I can’t afford an apartment at Sentosa Cove (yet), so it’s always nice to attend events there as it gives you a chance to check out the eateries or the luxurious yachts berthed in the marina. Hence I didn’t hesitate to say “yes” when Musings on the M49 was invited by SUTL Consumer Goods – which owns and manages ONE°15 Marina Club, among other brands – for a food-and-wine tasting luncheon at WOK°15 Kitchen.
Just over a year old, WOK°15 serves exquisite Cantonese cuisine and is helmed by Executive Chef Chum Kar Ho from Hong Kong who has two decades of experience working with the likes of Crystal Jade and Imperial Treasure.
The a la carte menu features the usual suspects of appetisers, soups, dim sum, live seafood, stir-fry dishes and grilled items. For the tasting, we were presented with a selection of WOK°15 signature dishes.
First up was a trio of appetizers. The Deep Fried Fish Skin with Salted Egg Yolk (pictured at top of page) was light, crispy and tasty – a good way to kick off the tasting. The Chilled Cucumber with Garlic (above), which was very well presented, wasn’t half bad but it is not exactly a vegetable you can enjoy a few helpings at one go, unlike kangkong or kai lan if you get my drift.
The Sauteed Pork Belly with Special Sauce though was a different story. The semi-thick slices of pork were yummy with lovely crispy skin and enhanced much by the dark soy sauce which had a dash of chilli padi in it. Taste even better with sliced red chilli, it was a dish I wouldn’t mind ordering a plate of white rice to go with it!
Next came the “big plates”. Something that is relatively new on the menu is the Deep Fried Marble Goby – or Soon Hock in Hokkien – with Deluxe Soya Sauce. The dish was a delight – the fish is fresh with much meat, the crispy skin was crunchy and the soy-based gravy flavourful. It is tagged at a special price of $48++ till July 31, 2017.
I’m a carnivore but the next dish, the Sauteed Beef Cubes with Garlic Flakes, didn’t quite shake my tail feather even though the best of Australian Mignon was used. The beef was soft and tender but not exactly sensational either, even with the giant garlic flakes, broad bean pods and onions. Maybe I was just holding out for the next dish…
… which was this fiery red Singapore Chilli Crab with Fried Mantou, which tasted as good as it looked. Served in a huge wok, Indonesian crabs are used instead of Sri Lanka crabs. Even though they may be smaller in size, they were no less tasty as the crab meat was fresh and delicious.
Joy too was dipping the photogenic – they usually are – fried golden mantou into the thick gravy, which though was a tad on the sweet side, was still thoroughly enjoyable. If we didn’t have to rush for the wine tasting on board a yacht, I would have unashamedly asked for more mantou because it was that good!
Speaking of wines, we were also at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove for the launch of Jules Taylor Wines in Singapore. At the luncheon, we had the chance to try some of their fine wines – a Chardonnay from the Jules Taylor brand, and a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from their The Better Half line. Will tell you more of these exquisite wines by a New Zealand husband and wife team – she’s the “Jules Taylor”, he’s “The Better Half” – in my next blog post. 🙂
In the meantime, if you are looking to have some good Hong Kong-styled Cantonese fare, do give WOK°15 a try. Its 120-seat dining hall is spacious and has a good view of the marina. There are also two private dining rooms that can accommodate up to 12 guests each. You can ask the restaurant to suggest a personalised food and wine pairing set course for private events.
WOK°15 Kitchen is at Level 1, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, 11 Cove Drive. Opens from Tue-Sun & Public Holiday: 11.30am-2.30pm/6pm-10pm. Closed on Mondays. Tel: 6305-6998 or email: wok15@one15marina.com
Musings on the M49 