Morsels Tasting Session 2022

Morsels Tasting Session 2022
25 Dempsey Road #01-04

Opening Hours:
Tue - Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm,
Fri - Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10:30pm,
Sun: 11am - 3pm,
Closed Mon


http://www.morsels.com.sg/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, msginginly, and Chubby Botak Koala.

Carbs - Jeju Live Abalone

Quiet & Quaint Retreat With Quirky Fusion Fare

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 9
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 9
Value for Money: 9
Budget about SGD $128++ per person.


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Establised in January 2013 by Chef-Owner Petrina Loh, Morsels is an award-winning dining destination, serving wildly creative and novel modern fusion dishes, paired with lovingly curated wines, in a cozy setting. At Morsels, you can look forward to progressive, ingredient-driven dishes that defy culinary boundaries, with a mind on zero-waste for sustainability.

Morsels Exterior

Morsels Interior

Ambience at Morsels is cozy and comfortable, well suited to long lingering meals with family or friends. The 40-seater restaurant is designed like a rustic cottage, tucked away in a quiet part of the Dempsey area of Singapore. Chef-Owner Petrina Loh says she likes to collect interesting knick-knacks, evident in the displays around the place. Exudes a warm, homely feel.

Rustic Chandelier

Table Setting

Service at Morsels is friendly and engaging. With such a small space, staff take time to accord each guest respectful attention. They're knowledgable too, introducing the nuances of each dish as they serve, and offering recommendations on wine pairings. Staff proactively offer to clear finished plates, top up drinks, and check for feedback, which is welcome. Standards are on par with a fine dining establishment, a pleasant surprise.

Seating

Bar

Food at Morsels is Modern International fusion cuisine, a combination of Singaporean, French, Japanese, and Korean cuisine, with greater focus on the latter. Chef-Owner Petrina Loh is immensely creative in designing her dishes, combining fresh seasonal ingredients in novel ways. In fact, just reading the menu descriptions can be mind-boggling, but in a good way. Each plate highlights a few key ingredients and flavours, and are well executed. Portions are sized for individuals, though the table has to agree on a communal menu. Prices command a premium for the quality, but represent good value, budget about SGD $128++ per person.

Kitchen

Chef Petrina Loh Grilling

Us

Morsels offers an enhanced omakase dining experience with a 5-glass wine pairing at SGD $100 per person, available as an add-on option. They also have a good range of non-alcoholic beverages.

The Wine NV Bonnet-Ponson Cuvée Perpetuelle (SGD $108) is a proper champagne, made with a blend of 40% Pinot Noir black grapes, 30% Chardonnay green grapes, and 30% Meunier purple grapes, by the Maison Bonnet-Ponson winery in Chamery commune, Marne department, Grand Est region of France. It has a deep white yellow colour, with aromas of red apple, orange, mirabelle plum, and almonds. The body is fine, juicy, and effervescent, with tastes of kumquat, pear, lemon, and honeysuckle flowers. Has a lovely fruity sweet floral nutty flavour, with a racy minerality and crisp acidity.

Wine NV Bonnet-Ponson Cuvée Perpetuelle (SGD $108)

The Wine Katogi Averoff White (SGD $41) is an award-winning white wine, made with a blend of 50% Rhoditis pink grapes, 30% Chardonnay green grapes, and 20% Muscat green grapes, by the Katogi Averoff winery in Metsovo town, Epirus region of Greece. It has a pale straw white colour, with aromas and tastes of lily flowers, lime, pear, and honeydew melon. The body is soft, mellow, and pleasant, with fruity floral mineral sweet flavour, and a soft finish. Paires well with seafood and fish, but not with poultry or red meat.

Wine Katogi Averoff White (SGD $41)

The Wine Domaine Julien Côte De Nuits-Villages (SGD $49) is a highly-regarded red wine, made with 100% Pinot Noir black grapes from 6 different land parcels, by the Domaine Gerard Julien & Fils winery in Nuits-Saint-Georges commune, Côte-D'Or department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France. It has a pale brick red colour, with aromas and tastes of strawberry, blackberry, oak wood, and roasted coffee beans. The body is full, juicy, and elegant, with fruity earthy smoky sweet flavour, and a gripping finish. Paires well with red meat and poultry, but not with seafood or fish.

Wine Domaine Julien Côte De Nuits-Villages (SGD $49)

The Wine Schloss Lieser Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (SGD $43) is a fine dessert wine, made with 100% Riesling white grapes, by the Weingut Schloss Lieser winery in Lieser municipality, Bernkastel-Wittlich district, Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany. It has a pale white green colour, with aromas of lime, rosemary, flint, and honey. The body is smooth, dry, and gentle, with tastes of lychee, apricot, quince, and vanilla. Has a lovely fruity sweet floral spice flavour, with a refreshing minerality and gentle acidity.

