Highlights of RWS Food Affair Outing

AdvertorialRWS Food Outing

As the annual RWS Food Affair is nearing (14 to 22 September 2013), the excitement builds up and everyone is looking forward to a week of feasting. Last weekend, a group of 25 readers and friends joined me at Resorts World Sentosa for a preview of some of the exclusive menus by the celebrity chefs, and it was a fulfilling day spent over good food and company at the dining destination of Singapore – Resorts World Sentosa.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen a few posts of the tantalising dishes we had. Check out the hash tag #rwsfoodaffair and you will see everyone else’s posts too. For more details about the RWS Food Affair, log on to www.rwsentosa.com/rwsfoodaffair.

Tangerine ESPA

We started off with a 3-course lunch at Tangerine; a cosy spa cafe nestled in the tranquil ESPA. Helmed by Chef Sam Leong, Tangerine boasts a healthy menu that emphasises a lot on eating whole foods with maximum nutrition without compromising on flavours and aesthetics. We had the honour to have had Chef Sam Leong himself and Chef Forest Leong – his wife and Consultant Chef at Tangerine – introduce the menu of the day to us all. With Chef Forest Leong being a Thai, we learned more about her choices of inculcating Thai flavours to the dishes at Tangerine. And with that, everyone was filled with anticipation for a great lunch ahead.

Also, read more to find out about the 5-course dinner menu – a combination of Forest, Osia, and Executive Pastry Chef Kenny Kong’s RWS Food Affair menus served during the 9 days - that we had at Forest.

Summer Green

A refreshing serving of The Summer Green & Cress, Extra Virgin Coconut Vinaigrette was up first. The uncommon choice of using coconut as a primary taste is because we learned from Chef Forest that coconut oil is actually extremely healthy and we were all taken aback by surprise to know that it is a better option than olive oil.

Sous Vide Salmon

For main course, we get to choose between Chef Forest’s Sous Vide Salmon with Olive Dust, Confit Tomato & Green Pea Mash or the Organic Lemongrass Chicken on Brown Rice with Pepper Tamarind Sauce.

The Sous Vide Salmon was everyone’s favourite. It was served at room temperature because the cooking is done at a temperature of 48 degrees celsius to retain the omega 3, a good essential fat that does your health wonders. The result is a fresh, flaky and smooth orange fish that is bare from seasoning rest for some olive dust, yet heavy on flavour from the fish’s natural sweetness.

Organic Lemongrass Chicken

The Organic Lemongrass Chicken is an equally appealing main course. The chicken is so cleverly prepared with soft hints of the famed Thai spice, but what stands out even more is the brown rice. Brown rice is something that most people would associate with healthy and bland food. But Chef Forest’s rendition changed everyone’s perception of the otherwise boring food. We suspect that Chef Forest added heroin to make them so addictive.

This is really the best reflection of Tangerine’s cuisine – to serve wholesome and healthy food without compromising on the tastes.

Avocado with Chocolate Sorbet

Dessert was an interesting Chilled Avocado & Chocolate Sorbet. Chocolate and avocado may seem like an unusual pairing, but trust me when I say that this is really an ingenious creation. Made from 72% dark chocolate, the sorbet is that of a rich and genuine yet not overly sweet chocolate dessert. And the avocado is made into a cream-like texture, and though some of the guests were not avocado lovers, they enjoyed it all the same.

Chef Sam Leong

Dining at Tangerine is indeed a guilt-free experience, and it is fast becoming my favourite cafe for healthy and affordable wholesome food.

Forest Resorts World Sentosa

We continued our indulgence with an exclusive 5-course dinner menu at Forest, and the menu is a combination of Forest, Osia, and Executive Pastry Chef Kenny Kong’s RWS Food Affair menus served during the 9 days.

Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Our dinner began with Chef Mike’s (Forest) Pan-seared Chicken Breast with Herbs & Apple Salad. Don’t be deceived by its seemingly simple appearance – it took us completely by surprise. The chicken is slow-cooked for 45 minutes at 50 degrees, resulting in one of the most tender chicken breasts we have ever had. The Thai-inspired Apple Salad complemented the Pan-seared Chicken Breast perfectly with its sweet and sour notes.

Burnt Potato

Next, we had Burnt Potato broth prepared by Chef Douglas (Osia). The earthiness of the burnt potatoes essence broth was balanced with the cubes of Black Angus Beef tartare and Bone Marrow, and while it is like a consomme, it is really an interesting dish because, who would have thought the simplicity and earthiness of burnt potatoes could make such a good soup?

Steamed Cod with Yuzu mushroom sauce

The Steamed New Zealand Cod with Yuzu Mushroom Sauce (Forest) is yet another impressing course on the menu. The Yuzu mushroom sauce gave the dish lightness and did not overpower the freshness of the cod.

Milk Fed Lamb Short Loin Rib

Chef Douglas’s signature Milk Fed Lamb Short Loin and Rib tasted as good as it looked. It was beautifully plated with Swede Carrot Purée, Romanesco, Garlic Cream Spelt and Tawny Port Jus. The milk-fed lamb short loin was buttery and milky, and it is perfect for people who are not fans of the gamey smell of lamb meat. Also, we appreciate the fact that the meat comes in two styles so that you can savour the contrast of the different parts.

Sweet Temptation

And there is no better way to complete the meal with a serving of Sweet Temptation by Executive Pastry Chef Kenny Kong. It is a brilliant creation, one that stops you in your tracks and blows you away with the exquisiteness and complexity. The pairing of Yuzu Mango Cremuex, Gula Melaka Streusel, and Milky Lemongrass Sorbet is flawless, and every mouthful is a symphony of contrasting flavours and textures.

Chef Kong will be serving this dessert as part of the RWS Celebrity Chefs Dinner (S$288++/pax) at the Ocean Gallery on the 18 September. This is a very exclusive dinner for only 250 guests, and you will not only get to dine at the beautiful S.E.A Aquarium, but also get to rub shoulders with all the famous Celebrity Chefs, such as Joël Robuchon, Cat Cora, Sam Leong and more. For reservations, call +65 6577 6688 or email [email protected]

RWS Food Affair

The RWS Food Affair is the perfect showcase of the best that the restaurants at Resorts World Sentosa have to offer. Besides having specially crafted menus by six of its celebrity chefs – starring Joël Robuchon, Cat Cora, Sam Leong, Douglas Tay, Li Kwok Kwong and Kenny Kong – there are many exciting activities and food promotions going on during that week, including a Crab Dinner Buffet, RWS Stars Chefs Dinner Buffet, Asian High Tea Buffet and a Universal Studios Singapore® Madagascar Breakfast Buffet, where there will be meet and greet sessions with Marty, Gloria, King Julian and the Penguins. The buffet breakfast price includes admission to the theme park.

You can also save 50% by buying the RWS Food Affair Dining Vouchers worth S$500 at only S$250. The sale of the vouchers starts from 7 September, and the vouchers are valid till 31 May 2014. You can get them at all 8 participating restaurants, Starz Restaurants (Hard Rock Hotel) and RWS Invites Centre. There is a limited edition gift when you buy 2 sets of RWS Food Affair Dining Vouchers. Log on to www.rwsentosa.com/rwsfoodaffair for more details.

I am really excited about the event, and seats are already selling very fast, so be sure to make a reservation at your favourite RWS restaurant. For more details of the various promotions, go to their website www.rwsentosa.com/rwsfoodaffair. For dining reservations, call +65 6577 6688 or email [email protected]

Readers of ladyironchef can get a 15% discount, so remember to quote ‘ladyironchef’ when you are making your reservations. Have fun at the inaugural RWS Food Affair!