Five Nines Singapore: European-Japanese Cuisine Shines at 999.99’s New Home in Cuppage Plaza
PUBLISHED December 15th, 2017 05:00 am
Named for the purest form of gold, 999.99 (also known as Five Nines) has long been a treasure of Keong Saik Road, serving up fine-dining European cuisine to ardent fans. However, the restaurant moved in September this year to Cuppage Plaza while Kyuu by Shunsui took over its old spot at 29 Keong Saik Road. The relocation, unsurprisingly, comes with a menu refresh, leaning more towards European-Japanese fusion (thus finding its place within the Japanese dining enclave).
Dinner is neatly presented as a six-course menu at $49++, with two appetisers, a pasta, a fish and meat dish, as well as dessert making up the meal. The Marinated Botan Shrimp and Couscous Salad is up first – naturally the fresh shrimp was the star, though the other elements were not to be scoffed at. Think ponzu jelly, soy sauce espuma, and cous-cous that make the textural layers, as well as a flavour enhancing citrus salt.
The former, however, paled in comparison to the second appetiser of Foie Gras Terrine and Bruschetta. Appearing in a glass cloche containing billowing smoke, the server removing the cover with a flourish makes for a good, Instagram-worthy video, as the smoke clears to show off the slice of foie gras neatly stacked on a small slice of bread. It was gone in a few bites, but rich foie gras taste, citrusy jam and the lingering aroma of the smoke combined serves to whet our appetites for the following courses.
The next course of Garlic Flavoured Squid Ink Tagliolini Topped with Snow Crab Meat did not match the robust flavours of the previous dish. While the meat was fresh and generous, the taste of the noodles was light and the garlic faint in seasoning. We did enjoy the fourth dish of Steam Cod Fish Rolled With Parma Ham, where the exquisite taste of the cod balanced the savoury ham slice garnishing the dish. The porcini mushroom sauce drizzled on the side also added a tad more flavour to the side vegetables – ladyfingers, cucumber and baby corn among them.
The star of this meal was undoubtedly the Mozzarella and Lamb Tender Loin Fritto, with celeriac puree and Japanese pepper fond de veau sauce. The lamb fritto was stuffed with the oozing cheese, tender on the inside and crisp on the outside where it was breaded – similar to a serving of pork tonkatsu, but featuring a stronger, slightly gamey taste and texture . The bed of Japanese pepper fond de veau sauce complemented the meat well, with the lentil-like peppers lending a unique texture to the sauce, but without the spice that one might expect.
Dessert was served in the form of Crème brûlée With Raspberry Sorbet. The sorbet was a refreshing tang in comparison to the sweet cream, and the sugar evenly torched for a crystallised surface that cracks beautifully below your spoon. It’s a dish for folks with a sweet tooth that’s not too heavy or overpowering after a delicate meal, and one we savoured to the very end.
With fresh produce prepared for fine dining at an affordable price, Five Nines is the place to be to treat yourself you an exquisite dining experience. Though small in portion, the dishes will fill you up to satisfaction – and if not, the a la carte options are open for your perusal if you drop by after 9pm. Some dishes have a little way to go before becoming true hits, but if there’s one thing we are sure of after a successful year in Keong Saik, it’s that Five Nines will live up to its name.
999.99 (Five Nines) is located at 5 Koek Road, #04-04 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796, p. +65 6732 0195. Opens Tue-Sat 6pm – 2.30am, Sun 6pm – 12am.
Top image: 999.99 (Five Nines)