Wine Schloss Lieser Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (SGD $43)

The Non 1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile (SGD $26) is a non-alcoholic beverage, a wine alternative that is halal, gluten-free, and vegan-certified. This drink blends raspberry and chamomile flowers, for a fruity floral sour sweet flavour.

Non 1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile (SGD $26)

At Morsels, each dish is crafted with sweet, sour, salty, bitter, savoury flavours all in, using seasonal ingredients, and designed to be nourishing. While dishes are either individually or communally plated, the table as a whole has to agree on what dish to select from the extensive menu. The Sharing Set Menu is priced at SGD $128++ per person for a 9-course meal, while the Omakase Set Menu is priced at SGD $158++ per person for a 12-course meal. I find both to be of good value.

The Snacks - Seasonal Oyster features a medium-sized, plump raw oyster as the base, fresh with sweet briny salty flavour. It's garnished with tamarillo shrub, a house pear cucumber vinegar, and pickled cucumber, which combines for a light crunch and bold fruity vegetal sour sweet bitter spice flavour. The garnish seems to be a novel take on the French mignonette sauce. Refreshing, helps open the palate. Good!

Snacks - Seasonal Oyster

Snacks - Seasonal Oyster

Snacks - Seasonal Oyster

The Snacks - Negitoro features a base of crisp chewy glutinous rice cracker, crunching lightly with grainy salty sweet flavour. It serves to hold the tender juicy negitoro / minced raw tuna fish, which has lovely meaty fatty savoury sweet flavour. Marinated with calamansi kaffir vinegar and sea dust (comprising aonori seaweed, powdered katsuobushi / bonito skipjack tuna flakes, and shichimi togarashi), which lends a floral zesty tangy sour sweet savoury salty bitter earthy spice flavour. Has a distinct Japanese feel. Easy to eat in just 1 bite. Good!

Snacks - Negitoro

Snacks - Negitoro

Snacks - Negitoro

The Snacks - Truffle Foie Gras Cappuccino features a small cup-sized paste of mashed grilled foie gras, black truffle flakes, 5-spice power, and fried poha chivda (a type of spiced flattened rice), which has a smooth creamy thick texture and mellow meaty fatty earthy savoury salty grainy spice flavour. It's topped with a soft spongy madeleine pastry baked in duck fat, giving it a bready savoury sweet flavour that's so addictive. Completed with crisp spring onions for a vegetal sweet spice note. Reminds me of a French terrine, except paired with a madeleine pastry instead of crusty bread. Good!

Snacks - Truffle Foie Gras Cappuccino

Snacks - Truffle Foie Gras Cappuccino

Snacks - Truffle Foie Gras Cappuccino

The Smalls - Hamachi Kombujime is interesting, with thick tender soft slices of fresh hamachi / Japanese amberjack / yellowtail fish, which have been cured by layering the fish with kombu / seaweed for 3 days. It's plated with crisp mizuna, a paste-like cilantro kosho (cilantro blended with sea salt and Japanese chili), crunchy rice balls, juicy tobiko / flying fish roe, kombu / seaweed oil, and thin tiger nut milk (a superfood rich in calcium). The introduction of the dish boggles the mind, hearing the litany of unusual ingredients and preparation techniques. On taste, this has a complex meaty fishy vegetal earthy grainy sweet salty briny spice bitter savoury milky flavour. Surprisingly rather pleasant, seems to resemble a Peruvian ceviche. Good!

Smalls - Hamachi Kombujime

Smalls - Hamachi Kombujime

Smalls - Hamachi Kombujime

Of all the dishes, the Smalls - Burrata was perhaps the lone dish that didn't quite appeal to me. This has creamy burrata cheese, over a bed of chilled kabocha pumpkin gazpacho. Topped with juicy sous vide red kuri squash / Hokkaido pumpkin slices, crisp spinach leaves, crisp friseé / curly endive, and crunchy brazil nut furikake. The duo of pumpkin lend a vegetal sweet flavour to the milky notes of the burrata cheese, while the fresh vegetables and nut sprinklings combine for a vegetal herbal bitter sweet nutty earthy flavour. I find the taste to be rather foreign for me, and the cheese too thin in consistency, unlike a proper Italian version. Could be improved.

