New Signature Menu by Chef Trevor Paulo at SO Sofitel Singapore

Did you know that the previously-known Sofitel So Singapore has been renamed to SO Sofitel Singapore as part of a rebranding since February this year? Chef Trevor Paulo from Xperience Restaurant (where I first met tennis superstar, Serena Williams) has recently unveiled a brand new signature menu to celebrate the elegant French cooking with a touch of Asian flair. 

Click HERE to check out the SO Sofitel Singapore!

Cured Salmon - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

We started the dinner off with a Cured Salmon which comes with cucumber shavings (which reminded me of Hendrick's Gin), pickled cauliflower, dill and coriander pearls, tobiko (flying fish roe) as well as fermented apple juice. The tobiko provided the dish with slight saltiness and the apple juice together with the cucumber shavings made this dish a really light and refreshing one to start the dinner with.

Spanner Crab - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

The second starter that I sampled during dinner was the Spanner Crab served with lime mayonnaise, spring herbs and flowers, seaweed crackers, 'wasabi snow' and sansho. I love the generous servings of spanner crab (which I am usually too unmotivated to get through because of the chambers containing meat seems impossible to break) and the play of flavours from the saltiness of the seaweed crackers as well as the freshness from the edible flowers. The wasabi snow of course, was the key component that most diners were impressed with.

Beef Short Rib - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

The tasting portion of the Beef Short Rib comes with an onion puree, spring onion tempura, leek confit, broccolini, onion 'paper' and shallot jus. The maple leaf looking thing photographed above is actually an onion 'paper' which is seriously one of the strangest (in a good way!) thing I have eaten in a while. I love the fork-tender beef and the contrasting crunch from the broccolini - definitely a recommended dish if you are a meat-lover. 

Lamb Confit - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

The next main that I have sampled was the Lamb Confit with ginger carrot puree, Kenya beans, asparagus, heirloom carrots and vadouvan jus. What exactly is vadouvan you say? In layman's terms, it is French curry. The reinterpreted masala (which first originated in Southern India) by the French gives a dish an unexpected flavour and depth without the heat. In fact, even if you are usually put off by the gamey taste of lamb, the Lamb Confit here will definitely put you on the right route to recovery! 

Carrot Cake - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

Chocolate Dome - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

Dessert is an important course here at the Xperience Restaurant. I first sampled the Carrot Cake served with walnut, cream cheese, maple soil, apricot sorbet, spiced ginger and carrot chips. While I am generally not a huge fan of desserts, I thought that the apricot sorbet and maple soil were both very interesting and uncommon elements. The chocolate dome (which was impressive to watch as it 'opened') was too sweet for my liking but diners were raving about it - I wanted to take a video but it was complete obstructed by the arm of a waitress pouring the vanilla creameux over. 

Xperience Celebrations Dessert (feat. Ms Skinnyfat) - Xperience Restaurant
SO Sofitel Singapore

If you are looking for a truly different dessert experience, the Xperience Celebrations (suitable for up to 4 adults) allows you to create a dessert masterpiece (either by yourself or the chef) in front of your very eyes. Just look at how excited Ms Skinnyfat is with the masterpiece creation!

This was an invited media-tasting session, though all views expressed are my own.

SO Sofitel Singapore
35 Robinson Road, Singapore 068876
Website | Lunch: 1130AM to 2PM (WE from 12PM) | Dinner: 6PM to 1030PM