, a young 20-year-old Abellán worked at Els Pescadors, a restaurant in Prim square in the Poblenou…

He may be a familiar face in Singapore’s culinary scene and a prominent advocate of halal products and services for the last 29 years, but chef Mel Dean has lost none of his enthusiasm for cooking, creating new dishes and reinventing old ones. In fact, as the new culinary director of Permata Singapore, he has made it his mission to elevate Nusantara cuisine. Nusantara is an old Javanese term that generally means “archipelago”. The cuisine, Dean explains, comprises Malay, Indonesian, Peranakan, Singaporean, Bruneian, Southern Thai and Filipino cuisines as these islands were all part of the Nusantara archipelago. The 55-year-old chef says he never had the opportunity to work with the right restaurant that would do justice to this heritage cuisine – until now. Under his direction, the progressive new menu showcases…

A lot has been said about the sparkling blue curves of Jimbaran Bay or the magnificent laps one can do in Sundara’s 57-metre beachfront infinity pool. The hypnotic sound of waves lapping on the beach at the tranquil bay is sufficient to heal the blues, but add good food and tasty tipples into the equation and one immediately understands why Sundara is known as the island’s favourite dining, drinking and all-day relaxation destination. Weaving the island’s age-old craftsmanship with vernacular materials, the 2,500-square-metre establishment delicately frames the bay. Whether one seats at its air-conditioned bar or at the dining room on the second floor, the sea is always visible for one’s viewing pleasure. Tactility pervades the interior, from the wood and rattan armchair to the carved white paras stone wall. Graceful…