i came here for my birthday lunch with the bf. it was my first time here despite hearing plenty of rave reviews about this resto, and am so glad we finally managed to try it despite not making any reservations in advance. the food here is just right up my alley. i have been so missing out all this while!

both of us ordered the set lunch for 3 courses and tea/coffee at $38+++, which is a total steal. what i like was that we had about 10 choices per course, which pretty much covers everything you could ever want in a meal. you can add $6 to upgrade your appetiser into foie gras (4 choices).

complimentary bread
-ember probably serves the best complimentary bread i've ever eaten before in singapore. served fresh out of the oven, the texture of the piping hot loaf was cloud fluffy on the inside and chips-crispy on the outside. flavour wise it was generously studded with sundried tomatoes and italian herbs, and when slapped on with the soft butter provided - tasted utterly divine. the bf and i were practically fighting over the tiny loaf. thankfully the staff don't hesitate to serve you second helpings - they must be used to being asked for more.

appetisers
-pan seared foie gras with caramelised apple, clove port and raspberry glaze: this symphony of creamy gamey goodness complimented by tarty sweetness sent me straight to foie-gras-heaven. the clove port and raspberry glaze didn't do much for me, but not that it mattered. the foie gras was just done perfectly.
-pan seared scallops with parma ham, served with salad in orange and tarragon vinaigrette: the bf's scallops paled in comparison to the foie gras as it was kinda dry. still, credit must be given as often than not, pan seared scallops almost always end up dry. i liked how the parma ham assimilated into part of the scallop and lent it flavour though. the salad was also very refreshing.

mains
-chilean seabass with mushrooms and smoked bacon ragout in truffle yuzu butter sauce: this was totally the highlight of my day. the chef here really knows his stuff. the thick creamy slab of fish, generous servings of mushrooms and bacon came together with the butter sauce really nicely, even though it got a little too salty/jelat towards the end - but it was just so sinfully good. you really have to try it yourself! if gastrorgasms existed i was definitely having one :D i'll definitely order the same thing when i come back here next.
-black miso cod: since there's miso involved, i expected it to be salty and it was. the bf's cod was also a thin piece compared to what the other diners got so it wasn't particularly juicy or tender. this was definitely not as good as my chilean seabass, which my bf ended up lusting over. to give some props, it's a novel pairing and miso masks the strong cod taste that some people may be adverse too.

desserts
-baked banana tart with lavender ice cream: the pairing does sound a little strange on paper but surprisingly, the flavours really complemented each other. i liked how the tart was unexpectedly crispy and not jelat. you could also see little lavender flower bits in the homemade icecream, and some dusted on the side for decor. pretty!
-varlhona chocolate cake and homemade vanilla ice cream: upon attacking it, warm molten chocolate oozed out of the fondant like volcano lava. the extremely picky bf gave it his stamp of approval. chocolate lovers would definitely dig this. we could also see ground vanilla pods in the ice cream, they definitely don't stinge on the ingredients around here.

tea
-earl grey tea: i didn't expect to even rave about this, but we had a few choices for teas and i picked my perennial fave, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise as they don't use teabags, but instead fresh quality tea leaves. it came with a yummy macademia and date cookie (i think) on the side. we lounged over our tea and it was a sweet conclusion to an extremely yummy meal.

ambience/service
-the moment i walked in, i was reminded of eateries in nyc because of the similar buzz, small area, and the contemporary classy look - smart dark wood furniture/leather chairs against clean white walls. don't expect much privacy here as tables are close together and coversations tend to get overheard. but come for the great food, great value and winning service - the staff were jovial, quick and unfailingly attentive.

It was my first visit to Ember, and I am wondering why I did not dine at this establishment any earlier. My brother and a couple of friends had frequently commented on the excellent value-for-money set lunch but I chose to have a nice and relaxing dinner with my girlfriend instead.

We were the first guests at the restaurant and were cheerfully greeted by the friendly staff, who then led us to our seats. The ambience gives a intimate and cosy feel when it is empty, and as the guests filled the restaurant, the entire place portrays a bustling atmosphere, perfect for a nice Friday dinner!

We decided against having the $100 tasting menu and instead had an appetiser and a main course each and a dessert to share.

