Labyrinth 2023: Best Tasting Menu I Had (So Far) – Part 1
Singapore would always be the birthplace of my ‘foodie’ awakening. Four months of living there as an exchange student was all it took for me to gain 15 pounds (that I never lost) and for me to discover that eating is more than just basic nourishment – it’s a passion, it’s a hobby, it’s meant to be experienced.
When I was younger, I couldn’t grasp the idea of travelling ‘to eat’ as I subscribed to the idea that we should tick off all of the ‘must-see’ and ‘must-do’ attractions the place has to offer. However, as I aged (and my endurance wavered), it just makes sense that the best way to ‘live and breathe’ the city you’re in is through tasting its food – having a bite of its local produce and appreciating the flavor and taste profiles adapted to the taste of its locals.
So, I promised myself that I’ll treat myself to at least one fancy meal every time I travel. Last June 2023, I decided to try out Labyrinth (then, awarded the Highest Climber in the Top 50 Asia Restaurants); currently at No. 30 - it offers a tasting menu that’s Singaporean - with a price point that doesn't deviate from the ones we have in Manila (SGD208 at that time).
SOFT BOILED TEA EGGS with WARM SPICED BAH KUT TEH
We arrived a little early for our lunch reservation, but their front of desk team member jovially entertained us with an anecdote on how he had to ‘cram’ tidbits about BTS and Suga (as most of their diners during the weekend are fans who came to watch his concert) so the twenty minutes went by quickly. We were then comfortably seated in a private room (even if we were just three)!
MEMORIES OF NEWTON FOOD CENTRE
We started our meal with soft boiled tea quail eggs which came with a warm cup of spiced bak kut teh each. This isn’t part of the lunch proper yet; but it’s a nice introduction for the meal ahead – the theme is Chef LG Han’s Homage to Singapore – drawn from his childhood memories and personal anecdotes growing up in Singapore.
After that, they quickly brought it a hawker table mock up and placed it on our table – together with the classic table number, its CLAYGO logo, and a personalized Labyrinth tissue pack branded as “Chope” which means to ‘reserve’ as an intentional nod to Singaporean culture of using tissue packs to ‘reserve’ a table in hawker centers.
ROTI JOHN | Textures of Tomato
ORH LUAK| Oyster | Caviar | Uni
OTAH | Sawara | Finger Lime
HAINANESE SATAY | Chicken Tsukene
Suddenly, our table started being filled with gorgeous looking food – we started with the Roti John – the macaron-shaped meringue stuffed with tomato; followed by the Orh Luak – an intricate layer of oyster, caviar and uni – that’s meant to be a one-biter but is a struggle to do so! The Otah is the log-shaped appetizer that came with its own grill; and culminated with the Hainanese Satay sticks. Honestly, I was pretty overwhelmed with all the sights and flavors that eating through this first course was a surreal blur to me.
OLD SCHOOL BREAD | Soy Caramel | Kopi Butter
The next course was an ode to traditional Singaporean bakeshops which tediously churn out charred loaves which customers typically pair with a classic cup of hot Kopi. I loved how this course was set up – first, there was a printed out note from Labyrinth to share a little bit of a historical background for these bakeries -and how, their numbers have dwindled down to just 8 from their peak of 200 in the 1970s.
The way they set up this entire course was one of the most ingenious I’ve ever seen – I loved that it came with an audio clip which just played recordings of what sounded like a typically loud and busy Singaporean morning decades ago. This audio contraption was brilliantly concealed by a folded newspaper which simply helped transport us to one of these traditional bakeries. The bread was amazingly fluffy and was served with two kinds of spreads – a Soy Caramel one and a Kopi Butter one. Both were delicious, but the Kopi Butter simply elevated the entire experience.
CHILI CRAB 10.0 | Local Flower Crab
The next course is broken down in two parts – the first of which was a beautiful bowl of fresh crab meat layered with beautiful edible flowers. This is a dish served cold, and boy, I wouldn’t mind another scoop of that crab. This tasted as pretty as it looked.
Of course, you can’t have a homage to Singaporean cuisine if you can’t give a nod to the famous Singaporean Chili Crab – which Labyrinth delicately expresses through a gorgeously golden deep-fried ball infused with chili-tomato sauce – a sophisticated version of the traditional pairing of fried mantou to scoop up the sauce of the crab.
HAINANESE “CHICKEN” PIE | Local Frog’s Leg
The next course is another showcase of Labyrinth's ingenuity - as they literally executed what people usually say to first-time frog diners - ‘frog tastes like chicken’ in the best way possible – through a ‘chicken’ pie. The only frog dish I’m accustomed (and willing to eat) would be deep fried frog legs so this is definitely a new experience for me.
It’s interestingly packaged like our usual Peach Mango Pie – complete with the cardboard packaging and its golden brown crunchy crust. The servers would then ‘unwrap’ the pie and top it with shavings of black truffle. This was delicious – and yes, if you didn’t know it was made of frog, you’d really think it’s chicken! Abalone and vegetables are added to the filling. Truly, brilliant!
Watch out for Part 2 of this tasting menu experience in my next food blog post!
Labyrinth
Esplanade Mall, Raffles Avenue, #02-23, Singapore 039802
Date of Visit: June 18, 2023 with Lily Chua and Samantha Bautista
