Preludio (Frasers Tower)

(Hosted)
As it is inspired by Head Chef @cheffernandoarevalo’s journey as he seeks perfection in culinary art, referencing in particular the critical decisions he has to make from start to finish, the menu is designed as a fork in the road with diners having to choose between the themes of “Capture” and “Release”. While the former is inward-seeking with the essence of ingredients presented in precise minimalist fashion, the latter embodies the possibilities to maximise their fullest potential. When dining as a group, the entire table can’t differ in their menu choice. We couldn’t decide but fortunately, @preludio.sg has a solution on standby. My friend @renztan did the honour and fate dealt us “Capture”. Immediately, a centrepiece reflecting this theme was placed on our table. Fresh, charcoal-baked corn bread was close on its tail, a stellar kogarashi and spring onion butter in tow.
Then came the essences of “Smoke, Scallop and Butter” on an elegant tray. I was most taken with the novel brown butter ice-cream on oyster leaf covered in hazelnut crumble and French black truffle. The morel mushroom looked simple but with brocollini, spiced rub and preserved Amalfi lemon, it tasted anything but. The third bite was interesting as smoked caviar, Japanese cucumber, potato blini and yoghurt were encased in a crisp sugar shell.
To complement, @markyyw brought out a Greek wine. He took care of the wine pairing that evening and my group of ladies who know a thing or two about vino (I’m looking at you specifically @linosaur), were really pleased with his pours.
The next course was a divine double act of caviar dressed with drops of twenty-five-year-old balsamic vinegar and am amazing venison tartare with rice crisps, eggplant and clarified tomato water.
Following that, a dish that recalls the awe and wonder Chef Fernando had as a child, of the ocean. As he’s originally from Bogota in central Colombia, it was a magical moment for him. Sea urchin, chervil root and a consommé were what he used to capture this memory.
Conceptually and taste-wise, the pasta course was sensational. As perfectly cooked as the Brittany Blue Lobster was, it was the SINGLE STRAND of pasta THREE AND A HALF METRES LONG coiled next to it that had me floored. What’s more, Lin and I managed to eat our respective strands in one continuous, unbroken slurp, aided by the glorious sauce. So proud to have done justice to Chef Fernando’s efforts (he’d shared that since Preludio opened, there’s never been a harder dish to make).
The Turbot was my other favourite and plated with it, sweet slices of French Oudard pears, onion purée, cauliflower and a smooth creamy mash that’s actually rice with saffron.
Chef de Cuisine @stefanliau popped out of the kitchen to explain the “Crimson” which had delectable Wagyu beef finished with a mustard and red wine glaze, and topped with crunchy quinoa and almond flakes.
After we polished off the delightful palate cleanser, “breakfast” followed. This whimsical creation by Pastry Chef @elena_pdc was an “egg” with mango and passionfruit for a yolk, and coconut jelly as the egg white. Beneath was a lime sponge. The bits of broken “egg shell” on the side were actually white chocolate. We were completely captivated.
Her impeccable flair and finesse were on full display again in the second dessert - a sculptural scrumptiousness of white chocolate, earl grey, dulce de leche and cornflakes milk ice-cream.
Naturally, Chef Elena’s petit fours were nothing short of exquisite. While I liked the matcha yuzu tart and salted caramel cinnamon cake a lot, it was the orange marmalade cookie and coconut chocolate bonbon that I adored. It’s so cool she managed to pop out of the kitchen to do a quick FaceTime chat with @heyrozz and their mutual friend in Mexico.

Thank you again Team @preludio.sg for hosting us and @gastrosense PR for the invitation.

The prettiest starter piece as Preludio embarks on Chapter 2 of its journey - TIME .
Maple Syrup Bread with seasoned butter & Foie Gras to complement , Mini Pancakes with Cavier

Hadn’t been into the fine-dining game for quite a while; ended up going for Preludio only because I was free and someone else was also coincidentally available on the same day — a rarity that brought us to having lunch here on a weekday.

