oh{FISH}iee: Michelin-Starred French-Japanese Valentine's Dinner @ Whitegrass, Chijmes

Valentine's Date Night ❤

It was a special Valentine's Day for us this year, and we decided to make it memorable by celebrating this beautiful day at Whitegrass, the renowned Michelin-starred French-Japanese restaurant in Chijmes.

Beautiful exterior of Chijmes | Lovely romantic setting in Whitegrass

Being awarded the 1-Michelin Star for 3 consecutive years, Whitegrass is known for its French-Japanese dishes which are inspired by nature and perfected by passion, resembling Chef Takuya Yamashita's culinary style of “La Cuisine Naturelle” (or cuisine of the natural body in French).

With the freshest ingredients meticulously sourced from the chef's home of Japan, Whitegrass' Valentine's Day menu was nothing short of pleasant surprises and thrills for us.

Pour Commencer | Amuse Bouche

Our 5-course degustation dinner menu started with the amuse bouche made up of four bite-sized pieces of joy. Our favourites were the incredibly sweet taste and crunchy botan ebi, as well as the rich, deeply-flavoured truffle toast which make a great wine-pairing starter.

Complimentary House Bread | Focaccia with Salted Butter

Anyone familiar with Whitegrass knows and loves its crunchy-to-the-bite focaccia. The focaccia was baked for two hours with olive oil and then served hot from the oven with house-made salted butter. We were impressed by their ability to create something so light on the inside yet so crispy on the outside.

Complimentary House Bread | Sesame Brioche

Little did we know, the next item which further elevated our experience here was the black sesame brioche, which was served without any need for adding butter - thanks to the glorious texture and aroma created by 60% black and 40% white sesame seeds. So crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside!

Entrée | Lobster with Amera Tomato and Orange

My all-time favourite is always the oceanic dish - Steamed and Aburi Lobster, accompanied by blanched vegetables sourced from Kyoto, rich hazelnut sauce with roasted hazelnuts, and a delightful amera tomato mousse. Every bite of this beautiful masterpiece was bursting with flavor and texture.

Happy food, happy soul ❤

Entrée | Maple Leaf Duck with Raisin and Sauce Diable

Suitably seduced, our senses were rewarded with a wonderfully rich, savoury, complex myriad of flavours from the Maple Leaf Duck along with the accompanying sauce. The umami of this dish was definitely more intense than the rest.

Poisson | Poisson du jour with uni and sauce beurre noisette

Crowned with a large dollop of sea urchin, the fish, on its own, looked pretty unassuming. Until we took a bite of the luscious fish, we were blown by the freshness of the fish. Well done to the chefs who had presented the taste of the fish as pure as possible so that the diners could enjoy it at the freshest.

Plat Principal | Joselito Iberico Pluma with Hatcho Miso and Kurata Pepper

As for the mains, it was my first time sampling the premium Joselito Iberico Pluma meat - the world's most prized hams made from acorn-fed pigs from Spain - cured in Joselito's artisanal process. The pairing with earthy Kurata Pepper, intensely flavorful Hatcho Miso sauce and pumpkin mousse was unique and delightful for me.

Palate Cleanser

Doux | Avant Dessert - Œufs à la neige with Setoka & Fromage Blanc

While the Valentine's Day coincided with the Chinese New Year celebration this year, Chef Takuya's special dessert exuded lots of festive vibes. The plated dessert was citrusy and light on the palate.

Doux | Mignardise

Last but not least, the finale of the meal came beautifully assembled in a wooden box. The Ichigo Daifuku was so soft and light with crunchy bits of frozen strawberries in it - something so different from the usual strawberry mochi we have.

Whereas the Financier, again, was mindblowingly good. For a whole experience, take a bite immediately on arrival; the financier is hot and compact, and then another taste after five minutes to feel how dramatic the change in texture as it becomes crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.