Chubby Botak Koala - Singapore Food Blog, Travel and Lifestyle: One-Ninety Restaurant and One-Ninety Bar – Argentinian Takeover at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore [MEDIA INVITE]

From Buenos Aires to Singapore, award-winning Renato “Tato” Giovannoni (recognised as one of the top 10 bartenders in the world) and culinary and hospitality maestro Alex Resnik, are taking over One-Ninety Restaurant and One-Ninety Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. This three-month stint will start from 1st August 2023, diners are invited to experience the rich culinary heritage of Argentina.

One-Ninety Restaurant - Part of Dining Area

Every night diners will embark on a culinary journey of Argentina’s food culture, a melting pot of flavours originating from traditional native dishes, flavours brought by the immigrants across the Atlantic Ocean plus the delectable European influences.

One-Ninety Restaurant with South American Wines

One-Ninety Restaurant x Brasero Atlántico (“BA”) – will feature à la carte dinner menu and a six-course Chef’s Table dinner experience (SGD 168 per person) specially curated by Resnik, that showcase diverse flavours and traditional techniques. The dishes are created focused on simplicity, with the most fresh, local and best ingredients, all cooked “a las brasas” (on the grill), inspired by immigrants who arrived in Rio de la Plata. To complement the meal, diners can also look forward to sipping on an impressive selection of South American wines, including malbecs and torrontés, which perfectly pair with the bold flavours of the cuisine. Cocktail flights (SGD 68 per flight) and wine flights (SGD 88 per flight) are also available.

Panera - House-made “Masa Madre” Bread served with
Spanish Anchovies and unsalted Bordier Butter

The tasting started with Panera, House-made “Masa Madre” Bread served with Spanish Anchovies and unsalted Bordier Butter. Masa Madre is a traditional and ancient bread-making method, equivalent of sourdough starter. The version here has a soft, pillowy texture with the taste of rye bread. The smooth and silky Bordier Butter compliment the bread nicely, but adding the anchovies into the mix, just create the outstanding umami flavour. Yum.

Octopus Confit

Starters are served family style; Octopus Confit, 2 types of Empanadas, Veal Tongue “Pampa Style” and Aged Provoleta Cheese. Octopus Confit cooked with cinnamon and orange. It is soft, tender infused with zesty refreshing orange flavour. The same texture can also be experienced in the Veal Tongue. It is fork-tender, with a hint of vinegar and topped with Argentinian Salsa Criolla.

Veal Tongue “Pampa Style”

BA served 2 types of Empanadas, the most popular street food in Argentina. The non-meat version is filled with leek and provolone, while the meat version is filled with ossobuco (veal shanks). The empanada is baked, resulting in a crisp and crunchy pastry that is not oily. The leak and provolone tasted light and creamy, while the ossobuco is hearty and fulfilling. My pick is the ossobuco empanada.

Empanadas

Empanada with Leek & Provolone

Empanada with Ossobuco

The Aged Provoleta Cheese is a popular Argentinian dish that uses Provoleta (cheese specifically for grilling) commonly eaten as an appetizer for the chargrilled meat. Traditionally a thick size of Provoleta is placed on a hot grill over charcoal fire until crisped and browned with a gooey just-melted centre. Here, BA seasoned the Provoleta with oregano and topped with Salsa Criolla, this dish is packed with flavour and a must-try for cheese lovers. Just make sure you eat it as soon as it served, before the texture hardens.

Aged Provoleta Cheese

For the mains, we have Wagyu Flank Steak, Rib Eye, Whole Baby Spring Chicken, Frog Legs “A la Provenzal” and Gnocchi.

Wagyu Flank Steak

The Wagyu Flank Steak and Rib Eye are cooked the asador way. Each steak is nicely charred, while the interior is cooked to the point of medium rare. The flank steak is on the leaner side, it is tender with a nice bite to it. Meanwhile, the Ribeye is from Entre Todos Farm in Argentina. The meat is tender, juicy and fatty. Yummy.

Rib Eye - Entre Todos Farm Argentina

Frog Legs “A la Provenzal” is not a common sight in restaurants in Singapore. Alex Resnik strongly promotes this dish and it lives up to its reputation. The frog legs are huge, double the size of those we found in our local frog leg porridge. The meat on the frog legs tasted clean, bouncy and flavourful, while the sauce made from butter, garlic, parsley and lemon juice is creamy, fragrant and rich. It is served with potato, which I use to polish some of those delicious sauces. An absolutely must try!!

Frog Legs “A la Provenzal”

The roasted Whole Baby Spring Chicken is perfectly done. One of the most underrated dishes in most restaurants, but when you get the paper-thin crispy skin followed by juicy, flavourful and succulent chicken meat, like the version here, it is absolutely gorgeous. I tried the thigh and breast meat; both are moist and tender. The herbs on the skin also enhance the flavours of the chicken nicely. Yummy!

