Atlantic dining room

Atlantic dining room resides within the prestigious and exclusive Tower Club on the 62nd floor of Republic Plaza. The club itself deserves mention as its members are only allowed to register "by invitation" only. Its rather simple to sum up the criteria though, millionaires, CEOs and ministers would probably fall within the invitation list. I was fortunate enough to have a friend who had access to the premises and was thus able to attend a special dinner this night. The chef's at the helm for the night are worth mentioning as well, Chef Edward Voon and Chef Paco Roncero (the king of olive oil and Chef Voon's mentor). In any normal circumstance, a meal by Paco Roncero would have meant flying to Spain and being on a waiting list for 3 months. As such, i chose this night to propose to my fair lady as well but only food will be shown here. And without further ado, let us move on...

The waiting area and the first view that greets you at Tower Club is a rather intimidating one. Perched on the 62nd floor, you'll get an unimpeded view of the work-in-progress Marina Bay Sands project and the sea. The club spared no expense for the decor as well, you'll notice art pieces, comfortable sofas and splendid carpets that will awaken the monarch in you.

One of my favorite shots that night, outlining the setting sun in the background with the lamps and tables in view.

To start off, this special dinner was prepared and designed by the collective efforts of Chef Paco and Chef Voon. Both of which has won a special place in my heart after this meal. The service is impeccable and attentive for the waiting staff and in particular, the floor manager who helped in the final proposal. So here's a big thank you for everyone that night.

Frozen Daiquiri - The first item to be served is well liked by the ladies but received a lukewarm reception by the guys. The frozen daiquiri has a layer of warm egg white outlining the top with the cool daiquiri itself settling below it. The daiquiri itself is very sour, albeit refreshingly so when taken together with the egg white which itself has a very smooth texture not unlike smooth beancurd. The end result is it gets you very hungry for the main meal, which is its sole duty.

Complimentary Bread - Before our next dish, the much talked and praised complimentary bread is served. I took an instead liking to one particular version which on first bite, tasted like pizza bread with a little spicy tinge to it but slowly gives off an aromatic mint aftertaste which is unlike any bread i've had before. Needless to say, the four of us managed to clear 3 baskets worth of bread.

Olive oil butter, Foie Gras with Red Wine, Sesame Sponge with Miso, Liquid Chicken "croquette", Raspberry Fondant with Wasabi, Tomato Biscuit with Basil - The dish had a particular sequence for finishing beginning with the Liquid Chicken "Croquette" with bread crumbs which was fantastic. The moment you pop the entire ball into your mouth, it literally melts and leaves a taste of chicken in your mouth which is further enhanced by the fried bread crumbs. Superb! The tomato biscuit had a very very strong tomato taste but i couldn't taste the basil. Next up, the raspberry fondant with wasabi is strange to me because the raspberry fondant has a caramelized layer over it which crackles and pops when you bite into it while the wasabi gives it an added kick of surprise. The sesame sponge with miso is a fluffy concoction that gives the impression of eating solidified miso soup with sesame. Foie gras with red wine is surprising in that the red wine is the thin layer surrounding the foie gras and this layer will melt in your mouth to produce a strong fragrance of red wine. I didn't quite like the taste of foie gras in it though because it tasted pretty raw and i prefer my goose liver cooked and hot. The final item is a simple biscuit with olive oil butter served in a tub. The butter is smooth and rich but nothing else i could say about it. Overall, this starter was very interesting indeed with loads of stuff i've never tried before.

21st Century Spanish Omelette - I was surprised when another liquid item was served up and was stumped when i was told it was a spanish omelette from the 21st century no less. True enough, it was very interesting with its foamy layer of egg white and even more so when you mix it with the yellowish tinge which was salty and the layer of onions which really did give it the impression of being an omelette. Its pretty good but i still prefer my omelettes in solid form.

Lobster, Grapefruit and Virgin Olive Oil Soup - The grapefruits in this were surprisingly sweet and very satisfying while the lobster was sweet and springy. The olive oil soup was subtle and a little bland but otherwise served to bring out the sweetness of the lobster even more. I enjoyed this.

Brittany Sea Bass in "Salmorejo" - I don't know what Brittany sea bass means but this is one of the best fish dishes i've had. Pan seared to perfection with its superbly crispy outer layer which is still not over cooked and a wonderfully hot (read: hot!) and soft meat on the inside. I'm amazed at how they managed to cook the fish so thoroughly and keep the dish so warm on the inside when served. Not to mention as well, the seemingly simple dressing you see on the sea bass is awesome. Sweet and slightly sourish with pepper overtones, it just works. Perfectly executed in my book.

Wagyu Beef with Lemon Puree - Another perfectly executed main dish. The wagyu is soft, chewy and done medium rare throughout. The lemon puree is sourish with some red wine (i think) and works really well with the already perfectly executed beef. I was fortunate enough to have 2 servings because my gf was already rather full and for the record, i finished all of it. It's just something you need to try.

Orange Sorbet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Once again, olive oil is used in ways i cannot fathom. The sorbet, however, is moderately sweet and once again, a little sour but is suitably refreshing after the heavy meal we just went through. The nuts and jelly-like items (which is suspect are infused with red and white wine) only serve to refresh the palatte even more.

Fizzy Sweets and Virgin Olive Oil Gummies - This really reminds me of childhood with the popping and crackling of the fizzy sweet chocolates in my mouth. The gummies were also very interesting as they taste more and more like lychee as you chew on them. A suitable and light ending to a wonderful meal.

Of course, after all the wonderful food, its time to face the music and it doesn't come cheap. A superb meal for 4 made us $602.62 poorer altogether.

Ambience: 8.5/10 Service: 8.5/10 Food: 8.5/10 Value for money: 7/10 Overall score: 8.5/10 (not an average)

Last word: The food is excellent. The service is great and the ambience is wonderful. At the end of this meal, a new couple is born. Apart from that, a new respect and admiration for the chefs that concocted this meal was also born. Do give this a try if you can. Cheers and this will always be a happy memory for me.