Wine & Dine – August 2019

017

http://www.wnd.sg

Located along River Valley Road, right opposite Valley
Point Shopping Centre, 8picure is a cosy 16-seater
restaurant run by chef-owner Gabriel Lee. Lee has
taken quite an unconventional path to get to where he
is today—he was formerly a banker but was deeply
passionate about cooking, which led him to pursue
a short culinary course in Italy. Upon his return, he
honed his skills at Italian fine-dining restaurant
Forlino for about a year before taking the plunge to
set up a private dining kitchen in the comfort of his
own home. From there, he established a loyal group
of customers who enjoyed his creations, which are
all prepared with the best quality ingredients. But
operating a private dining concept has its limitations

• due to space constraint in his house, he was only able
  to accommodate up to six pax at any given time, and his
  customers were constantly asking if he could expand
  the seating capacity. This led him to think about
  opening a physical restaurant with a larger seating
  capacity. After months of searching for a suitable
  location, Lee decided on the cosy and intimate space
  where 8picure is currently housed.
  The menu here is centred around European cuisine
  with a particular focus on Italian dishes. To start, we
  recommend trying the tuna salsa with prawn cracker
  ($12) and the burrata cheese with beetroot gazpacho
  ($16). The former boasts savoury flavours with a
  spicy kick and we like how the cracker gave the dish
  a nice textural crunch, while the latter offers a lovely
  combination of sweet and buttery flavours from the
  cheese, as well as savoury notes from the parma ham
  crisp, which all went perfectly with the silky gazpacho.
  Deciding on our main course was a breeze as
  we were recommended by the waitstaff to try Lee’s

signatures which have been favourites on his menu

since his private dining days, such as the gambero

rosso pasta ($26), the slow cooked beef ($32), and

the herb crusted baked cod fish with broccoli mash

and roasted red pepper sauce ($34). All three were

outstanding, but the pasta dish, comprising tagliolini

tossed in special in-house prawn stock and topped

with sweet shrimp tartare (amaebi) and flying fish

roe (tobiko) was a clear winner. The pasta was cooked

to al dente perfection, offering a nice bite, while the

prawn and fish roe gave the dish a delightful mix of

sweet and savoury flavours. Apart from using fresh,

premium quality ingredients, another thing we noticed

about Lee’s cooking is how he strives to achieve a good

balance of flavours and textures in every dish.

Meat lovers are bound to enjoy the wagyu beef

cheek which is slow cooked in caramelised onions and

served with cauliflower puree, maitake mushrooms and

Brussels sprouts. The meat is was flawlessly executed,

yielding fork tender meat that melds perfectly with

the mushrooms and vegetables. Another scrumptious

alternative is the cod fish, featuring a deliciously

crunchy crust that is made from almonds, parmesan

and herbs mix.

End off your meal on a high note with the tiramisu

8picurean ($16)—Lee’s take on the classic tiramisu,

prepared using homemade mascarpone cheese mousse,

lady fingers that have been soaked with a special blend

of whisky and marsala coffee, roasted almond flakes

and 100% cacao powder.

The menu at 8picure changes seasonally according

to what’s fresh and available. –MY

#01-04, 428 River Valley Road, Singapore 248327

Tel: 6677 1075

8picure