Hero Image: Expat Choice reporter Rebecca Assice
Urban Findr is a definitive guide to inspire Food & Beverage choices, brought to you by select Industry Insiders.
Join Rebecca Assice, Founder and Owner Virtual Room Asia Pacific, as she is welcomed on an Urban Findr epicurean journey. A showcase of good wines, cult creations and rare gems handpicked by our local, trailblazing world renowned sommeliers. Explore Urban Findr curations from wine makers, sake masters and distillers. Expand your palate with Urban Findr international award-winning Sommeliers and TasteFindrs. Engage in wine and sake discovery sessions and join culinary events to just sit back, order and enjoy.
I love a good new find. It’s always nice to be able share the hot new restaurant in town or that fabulous bottle of wine that doesn’t break the bank with my foodie friends. But now there’s a way to always be in the know – to explore and experience the best of Singapore food and beverage by the very people that create this bustling industry – the chefs, sommeliers and foodie experts.
Urban Findr is a new platform which brings the best of Singapore’s food and beverage scene direct to you via specially curated dining experiences. Simply sign up for one of their exclusive events and you’ll be on your way to a showcase of good wines, cult creations and rare gems handpicked by their local, trailblazing world renowned sommeliers.
Our experience commenced in the smart, sophisticated The Bar at 15 Stamford (within the Capitol Kempinski). With lush leather booths, dark wood panelling and colonial touches it was the perfect spot to try one of the newest gins to hit Singapore’s shores – Amass Dry Gin all the way from good old LA. Distilled with 29 botanicals that celebrate the abundant natural terroir and diverse cultural landscape that is contemporary Los Angeles it was silky smooth with subtle hints of citrus and spice.
Moving into the hotel’s signature restaurant, 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung, we are greeted by one of Singapore’s most renowned sommeliers, Zachary Tay. Our table is alight with glistening glasses ready for us to try the wares being presented by Urban Findr founder Yung.
Tasting commenced with an organic cult sake favourite “Tentaka Junmai Daiginjo”, luxuriously polished down to just 35% and the perfect partner for our New Zealand King Salmon with honey pineapple, kaffir lime, Thai basil and Toasted Jin Long Yu rice powder. We finished the dish with a dry, perfumed German Riesling, Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Kabniett Trocken 2016 – an exuberant, ripe and luscious drop.
Three ravishing reds from France, Chile and Portugal accompanied our Rosedale Ruby Angus Beef Sirloin served with Sarawak black pepper sauce and broccolini. To my surprise my favourite was the Portugese red, Terra Do Zambujeiro Tinto 2016, an opulent and luscious wine with an intense flowery bouquet and dark violet hues. Retailing for around $50 with a steller 4.3 stars on Vivino, it’s incredible value for such a top-class red and sure to be a sell out hit this holiday season.
Our dessert of pineapple masala with dark rum, lime salt and Madagascan vanilla ice cream was complemented by a stunning sweet Swiss wine, Ballerine 2018, a rare white blend of Muscat, Amigne, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Arvine from the Valais region in Switzerland, not a wine-growing region many of us in Singapore would be familiar with.
A Navy Island rum from Jamaica rounded out our tasting served with the delectable Marou chocolate range from Vietnam – heralded by the New York Times as “Maker’s of the world’s most exquisite chocolate bar”. All single origin and made by fair-trade cacao beans found along the plantations of Southern Vietnam.
It was indeed an exceptional dining experience, but more than that it was a chance to try new sakes, wines, spirits and chocolates that have been hand-picked by the industry experts themselves. You can truly try before you buy and expand your palate into new and exciting blends. Best of all, this specially curated list of only the finest products is available to purchase from the Urban Findr platform. So do yourselves a favour, book one of their superb culinary journeys and be ready to amaze your friends with the best new finds.
