Michelin-starred Alma by Juan Amador is aiming for more culinary stars. And to do this, it’s making some long overdue changes. For a start, the 70-seater restaurant has undergone a slight interior switcheroo and done away with starchy linens and stuffy furniture for more contemporary furnishings in warmer, neutral tones. The main dining hall remains just as spacious with tables well-spaced apart for privacy, and is now more modular with sliding panels that allow for different corners of the restaurant to be converted into smaller private dining rooms.
German-born Spanish chef Juan Amador, of three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Amador in Austria, was in town recently to supervise the reopening of his eponymous restaurant, as well as launch a new menu that he personally curated, sans executive chef Haikal Johari, who parted ways last year to open his own bistro in the heartlands.
True to its DNA of molecular gastronomy underscored by a complex layering of flavours, Amador’s new menu delivers all sorts of delicious surprises with unexpected twists. Restaurant owner Pote Lee, who also founded Bangkok’s Water Library, shared that he wanted the dishes to be more fun, multi-dimensional and on rotation, rather than same-old, same-old. And multi-dimensional is certainly what we got at Alma’s preview tasting.
Reflecting a new chapter for the restaurant, the new five-course degustation menu ($228++ available for dinner only) reinvents many of Amador’s signatures with bold Asian flavours that we instantly recognise. What you should know is that Alma’s emphasis is on quality and not quantity. The portions are slightly small but the presentation and use of premium or seasonal ingredients makes one appreciate the food even more.
Starters showcase the chef’s dexterity in marrying European classics with Asian touches through snacks like the Eggs Benedict 2.0 of Bafun uni, black truffle, and sauteed spinach in beurre blanc mousse, encased within a crispy vol-au-vent. The Sa-bo-fun, inspired by Singapore’s iconic claypot rice, features a smooth duck pâté prepared with red wine, port wine, and a red grape reduction, before being blended with a pan seared duck liver sausage, and served on home-made charred rice crisps. The Tikka Masala presents a flavourful coconut yogurt masala marinated “Benja” chicken leg terrine served over a homemade oyster pillow.
At this point, the friendly wait staff brings out Alma’s famous potato bread served with smoked butter. The piping hot confection tastes deliciously like French fries and pairs perfectly with the butter.
For the starter, Amador’s rendition of the Beurre Blanc is an unusual take on the classic French sauce in ice-cream form, paired with Fine de Claire oysters, caviar, and pumpernickel bread before finished with hazelnut foam. There was a lot going on in terms of textures and temperatures in this dish, but I did love the nuttiness of the foam.
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One dish that stood out for me is Parfum de Siam, a Thai-inspired green curry cream sauce served with butter-poached Australian rock lobster, Inaniwa Udon, and grilled mini zucchini and tempura zucchini flower. The chewiness from the lobster and udon and delicious crunch from the vegetables really kicked things up a notch.
However, the Crackling Iberico Pork Belly served with a braised pearl onion pork au jus was a little unimaginative. The A4 Satsuma Wagyu Striploin, in contrast, won me over for its buttery texture and crunchy coating of signature purple curry.
For dessert, we enjoyed the Homemade Moutai Ice Cream — made with generous measurements of Moutai Flying Fairy baijiu, strawberry foam, and haw flakes — prepared entirely from scratch.
The meal ends with a trio of traditional petit fours and a shot of whisky (which Lee will personally orchestrate if he happens to be in town). The dram comes from his own personal stash and is supposedly the largest whisky collection to be offered in a restaurant in Singapore.
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In addition to the new tasting menu, Alma will, for the first time, introduce an a la carte menu comprising a solid medley of standalone favourites and all-time signatures, with mains starting at an incredible $35. There is also a new three-course set lunch starting at $69 per person.
Alma by Juan Amador
22 Scotts Road, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore 228221
Contact
6735 9937 / 9750 5888 (Non-operational hours)
Opening hours
Lunch: Tuesdays – Saturdays: 12.00pm to 2.30pm
Dinner: Tuesdays — Saturdays: 6pm to 10.30pm
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
