PUBLISHED April 7th, 2022 06:00 am | UPDATED April 15th, 2022 10:33 pm
Sizzling grilled meats and vegetables, a medley of spices, and drizzles of olive oil – there’s no denying that Mediterranean food goes big on flavour. While we may be miles away from the region and its loots, Chef Otto Weibel brings the enchanting hospitality and taste of the Mediterranean Basin to White Marble at the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel Singapore.
A culinary escape offering the flavours of 21 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, it’s no surprise that White Marble’s focus is also on seafood and vegetables (as opposed to sister concept Black Marble, for its premium meat selection).
As we see Chef Otto’s protégé Executive Chef Kenneth Loke through the kitchen window finessing his way around a rich trove of fresh produce, enjoy the modern-luxe interiors with a colourful touch of the Mediterranean culture.
Taking cue from the communal dining culture of Middle East, Southern Europe and Northern Africa, the hors d’oeuvres were created for sharing. Packing Chef Otto’s favourites, the quintessential Mezze Plate (S$34, serves two) features flavourful chicken skewers, grilled pita bread, and addictive crumbly falafel, which was deep-fried yet not oily at all. The sharing starter comes with Lebanon’s classic fresh herb and bulgur salad tabbouleh, as well as a spicy eggplant dip, and hummus.
The menu also highlights how underrated the quintessential shish kebab can be. Offering a variety of skewers with a selection of seasonal vegetables, seafood, chicken & mushroom, lamb and Black Angus beef, White Marble’s shish kebabs are served with lemon garlic cream, harissa aioli, and salbitxada (a Spanish sauce served with Catalan spring onions).
The Seafood (S$38) and Australian Lamb (S$48) skewers make for the perfect insta-shot. The former sports the likes of octopus, white fish, and prawn, whilst the latter is bedazzled with assorted vegetables and chewy meat that was on the dry side. Fortunately, the harissa aioli saved the day with its sweet and spicy flavours.
Not in the mood for sharing? The melt-in-the-mouth Roasted Butternut Squash (S$12) is a tangy and spicy offering with chilli yoghurt and coriander salsa, whilst the tender chargrilled Spanish Octopus (S$36) served atop crispy potato and garlic cream is too good to resist. Keep a lookout for bits of pistachio crumbs for an extra layer of crunch and texture.
For mains, Italy takes the stage next with Prawn Bucatini Puttanesca (S$28). The light pasta bears an al dente texture, presented with a beautiful melding of tastes and textures of tiger prawns, cherry tomatoes, capers, olives, and anchovies. A must when visiting White Marble is the comforting Chicken Leg Bone-in Tagine (S$60, serves two). The traditional Moroccan stew steeps shawarma spice marinated chicken in a warming herbal tomato sauce, along with preserved lemon, dates, olive and capers. It’s best paired with Curry Leaf Pilaf Rice (S$8), which extenuate the lemony flavour.
The modest dessert selection leans Spanish with options like the moist and crumbly Fig & Almond Tart (S$16), a cold-pressed olive oil cake topped with sliced fresh figs and served with almond crumble and yoghurt ice cream. Alternatively, the zesty Crema Catalana (S$16) resembles the texture of creme brûlée with variations of orange in the mix – think orange zest, juice, torched orange segments, and freeze-dried tangerines.
White Marble is located at 1 Tanglin Road, #01-09 Orchard Rendezvous Hotel Singapore 247905, p. +65 97729434. Open daily 11.30am to 10.30pm.