Riviera

Mediterranean fare on the waterfront

Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant Riviera, which opened in 2020, has a new menu with Asian and local influences with the appointment of its new executive chef Yvan Yin.

The 40-year-old, who has about two decades of experience and specialises in French cuisine, joined the restaurant in October 2023.

Chef Yin brings a whimsical flair to the food which is artfully presented, harvesting the colours of nature.

Dining at Riviera is a visual feast, from the thoughtful plating to the floor-to-ceiling waterfront views of Marina Bay.

Truffle & Tofu ($32++) is a savoury starter resembling a chocolate tart, placed in a colourful ring of lightly pickled yellow and purple cauliflower florets, edamame, a mix of brown and white beech mushrooms, purple aster flowers and toasted brioche.

The velvety tofu is made from scratch in-house using organic soya beans and almonds. The glossy dark glaze is a blend of winter truffle, marsala wine, port and cognac.  

The gentle tang from the pickled cauliflower is appetising, while the tofu has a creamy texture.

Much effort goes into the making of each dish, from starters to desserts.

The Hamachi Carpaccio ($48++), a luscious plate of cured Japanese amberjack, is accented with housemade beetroot pearls, pickled mustard seeds, Kaluga Queen caviar, Sicilian pistachio and fennel fronds, and dressed in citrusy soya-based yuzu ponzu.

The beetroot pearls are made from beetroot which is fermented in-house, at 20 deg C, for up to a month. Fermentation rids the beetroot of its earthy taste.

The mustard seeds go through an even more arduous cooking process of being boiled 10 times before pickling, to rid it of any bitterness. The resulting seeds have a tangy nuttiness that goes well with the fatty hamachi.

A must-order is the Grilled Octopus ($48++), which comes with an airy and creamy purple potato mousse. The Spanish octopus leg, grilled over binchotan, has a crisp exterior and a perfectly springy but tender interior. A circle of sweet chilli jam around the purple potato mousse, meant to resemble the end of the octopus leg, lends flavour as well as flourish to the dish.

While the Atlantic scampi in the Langoustine ($54++) is skilfully cooked with a flavoursome sauce derived from its shell, the real surprise on the plate is the piece of braised daikon embellished with flakes of brioche toast which resemble fish scales. The daikon packs sweetness and savoury notes from torched white miso sabayon, and has a creamy texture. 

Tuna Chutoro & Risotto ($48++) is a bed of risotto in sunny yellow from an avalanche of saffron, topped with a tartare of medium fatty tuna. A “burnt cream” sauce made from roasted tuna skin, mirin and bonito flakes lifts the dish.

Round off the meal with Chocolate ($18++), which is a dacquoise – a layered cake with an almond base and piped hazelnut praline cream, topped with a layer of dark chocolate. The cake comes with cacao sorbet. The hazelnut praline cream stands out with its roasted nutty flavour.

Another dessert worth ordering is Corn ($18++). It comprises two buckwheat gavotte biscuit cylinders piped with a creamy custard made from sweetcorn and mascarpone. 

The gavotte is accompanied by Miso & Dulcey Ice Cream that lends a savoury edge to the dessert that is not overly sweet. A crispy meringue trigon made of burnt corn husk adorns the dish. 

The restaurant has a new Discovery Lunch Experience menu of selected items which allows diners to opt for a three-course lunch for $78++ a person or a four-course lunch for $88++ a person. 

Where: Riviera, 02-06 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Road
MRT: Raffles
Open: Noon to 2.30pm, 6.30 to 11pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays. Closed on Sundays and Mondays
Tel: 6690-7564
Info: www.riviera.sg

Kao Western

Hearty Chinese Western fare

Served on large plates, Kao Western’s no-frills but hearty meals give good value for money. The stall is located in the second-storey foodcourt above Sheng Siong at Serangoon North Amenity Centre. 

Regulars know that for main courses, such as the popular Chicken Chop ($7.80), you can select three sides. For customers who do not indicate their pick of sides, the stall dishes out fries, sweetcorn and a lettuce salad by default. 

I suggest picking coleslaw as a side over the lettuce salad. The fresh-tasting coleslaw is prepared in-house. I like how the cabbage and carrot are not too thinly shredded, which gives plenty of crunch and texture. Drenched in housemade dressing, the mix is zingy and can be a tad too tangy if you do not like your coleslaw too sour. 

You get a buzzer for your order. Be prepared to wait 10 to 15 minutes for your food. I am impressed at how the cook takes his time to carefully brown the chicken chop with no or minimal charring. The meat is evenly pan-fried and retains some crispness even when slathered in black pepper sauce.

Blended in-house, the sauce is robust and tasty, without the black pepper overwhelming it.

The shoestring fries are nicely crisp and perky.

I order the Pork Chop ($7.80) with trepidation. I have encountered too many pork chops with an unpleasant meaty odour at Chinese Western food stalls.

But my fears go unfounded. The two slabs of bone-in pork chops come skilfully pan-fried, similar to the chicken chop. The slabs are on the thin side, but the portion is reasonable for the price. The meat is tender with a firm bite.

The Fried Chicken Cutlet ($7.80) is another value meal because the hunk of breaded chicken is substantial, taking up almost half the plate. Underneath its golden crispy crust, the meat is firm and juicy. It is so well marinated you can eat it on its own, without condiments.

Skip the fried rice and pasta, which taste bland, even though I notice some customers order these add-ons to lend bulk to their main courses for a filling meal.

Where: Kao Western, 02-03 Food Master Food Court, Serangoon North Amenity Centre, 19 Serangoon North Avenue 5
MRT: Kovan
Open: 9.30am to 9.30pm daily