The Disgruntled Chef Ann Siang Singapore – lovely food and desserts

While I’m still attempting to demystify the reason for the name of this restaurant, I can assure you that you would leave the restaurant feeling anything but disgruntled.

rebecca saw the disgruntled chef

The meal opened with a warm Truffle Brioche (SGD9) swirled with black truffle flecks. We caught waft of it heady scent even as it made its entrance to our table.

A bread so good that you should savour it on its own, but you can always choose to spread a slap of nori butter for an added luxurious bite.

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Amazing breads like these set the right tone for the evening.

The disgruntled chef obviously would be disgruntled if his jaded guests were served boring loaves and plain butter.
So in its place he serves fragrant chunks of burnt onion charcoal bread paired with light cream cheese that were dusted with fish floss.
This was another delicious entree; spongy though dense with a crusty exterior.
Again, I didn’t feel the need for any supplemental embellishment.

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The thought running through my head then was “Oh my, if the breads are already so gratifying, then dinner should be excellent.

And true enough, dinner didn’t disappoint.

Amuse Bouche: Lobster Frittata.
Gone in one bite.

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As I chewed on my amuse bouche, I eyed both breads with much remorse.
I had to save space for subsequent dishes, but the air was sublimely perfumed with the scent of burnt onions and truffles!

Then the server set down the first small plate of the night; a cylindrical assemble of blush pink steak tartare, and all thoughts of breads evaporated in a flash.

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Ahhh, the joys of devouring a good steak tartare!

I tucked into this with gusto as I love anything tartare.
With each chew it was a symphony of juicy, buttery, meaty flavours. As we dug in further, we broke a duo of soft quail eggs buried within and the added creaminess from the egg yolks was wonderful with the seasoned, fluffy steak tartare.

Next was the Chicken & Duck Liver Parfait (SGD18). This was served with shredded duck confit, sweet shallot marmalade and crispy bread chips.
I’m a fan of liver (or anything pate) but this parfait stood out in particular for its light texture and was akin to a warm, livery flavored butter as the liver flavor is subtle.

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The Wild Mushroom Tortellini (SGD26) with roasted celeriac, pickled king oyster mushroom topped with parmesan foam was first of the big plates that evening.
Egg aside, this was meant to be a meatless dish.

The tortellini turned out to be a light, rewarding dish for those who are abstaining from meat yet in need of a substantial main course.
Each pocket encased chopped mushrooms of varying types, providing an earthy flavour as well as variance in texture. Mix up with the sous egg and parmesan foam for a silkier mouthfeel.
Meatless diners would be pleased!

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My top pick for big plates that night would be the Braised Iberico Pork Cheeks Crepinette (SGD38) with Miso Carrot Puree, Broccoli, Braised Daikon.

If you don’t already know, a crépinette is a small, flattened sausage, sometimes referred to as a sausage parcel.
For this particular parcel Chef Daniel had it wrapped using caul fat, a thin membrane of fat covering the intestines of animals (in this case, pig).
Strip the caul fat and you will discover a blend of minced pork and trotters slab over soft pork cheeks.

This small crepinette may not be photogenic but it was astoundingly delicious. Upon discovering the amount of effort and preparation that went into making one, I appreciated it all the more!

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A 1.1 kg Roasted US Choice Cote De Boeuf (SGD168) made its appearance next.
Sides include the most heavenly Truffle Macaroni & Cheese in addition to Salt Baked Onions, Baby Romaine Salad and Bordelaise Sauce.

Apart from its impressive size, it won plaudits for being perfectly cooked to a scrumptious uniform pink and lightly seasoned for us to enjoy all of its natural beefy flavours.

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I attacked the meat, ignored the sides and swooned over the truffled Mac and Cheese. This version got me seriously considering the possibility of a frozen dinner business, just offering frozen truffled mac & cheese!
I mean, imagine the joy of eating ‘truffled mac & cheese’ for every dinner!

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Other than wines, the cocktail menu at The Disgruntled Chef is a treat too.
It offers a variety of cocktails with different liquor bases and one particularly Instagrammable one is the Bee’s Knee (SGD18).
This is served in a deceptively innocent Japanese teapot but consisted of Chamomile infused gin, Grand Marnier, lemon, orange and honey.

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After the steak, 5 desserts seemed daunting but all was polished clean in 30 minutes.

Depending on your preferences, every plate has its merits. If you want something fruity and light, the Poached Strawberries (SGD16) – Puff Pastry Crisps, Vanilla Creme, Formage Blanc Ice Cream was beautifully executed; plump sweet strawberries on a bed of luscious vanilla creme with cheese ice cream.

The Chocolate Fondant (SGD16)– Peanut Butter Ganache, Banana Fritters, Dark Rum Banana Ice Cream is another fail-proof creation.
Who doesn’t like warm, rich chocolate and peanut butter and cold ice cream?

My favourite however was the Mango & Passonfruit Souffle (SGD16) – Passionfruit Curd, Cheesecake Ice Cream, Crumbles.
The souffle was light and spongy (as it should be) plus the pairing of mango with passionfruit imparted an overall perky zest, thus rendering it quite unlike other conventional dessert.

The Lemon Posset (SGD14) – Pistachio Sponge, Stewed Blueberries, Lime Meringue is another dessert worthy of mention.

Last but not least was the Salted Caramel Profiteroles (SGD16)- Popcorn Ice Cream, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Sauce.

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I’m glad I got to visit TDC with its recent refreshed menu.

The ambiance is of a sophisticated vibe though our table was anything but that.
We laughed and talked too loud and took too many photos. But the service staff was obliging, the company fantastic and the food sterling on the whole.

the disgruntled chef ann siang singapore - review

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Thank you my friends; for the food, the laughter and company that night! 

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The Disgruntled Chef
28 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069708
Hours: Mon-Sat:
12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
6:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Contact: 6808 2184

Public transport – Tanjong Pagar MRT, Chinatown MRT and Telok Ayer.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Sean EDKL

    food looks fab from start to finish (that beef!!!) … and i totally agree that if the welcome bread is great, then the rest of the meal usually will be too (and vice versa .. i’ve had occasions at some places where the bread was a disappointment, and the subsequent courses also didn’t quite work) …

    1. Rebecca Saw

      Yes, that BEEF! 😀
      And its true isn’t .. the humble is often regarded as something of an afterthought, but an excellent Chef or wise restauranteur would ensure that every course is of significance.

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