Sleigh bells are ringing. Christmas is around the corner. Although we do not get any snow here, everyone is definitely in the mood for this festive season. Given that most of us have been bitten by the travel bug, our latest dinner albeit small and casual was of course, a very joyful one.

Our night at Beso Rosado led by Chef Jack Yeap and his attentive team gave us an evening where our glasses were never empty, our bellies filled with goodness.

We started the night with a parmesan sourdough before moving on to an Irish premium oyster perfectly topped with caviar that was so fresh, the flavour explosion gave a taste of the sea. Next on the menu was a combination of bluefin tuna sashimi topped with uni on a bed of pomelo salad. Exceptionally refreshing and ideal for our next course which was foie gras.

The very generous portion of foie gras paired with porcini puree and the Sauternes sweet wine was a lovely balance to say the least.

By then our dinner was in full swing filled with lots of storytelling and laughter. It is always heart-warming to see the coming together of long-standing members, some of whom had just received their Commandeur Award, alongside newer members and fellow guests with similar interests in gastronomy.

For our pre-main course Chef Jack elevated a classic seared Atlantic cod with a topping of pickled shark cartilage. Safe to say most of us had not tried this before. The crisp crunch gave the overall dish a delightful bite.

As for the mains, we had a choice of an Australian MB7 Wagyu, New Zealand Pure South lamb rack and for our non-meat eaters a wild caught snapper. Classical choices maybe however the execution on the plate was well balanced and cooked to perfection.

Our dessert had a delicious twist, especially for those among us who enjoy a good whisky. The Ardberg 10 Islay single malt whisky was a surprisingly good companion to vanilla ice cream topped with accents of sea salt and balsamic. It brought together a luscious playful finish for our palate.

All in all, a good dinner to kick-off year end celebrations. As always, it was an amazing effort and show of talent by Chef Jack who is by no means a stranger to the Chaîne. His young, dedicated team also have our gratitude.

Vive la Chaîne!

Isabel Lim
Vice-Chargée de Presse