The complimentary bread loaf was excellent. Freshly baked with a wonderful aroma, it was served warm, nice and crisp on the outside and all soft and fluffy on the inside. We had 2 loaves. Even my girlfriend who normally doesn't go beyond a couple of pieces, had an entire loaf to herself.

For the appetiser, my girlfriend had the pan seared foie gras with carmelized apple. I'm not a fan of foie gras so I'm unable to comment, but she did mention it was done perfectly, without being too heavy and was definitely comparable to the ones at Les Amis and Saint Pierre. I had the cold angel hair pasta with shaved abalone and it ranked right up there as one of the most wonderful appetisers you could have ever had. The portion is small (so much so that I wanted to have another helping), but whets the appetite ideally. For those that intend to try it, have the pasta, the konbu and a slice of cold abalone in one mouthful. The flavours blend in a most harmonious way. Complement this appetiser with a glass of Petit Chablis.

For the mains, my girlfriend had the beef tenderloin done medium rare. It came with mushrooms atop a bed of vegetables, so it would not have appeared too heavy. After having a piece of the tenderloin, I thought it was excellently done. I had the pork belly, which was slightly too soft for my liking. I would have prefered a bit more firmess in the bite. We had a glass of Chianti each together with our mains.

For dessert, we shared the oustanding banana tart with lavender ice cream. The frangrance of the lavender and the crisp pastry with the caremelized bananas were a brilliant way to end a most wonderful meal.

Service was fantastic, the food was awesome although the wine list was pretty normal and I'd just like to think a bottle of La Mission Haut Brion or Pichon Lalande would have further enhanced a memorable dining experience.

Why isn't Ember in the list of the Tatler's top restaurants? It certainly beats 80% of the establishments in there hands down!

Upon setting foot into the dining area, I was at first struck by the size of the restaurant. It was small and crowded. However, I was also impressed by what they had managed to achieve with that small space. Reproducing a chic dining experience in that tiny space, surrounded by posh furniture and not to mention upmarket cutlery (steak knives especially!). I was a bit edgy about the heavy leather covered chairs as they were so bulky it made moving about a difficult task. Thank God they were comfortable though. Pardon my finicky comments.


We proceeded to ordering our foods soon after seating. The menu was an interesting mixture of fusion dishes showcasing bold pairings of flavors and meats. One thing that interests me the most was the relative size of the appetiser section to the mains. The former was almost as long as the latter!? oh well.. In the end, I had the pan seared scallops wrapped with parma with a side of citrus salad (appetisers), the Chilean Seabass, mushroom and smoked bacon ragout with truffle-yuzu butter sauce sauce (main) and finally the warm banana tart with homemade lavender ice cream (dessert). Whereas the others ( ZH, Mum, Dad and Weiquan) covered the various courses such as foie gras, pork belly, beef tenderloin, apple tartin, warm chocolate cake, wasabi soft shell crab. Whilst waiting, we were immediately served water, our wines and the compliementary bread; This deserves special mention as it was so good, it sent my brother on an eating frenzy. Laden with oregano and other herbs, the bread was irresistible when served warm with a generous slice of softened butter. An excellent start to the meal.

The foods were soon served and the entire dinner service a whirlwind romance with food and its arty-farty presentations yet holistic value. The verdict: This place was a gem.. serving up some of the best mains I've eaten ever.

The best of the lot and definitely the most memorable was the chilean sea bass. The truffle yuzu butter sauce serving as an excellent companion to the buttery flaky fish that perpetually melted once convened in the mouth. The carpet of bacon and mushroom ragout that the fish sat on was divine as well providing textural contrast to the entire composition. I was taken by the freshness of the fish, it's succulent flesh studded with tiny bits of crispy skin that had been perfectly scored prior to cooking for the effect. A MUST-HAVE!

The others traded in for a fare score. my mum claims the foie gras here to be the best of the 3 eateries, Brown sugar, the universal bar and bistro and Ember. I guess with all her acquired taste 'experience' in the field, she was most apt to judge. However, i felt that Brown Sugar dealt better with the pork belly than Ember; producing a juicier feel, richer in flavor than Ember. The Pan seared sea scallops wrapped in parma got a thumbs up from me as well; however ZH felt that the addition of the wrapped bacon somehow stole a little of the characteristic flavor of the scallop. It's all subjective than again. The beef tenderloin was nothing out of the ordinary and definitely won't be trying that again on the next visit.


