It’s been said that you can tell a lot about the meal you’re going to be served at a restaurant by the quality of the bread basket that arrives before the main courses. So when our waiter placed a basket of thin, crispy, buttery, salty squares in front of us at Krish, we knew we were in for a treat. Through mumbly, crumb-filled mouths we asked what sort of bread magic this was and our warm and helpful waiter explained that it was the chef’s take on chapatti—the Indian flatbread. And it certainly was a sign of things to come. Just as the chapatti was an update of the traditional, so was the ravioli which came next. Filled not with a timid mozzarella cheese, but with a spiced carrot mash, the thin-skinned pockets of pleasure were set afloat in a pool of ginger brown butter and adorned with crunchy pomegranate seeds. It was at once tart and creamy with a pleasant heat glowing underneath, thanks to the ginger. The tempura brie was a similar carnival of contrasts: Crispy coating giving way to a soft inside; a fresh and crispy salad counterbalancing the decadence of the full-fat French cheese; a light breeze of curry blowing through the whole affair. For the main course, the moist snapper continued to delight, enrobed as it was not with the usual breadcrumbs or even more trendy panko, but with crushed papadums—a touch that added just the right amount of global intrigue to a typically mild fish. The only misstep in an otherwise fine culinary journey was the mushroom pongal which our waiter said was like “an Indian version of risotto.” While the truffle and mushroom flavor was spot on, the rice itself lacked character and seemed more like a bland, inexpensive version than something sourced from a market from a far-away land; for this we’ve had to pull back one star. Dessert ended everything on a high note, though, with Valrhona chocolate Frangelico chunks and a mint yogurt sorbet set adrift on a plate splashed with a swathe of pink peppercorn sauce. It was, again, a dazzling contrast in textures and flavors, which seems to be the hallmark of American chef Matthew Baker’s style here. The setting at Krish delights as much as the food. In fact, it’s advisable to arrive early and enjoy a drink on the upper-level outdoor deck next to the glass-cube that is the bar. The Tweeks with Prosecco, strawberries and ginger is particularly refreshing—especially while enjoying one of the swings. You can also eat on the deck, but you might not want to miss the chandeliers made from old bottles indoors in the country estate-style dining room. Either way, make sure you try those chapatti crisps!Have you tried the Bone Marrow Jam? It’s one of I-S Magazine’s 50 things to eat in Singapore before you die (2010). Or the stuffed tofu crespelle also made the list as one of I-S Magazine’s 50 things to eat in Singapore before you die (2011).
