Bacchanalia

We had trekked to Bacchanalia in our tired-looking flats from City Hall MRT station. When we saw the luxurious cars (an Audi, a Merc, and a BMW) parked outside Bacchanalia, we were like, "Oops are we under-dressed?" Luckily the Maître d, who was a white lady, smiled sweetly at us with a "welcome" and granted us access. 

Upon entering, we were greeted by a posh setting. The place was dim and had a soft-light ambience. The chairs looked so comfortable to lounge in. And I loved those bubble lights that gave the place an out-of-the-world feel. 

They are not ghosts. It's the lousy camera's fault.

We were here for the Restaurant Week dinner menu, comprising of a starter, main and dessert at $55++. 

The bread was tasty and served as a great appetizer and answer to our hunger pangs and while anticipating for the food. We heard great stories about Bacchanalia.

Starter

Cauliflower gratin (below) - deep fried cauliflower florets, white truffle and cheese foam, gremolata

Fans of Bacchanolia would not be unfamiliar with this signature dish. I never thought cauliflowers would taste that good! Deep fried, its texture was that of minced meat balls that were crunchy. The cauliflower balls were enveloped in the creamy broth which was bursting with the fragrance of pungent truffles. I don't usually like truffles but this dish amazingly made truffles taste so good. The cauliflowers brought out the best in truffles. A very unique dish that was the highlight of the night for me. 4.5/5

Our friendly waiter informed us that the chef was feeling great that day and hence decided to give us a complimentary French onion soup (below). According to the server, the onion soup was prepared by caramelizing onions for 3 days. Until every drop of the broth was infused with the sweet essence of onion. And the crispy cheddar nuggets and rye bread of which their existence served to soak up the broth and made this dish an unforgettable one. 4.5/5

Mains
We were given a choice to choose between two mains available - chicken risotto or Tahitian vanilla confit salmon.

Chicken risotto (below) - Confit leg of chicken, keluak nut, aged carnaroli rice, rum raisins, pickled lemon & cranberries

My friend had the chicken risotto which she loved it more than the salmon. Hmmm unfortunately none of the ingredients were exactly my favorite. I took a try and didn't feel any love. A classic example of love cannot be forced?

Tahitian vanilla confit salmon (below) - Lightly cooked sashimi grade salmon, roasted garlic puree, shaved fennel, honey emulsion

Our waiter came with a surprise - complimentary caviar to accompany the salmon! The answer to a perfect way to start the weekend. I think something good happened to the chef that day. Or that it was a Friday night so happiness indexes are usually higher. The smooth salmon was so soft that it melted in the mouth. Coupled with the sweet honey emulsion and caviar, the experience was augmented. And the accompanying aromatic shaved fennel balanced the flavors and textures of this dish. 4.5/5

Desserts
Caramel poached apple, white chocolate cinnamon ganache, vanilla ice cream

Save room for the dessert. The succulent poached apple, topped by pieces of white chocolate cinnamon ganache, served as a simple good end to a great meal. Loved the refreshing vanilla ice-cream. 3.5/5

Overall, I think it was a great idea to go to Bacchanalia for Restaurant Week. I went to peek at the menu online and the cauliflower gratin already costs $17, the onion soup costs $20, Tahitian salmon with caviar supplement costs like $50. And we paid just $55++ for this meal! Like oh my goodness?! Totally worth it. And a generous chef and friendly waiters made the whole experience even more satisfying. The waiters were knowledgeable about the food and attentive to our wants. Given its cosy and posh decor, this is definitely a place to be seen at. 

Address:
23A Coleman St, 179806