Restaurant Matera

The 5 or 7-course Matera Journey menu is one of my top picks for fine dining so far this year. With influences from Chinese and Japanese cuisine, you will not find a second modern Italian dining experience like Matera. The 7-course meal starts off with hot and cold snacks before the first course of La Lune Oyster with an egg pudding, similar to a chawanmushi. It was followed by a foie gras with toast and chrysanthemum jelly before the Hokkaido abalone with dried vegetables that is chef kissed.

The restaurant’s signature dish of Dumpling that contains juicy and plump red prawn and paired with an umami XO sauce with a side of prawn toast. The pigeon with cevennes onion course is cooked perfectly without any gaminess before the entree of wagyu beef with morel with an accompanying side of rice donabe with cheese. It was a spectacle sweet ending with the Japanese melon with limoncello, burrata and tofu ice cream.

Canapés
Mala Olives
Smoked Ricotta

Amuse Bouche
Pomelo Tartlet
pink and white pomelo, anchovy dressing, dried scallop
Puff Pastry
japanese egg yolk, preserved duck sausage, porcini powder

Focaccia
organic extra virgin olive oil - picual (first harvest) and cornicabra (late harvest), whipped butter

Foie Gras
sour papaya, grape, elderflower
(served with toasted brioche)

Conchiglie
red prawn, basil, tomato

Wagyu Beef
chow fan, spring roll, beef tendon

Japanese Melon
limoncello, tofu ice cream, burrata

Petit Fours
Mont Blanc Tartlet, Limoncello Jelly, Pineapple Tart

Dessert: I topped up for Japanese Melon which was a sorbet ice blend made with lemoncello over tofu ice cream and burrata creme 💗 This was 💯👍 sweet refreshing with layering texture ✨awesome.
EVERYTHING ELSE:
Pasta dish is too small a portion for my liking 🥲 small till i can’t really taste the flavor of the dish…
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Main course was the Kimedai - a common fish choice after a few restaurant visit ‘oops’ - simple sauce pairing, skin was crisp well done but no wow factor.
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Petite Four: another mala but in the form of bourbon artisan chocolate, fancy pineapple tart and red bean mooncake for the festive season. hm it’s ok but not my favorite.
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Overrall, an option for a more price-friendly fine-dining experience with really nice views of the singapore river but will hope to see more refinement and volume to the menu for a return visit 😊

Foie Gras was the best fine-dining creation in the menu for me - worthy of the price point✨ beautifully done with the pudding-like foie gras paste paired with truffle, sweet grapes and elderflower touch ✨ with bread stick on the side to balance out the intensity.

💡: I like their menu pricing which ranges from $78+ (2-course) to $268+ (6 courses) and slightly customisable with add-one 👍
📍:
💰: $ 138+ (4 course) add on $18 for japanese melon✨
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Canapés started with Mala-style Kalamanta Olives which tbh wasn’t my thing 🥹 olives is not a very popular favorite i feel among asians and tbh the mala couldn’t save it for me🥲 another is the Parmesan Cheese Ball along with citrus mayonnaise sauce which is a better hit for me but not that unique.
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Amuse Bouche : Tartlet is 💯 finally feel like an experience to start with the use of refreshing pomelo. The focaccia bread was a pass for me too with the array of flavored olive oil (lime etc. )👍

Enjoying a picturesque waterfront view with our iconic landmarks in sight, Restaurant Matera delivered a delightful dining experience. The warm service and playful Asian influences infused into their dishes added a unique touch to our meal.Skipping their tasting menu, we enjoyed the flexibility which the set course brought and had the 4-Course ($138++) lunch. Filling up with their amuse bouche and canapés, I really enjoyed their Parmesan Cheese Ball, Pomelo Tartlet and Japanese Egg Yolk Puff. Among them, the one-bite puff stood out most for me, a savoury and decadent burst of custard with preserved duck sausage inside, topped with porcini powder.

Moving on to the first course, the Foie Gras stole the spotlight with its buttery-smooth texture and exquisite sweetness. Enhanced by the elderflower and grapes, the umami combination was truly stellar. I believe infused with mirin, truffle and miso; the foie gras resembled an airy mousse, simply lip-smacking. The accompanying toasted brioche, made from the chef's old family recipe, complemented the foie gras beautifully.

Next, for the second course, I chose the Lobster Ravioli which presented familiar and comforting flavours of sweet crustaceans and garlic. An eggy sauce drizzled over the pasta added an extra layer of richness. As for the third course, the Australian Wagyu was a succulent delight. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, it was accompanied by celeriac, crunchy sliced artichokes, and a delectable truffle and beef jus sauce.

Lastly, for dessert, the Japanese Melon with Limoncello, Tofu Ice Cream, and Burrata (+$18) was a refreshing finale. It served as a delightful palate cleanser with its tangy limoncello jelly and cool snow. However, the standout elements were the velvety tofu ice cream, creamy burrata sauce, and tapioca. To top it off, the Petit Four featured a cute trio: Oolong Tea Mini Mooncake with red bean paste and hazelnut, Chinese-style Pineapple Tart, and a Chocolate Bon Bon with Szechuan peppercorn.