EAT | Chocolate holiday | Janice Wong Pure Imagination
This holiday season, immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Janice Wong Pure Imagination. Enjoy a delightful collection of festive treats, from the opulent Christmas Edition Chocolate Bon Bons starting at $25 to the show-stopping Chocolate Praline Christmas Tree priced at $228. Elevate your celebration with a splendid array of yuletide cakes, available from just $12.
Meanwhile, add a touch of joy to your holiday countdown with a special Advent Calendar, priced at $105. Unwrap a new delight each day leading up to Christmas, savouring the festive flavours that make the season special.
Consider the festive Starry Christmas hamper, priced at $490, for a touch of Christmas cheer. This luxurious package includes a Christmas assorted cookies tin, a Christmas advent calendar with 25 surprises, three Pure Imagination Bean to Bar chocolates, a delectable Fruit cake, and a bottle of sparkling Stardust Bottega. Embrace the season’s spirit with this illustrious offering, making your festivities unforgettable. Orders are available at janicewong.online.
Wood fire gastronomy | Butcher’s Block
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Experience the culinary sophistication of Butcher’s Block, which combines a whole animal and zero-waste philosophy, enriched by the primal essence of wood fire. The latest tasting menu, Imua — Hawaiian for “moving forward with strength and spirit” — selected by chef Jordan Keao, reflects the Hawaiian heritage with an artful blend of butchery and contemporary mastery.
Using the heat of the wood fire, Keao’s team presents a gastronomic journey, showcasing seasonal ingredients in their fullest expression. Each dish reflects the nuances of flavours, aromas, and textures uniquely achievable through pure wood fire.
Signature dishes, such as the smoked sashimi poké, draw inspiration from Chef Keao’s hometown of Hilo, featuring belly cuts of cold-smoked hamachi and tuna, enhanced with inamona, house-aged garlic shoyu and ponzu.
The Mackerel, expertly grilled and served on sushi rice with house-fermented Swiss chard achar and star fruit puree, exemplifies the culinary finesse of the team.
The dry-aged duck, a star of the menu, showcases various parts of a 21-day dry-aged Malaysian duck, prepared with precision — wood-fired duck breast, minced duck leg dumpling, and deep-fried duck tongue finished with black garlic puree and a 1990 Madeira jus.
To finish, guests can choose from the Digestif Trolley, offering a postprandial selection including Madeira, sherry, whiskey, Armagnac, rum, mezcal and calvados.
Imua is available for lunch ($168++ for five courses) and dinner ($218++ for six courses) with optional wine pairings at $118++ for five glasses and $138++ for six glasses. Three-course set lunch and a la carte options are also available for sharing.
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DRINK | Purrfect cocktails | Cat Bite Club
Enjoy great drinks and food in a lively setting at Cat Bite Club — a perfect blend of refined drinking and delectable cuisine. The establishment introduces a quartet of chic libations to its already diverse menu, curated with a focus on agave and rice spirits.
First on the list is the timeless Brandy Crusta ($26), featuring Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Cointreau and Maraschino, a harmonious blend of fresh citrus and aromatic bitters. The Ghost’een ($24) entices with Koch Elemental Espadin Mezcal, Salmiana Mezcal, mangosteen, chilli tincture, Amaro, and a medley of fresh citrus. For a unique twist, savour the Rice Rice Daisy ($24), a concoction of Iichiko Mugi Shochu, Imo Shochu, Agricole Rum, a strong aroma of baijiu, miso, coconut, coriander and fresh citrus. The Glock & Stalk ($24) includes the lineup featuring Maya Pistola Joven Agave Spirit, Código Ancestral Espadin Mezcal, Blanc Vermouth, celery cordial and soda.
Among the timeless favourites in the revamped menu are the Cat Bite Margarita ($26++), crafted with Código 1530 Blanco Tequila, Siete Misterios Espadin Mezcal, Cointreau, a blend of fresh citrus, agave nectar and sherry for agave enthusiasts. The Soju Sprint ($24++) is equally enticing, a captivating blend of Tokki Soju, peach, honey, mint, fresh citrus, sherry, absinthe and soda, catering to rice spirit aficionados.
Hidden in the lively Duxton neighbourhood of Singapore, Cat Bite Club invites you with a subtle entrance. Look for the bright red sign with a playful Cheshire cat grin, and you have found your spot. The bar’s moniker and logo artfully encapsulate feline traits: Curiosity, excitement, and a touch of mischief, mirroring the emotions evoked in guests as they embark on an exhilarating exploration of novel and captivating drink offerings.
SEE | Female art | 39+ Art Space
Contemporary art enclave 39+ Art Space is presently hosting a pair of simultaneous exhibitions, running until Jan 7, spotlighting two emerging female artists hailing from Asia: “Concept of Parallel Events II” by Liang Manqi of Guangdong, China and “My Universe” by Kalpana Shah from Mumbai, India.
Manqi (born 1986) employs geometrical forms and colour as conduits to comprehend herself and her environment, navigating the path toward embracing psychological uncertainty, contradiction, and conflict.
In her canvases, sketch-like elements come to life, shaped by materials like oil pastels and charcoal. These elements coexist within the same frame alongside compositions of colour and geometry, creating a captivating visual interplay for observers.
Her oeuvre has graced the walls of esteemed art institutions worldwide, including the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA Lab) in Beijing, Chi K11 Museum of Art in Shanghai, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Shanghai, Arario Gallery in Jeju, Korea, Westbund Art and Design Fair in Shanghai, and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture.
Manqi has also collaborated on numerous art projects with leading brands and celebrities, participating in exhibitions such as “Lady Dior As Seen By,” DS AUTOMOBILES Paris vehicle marque x Art collab, “Mickey: The True Original & Ever Curious” Exhibition World Tour, Zhou Penchang’s “Lunar Phases” art exhibition, and more.
“My Universe” represents Shah’s yearning to transcend into the expansive realm of space, fueled by an unwavering fascination with the cosmos. The artist envisions visuals in her mind and translates them into a vibrant expression through materiality, invoking textures that occupy physical space in her current reality. Hailing from Mumbai, Kalpana Shah (born 1957) is a self-taught artist, collector and curator.
In her quest for creativity, she has devoted several years to painting, with the pivotal year of 2008 marking her emergence as an artist, crafting her distinct style of knife-work acrylic art on canvas. Since then, Shah has showcased her works in multiple solo and group exhibitions across various cities in India, London and Singapore.
