Beast & Butterflies Tasting Session 2019

Beast & Butterflies Tasting Session 2019
90 Robertson Quay
#01-00 M Social Singapore Hotel

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11:30am - 2:30pm (Lunch), 5pm - 10:30pm (Dinner)


https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/singapore/m-social-singapore/beast-and-butterflies/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Geeky Elephant, Purple Taste, Hazel Diary, Darren Bloggie, Where To Eat Singapore, and Ms Hannah Chia.

Fillet Mignon With Foie Gras

A Modern Fusion Christmas

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 10
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $45 / $78 per person.


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We returned to Beast & Butterflies in anticipation for the launch of their 2019 Christmas menu, having previously visited about 3 years ago. Themed around 'Opposites Attract', the in-house dining restaurant concept of the M Social Singapore Hotel opened in June 2016, and since then, Beast & Butterflies has been serving up exciting modern fusion plates that are hearty and pretty.

Beast & Butterflies Signage

Ambience at Beast & Butterflies is elegant whimsical. Designed by reowned French designer Philippe Starck, the spacious living room style dining hall is filled with sturdy wooden and marble furnishings, psychedelic lava lamps, colourful plush sofas, warm lighting, and even a pool / pocket billiards table! Glass panels allow you to view the action in the kitchen, while a long, well stocked bar beckons.

Seating

Service at Beast & Butterflies was slightly disorganised on this particular visit. Staff were polite and efficient in carrying out requests, but they seem understaffed, leading to difficulty in attracting their attention. Still, I liked that they accorded guests personalised attention when speaking. Decent product knowledge was displayed, with staff introducing each dish as it's served, an improvement from before.

Bar

Food at Beast & Butterflies is modern fusion, influenced by worldwide flavours, including American, British, French, Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, and Japanese. Crafted with fresh ingredients and presented to excite the senses, each dish is a visual work of art, and a burst of flavours on the palate. Portions are large for individuals, and may be shared. Prices are comparable to other mid-range restaurants. Budget about SGD $45 per person for a decent meal here, and about SGD $78 per person if you order drinks.

Mixologist Vladyslav Yesepiv

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This 2019 Christmas, Beast & Butterflies has curated a festive menu of yuletide treats, great for ushering in the holidays. Enjoy the Festive 2-Course Menu for SGD $65++ per person, with a choice from 3 Christmas mains, a festive mini log cake for dessert, and a glass of M Wine. This promotion is available from 1st till 31st December 2019, more details via this link.

Chef Shahnaaz Russell Wong Introduces The Yuletide Treats 2019

Christmas Tree

Loved the house M Wines, which are curated in partnership with the Buronga Hill Estate in Mourquong, Riverina, New South Wales, Australia. Choose from either the red, a Cabernet Sauvignon, or the white, a Sauvignon Blanc.

M Wines

The Cod Fish With Jet-Black Puree features a medium thick, silky flaky moist fillet of cod fish, with bright sweet savoury meaty flavour. With a slightly crisp salty skin, it's plated over a thick puree of squid ink, beluga lentils, salt, olive oil, and butter, giving it an earthy salty floral flavour. Garnished with fresh red onions and parsley for a light crunch to texture, and gentle bitter herbal earthy flavour.

Cod Fish With Jet-Black Puree

Cod Fish With Jet-Black Puree

The Roasted Chicken Thigh Stuffed With Pesto And Asparagus has thick yet tender juicy roulades of chicken thigh, which hold good savoury salty sweet flavour. The stuffing of crunchy asparagus and grainy pesto gravy lend bright vegetal earthy herbal sweet flavour. Completed with a drizzle of olive oil, and a sun-dried tomato compote on the side, whose soft bite yields bold fruity earthy sweet flavour.

Roasted Chicken Thigh Stuffed With Pesto And Asparagus

Roasted Chicken Thigh Stuffed With Pesto And Asparagus

My favourite Christmas dish here, the Fillet Mignon With Foie Gras is plated with tender stalks of carrot and asparagus, both which lend vegetal sweet earthy flavour. The beef fillet mignon is perfectly medium rare, with a soft tender bite, and big bold meaty savoury salty flavour. This is beautifully contrasted by the soft silky foie gras duck liver, with its bright fatty oily smoky savoury flavour. A succulent dish.

Fillet Mignon With Foie Gras

Fillet Mignon With Foie Gras

Fillet Mignon With Foie Gras

The Handcrafted Mini Chocolate Log Cake is a light treat. The soft moist chocolate log cake is coated in thick rich chocolate cream, and each creamy mouthful carries deep robust chocolatey bitter sweet flavour. Love the cute festive decorations on the cake.

Handcrafted Mini Chocolate Log Cake

Handcrafted Mini Chocolate Log Cake

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The Cocktail Some Like It Hot (SGD $19) is a house festive creation by Mixologist Vladyslav Yesepiv, similiar in style to a warm mulled wine. This warm alcoholic beverage is inspired by his Ukrainian culture, and his only reveal is that butter is an ingredient. Beyond the garnish of green apple, you can taste caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon, making the taste profile of this smooth drink fruity spice sweet floral in flavour. Nicely warm and enticing.

