It was his Nth birthday (well, age can be a secret for men too haa..) so I treated him to a nice dinner. My helpful 'neighbour' gave a few great suggestions and I eventually chose the Majestic Restaurant located in the New Majestic Hotel.
It was a chinese restaurant with a sleek modern look. Although the restaurant wasn't huge, it managed to exude a classy air with chandeliers, smoothing green hues and posh cutlery.
As I had done my 'homework' earlier, it wasn't long before we settled for their degustation menus A & B, both a 6-course set dinner that commences with an appetitizer and ends with a dessert. Alas, the photos were not very clear this time as they were taken under dim lights. As a considerate patron, I decided no flash to be used under the tranquilizing ambience haa... By the way, there are 3 glass 'windows' on the ceiling where you can see through to the swimming pool situated directly above the restaurant.
Degustation Menu A ($65 per person)
The appetitizer for Menu A was originally the (牛舌牛腱野菜) sliced ox tongue and beef shank with mixed salad but I wasn't adventurous enough to try the ox tongue so I had it replaced with their braised goose which tasted like duck meat. The meat was tender but the fat beneath the skin was pretty thick. Still, it was a nice starter to whet the appetizer. [My rating: 7/10]
Next, it was the (鲨鱼骨菜胆炖翅) shark’s bone soup with shark’s fin and beijing cabbage. The soup had a rich milky taste...I wondered if they added milk to it cos' there is a 'sticky' aftertaste. Other than 2 stiff cabbage stems and a few chunky pieces of shark's fin, the chef added wolfberries, perhaps to add some color to the soup. [My rating: 7/10]
The third item was the (奶柠大虾伴蟹钳) Fried king prawn and crab claw with creamy milk and lime sauce. I was kinda disappointed with this dish as I felt the king prawn was overly fried that the meat shrunk to an unsatisfying size (it was supposed to be king size isn't it?). The crab claw did not meet my expectation too. It was about the same size as the battered prawn and I barely tasted any lime in the sauce. [My rating: 5/10]
The fourth item - (梅菜蒸鲈鱼) Steamed fillet of sea perch with dried leaf mustards in superior soya sauce. For a simple steamed dish, this is GOOD, especially after the earlier fried dish. The sea perch tasted like cod fish, very sweet and soft. The 'dried' leaf mustards complemented the fish like a match made in heaven! Sounds very dramatic...I know..haa..but I can't find better words to describe my liking for this dish. The only complaint I have is the portion of serving haha [My rating: 9/10]
Now the last main before the dessert - (小小鲍鱼焖麵) Stewed noodles with baby abalone and truffle oil. This is another delectable dish. The truffle oil gave the handmade noodles an unique fragrance, while the minced vegetables (think it's cai xin, 菜心) balanced the rich savory sauce.
Wonder where were the baby abalones? Here's a close-up shot after 'consolidation' haa...Thou' petite, they preserved the chewy texture of the big abalones... [My rating: 8/10]
Lastly, I had Fried durian ice-cream with mango sauce for the sweet ending. There is no fixed dessert of the day, you can choose your favourite from their dessert menu but it was not easy to make a choice too as all 'look' very tempting from the descriptions!
The fried batter was very light and crispy yet the ice-cream remained pretty solidified. The mango sauce was a good subsitute from the usual chocolate or strawberry sauce. This was one of the most delightful desserts I have ever tried. The Best Fried ice-cream I have ever eaten! Unless u hate durians to the core, you MUST try this dessert! ($8 for alacarte order). Even my bf who doesn't fancy durian, liked this more than his mango dessert (introduced in Menu B). [My rating: 10/10]
Degustation Menu B ($85 per person)
The first item served was (鲑鱼塔塔野菜) the Salmon tatare with mixed salad in soya vinegarette. I am not quite into raw stuff but I was attracted by its presentation to do a bit of sampling haa...fresh minced salmon with rockets...soft yet crispy in between the chews...not bad...I like the rockets haha [My rating: 7/10]
Next, (大華煲仔蟹肉翅) the majestic claypot shark’s fin soup with crabmeat was served. The broth tasted slightly different from the usual shark's fin soup. I think they added pumpkin to enhance the flavour of the soup. Generous sharkfin chunks accompanied with bean sprouts and corriandors...yum yum...[My rating: 8/10]
The third item was our favourite of menu B (东瀛芥茉虾拼鹅肝片皮鸭) - a combination of crispy wasabi prawn, peking duck and pan-seared foie gras!
Now where is the foie gras??
There you are! hidden by the crispy peking duck skin haa... Not a very big slice but compensated by its reasonable thickness. The foie gras is very well pan-fried...crisp on the outside yet soft in the inside. The taste is so good...so smooth...so divine! The wasabi prawn is fantastic too. The piquant sauce is balanced by sweet mango bits and a refreshing watermelon base...this is the taste of happiness haha [My rating: 10/10]
The (原只南非鮑鱼豆腐) Braised south african whole abalone with homemade beancurd and garden green was the next luxury served. I was disappointed with the size of the abalone haa but the texture was as good as the bigger ones. The tofu was soft and delectable too. [My rating: 8/10]
The last main was the (镬仔煎牛柳)
Pan-seared fillet of rib-eye in homemade sesame sauce. I was expecting a steak-sized but the beef was very thinly sliced. Overall, it was still tantalizing with the unique sesame sauce. [My rating: 7/10]
Finally...the dessert...he chose the Mango puree with sago, pomelo & mango bits. It was refreshing chilly dessert. There was a pleasant surprise in the cup too...a ball of vanilla ice-cream...haha [My rating: 9/10]
Overall, we felt their degustation set dinners are pretty good, but slightly pricy for the quantity haha...but this was compensated by the quality and exquisiteness of the food. The service was prompt but I think the waitresses could put on even broader smiles.
As we stepped out of the restaurant, the rustic fans caught my attention...an interesting contrast from the modern ceiling next to it...
And the hotel view...
Venue: 31-37 Bukit Pasoh Road S(089845)
Tel: 6511 4718
http://www.newmajestichotel.com/
Bacardi Rum, lime juice, mint leaves, brown sugar, lime wedges and soda... An interesting combination but a bit too minty for my liking. It has a refreshing beginning but ends with a slight bitter aftertaste.
Bolslychee Liqueur, midori and grapefruit juice... Lovely blue color, with 2 lychees and a cherry... Definitely a safe drink to order for the sweet tooth haa... but the alcohol content is definitely weak for the better drinkers.
Durian puree over warm sweetened glutinous rice and coconut cream is something different from the usual mango slices and sticky rice. Thou' I always like durian, I would prefer mango for this dessert. Perhaps the durian puree was too sweet while mango, on the other hand, has a tinge of sourness which make it a better company for the sweet sticky rice...
