Grissini Tasting Session 2020 - Christmas - Ivan Teh

Grissini Tasting Session 2020 - Christmas
392 Havelock Road
Level 1 Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 4pm - 10pm
Sat - Sun: 2pm - 10pm

https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/singapore/grand-copthorne-waterfront/dining/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Yahoo Singapore, Purple Taste, Where To Eat Singapore, and Ms Hannah Chia.

Gamberi E Caviale

Say It With An 8-Course Dinner

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 9
Budget about SGD $55 / $88++ per person.

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With the easing of some COVID-19 restrictions in Singapore, the in-house restaurant for Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Grissini, has resumed dining operations. Like most other F&B establishments in Singapore, much has changed at Grissini post-covid. There's less of a crowd, seats are spaced far apart, temperature taking and SafeEntry check-ins are required, no intermingling between tables, the kitchen team has changed, and the menu has been scaled back. Our recent visit was a good opportunity to see how things have changed from our prior visits.

Grissini Christmas 2020 Decor

Ambience at Grissini remains warm, cozy, and inviting, with clean, elegant lines. The atmosphere exudes a sophisticated class, warm lighting with dark wooden furnishings on plush carpets, with heavy curtains against the windows. The actual floor space is rather small, with a reduced maximum seating capacity of 40 people, which lends a sense of privacy and exclusivity. The formerly small al-fresco outdoor seating area is now larger than before, offering a view along the quiet stretch of the Singapore River.

Grissini Showpiece Table

Chilled Wine Rack

Service at Grissini remains good, akin to a top restaurant. Staff are professional, friendly, and efficient. They offer greetings upon entry, and are quick to seat guests. I note they're able to broadly describe components of dishes and ingredients, and there remains little conversation beyond transactional engagement. I like that staff check on your dining experience, and clear away empty / dirty plates quickly. They now introduce condiments as well, serving them tableside.

Tableside Condiment Service

Food at Grissini remains focused on Italian cuisine, with a range of rotisserie / grilled meats, fresh seafood, salads, pasta, pizzas, and desserts. The highlight remains the josper grilled meats and seafood. Dishes are still consistently well executed, made with fresh ingredients, and tasty. Portions are sized for individuals, and prices are comparable to other restaurants, being upper mid-range. However, the revamped menu now has a smaller range of options. Budget about SGD $55 per person for a regular meal.

Condiments

Hand Made Pasta Noodles

This Christmas 2020, the 'Say It In December' menu at Grissini offers a gastronomic journey across Italy with classic favourites and new inspired creations. A 3-course weekday festive set lunch begins at SGD $38++, while an 8-course festive set dinner goes for SGD $88++, and advance bookings enjoy between 10% - 20% discounts, good value for the quality.

Grissini Christmas 2020 Tasting Menu

Home Made Multigrain Bread

There's a medley of various fresh bread in the Bread Basket, all baked daily on site. The fragrant aroma of freshly baked bread is the first thing that greets you. We sampled 3 different types of bread, all with soft fluffy porous textures, though I understand this could change depending on what Chef decides to bake. The Sun-Dried Tomato Focaccia has a beautiful vegetal grainy sweet flavour, while the Multigrain Bread held fragrant grainy sweet earthy notes. I particularly loved the Mixed Herb Focaccia, with its herbal earthy sweet flavour, though some of the others felt it was overly strong on taste. Served with a choice of extra virgin olive oil, organic olive oil, white vinegar, or black vinegar.

Bread Basket

The Fresh Oysters feature a trio of fresh Irish oysters, served on ice. Garnished with lemon juice, red wine vinaigrette, chives, and shallots, the oysters are slippery smooth and clean-tasting, with bold sharp sour zesty earthy briny salty sweet flavour. Goes down so easily.

Fresh Oysters

The Tuna Tartare remains as well-executed as before. It features a base of creamy smooth mashed avocado, with a mild vegetal earthy flavour, topped with chunks of juicy bouncy raw tuna fish marinated in light soy sauce, giving it a bold savoury salty flavour. Garnished with crisp crunchy bread croutons with good bready salty sweet flavour, this dish is dressed with crunchy curly endive / frisée, and olive oil. Pretty on the plate, and tasty enough to make you keep eating.

Tuna Tartare

The Pumpkin Soup is rich and creamy thick in texture, warm and soulful on the palate. The pureed pumpkin has been enhanced with orange zest, giving it a lively fruity earthy sweet flavour. Bits of chewy pork belly pancetta lend a delightful salty savoury contrast of flavour. Quite exciting!

Pumpkin Soup

The Eggplant Parmigiana tastes different from before, now it's more light and sweet, as opposed to deep and savoury. The ingredients of soft tender aubergine / eggplant / brinjal slices layered with stringy mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, over a medium thin tomato sauce with fresh basil, work so well together. Has a nice floral vegetal sweet salty cheesy flavour, and the smaller portion size is just right for a multi-course meal.

Eggplant Parmigiana

The most visually stunning dish, the Gamberi E Caviale features a large, whole tiger prawn, bouncy and juicy succulent in texture, filleted and served over a bed of creamy celeriac puree infused with orange juice. Garnished with micro cress, lemon zest, and caviar for a luxurious touch. You get the smoky sweet savoury flavour of the prawn, followed by the bright briny salty notes of the caviar and the vegetal herbal bitter notes of the micro cress, finished with a wash of fruity sweet sour earthy flavour from the orange celeriac puree. So beautiful and yummy.

Gamberi E Caviale

Served as a palate cleanser before the meats, the Lime Sorbet was unduly frozen in texture, requiring some crushing to release the zesty tangy sour sweet notes within. The ratio of lime juice to ice is sufficiently balanced, while the garnish of mint leaves lends a herbal note to the sorbet.

Lime Sorbet

The Josper Grilled Beef Ribeye Steak was done to a lovely medium rare doneness, with the beef steak having a tender juicy succulent bite to texture, and a light chew. Served in its natural au jus, the ribeye was boldly meaty savoury salty in flavour, with a hint of smoky aroma. Accompanied with creamy truffle potato mousseline, whose delicate earthy starchy sweet flavour clings to the palate. Some seasonal vegetables (baby carrots, baby potatoes, rocket leaves / arugula, curly endive / frisée, cherry tomatoes) lend a vegetal sweet contrast of flavour, with juicy crisp tender textures, rounding out this satisfying dish.

Josper Grilled Beef Ribeye Steak

Josper Grilled Beef Ribeye Steak

We loved the Josper Grilled Kurobuta Pork Collar, with its thick chunky juicy succulent texture, and bold smoky savoury sweet meaty flavour. The kurobuta pork chop is nicely addictive in a port wine jus, served over creamy apple parsnip puree with mild fruity sweet starchy flavour. Accompanied with seasonal vegetables (brussels sprouts, yellow squash, asparagus, curly endive / frisée, cherry tomatoes) that lend a vegetal sweet contrast of flavour, with crunchy crisp tender textures. Delicious and comforting.

Josper Grilled Kurobuta Pork Collar

Josper Grilled Kurobuta Pork Collar

The mini Baked Alaska is so pretty, with a center of smooth chocolate ice cream coated in creamy meringue, surrounded by thick passionfruit mango compote, crunchy chocolate balls, juicy seasonal berries (blackberry, blueberry, strawberry), and brittle pistachio crumble. A dash of rum is poured over and set aflame, quickly burning off and imparting a smoky aroma to this luxurious dessert. The contrasting textures keep it exciting, while the medley of milky chocolatey fruity sweet sour bitter boozy nutty flavours go so well together. Enjoyed this greatly!