Whole Baby Spring Chicken

Gnocchi cooked with butter and topped with Pecorino. Is this an Argentinian dish? The fact is over 30 million people in Argentina claim some kind of Italian heritage. Therefore, it is not surprising to have an Italian dish as part of Argentinian food. It has a bouncy and chewy texture, while the flavour from the butter, browned exterior of the gnocchi and the pecorino cheese.

Gnocchi

To accompany the main meal, we have the following sides French Fries, Fennel, Beets, Radicchio. The French Fries have a crispy exterior followed by a moist interior. It is seasoned with algae salt where I can taste a bit of saltiness mixed with umami flavour in the fries.

French Fries with Algae Salt

The fennel salad is paired with watercress and citrus (orange and blood orange). It is light, crunchy and refreshing. The beets are a combination of beetroot, egg, mashed potato and quinoa. I like the sweet earthy texture of the beetroot, while the soft-boiled egg and mashed potato add creaminess to this salad.

Fennel

Beets

Radicchio. This salad is served with watercress and endive. It has crunchy with sweet balsamic dressing. It helps to balance the rich meaty flavour of the main dishes.

Radicchio

To the desserts, “Queso y Dulce”, Dulce de Leche Flan, Brasero Sacher Torte, Lemon Mousse and Valrhona Chocolate Lava Cake. Queso y Dulce is translated to cheese and fruit paste. BA use Galician Tetilla Cheese with Quience Jam. A nice pairing where the flavour is more neutral and lighter.

“Queso y Dulce”

Dulce de Leche Flan is made by simmering milk and sugar in low flames. The texture is soft and creamy packed with caramel flavour. The caramel sauce came out naturally from the flan during the baking and cooling time. Serve together with mascarpone and candied walnut, it is just addictive.

Dulce de Leche Flan

Brasero Sacher Torte is BA version of chocolate cake. It is soft but firm, and the chocolate flavour is rich and intense, especially in the dark chocolate glaze exterior. The Lemon Mousse is a meringue with strawberry coulis. The lemon is folded into the meringue to add a refreshing zesty flavour to the dessert.

Brasero Sacher Torte

Lemon Mousse

Valrhona Chocolate Lava Cake served with white chocolate ganache. Instead of oozing with dark chocolate, the filling in the lava cake is replaced with Yerba Mate, the Argentinian national tea. The result is like a chocolate lava cake filled with green matcha-like cream. The taste from the yerba mate fillings bodes well with the dark chocolate and white chocolate ganache. Yummy.

Valrhona Chocolate Lava Cake

To end the evening, we are served with surprise Yerba Mate with Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate bites.

Yerba Mate

Dark Chocolate & White Chocolate Bites

Dark Chocolate

Overall, it was an excellent culinary journey of Argentinian cuisine. While some of the dishes look familiar, we find the taste uniquely different due to the use of Argentinian flavour and ingredients. Salud! Cheers!

Thank you very much One-Ninety Restaurant, Brasero Atlántico and Four Seasons Hotel Singapore for the tasting invitation.

One-Ninety Restaurant x Brasero Atlántico

When: 1 August 2023 to October 2023.

Time: Nightly, 18:00 to 22:30 (Last Order at 22:00)

For reservation, call +65 831 7653 or email

dining.singapore@fourseasons.com

Menu and details available at:

https://www.fourseasons.com/singapore/dining/restaurants/brasero-and-floreria-pop-up/

Food & Drink: 9/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8.75/10

Budget per Person: $81 & Above

One-Ninety Restaurant

190 Orchard Blvd

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

Singapore 248646

T: +65 6831 7250

W: https://www.fourseasons.com/singapore/dining/restaurants/one_ninety/

F: https://www.facebook.com/OneNinetySingapore

IG: @oneninetysg

OH:

Breakfast: 06.30 – 10.30 (LO 10.30)

Weekday Lunch: 12.00 – 14.30 (LO 14.00)

Weekend Brunch: 12.00- 15.00 (LO 14.30)

Brasero Atlántico Pop-up: 18.00 – 22.30 (LO 22.00)

One-Ninety Bar - Outdoor Seating Area

Moving on to the bar – One-Ninety Bar x Florería Atlántico (World’s 50 Best Bars - #18) is where cocktails are based on the contribution left by the migratory waves that came across the Atlantic Ocean in the 1900s and helped build the country, focusing on local products and how the immigrant communities adapted their customs to the lands. The brainchild of Giovannoni, the spirit of the cocktail list was designed in partnership with Felipe Pigna, one of Argentina’s most notable and influential contemporary historians, exploring the land’s original colonies and its native inhabitants.

One-Ninety Bar - Outdoor Seating Area

Cocktail highlights include Florería Atlántico’s classics such as the Negroni Balestrini (SGD 27), made with gin, Campari, Amaro Averna, eucalyptus, pinon (Pine) and seawater, as well as the El Dorado (SGD 29), a refreshing mix of Cachaça, Manifest, house-made Mate Tereré, sugar cane juice and tropical fruits. To accompany the tipples, a Raw Bar with a selection of crudo will be offered daily.