Cocktail Some Like It Hot (SGD $19)

Cocktail Some Like It Hot

The Sauteed Brussels Sprouts With Bacon feature crunchy sauteed brussels sprouts tossed with crisp bacon. Bite in and you get a bright vegetal sweet smoky flavour, complemented by deep salty savoury smoky notes.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

Although Chef Shahnaaz Russell Wong had prepared a fantastic display of yuletide treats, we didn't have the opportunity to sample some of these. We were served dishes from the regular menu instead. I appreciate the generousity, but it was unusual as most would have chosen to promote their seasonal Christmas dishes instead of their regular menu during this festive period.






























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Loved the Crab Patties (SGD $14), which feature tender chunks of crab meat, spiced with lemongrass and tom yum powder, in a crisp crumb batter. This has a gentle crunch with a soft chew, but bold sweet herbal spice savoury flavour. On a subsequent return visit, we were served a version that was much larger, with a more juicy bite.

Crab Patties (SGD $14)

Crab Patties

Crab Patties

Crab Patties

Crab Patties

The Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn Chicken (SGD $12) feature small moist bites of chicken chunks, coated in a rich, sticky salted egg yolk and curry leaf paste. An addictive treat with its delicious salty savoury sweet eggy flavour, we kept reaching for more.

Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn Chicken (SGD $12)

Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn Chicken

The Crispy Spinach (SGD $10) we ordered on a return visit was excellent. These deep-fried spinach leaves are dusted with garlic powder, and have a beautiful satisfying crunch, with a delicate vegetal spice salty flavour. I like that it's not oily, making for a perfect snack. Wish I could have a whole bowl of these!

Crispy Spinach (SGD $10)

Crispy Spinach

All in all, the Roasted Duck Chawanmushi (SGD $8) is decent, but not special like most other dishes on the menu. It features a wobbly soft steamed egg custard chawanmushi, well executed with eggy sweet savoury flavour, simply topped with chewy slices of roasted duck with meaty salty savoury flavour, and globules of juicy ikura / salmon roe which burst with briny salty flavour. The ingredients are distinct, and don't quite complement each other.

Roasted Duck Chawanmushi (SGD $8)

Roasted Duck Chawanmushi

As an appetizer, the Collagen Soup (SGD $18) serves its purpose. Ordered on a return visit, the warm and rich soup / broth is made from a blend of garoupa fish cartilage and pork bones, giving it a rich creamy texture and a lovely savoury sweet flavour. There's only 2 items within, the first a soft straw mushroom ravioli which has earthy flavours but a skin which easily broke apart, and the second a thick yet tender flaky fillet of garoupa fish with delicate sweet savoury flavour. Soulful and comforting, great on cold days.

Collagen Soup (SGD $18)

Collagen Soup

The Chilli Crab With Fried Mantou (SGD $36) features a bowl of tender deshelled crab meat in a rich chili, egg, and tomato gravy, which has robust sweet savoury spicy flavour with a short fiery burn. Served with spongy mantou buns on the side, which are great for mopping up all the delicious gravy. You have a choice of either the usual fried mantou buns, or the healthier steamed mantou buns.

Chilli Crab With Fried Mantou (SGD $36)

Fried Mantou

Chilli Crab

This is somewhat different from the last time I had it. The Oven-Roasted Pork Knuckle (SGD $26 Half, $36 Whole) has a bone-in pork knuckle, with super crisp pork crackling skin, and tender bouncy moist pork meat. Nice meaty sweet salty flavour here. They seem to have omitted the sauerkraut, but the spicy nam jim sauce and sweet hoisin sauce still accompany, both of which lend good depth of flavour.

Oven-Roasted Pork Knuckle (SGD $26 Half, $36 Whole)

Oven-Roasted Pork Knuckle

Oven-Roasted Pork Knuckle

This is very different from the last time I had it. The Cod Fish With Crispy Egg Noodles (SGD $30) now has more of the crispy egg noodles yee mee that crunch satisfiyingly when bit, forming the main base of the dish. Served in a new oyster sauce and mushroom gravy, the tender earthy braised bailing mushroom / mock abalone and the carrots are still present, but the broccolini has been replaced by crunchy stalks of kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli with vegetal sweet flavour instead. Also, the Atlantic cod fish fillet is no longer steamed, instead being pan-fried, resulting in a slightly crisp exterior, while the interior remains flaky, tender, and moist, with bold oily sweet savoury flavour. The portion size also looks larger than I remember. Still pretty good.

