Allons-y!

Mirazur: Leaves Menu (Singapore Pop-up)


Until I get to visit Menton, this is the only chance I've got to experience dining at the current title holder of World's Best Restaurant. But really, what's considered "best" is subjective. I thought Odette was pretty so-so, and it's ranked #18. Meanwhile, Chef's Table is unranked.

I once asked a bartender about the list (there is a corresponding Best Bars list, and he's ranked) and he said it's pretty much a game of politics. Of course, you must have what it takes - your restaurant/bar has to be legitly good, but you need to know how to play the game as well. It works via a voting system, and only invited experts gets to vote. (I did ask what bars he voted for, but he said it's top secret HAHA) 

That said, I'm still a sucker for such lists. I REGRET NOT TRYING NOMA WHEN I VISITED COPENHAGEN, and I know I'll regret not trying this pop-up. Anyway here's the price if you are curious:

Lunch: $456.70 per head (including service charge and GST)

Dinner: $574.40 per head (including service charge and GST)

Ideally, I would prefer to try their dinner menu because that's the more extensive one, but there's no way I can justify paying over $500 at this stage of my life. Maybe, if I get a windfall, or married millions, or whatever that allows reckless spending, I'll go for their dinner menu four times (to try each menu once).

Mirazur serves what they call a Universe Menu of four different phases: Leaves, Flowers, Roots, and Fruits. Over at the original Mirazur, they switch the menu around every few days, like so:

For the pop-up in Singapore, they follow a three week cycle. Of the four phases, I am most interested in the roots menu, and that was what I booked for. But due to the dining restrictions last month, the pop-up was paused, and the schedule was pushed back accordingly. I was served the leaves menu instead. The roots menu will be served on the last week of July to the second week of August. Huge shame.  

Canapés de récéption: Canelé with Ricotta Cheese, Brioche with Greens, Clams Jelly (it has a fancier name which I forgot but it's literally just a jelly with clams), Seaweed Tart with Scallops, and another dish (in the bowl) that I can't remember what it's called but it's like a mini arancini.

Pain de Partage, which literally means sharing bread. Bangs loved the bread, but I found it too dense. It's more cake like, and not airy like a sourdough. I finished it all anyway because I paid $456.70. 

Oxalis Griffithii: Oxalis Crumbled Crab

The blanket of jelly was more for aesthetics than actual flavour and texture. Super pretty dish but tasted okay only.

Lactuca Serriola: Roated Salad

THAT SAUCE WAS AMAZING. 

Lolium: Hay Scallops with Uni 

The scallops and uni were flown in from Hokkaido the day before service. This was my favourite dish; I have never tasted scallops this sweet! And that uni was amazingly velvety and sweet. Omg, please take me back to that moment. 

AND THE SAUCE. The sauce had notes of tea, which was from the hay. 

Perilla Frutescens: Shiso, Turbot, Sake

The fish was also flown in fresh from Hokkaido, though it wasn't as impressive as the scallops and uni. But the sauce, once again, tied everything together perfectly.

This meal reminds me of Nouri, because Nouri serves outstanding sauces as well. 

Saccharina Japonica: Pork's Millefeuille

The Millefeuille refers to the foliage. This was quite a mehhh dish. 

Salvia Rosmarinus: Choco-Rosemary

This is Chef Mauro's signature dessert, but both Bangs and I didn't enjoy it at all. That veil of chocolate had an unpleasant texture; it wasn't chewy, nor was it crispy. It was just... dense. The lack of any actual texture made it a very unsatisfying dish. 

Surprise chocolate mousse cake! Our host overheard us talking about my birthday, and arranged for this extra dessert. This was really their saving grace for the disappointing rosemary dessert. For one, this was way prettier, and tasted just as good as it looked.

Mignardises: Basil Tart, Eucalyptus Jelly with Plum Sugar, Longjing Tea Sorbet

It was pretty mehh. 

Poor dude was coerced by his boss to take a photo with us LOL and also, the door host was very friendly but take terrible pictures. 

The setup of the space is very pretty, and apparently, will change according to the menu they serve. I'm guessing it's probably sporting a more instagrammable, floral set up now to complement the flowers menu.

Macarons made in collaboration with Janice Wong as a take home gift.

The food didn't blow me away, but the service sure did. Our host was a British expat (late fifties) who was in between jobs and figured his resume would look great with Mirazur on it. They seem to have an international team of crew, all charming, none of whom looked or sounded local though. 

Overall a great experience, but wasn't convincing enough to make me yearn trying the real deal in Menton.