I just happened to be in Singapore at the right time. That’s pretty much how I ended up in a stretch limousine for the first Dom Pérignon Gastronomy Journey with these beautiful Singapore-based personalities (from R-L) journalist/ host Victoria Cheng, actress/ model/ host Jade Seah (who also happens to be on the cover of this month’s Simply Her), radio DJ Rosalyn Lee (aka “Hey Rozz”) and Mercury social media manager Karen Tan.
From now until December 30, 2015, eight restaurants in the Lion City are taking part in Dom Pérignon’s first Gastronomy Journey, a culinary experience to illustrate the intense and vibrant facets of the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005. If you remember, the year 2005 was when Europe experienced an intense heatwave in August before transitioning to a cool, rainy weather in September. This resulted in the production of a limited volume of “exceptional quality” and “never-before-seen aromatic maturity.”
Its nose is described, “The wine’s remarkably rich bouquet reveals itself in successive waves: first the intense fruit, more black than red, which then melts into silvery minerality. Notes of praline and coriander complement the whole.” And its palate, “The wine has a strong character and a powerful presence– there is even something physical about it. Overall, it is structured, focused, firm and dense. Its intriguingly spicy, flowery finish remains present in each sip.”
The Gastronomy Journey aims to go beyond the standard pairings based on aromas to explore other aspects, such as confronting textures, matching intensity with intensity or generating tension, while elevating the rarity and richness of the champagne.
Some of the partner restaurants we visited:
1) Yan Ting at St. Regis
Chef Tony Wun Shun Kong has crafted the menu with a focus on seafood, which pairs well with the vintage’s warm tasty notes that end with a flowery yet spicy finish. Highlights include the Trio of Appetizers (dimsum of shrimps and scallops), oven-baked Sea Perch Fillet and the Pipa-style bean curd. His popular Peking duck is also part of the menu. (Price: S$676++ for two persons, inclusive of one bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005; Address: St. Regis Singapore, 29 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247911 Tel: +65 6506 6887)
2) Bedrock Bar & Grill
Chef Isaac Tan uses the restaurant’s signature wood-grilled meat cuts, smoked hot or cold to pair with the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005. Highlights include the sweet and savory Hokkaido scallops served with lobster broth, confit potato, and Eye of Ribeye, served with charred scallion and whisky mustard. (Price: S$168++ for one person, inclusive of one glass of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005; Address: 96 Somerset Road, #01-05 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard, 238163 Tel: +65 6238 0054)
3) One-Ninety Wood-Fired Steaks and Seafood
Chef Giovanni Speciale is known for his masterfully grilled steaks and wood-fired ocean-fresh seafood. Highlights of this menu include: Alaskan king crab with Ossetra Caviar; Pan-Seared Duck Foie Gras served with roasted pineapple and coconut essence, and the Slow-Roasted Milk-Fed Veal Loin. (Price: S$788++ for two persons, inclusive of one bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005; Address: Four Season Hotels, 190 Orchard Boulevard, 248646 Tel: +65 6831 7250)
The other participating restaurants are: Kaiseki Yoshiyuki (Price: S$750++ for two persons, inclusive of one bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005; Address: 583 Orchard Road, Forum The Shopping Mall, b1-39 Singapore 238884 Tel: +65 6235 1088); Gunthers (Price: S$980++ for two persons, inclusive of one bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005 Address: 36 Purvis Street #01-03, Singapore 188613 Tel: +65 9010 3075); Bacchanalia (Price: S$500++ for two persons, inclusive of one bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005 Address: 39 Hong Kong Street); Dolce Vita (Price: S$634++ for two persons, inclusive of one bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005 Address: Mandarin Oriental, 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, 039797 Tel: +65 6885 3500) and Fat Cow (Price: S$188++ for one person, inclusive of one glass of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2005 Address: 1 Orchard Boulevard, Singapore 248649 Tel: +65 6735 0308).