Desserts department, the apple tartin scored the highest followed by the much coveted warm banana tart with lavender ice-cream and last of all the warm chocolate cake which i suggest everyone not to have (Brown sugar does a much better rendition of this classic.. nothing lost here if you don't order it).


Total damage done $417 for the 5 of us including corkage fees for 2 bottles of wine. (in case u might be wondering, the corkage fees are $20 per bottle (red/white) and $25 for champagne; note that the cheapest wine sold in house is at least $80 so do consider B.Y.O).


Ember, a place definitely to be seen and also a dining location worth the splurge. With spectacular cuisine and fresh and bold flavor combinations, it's hard just resisting the urge to pop your head into the kitchen to sneak a peek at the chefs in charge.

For the full review and more photos please visit my blog!

The mark of an excellent restaurant is its consistent quality. Ember is one of the few restaurants in Singapore that has it. I've been to Ember for many years and I've always had the best service and the highest food quality. Sebastian is a great chef and his wife, Sabrina is a great manageress.

Sebastian's standard dishes - e.g. mushroom soup,soft-shell crab,and pork belly - are always good. His new dishes - e.g. ebi prawn pasta -are equally delightful. His desserts - e.g. apple tart and fig cake -are heavenly. He has a soft and delicate touch so that his dishes are never too salty or his sauces too heavy. If you are lazy to choose a la carte, go for the chef's menu ($100/-)and let Sebastian produce his magic. At our last dinner, my family and I enjoyed every dish he created.

Sabrina is friendly and helpful without being intrusive.

Ember is as close to a perfect restaurant as it can get. Its recent renovation has improved its interior furnishings and the recently-introduced valet service has helped resolve the parking problem.

Thoroughly enjoyed my lunch experience at Ember recently.

My friend and I had the $38++ 3-course set lunch and ordered the following:

Starters:
- Tofu (can't recall the exact name of the dish. But it's similar to the "Feicui Tofu" you can find in Cantonese restaurants, except that the tofu here is not coated with a layer of spinach and instead of oyster sauce, it's truffle oil and sauce and instead of conpoy and shimeji mushrooms, it's just shimeiji mushrooms). Nevertheless, a great-tasting appetizer.

- Citrus salad - a mix of ruccola or arugula with orange, grapefruit and feta cheese and orange vinagrette dressing. Didn't particularly enjoy the dressing, found it a bit flat.

Mains:
- Chilean Sea Bass with yuzu butter sauce and mushroom ragout. The fish is good but didn't particularly dig the slightly "jelak" yuzu butter sauce.

- Miso cod. Oh so incredibly good! When the dish came, our appetite was already piqued by the wafting buttery smell of the dish. The dish also looks deceptively simple, but once you pop the morsels of fish into your mouth - yum! The sweetness of the miso and cod engulfs your palate. Enjoyed it even better than the above house special of the Chilean sea bass. To be honest, this is the first time we've tried miso cod (I know, I know, it's almost as ubiquitous as the molten chocolate cake by now!). Usually preferred to try other dishes as miso on fish doesn't seem particularly interesting to me. But guess I'm proven wrong by Ember's offering. Now I can't wait to re-acquaint myself with the other versions out there!

Dessert:
- Chilled Mango soup with pomelo and grapefruit (basically similar to the "Yang Zi Gan Lu" dessert you can order at dim sum restaurants). Pretty good though.

- Banana tart and Lavender ice cream. Yummers! An ideal way to end a great meal. Needs about 20mins to prepare though, so best to order it together with your main course at the start.

And we round up the meal with complimentary coffee and tea. The coffee was served in a generous cup and came with a lil' madeleine like cake.

The restaurant is cosy and modern and the service, polite and efficient. The restaurant is rather small though with limited seating,and judging from the packed crowd on a Friday lunch, reservations are probably a must! The set lunch menu options are plenty and I'll definitely be back to try out the other dishes!