Overpriced hawker food? Or a masterful, ingenious twist on local cuisine?

15 Stamford by Alvin Leung is a unique restaurant at the glitzy Capitol Kempinski Hotel that showcases a luxurious and artful take on Asian street food with dishes like Pork Prime Rib Bak Kut Teh, Foie Gras Kaya Toast and Laksa 'zhnged' with tiger king prawn and onsen quail eggs.

We had the Beef Short Rib with nyonya pickles and rendang sauce; Kühlbarra Barramundi with buah keluak sauce and Yellowfin Tuna Akami in nori pie tee cups (pictured)

To me, the dishes were reminiscent of familiar hawker food, but at the same time looked and tasted a lot more refined. The quality of the ingredients used and the care that went into preparing them is evident with every bite, and the flavours in each dish complemented one another really well. You almost feel like you're eating into mini works of art- truly an ingenious, masterful and wonderful ode to Asian food.

Combined with the elegant colonial-style dining space, this made for a one-of-a-kind and very enjoyable experience indeed.