PUBLISHED December 1st, 2011 02:11 pm | UPDATED February 28th, 2021 06:49 am
If you haven’t stumbled down the Telok Ayer/Chinatown way after office hours then you are seriously missing out. For anyone who knows me, they know I favor Duxton/Tanjong Pagar as my top location for dining and boozing. Yet I haven’t had too much chance to visit the ‘other side’, the alleys towards China Sq and the famous Chinese temple. I will definitely have to rectify this…
Anyway, one venue which opened up only this April is the ‘Moo… Bar and Grill’. Literally right under the new condo ‘The Clift’ at the top of Telok Ayer St. The first thing to say about it is that it’s very stylish. It’s simple, elegant and low key. It’s the kind of place you instinctively feel like you could stop after work for a few drinks or have a fine but casual dinner.
Last week I had the pleasure of attending a wine dinner held there jointly by Moo… and Top Wines…And slight spoiler alert… It was one of the best wine dinners I have been to this year. So before I even get started, compliments to Moo… for great food and flawless service, and Top Wines and Annie for ‘top wines’, generously poured. (Moo… Owners and Chef and Top Wines Reps shown below)
Accompanying the 5-Course Menu was a selection of 5 wines from the Mount Langi Ghiran from Western Victoria, Australia, with their local export manager Annie talking us through them.
What I didn’t know about Mount Langi is that Robert Parker recently voted them among the top 5 Wine Brands in Australian Wine and I’m inclined to agree with him…
Before being seated, we were served the Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Pinot Grigio, a light, flinty and citrus wine. Although it has a slightly sour finish (I love sour flavors anyway), it was extremely drinkable, and I think I ended up having 2-3 glasses before even sitting down.
Unfortunately I was not able to eat the first course – Wild-caught Calamari & King Prawn (allergies I’m afraid), though it did look fantastic, and my salad was a good substitute. It was paired with M. Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Riesling. I cannot sing this wine’s praise enough. It is everything I love about a good Riesling – not too sweet, not too heavy on the petroleum nose, good fruit flavors and a superb finish.
Next up, I was able to join more in the fun…Hokkaido Scallops dusted with chocolate and sumac – paired with Billi Billi Shiraz 07. The flavors were very interesting food-wise. The chocolate infusion was a nice twist, but sadly the scallops were a little too chewy and didn’t retain the flavor as much as i’d like. The wine on the other hand was like a Bond Girl – ‘Sexy, Elegant, luscious…but carries a gun’. Such a beautiful wine in the mouth but it sure packed a punch on the finish with some serious pepper and spice notes. One thing I was surprised was how well it paired with the Scallops. The femininity of the wine was a good balance and didn’t overpower the dish as I had anticipated. Good call guys.
Course 3 was something I was very excited about eating as I’ve never had Kangaroo meat before. So when served a Mint-crusted Kangaroo Loin with a topping of Foie Gras, I couldn’t stop myself salivating. What a dish! The kangaroo was so lean, it was almost akin to eating roast duck, and the foie gras was a perfect accompaniment. It was paired with the M.Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz 05, which while a great wine in it’s on right, I surprisingly found a bit too bold for the dish. Food and wine pairing in never an exact science after all.
The fourth course was a classic – 250 day Black Angus Ribeye with a side of veg. and potato gratin – paired with the 05 Shiraz. The beef was well cooked and good quality meat and the sides worked well and the wine was a perfect pairing.
Finally up was something to satisfy any sweet tooth…Chocolate Lava cake and vanilla bean ice cream with pistachio dust. A very respectable rendition and I would eat it again there. The winning combination of the Vanilla bean ice cream was delicious and made a great end to the meal.
To see more details about the event history – go to “The Moo Bar Wine Dinner Event page on Citynomads“
To find out more information about the wines or to order, contact Khim at khim@topwines.com.sg
Written by The City Nomad