This past Chinese new year, I learnt that my daughter Sarah has a love for abalone.
So when we heard about an abalone festival, we knew we had to check it out.
The Abagold Abalone Festival, happening from March 22 to April 21, is hosted by five restaurants, each with its creative culinary spin centred on the mollusk.
Our first stop was Jiak Kim House, helmed by executive Chef Seow Tzi Qin. The restaurant occupies a beautifully restored 1920s heritage house serving modern Asian cuisine.
Partygoers of the 1990s would remember the site as Zouk.
Sour Plum Calamansi Abalone Salad ($32)
We started the meal with Sour Plum Calamansi Abalone Salad ($32). Tender South African abalone was paired with yuzu soy hamachi sashimi, salad greens and a mix of seasonal fruits.
I enjoyed the light sour plum, calamansi dressing which kept the salad refreshing without overpowering the other ingredients, especially the abalone and hamachi.
Herbal Dashi Seafood Beurre Blanc ($48)
For our main, we shared the Herbal Dashi Seafood Beurre Blanc ($48).
This decadent dish is a seafood lovers' dream.
The abalone was pan-fried in butter, its tender flesh complementing the mussel, scallop, prawn, octopus tentacle, fish and ikura. The seafood was really fresh and flavourful.
I loved the herbal broth with bits of cabbage and rice grains. It reminded me of the local Teochew pao fan.
Our abalone feast did not stop there.
Earthly Paradise ($28)
I had the cocktail Earthly Paradise ($28), which displayed a delicate balance of flavours from the abalone brine, pisco and a touch of lemon.
Abagold Abalone Festival
March 22 – April 21
Instagram: lere.sg
Participating restaurants: Jiak Kim House, Ristorante Luka, Eclipse by BDC, Hai Tien Lo, Torasho Ramen & Charcoal Bar
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