Smalls - Burrata

Smalls - Burrata

Smalls - Burrata

The Smalls - Wild Sri-Lankan Tiger Prawn feels like a Singaporean Chinese inspired version of Fried Carrot Cake. This has a pan-fried cake of daikon radish and kimchi pickled cabbage, crisp outside and soft inside, with starchy sweet savoury spice flavour. Surrounded by perfectly grilled deshelled Sri Lankan tiger prawns, crunchy juicy with lovely savoury sweet flavour. Topped with fresh crisp parsley with vegetal bitter herbal flavour, and crunchy brown butter granola with nutty earthy sweet notes. Finished with a yummy raspberry gochujang sauce which carries bright fruity sweet sour spice flavour, lending a tingle to the palate. Loved every bite of this. Highly recommended!

Smalls - Wild Sri-Lankan Tiger Prawn

Smalls - Wild Sri-Lankan Tiger Prawn

Smalls - Wild Sri-Lankan Tiger Prawn

The Smalls - Venus Clams resembles a French style seafood bisque. This has fresh venus clams, bouncy and briny salty sweet in taste, immersed in a rich soup / broth of water, fig glazed chicken, kimchi pickled cabbage, and pickled wakame seaweed, which carries savoury sweet salty spice earthy vegetal flavour. Served with crispy baguette bread slices, crunchy with bready sweet flavour, though I wish there were more slices. Good!

Smalls - Venus Clams

Smalls - Venus Clams

Smalls - Venus Clams

Loved the Carbs - Jeju Live Abalone, a sort of fusion Japanese Korean dish. The base is silky smooth, chilled somen noodles made from wheat flour, coated in shallot oil, which lends a beautiful grainy nutty savoury taste. Sprinklings of fermented sakura ebi / shrimp lend a contrasting crunch to texture, and bold salty savoury shrimpy flavour. The dish is made luxurious with thick slices of live abalone sourced from Jeju, South Korea, tender and springy with sweet savoury meaty flavour. Yum. Highly recommended!

Carbs - Jeju Live Abalone

Carbs - Jeju Live Abalone

Carbs - Jeju Live Abalone

The Mains - Patra Ni Machi Sustainable Ling Cod is a Parsi inspired dish, and certainly packs a complexity of flavours. On one side is a bed of soft fermented French lentilles du puy / puy lentils with earthy salty sour savoury flavour, topped with juicy crunchy pickled baby radish which carries vegetal sour sweet notes. On the other side is the patra ni machi, with a base of boneless fillet of tender ling cod fish, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed, having lovely sweet savoury flavour. It's then dressed with grainy coriander green chutney with vegetal bitter herbal sweet flavour, thick coconut cream with floral earthy nutty milky sweet notes, and crispy fried shallots with vegetal savoury salty flavour. The mellow lentils and sharp radish serve to properly contrast the richness of the fish and dressing. An exciting, delicious, and memorable dish. Highly recommended!

Mains - Patra Ni Machi Sustainable Ling Cod

Mains - Patra Ni Machi Sustainable Ling Cod

Mains - Patra Ni Machi Sustainable Ling Cod

Mains - Patra Ni Machi Sustainable Ling Cod

The Mains - Toriyama Japanese A4 Wagyu Chuck Roll is a luxurious and intriguing dish. This has a Toriyama Japanese A4 wagyu beef chuck roll, also known as zabuton, which is a favoured cut from between the rib cage and the shoulder blade of the steer. Perfectly grilled to medium rare, the wagyu beef chuck roll has a succulent, juicy, tender melt-in-the-mouth texture, with bold smoky meaty fatty savoury salty flavour. The base is gooey stewed foxtail millet with goji berries / wolf berries, bright with grainy sweet herbal savoury flavour. On the side is crunchy kimchi brussels sprouts, bright with vegetal bitter sour spice sweet flavour, a unique rendition. Completed with a gravy au jus made from sebago potatoes, which are high in nutrients and almost fat free. Good!

Mains - Toriyama Japanese A4 Wagyu Chuck Roll

Mains - Toriyama Japanese A4 Wagyu Chuck Roll

Mains - Toriyama Japanese A4 Wagyu Chuck Roll

Mains - Toriyama Japanese A4 Wagyu Chuck Roll

Rounded off with the Desserts - Mochi. This has creamy namelaka chocolate cream swirls, chewy home-made mochi / glutinous rice cakes, chewy candied young ginger, and grainy buckwheat crumble. A rich buckwheat and Guinness cream is poured into the middle, tableside. Packed with chocolatey grainy milky sweet bitter spice earthy boozy flavour, complex and interesting. As the bitter sweet spice notes are more pronounced, this is somewhat an acquired taste, I thought it was alright. Worth ordering!

Desserts - Mochi

Desserts - Mochi

Desserts - Mochi

Desserts - Mochi

We absolutely loved the dining experience at Morsels, from the cozy ambience, to the engaging service, and the unique yet delicious food. While prices command a premium, a meal at Morsels is good value for money, and you're assured of an excellent meal. Will return to Morsels for more!


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