Osia – Bringing New Menu to the Table
January 22, 2014
Resorts World Sentosa’s award winning restaurant Osia rolls out a new menu in January to usher in a brand new year. Using only the freshest produce sourced from all over the world and preparing stocks, sauces and bread dips from scratch, Chef de Cuisine Douglas Tay of Osia showcases contemporary western dishes characterized by the natural flavours and essence extracted from these premium ingredients.
We kick off the lunch with some homemade garlic & cheese flatbreads. Squeezing the Macademia Ricotta from the tube feels like I am squeezing toothpaste.
The fan-favourite Seafood Ice Experience ($36) has also been revamped to include the following 6 flavours: Watermelon Raspberry Vinegar with Amaebi, Calamansi Mojito with Hokkaido Scallop, Sourz Apple with Salmon Trout, Coconut with Maine Lobster, Pineapple Rum with Tuna and Lychee Martini with Oyster. Presented in test tubes on a test tube holder, it reminds me of my school days when we were doing experiments. My favourite is the Coconut with Maine Lobster and Lychee Martini with Oyster.
Succulent and generously sized Citrus Cured Hokkaido Scallop ($40) is presented on a bed of smooth cauliflower cream and finished off with fragrant black truffle salsa and seaweed vinaigrette.
Following this is a warm emulsion of Norwegian Prawn ($25) flavoured with fennel and dill, creating a pleasing and savoury mixture.
No one can resist the brightly coloured Fjord Trout ($32) which has been delicately confit at 42°C and paired with spiced cashew nut, pineapple vanilla rum jelly, cilantro butter gel.
Seafood lovers will like the Razor Clam, Atlantic Halibut , Hokkaido Scallop ($70) which is beautifully decorated with black garlic paste, green onion purée, potato foam, iberian chorizo and artichoke barigoule.
Turbot ($55) is a flatfish that has a good-flavoured firm flesh. It’s lighter on the palate with hues of green and yellow like broccoflower, snap peas, cheddar, salted lemon and surf clam velouté espuma.
While the Turbot did not excite, Osia’s Pasture Fed Beef Short Rib ($66) – was quite the standout. The tender and bouncy flesh is prepared by immersing the beef short rib in veal stock and sous vide at 85°C for 12 hours. Chef Douglas pairs the dish with accompaniments like sour compressed green apple, pulverized cider vinegar as well as chestnut porcini mousseline.
Grain Fed Black Angus Beef Tenderloin ($70) re seared just enough to get the prerequisite grill marks, and the meat is juicy. Drizzled with red wine sauce, this version is tender and oozing with juices. My only problem is that, it has too much accompaniments like creamed sunchoke, basil cèpe and acquerello rice ‘Tomato Parmesan’. Makes me feel like I am on a buffet table, I get distracted and I want to fill up as much food on the plate as possible.
In comparison, the Milk Fed Lamb Short Loin and Breast ($70) is outshone even though it’s competently done to a pink and pillowy tenderness, a savoury swede carrot purée, romanesco crumble, garlic cream and drizzled with a flavourful tawny port jus on the meat.
Presentation seems to be a big thing at this restaurant – as much of the food comes adorned, just like Pumpkin ($20) with dry ice at the bottom to create that WOW smoky effect. It is served with lemon mousse, goat cheese and frozen red wine. The combination of pumpkin and frozen red wine is weird.
However, Macadamia Soufflé ($34) is excellent with crunchy praline complementing the soft and fluffy souffle texture. You can pair it with banana custard and sour cream ice on the side. Love it!
There’s no argument about the quality of the food. Chef Douglas is really innovative to come up with dishes that melds surprising flavours. No wonder Osia bagged home not one but two awards—Best Western Casual Dining Award as well as the Best of the Best Western Casual Dining Awards in the recent Epicurean Star Awards 2013.
Osia’s new menu which will be available from January to March 2014.
Osia
Address: Resorts World Sentosa #02-140/141
Tel: 6577 6688
Website: www.rwsentosa.com
Opening hours:
Lunch: 12pm – 3pm (Thur – Tue)
Dinner: 6pm – 10.30pm (Thur – Tue)
Closed on Wed
