Seven delicious courses with unexpected twists and turns
By Samantha Francis
Expect an interplay of art and cuisine at Rabbit Stash.
This is a rabbit hole we could get happily lost in.
Sitting atop Wangz Hotel and home to a city view, Rabbit Stash is a fine dining restaurant known for its interplay of art and cuisine. We’re no strangers to Head Chef Matthew’s disposition for a multi-sensory dining experience.
His cuisine is inspired by seven characteristics: Soil, Ocean, Piquancy, Impression, Heritage, Exotic and Nostalgia; ‘ENSOPHI’ in short. Each element represents a poetic interpretation of the chef’s personal experiences on a plate.
With his newly launched Spring menu, available from now till June, diners are in for a whole new ride. We ate our way through the 7 dishes and here’re a few of our favourite surprises — don’t worry, we won’t spoil the rest for you!
Dramatic smoke swirls around your dishes.
A Volcanic Eruption
The Impression, like its namesake, will leave you with an unforgettable experience. First, we were served a first born egg (a.k.a the first egg produced by a young, healthy hen); a purple crab, ratte potato and cuttlefish risotto in a textured black dish reminiscent of uneven rock surfaces — a bold presentation inspired by Chef Matthew’s rock climbing experiences. Before I could poke my fork into the egg, a blooming bonsai was placed before us, where it soon overflowed with billowing smoke.
As the smoke engulfed our table, we were encouraged to mix the egg with the rest of the ingredients in our dish, before adding a few spoonfuls to a Pie Ti cup half-filled with chili crab sauce. With a single mouthful, I downed the pie tie cup and was pleasantly surprised. The crispy texture of the Pie Ti pastry shell contrasted beautifully with the umami flavours within, with a touch of spicy-sweetness from the chili crab.
The Ocean dish is served on an ‘ocean bed’.
Eating Off The Ocean Bed
The adventurous chef’s love for scuba diving is reflected in the Ocean dish, which was served on an ‘ocean bed’. An acrylic box of powdery-soft sand and pebbles was presented. On it was a vibrant tableau of lobster cracker, rare carabineros prawn sourced from Spain, bamboo clam from Scotland and prawn gel.
The carabineros prawn is the star of this creation, with its intense ocean flavour standing out on its own. The bamboo clam added a much needed touch of sweetness, but the lobster cracker was more for garnish than bite.
The Exotic is a decadent creation consisting of kangaroo and milk fed veal.
Something Exotic
If you’re not usually experimental with your meats, here’s a reason for you to be. The Exotic is a decadent meat dish consisting of kangaroo and milk fed veal served on a bed of truffle barley, trompette stew and bacon spread.
The milk fed veal was exceptionally tender with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency, while the kangaroo meat was flavourful and nowhere as gamey as I’d expected.
Who says you can’t play with your food?
Painting With Food
For the dessert simply named Nostalgia, Chef Matthew made an appearance for the grand finale. First, he painted an edible masterpiece on a giant platter made with nostalgic elements such as Pandan balls, milk pudding and a heavenly Teh Halia ice cream.
Then he dropped a bomb (literally!) with a chocolate sphere filled with sweet surprises, signaling an end to the epicurean journey.
You’ll have to see it to believe it.
Rabbit Stash’s Spring menu is available at S$168 per person from March to June 2016.
Rabbit Stash, Level R, Wangz Hotel, 231 Outram Road, Singapore 169040, Tel:9858 8607
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