Restaurant JAG swings open its doors for festive celebrations

Stepping into Restaurant JAG I felt special. It was small with a maximum capacity of 26 guests. An open kitchen concept which gave me the feeling of transparency, seeing co-owner cum chef Jeremy Gillon do his magic.

I was there to savour the taste of two Michelin star chefs’ creations. Chef Jeremy and Chef Richard Toix of Jardin Des Sens, Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam’s only 3- Michelin star chef restaurant) were about to create a six-course wine-paired degustation meal for us. I was glad to see a predominantly seafood menu, especially when there were so many courses.

Priced at $298++ and available for only two nights, I felt it was a very good deal. Portions were bigger than expected and every course had an exceptional combination of flavours coupled with stunning wines from Savoie. Planet Jupiter the giver of gifts and luck was definitely on my side!

Canapes were served: three varieties of candied salmon, cauliflower round with seaweed and a potato ball. All of these were served on a wooden box created by Vincent Gillion, France. With no cutlery in sight we thought it fit to use our fingers and it turned out to be so finger licking good.

Quite evident in the six-course dinner was the philosophy of both chefs as they churned out fresh dishes, blaring out the importance of seasonality and provenance of ingredient. I had the opportunity to sniff the herbs used in each course as they were explained by the ever so friendly staff.

The next course Amuse Bouche was totally yummy. It had a bed of French de puy lentils and crunchy bits in a smoked mille foam. I devoured this with a bit of sourdough baguette and the three varieties of butter spread out on a wooden plank. What an indulgence!

Every course at Restaurant JAG was a treat to the senses as I visually appreciated the presentation and attention to detail that both chefs had so artistically put together.

The next course sat on a green tomato tart almost, with coucou flower and apricot joined in a medley. So fresh and tasty I felt like the produce had just been picked from the garden behind. What a difference it makes to serve top quality produce.

I have to say the carpaccio of prawns served with caviar and a mustard ice cream was my favourite dish of the night.

The carpaccio had three different prawns from Thailand, New Zealand and Singapore. Put together in the shape of a ruler, it was so delicious, I can’t even describe it. The flavours of each type of prawn were evident and so cleverly coupled with the mustard ice-cream which I thought was an ingenious invention.

I was starting to feel full and looking at the portions served, felt that I might not make it through everything on my plate in the upcoming dishes.

Delving into the octopus, escargot and ribbon potimarron the seafood was grilled to perfection. With a jus poured into the center this was again a feast for my taste buds.

By this time I had washed down four lovely white wines which progressed from bubbly to heavier whites. All so well paired with dishes served. It was time to shift to pinot noir, one of my favoured wine varieties which blends well for the hot and humid Singapore weather I live in. Always safe with a pinot I say!

It was a culinary journey alright! French seabass that melted in my mouth, mushroom sabayon that was divine, brown onion and a rasher of bacon. Totally mischievous to say the least, I went for the bacon first. It was just too compelling!

A much needed reprieve I was served a very tart sorbet which did its job of cleansing my palette. By this time I was unfortunately almost at maximum capacity. So when the free-range Challans duck arrived, beautifully paired with wild asparagus, I had one of the gorgeous portion and decided to walk away from the remaining portion. Paired with a full-bodied red I thought it was appropriate for this gamey yet delicious meat.

The pre-dessert of pineapple with star anise flavours in a creamy sauce was such a refresher from the fullness of the whole night. Light and cheery, I would readily order a dessert like this again. It almost created a new compartment in my stomach to allow for the dessert that was coming.

Last but not least the grand finale arrived. The symphony of rice tinged with a vanilla bean flavour I had never experienced before. The clean vanilla accent lifted this rice dish as did the thin rice wafers that sat on the cream-like texture.

This was certainly a treat in all ways. From the ambience that lent itself to an intimate setting, the personal touch of both chefs coming out to meet their guests through the night and an exceptionally curated menu, it was certainly a night to remember.

While it is a fine dining restaurant, I was taken on a tour of the level above which houses The Lounge Bar. This is Singapore’s only French craft cocktail bar. Snacks are served here and I found, this Bar attracts a good crowd in the evenings.

Restaurant JAG draws a different crowd at lunch, with many regulars within the Duxton area and Business types from the financial district which is conveniently located quite close by.

Do your best to pop in or better still make a reservation and savour some of their dishes anytime you are in the Duxton area. You might just consider booking in for a wine-paired degustation experience. I'm sure you will find the experience well worth it!