The Oyster and Champagne Bar is a misnomer. Welcome to the newly revamped Chef’s Table, a cosy 20-seater (or so) within Capella Singapore. The menu begins with four types of oysters from different parts of Europe and North America, but it’s the generous servings of caviar — luscious pearls of briny sweetness from France and China — that steal the show.
“Yes, I know what you think, but Chinese caviar is increasingly becoming one of the best in the world,” one chef reassures us.
Chef Eric Neo and his team also flew in Boston lobsters, Alaskan king crabs, British Columbia spot prawns and Japanese uni (sea urchin) to make a giant icy platter of fresh seafood that will satiate both your stomach and social media feeds.
How fresh is the seafood? The Capella Singapore team tells me that the launch of this new Oyster and Champagne Bar concept almost went ahead without oysters. These plump, freshly shucked aphrodisiacs literally arrived a few hours before. The only thing frozen here is the ice bed the seafood sits on.
Accompanying the seafood is a wide variety of excellent champagne selections. My personal favourites: the NV Vergnon – Eloquence Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru, with “fragrant notes of orchard fruits, grapefruit, almond and orgeat”, and the Frederic Savart Les Pinots V15/16, with “pronounced and complex fruity aromas of yellow apple and cranberry, along with the embracing notes of freshly baked clafoutis and apple tart”.
For those who prefer something non-bubbly, there are also red and white wines, and two house cocktails.
Leave space for the scrumptious 72-hour house cured salmon gravlax. It’s a recipe by one of the chef’s grandmothers, who is from Sweden, so expect something special. Salmon dishes are a dime a dozen, but I’ve never had something like this before in Singapore.
The new Oyster and Champagne bar concept at Chef’s Table is available for dinner every Wednesday to Sunday. On weekends, there are additional lunch services. Prepare to submerge yourself in a delightful sea of fresh aquatic choices, though. It’s an appropriate way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon.