Being a fine-dining establishment with a theme, Preludio is now in Chapter Two of their “orchestrated chapters” with the theme being “Time”; the fine-dining establishment previously being brought to attention for their “Monochrome” concept in Chapter One which ran from November 2019 to February 2020. The Time Experience Menu is essentially a six-course affair served Omakase-style, and includes bread service, palate cleanser, and petit four — being priced at S$128++ for weekday lunch; the cuisine revolving around the theme of time where it may be “a moment, an age, a journey or passage; even exploring ancestry and lineage” — a theme that stays consistent and evident from the dishes served especially with the use of aged components and fermentation being very prominent.

A couple of my favourites from the menu which was served on the day of our visit will be the Brioche — fluffy bread that was served with a Fermented Mushroom Glaze and Caramalised Onion Butter; the glaze is almost akin to that of a satisfying cinnamon bun but provides an additional oomph of umami without being overly sweet which was an interesting flavour combination that works out exceptionally well. The King Eggplant was also another winner — savoury aged sashimi-grade Kingfish that is sliced thickly for a great mouthfeel, served with white eggplant ice-cream for a neutral note and blueberry pearls for a slight zing for some contrast of flavours. Another stunner was the π; essentially Celeriac, Squash, Vanilla Cream, Thyme and Grains on a tart pastry — a wonderful item that showcases the skill and execution of the chef through the interesting use of layers for a crispy, yet crunchy texture with a slight sweetness and nuttiness that cuts through the distinct notes of celeriac.

And of course, the crowd favourite has to be the Onion Knight — Wagyu Striploin marble score 7, Onion 5 ways; really enjoyed how smoky that slab of beef was; yet tender and succulent without being any way gamey while the interesting execution of onions here provided a variance of textures and a natural sweetness that pairs so well with the meat.

What I really enjoyed about Preludio is not just the food, but how well-rounded the experience was; the emphasis on the decor, their guests (yes, we had that birthday piñata without actually expecting one) — it was truly well-worth making the trip for. The service staff were not only hospitable and warm, but also have a good knowledge of the food they serve, the concept being behind the theme, as well as the furnishings (because someone had to ask 🤭). I have heard that the menu differs across the board for the various experience menus served on Weekday Lunch, Dinner (highly-recommended by the service staff) and Saturday Lunch; but it’s the Executive Lunch Set served on weekdays that is pretty worth the buck at S$58++ for four courses (excluding supplements) — definitely a deal for those looking to give the Preludio experience a go. Must say that we have left impressed; and would certainly keep this place in mind when the occasion calls for it!

But this wait was a little longer at over two months, for Preludio to open its doors for dining in again.
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Limited seats for the $238++ eight course menu is available for dine in now. If you've bought their Tough Times Tickets, you can already redeem them for this meal, or hold them for a little longer when you're ready to dine in again.
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Back to this dessert, "chotto matte" was the first Japanese word pastry chef Elena learnt when she came to Singapore, as she worked with Japanese professionals. In this dessert, Elena incorporated various Japanese elements - primarily matcha and seaweed, but balanced by yuzu and grapefruit, showcased in various textures.
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This is a yummy and safe choice of flavour combination for a dessert, and it is only the first of two desserts in this menu. The second dessert opened my palate to new combinations that worked so well. More about that dessert next time.

It was a delightful and interesting pairing we had at @Preludio.SG coined as the #SeafoodLovesSake promotion till the end of November.

This Japanese Hamachi with mushroom broth is paired with a Kamoizumi sake from Hiroshima which has been aged for 22 years. The aging notes of the sake is very pronounced on the palate, and it forms an interesting pairing with this seafood dish.

Where even the dessert is in black and white, almost - except for the leaf in green. That to me symbolizes life in the monochromatic simplicity of the cuisine here.
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Pictured - Salted black sesame ice cream with sesame snow, yuzu ganache, strawberries with lime, and baby basil.
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