Restaurant Review: HEVEL, A New Vibey Dining Spot In Keong Saik Serves Up Modern European Cuisine
PUBLISHED January 26th, 2024 06:00 pm | UPDATED February 2nd, 2024 11:57 am
Sleek booth seatings, moody lighting and a nonchalant 70s vibe – that is what you’re in for when you book a dinner at Hevel, the latest culinary venture of the same team behind Marcy’s and Parliament Bar. Joining the Keong Saik Road enclave next to some of our favourite restaurants like COL, the contemporary European dining experience stands as its own, with plenty to offer in its refined and communal dishes.
Marking his solo debut here is Chef Stefan Liau, with an impressive background in Michelin-starred restaurants across Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Singapore. Not to forget his tenure at The Mandala Masters, where he collaborated with culinary legends such as Yoshihiro Narisawa, Gaggan Anand, and Manish Mehrotra. Chef Stefan’s first playful tasting menu at Hevel, priced at S$138++, offers a delightful journey through a myriad of textures, flavour combinations and seasonal ingredients. Here’s our review and thoughts on the new space:
Amuse Bouche & Small Plates
The menu kicks off with a trio of snacks, including innovative treats like Cashew & Banana, a sweet and savoury bite to get the appetite started. The all time favourite Chicken Liver, given a new touch with hints of Xeres, apple and caramelised onion, all topped on a melt in mouth base. The Tuna & Nori was refreshing, and rich, with a hint of saltiness from the caviar and sweetness from the milk bread. Nonetheless, the highlight of the night for us was the Custard, a light and creamy egg custard. Doused in between you’ll find briny New Zealand mussels, pops of ikura bursts and sweet onion sauce to tie the dish altogether.
The small plates paired ingredients that we never expected to put together. The Mackerel, for instance, was plated along with a sweet and tangy passion fruit sauce. Quite sour on its own, interestingly, the brininess of the fish cancels out the sourness from the sauce. The daikon adds a bit of sweetness and soft texture. The Rye Soft Roll, was a little dry for us on its own, but the sakura wood smoked butter made up for a nice companion. The Potato Hash essentially offered two varying tastes. The dish is to be split in the middle, with one end offering creamy umami textures of Uni, in contrast to the crunchy and refreshing and slightly bitter-sweet leek end. Unfortunately we felt that the mushroom emulsion got a bit lost and perhaps overpowered by the Uni here. The Octopus was another great bite, featuring a smokey piquillo pepper sauce, a hint of wasabi oil, garlic and salsify crackers.
Mains
For the main course, guests can choose between the porcini-rubbed Iberico Presa or grilled Short Ribs, each accompanied by seasonal sides. We opted for the former which offered a cauliflower puree and a sweet and a tad too salty blueberry sauce. For the next course, the delicate Duck breast offered a wholesome take, steeped in white onion foam, roasted barley and the ultra luxe black winter truffle. We felt more than flavour, the chef was showcasing his intricate grasp on texture in this dish. If you need another round, feel free to ask the staff to get a quick refill!
Desserts & Beverages
The journey concludes with delectable desserts like Earl Grey Pudding featuring sencha earl grey and a crispy biscuit or the summer ideal Strawberry & Cream with strawberry jam, yuzu and quintessential basil syrup.
Hevel’s paired beverage program is also a standout feature of the dining establishment – championing fortified wines by small producers and family-owned estates, with a maximum production limited to 20,000 bottles per label. The extensive wine list features the likes of light and floral pinot blancs like the Amélie & Charles Sparr 2019, and the Raats Family Vinyards 2020 Cabernet Franc, a medium to full body gulp with a fruity taste that lingers. The cocktail pairing menu feature creative twists on classics like Hevel Martini and Vieux Carré, as well as showcasing spirits like sherry, cognac, and whiskey.
From the meticulously crafted dishes to the unique beverage program, and stylish ambiance, HEVEL promises a refined dining experience that marries European roots with a new mordern inspiration.
HEVEL is located at 1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089109, p. +65 9622 6679. Open Tues-Sat 6pm-11.30pm.
Images courtesy of HEVEL, Ryan Loh & City Nomads.
