I’ve seen chef Rishi Naleendra’s work grow through the years. I first knew of him when I visited MACA, gosh that was a long time ago, I think 5 years ago, when I was impressed by the usage of some funky ingredients in the dishes.
Then came Cheek by Jowl, serving to reinforce my impression of this chef.
And while Cloudstreet is not brand new (opened over a year ago), I dined there for the very 1st time couple of weeks ago.
It was great! Still showing off an innovative spin to his trademark Australia meets Sri Lanka cuisine, the $198 per person degustation is one of the most creative out there.
Here’s what went down:
Wonderful start to what turned out to be an amazing meal. The oyster was grilled on binchotan and such a lovely smoky flavour together with the acidity of the finger lime and creamy coconut.
Snacks featuring Quail eggs filled with smoked herring, Pickled Mussels with edible shells and a mini tart of Chicken Liver and cranberry.
This is Jeju island Grilled Abalone in a lovely dashi broth and “majestic” caviar, from Japan.This pretty arrangement is thinly-sliced Razor Clams served with cultured cream. The chef grates fresh wasabi into the cream which adds a lovely pop together with the drops of dill.
What was interesting about this dish was that the Venison Tartare was mixed with fermented plum and cashew, it added that extra acidity and crunch that I so enjoy when eating something heavy like tartare.I love marron, well, I love shellfish in general, but I hardly get to eat marron in Singapore. This was a classic dish to show off the chef’s heritage, a Sri Lankan coconut broth and the marron from Australia.
A fun little snack, bringing us back to our Ok Pocky munching days. Except this is a dhal stick with sakura ebi on aioli.
Barbequed Turbot, Spiced Raisin and Coconut Miso.Apparently, at Cloudstreet, they like to serve the bread in the middle of the degustation, warm and fresh. This is the Singapore stout and liquorice bread. My husband ate most of it. I am not a fan of liquorice so it wasn’t quite my thing.
F1 Beef from Australia, the result of a cross-breed between Angus and Wagyu. Served with fermented soy and a meaty king oyster mushroom. The beef was just the right mix of flavour and tenderness.
Jerusalem Artichoke and Rhubarb dessert with Red Miso ice cream. While I prefer sweet endings, nothing like a decadent chocolate treat but I must say this was one of the most interesting desserts I have ever had. We were told that the chef likes to end on a savoury note.Ending off with a representation of the chef’s Sri Lankan and Australian background. A carrot halwa, a coconut treat and another interesting flavour bomb, the vegemite on toast roll.
While the food itself is worth heading to Cloudstreet for, I must say chef Rishi and team have upped their service game several notches. From the time you walk in, you’re made to feel very welcome, the sommelier is very helpful, and the rest of the team, friendly as well.
A Tale of Two Restaurants along Amoy Street
At this point, I really must tell you about the tale of two restaurants along the same Amoy street. Both Michelin-starred, both serving a degustation menu of the same price, both under the esteemed Unlisted Collection group but what a difference in service and innovativeness in the cuisine.
Anyway, asides from the amazing food, just to highlight how Cloudstreet delighted us. We were there to celebrate a key milestone, but we didn’t mention what it was and were certainly not expecting anything, but still, the team served us this adorable treat.
Such a contrast with Basque Kitchen and how they did nothing at all despite having mentioned both during the booking and then, casually at the end of the meal, that we were celebrating a 50th birthday. Not to mention the uninspired food that we had.
So if you’re wondering where to spend that $198 along Amoy Street, choose Cloudstreet for its exciting cuisine and impeccable service.