Cod Fish With Crispy Egg Noodles (SGD $30)

Cod Fish With Crispy Egg Noodles

While visually less appealing, I can understand why the Poached Skinless Salmon (SGD $26) is served without a skin. Being poached, the skin would have been rubbery and not very pleasant to eat, hence, they've just served the large fillet of salmon fish here, which is beautifully tender, moist, and flaky, with a delicate sweet savoury flavour. So clean and healthy. The base of soy cream is rich, lending a milky salty savoury sweet flavour to the smooth mashed potatoes. Fresh leaves of crisp baby spinach, with vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour, and a pretty charcoal wafer complete this lovely dish. We ordered this on a return visit, and it was good enough that I'll order it again next time.

Poached Skinless Salmon (SGD $26)

Poached Skinless Salmon

Poached Skinless Salmon

The Impossible Burger (SGD $27) is all the rage these days. The thick bouncy vegetarian plant-based patty is sandwiched between fluffy soft brioche burger buns, along with soft sautéed baby spinach, juicy tomato, tender white button mushrooms, gooey cheddar cheese, and crisp shallots. Served with crisp shoestring potato fries and a fresh mesclun salad on the side. While this has nice earthy sweet savoury salty flavour, the lack of a gravy results in meat-eaters finding it slightly unusual, as it's missing that meaty depth of taste. Still pretty decent, and vegetarians wouldn't know what's missing anyway.

Impossible Burger (SGD $27)

Impossible Burger

Impossible Burger

The Vegetarian Club Sandwich (SGD $16) is fresh, healthy, and filling. Served with a crisp mesclun salad (lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radicchio, mizuna, sorrel) which has bright vegetal bitter herbal sweet flavours, dressed in a fragrant sesame sauce with nutty notes, along with crisp sweet potato chips that hold lovely sweet earthy flavours. The actual club sandwich has crisp toasted white bread slices, which sandwich a wholesome filling of creamy avocado, soft eggplant / aubergine / brinjal, juicy tomato slices, crisp lettuce, tender shiitake mushrooms, and gooey American cheese. This has enticing vegetal earthy sweet flavours. Surprisingly enjoyable main dish for our return visit. Yum.

Vegetarian Club Sandwich (SGD $16)

Vegetarian Club Sandwich

Vegetarian Club Sandwich

The Matcha Lava Cake (SGD $12) has a warm, moist matcha green tea cake, plated with a crunchy matcha chocolate ganache, tender azuki red beans paste, and a creamy smooth scoop of vanilla ice cream. Despite the bright earthy grassy sweet flavours here, the lava cake doesn't really lava, being more wobbly pudding-like in texture.

Matcha Lava Cake (SGD $12)

Matcha Lava Cake

Matcha Lava Cake

Similarly, the Chocolate Lava Cake (SGD $12) doesn't really lava, having a warm, moist, wobbly pudding-like texture instead. The chocolate lava cake still holds deep robust chocolatey sweet flavour, and the garnish of grainy biscuit crumble and creamy smooth vanilla ice cream accompanying this still makes for a decent dessert.

Chocolate Lava Cake (SGD $12)

Chocolate Lava Cake

A house signature creation, the Rojak Ice Cream Toast (SGD $24) combines the flavours and textures of Singaporean rojak and ice cream toast. The large soft toasted white bread is hollowed, and the resulting sticks of white bread fingers are toasted and plated, along with crunchy juicy chunks of strawberry, pineapple, red water apple / red jambu, and young mango. A garnish of grainy biscuit crumble, rough crushed peanuts, smooth assam shrimp paste gravy, and a creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream complete this. Sounds complex, but it manages to somehow work, with bright fruity sweet savoury earthy spice flavours. It's large in portion, and is best shared.

Rojak Ice Cream Toast (SGD $24)

Rojak Ice Cream Toast

We planned a return visit specifically to order the Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc (SGD $12). Just look at how pretty it is! This lovely dessert has creamy thick purple sweet potato mont blanc with good earthy sweet flavour. It's arranged over a crisp butter biscuit base, and moist butter sponge cake, both having light buttery sweet flavours. Within is a creamy smooth coconut gelato that has nice floral earthy sweet flavour. It's plated with more biscuit crumble, gold leaf, and juicy lychee globules that burst with fruity sweet flavour. Decorated with chocolate butterflies and edible flowers. Excellent dessert. Highly recommended!

Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc (SGD $12)

Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc

Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc

Purple Sweet Potato Mont Blanc

The Durian Waffle (SGD $20) is presented like a waffle sandwich tower, with alternating layers of crisp spongy waffle and smooth icey durian pengat ice cream, drizzled with rich thick gula melaka / palm sugar. Having bright floral earthy fruity sweet bready flavour, this dessert is rather appealing, though not everyone will enjoy this combination of flavours.

Durian Waffle (SGD $20)

Durian Waffle

Beast & Butterflies is still doing what it does best since our last visit. If you're looking for a modern fusion Christmas feast, then the 2019 Christmas menu at Beast & Butterflies will surely delight! Do reserve a place ahead of time at https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/singapore/m-social-singapore/beast-and-butterflies/.


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