It’s the first day of March 2021.

Everybody. It has been approximately 1 year since I last travelled, since WE last travelled. I don’t know where my passport is. My luggage has mold growing on it. (like, for real)

I don’t know what I am doing with my life. >: (

But one thing I do know is I have checked this particular dining experience off my wishlist:

JAAN, by Kirk Westaway.

I am not a food critic, nor do I want to come across as a pissy, hissy sissy hiding at the back of her screen and judging chefs for their work when I can’t even _foodscience_

Just here to share some of the pics with you and include what I felt about them.

The view is gorgeous, but only if you manage to get seated by the window lol. Else you’d just be staring at every other table in a pretentious awkward silence that is usually present in these atas fine dining places.

So dinner’s about 238++ per pax, we had ours with a very delicious champagne. (Stellar at 1-altitude is about 150++ per pax)

The starters, 4 interesting and artsy looking pieces lay before us. The tomato cloud (from the bottom) was sweet due to the meringue that is supposedly the “cloud”. I did not like it, maybe because it was sweet and being hungry, I was kinda hoping for something savory or sour to whet my taste buds.

Fish and chips was slightly soggy and hard. I expected a crunch but there wasn’t. Whatever is wrapped inside felt really strange. LOL. Erm. Some kind of mashed up fish that has been left in the fridge and gone stale.

Cheddar cheese ball was okay, cheese was aromatic but the ball was quite dry. I guess its because it has been made and left to cool for a long time.

Goose mousse was the best. Savory, rich and well flavored. Tart base was crunchy and thin.

Leek and potato soup. This was well done! Good balance of flavors. Rich and creamy without leaving that “Gelat” feeling afterwards. Bread given was some onion bread that pairs excellently with the soup.

This is the bread and butter offered. The butter is sourced from the Chef’s hometown that is hand churned by the farmer. The bread is served on hay.. I get that these smells are supposed to evoke the feel of countryside living. But the smell of the hay was very apparent in the bread and I could not get past half a slice. The butter tasted like, butter. I am not sure what I was expecting either. But it made me think about the potato bread & butter served at ALMA’s, that was really unforgettable.

Gotta admit firsthand, I do not like artichoke. This dish did not make me grow to like artichoke either. Everything together was really weird, I was starting to wonder whether I was the weird one. The goat’s curd had no real role on the plate to bind the items together except that it was saucy. I could get the “grassiness” of the artichoke, and hence I drenched em in the curd. And I bit into the decorative green leaf together with a big bite of artichoke but it felt like I was a cow chowing away at the grassy plains. I did not finish my plate. Ham was ok so I finished that up along with the curd.

This was the only course I finished and which I really liked. It was flavorful and well paired. The brioche or whatever toast they gave was very dry. I only took a bite.

It was a beautifully presented dish. But it felt very rich and creamy (I guess cuz of butter) or perhaps the past two dishes have already been quite rich as well. Everything was starting to taste similar (LOL i think its just me) but I found it a chore to work through the fish. I found myself trying to avoid the sauce but the fish was too flaky and dry without the sauce. Did not finish.

I did finish the langoustine, it was fresh and cooked to the right timing. However, the “buttery” taste was also evident in the sauce of this dish and I just could not bring myself to indulge in it even though I am really a big fan of soups and sauces. (Usually lap everything up) The other items did not really leave a lasting impression on me. Especially the wispy pieces of what seemed like potato or idk starchy things that stayed unfavorably in my mouth.

Pigeon. This was probably the worst course for me. And it wasn’t because i am not GAME for game (haha punny) Cuz I do eat gamey foods. Its just that at this part of the dinner, I think I have already had enough butter/cream in my body to make a 10 pound buttercake.

This dish was completely swimming in that same buttery taste. (The brown sauce) The meat was made to be tender and lovely, but in order to cover the gamey taste, YOU NEED to pair it with the sauce. But oh fuck I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Like legit 101% gelat already. And that slice of veg thingy on the right hand side, kinda felt like expired and unseasoned saukeraut or just badly cooked cabbage drenched in butter.

(The menu guide wrote “Hipsy cabbage” And tbh I have no fucking idea if it meant like “drenched in alcohol” or perhaps its a fusion of hipster with ??? Gypsy?) Maybe its a dish that is popular in certain Angmoh countries. OMG i hate to sound ignorant but really!!!!!! Why is everything soaked in butter???

PS. I love butter. I eat butter like a snack. So how was this even possible?

Dessert. GUESS WHAT. BUTTER ICECREAM!!!

This is the one on the menu, pear turnover with BROWN BUTTER ICE CREAM. jesus fucking christ. Ima become lactose intolerant soon.

Finally no more butter. This is a palate cleanser. It was a special item that highlighted the Chef’s creative remake of RIBENA.

I slurped up the sour sorbet. BUT u know what. the flowers were too much and it felt like I was a cow chowing down at a florist shop so I couldn’t finish it.

Petit four to end. I couldn’t squeeze anything into my stomach by then except for the brown balls on the left. That was tasty.

My thoughts: I think the ingredients and presentation of everything was impeccable but I have to say the cooking style is not something that agrees with my palate. Everything had the same repetitive buttery note that was starting to weigh down on my tongue which grew desperate for anything sharp to jerk me back to senses. (Sour, spicy, bitter, I dont know. Just something.) So it may be somewhat of a bias review.

Just be ded…..

Well I do have a few more reviews up soon and Guess what I am eagerly anticipating?? ODETTE!!! It’s on my birthday wishlist but they are so terribly full till March So I will wait patiently and take lots of pics for you guys.

Thank you to all of you who have celebrated with me or given me presents or birthday wishes. I have reached a milestone in my life (Big 3 omg) and I am looking forward to moving on with the newfound epiphany and a contented heart.

See you soon!