(Bayfront) So I went out with some friends and we decided to head over to Savour which was situated outside Bayfront MRT Station from 12 to 15 May 2016. So, what exactly is Savour? Here's a description of the concept from their website:
The SAVOUR concept remains the only one of its kind in Asia; a relentless pursuit to unite the best in food and drink with a wide range of culinary experiences in a specially-curated lifestyle setting that is accessible to all. In celebration of its fifth year in Singapore, SAVOUR will present an expanded festival series featuring not one, but three exciting culinary events at its new waterfront home at Marina Bay
During the three days, Savour Gourmet took place, free of charge to enter, featuring several quality culinary creations made by chefs from restaurants such as Saveur Art and Salt & Tapas Bar. An inter-team competition seemed to be going on as people were allowed to vote for which team served the best creations. There was also a Gourmet Market which featured products flown from around the world, as well as delicacies from homegrown owners of eateries like Antoinette! Live music, along with a little alcohol, brought about really chill vibes at the festival. For the most of our time there, my friends and I made use of the Deliveroo app at the event to get 10% off orders above $25 (everything cost either $6 or $12), although we were limited to only the specialties of each restaurant - no complaints there! We shared everything so as to try as much as we could without spending too much. After all, portions were pretty small, so if anyone thought of filling their hungry tummies there, they'd have to think twice because it would've burned a major hole in their wallets. So which were my favourites? I list down my personal best five dishes from the event:
#5 Team CATO - Twice Cooked Kurobuta Pork Belly with Cured Iberico Bellota Ham
Really tender kurobuta pork cooked with a fermented bean curd sauce and topped with Iberico ham and grapefruit. The kurobuta is really good on its own, but you have to eat a little of everything - even the grapefruit - in a mouthful to really savour (pun intended) the full experience of this dish.
#4 Team Gattopardo - Raviolone
The raviola is homemade. I like that it's light and pillowy. It's filled with "Rosso Di Mazara", which (correct me if I'm wrong) is a red prawn, burrata cheese and summer black truffle. I do not like to eat prawns, so I initially intended to avoid the prawn in it, but I accidentally took a bite of it, and I have no regrets. The prawn is so fresh, there's not even a hint of that 'taste of the ocean' that I detest! Possibly the only prawn I'll ever recalling having enjoyed. Loved the burrata and truffle as well which complemented the raviola so well. So good.
#3 Team Salt & Tapas Bar - BBQ Pork Ribs with Mash, Pickled Onions, Sauteed Peas and Edamame and Scallions
Best pork ribs I've ever had. So succulent, soft and amazingly tender that I could cry happy tears eating this. I actually considered ordering this a second time, and I'm not even a fan of pork ribs!
#2 Team Saveur Art - Egg Confit with Truffled Potato Mousseline, Macadamia Nuts, and Brown Butter
After the event, I found myself highlighting this dish to everyone I talked to about Savour. No idea if it was the right thing to do, but my friends and I decided to give this dish a good mix. The result was an extreme delight! The potato mousseline is such a delight, and the macadamia nuts give a nice crunchy contrast to the smoothness of this dish. I wouldn't mind dining at Saveur Art just for this!
#1 Team Buona Terra - Homemade Tagliolini with Mushrooms, Saffron, Parmesan and Black Truffle
I think it's funny that this dish looks the most bland and underwhelming among all the five dishes on this list, yet it's the one that won my vote as I left the event. Unusual for myself as well, considering it's the only meatless specialty we ordered as well. To put it simply, I LOVE truffle anything, and this dish sings TRUFFLE HEAVEN. There is so much perfection in that cream sauce, which is not the least bit cloying, nor is it too thick. Tagliollini is of just the right texture. You can't complain that it's too al dente or too flimsy, whatsoever. Just right. $12 for such a minute portion has never felt so worth it. I really, really wanted to get a second round of this just for myself, but it was sold out by the time I wanted to make the order.
After enjoying too much delicious food, it was nice to end the day with a glass of complimentary sparkling water, courtesy of Badoit.
(Please excuse my awkward hand)
So there you have it, my top five dishes at Savour Gourmet. It was definitely a day to remember - great food, good vibes, awesome company. Savour is set to have two more festivals this year - respectively called Savour Wines and Savour Christmas, so if you're interested you can head to their website for more information on these. This is an annual event, with 2016's being the first to have FOC entry, so fret not if you missed the event completely, as there's always next year (welp, unless for some unforeseen reason they decide to call it off). If you're really keen to try, you could just head down to the respective restaurants. After all, this event was more of a 'sampler' to the gourmet dishes each restaurant had to offer.