[Closed] ON Dining | Seasonal truffle and game dishes (1 Michelin star)
I love the fall and winter seasons. Not because of the temperature, though. Actually, I really dislike being cold. But because things feel a little more lush, from coloured leaves to cashmere sweaters to cooking with richer ingredients.
For those that like rich flavours, ON Dining by Philippe Orrico (1 Michelin star) has a number of new dishes and menus this season that will satisfy. I went recently and tried a number of dishes from their seasonal set menu featuring white truffle and game options. The menu is 3 courses for $790 though we were lucky enough to sample a few extra courses.
Appetizer
The Le Carpaccio de Saint Jacques was a real treat. Thin, fresh slices of scallop were accented by lemon, light flakes of pepper, and shavings of white truffle. The mix of flavours was unique and refreshing.
Le Caviar with King crab, lobster jelly and sea urchin was as it sounds. A classic.
Middle Course
We weren't able to try any of these dishes at the tasting, but they have La Soupe de Chataigne (a chestnut and celeriac soup), L'Oeuf d'Okinawa (an egg raviolo), Les Tagliatelles a la Truffe Blanche (homemade tagliatelle with brown butter and shaved white truffle), and La Langoustine (a roasted langoustine with a spicy coconut emulsion).
Main Course
For the main course, we tried a few of the game dishes. The first was La Biche which was a wild Fallow Deer tenderloin served with a slice of marinated poached pear and a Grand Veneur sauce. The tenderloin was, well, very tender, and the savoury-sweet sauce and delicate pear flavours balanced out the richness of the meat.
Perhaps the most intense savoury dish of the night was the Le Lièvre A la Royale. This was a hare and foie gras medallion covered in a rich, dark sauce. It’s a bit hard to describe but the flavours reminded me a lot of black pudding. I found it quite moreish, as I like strong flavours, but it could be overwhelming for some. There was a small bowl of spatzle with grapes served alongside, which added a sweet, creamy element to this course. Who knew hare, foie gras, pasta, and grapes would go so well together.
After all the savoury dishes were cleared away, we ended our meal with The Sheryl (+$90 for dessert), a chestnut yuzu mouse served with passion fruit chantilly and a Mandarin jelly. This was a lovely dessert! The mousse had a nice, thin crust and was itself light and fresh. Often times, I find passion fruit sweets too tangy but this was a mild, iced cream. Very nice.
And because somehow we hadn’t indulged enough, we were served with a plate of Mimolette and Comte ($120 per person). I’d heard about ON Dining’s reputation for its fabulous cheese selection, and I certainly loved the strong-ish, dry, nutty ones we were served.
Verdict
ON Dining has all the aspects you would expect from a pricey, Michelin-starred restaurant: great service, luxe ingredients and some out-of-the-ordinary flavours. But it also feels comfortable rather than stuffy which is a good thing in my opinion! This is a place where I think it’d be worth saving up for a splurge. And top tip about seating. We sat at a banquette on the upper floor (bar area) which was very cozy and comfortable. However, it was quite loud and made it hard to talk to everyone in our group of eight. For bigger groups (i.e. groups of over four), I’d definitely recommend booking the main dining room.
Update: This post was updated on 23 November to reflect changes in the new set menu. Luckily, it's more affordable. Book soon to treat your loved one to a festive fall dinner!
29/Floor, 18 On Lan St, Central, 2174 8100
*By invitation
