If you’ve never dined at speakeasy-style restaurant and bar Fordham & Grand, this is an opportune time.
The Prohibition era set-up that comes complete with its own blink-and-you’ll-miss-it entrance, celebrates its first anniversary this week with a menu that rounds up all the reasons it’s become an open secret among the well-heeled crowd.
Start with the salmon tartar duo ($17) for a taste of how Chef Fong Kean Hun (formerly from Joël Robuchon) continuously refines his classics to excite the palate. The former is a rich, rather unctuous version made with mustard and honey balsamic, while the new version is bathed in ponzu dressing and topped with kaiso salad. Each offers its own kick.
The main, a hearty duo of cheek bourguignon with potato puree and minute steak with shallot confit ($40) gives an idea of how Fordham & Grand fashion their meats — with quality cuts and levels of preparedness. The beef cheek is only available as a special on an ad-hoc basis outside of the anniversary week, while the minute steak is on the supper menu (the bar and restaurant opens till 3am daily and is one of our choice late-night eateries in Singapore).
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All this leaves ample room for dessert ($15), which as far as we’re concerned, is the highlight of an ambitious kitchen. Their French toast with dark rum sabayon has understandably become a hot favourite making it to several must-eat lists across Singapore. The combination of a crisp-outside-soft-inside brioche and lightly whipped Italian dessert is divine. The deconstructed banana cake created by chef de partie Angela Lai (look out for this one!) in a bowl is a relative newbie, but is just as tingling.
Fordham & Grand’s anniversary specials are available through Jan. 19.
