Chef Justin Quek has been a stalwart in the Singaporean dining scene for decades now. A favourite of late-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, he crafted many of his birthday meals throughout his illustrious 41-year career. He quips, “Wherever I was in the world, I would fly back to Singapore on his birthday, to cook a private birthday meal for him, out of respect.”
Having served celebrities and politicians like former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Chef Justin also democratized his food and opened up numerous restaurants in Singapore, Korea and elsewhere over the years. His latest venture is a French gastro-bar opening up on the fourth floor of Tangs Plaza at Orchard. A minimalistic space, the cafe is smartly designed with semi-private covered terraces, perfect for corporate groups or celebrations. A well-stocked bar takes up one corner of the restaurant, serving up handcrafted cocktails such as a mean Negroni as well as select curated wines.
Open for brunch as well as dinner, JustIn Gastro Cafe & Bar has an inventive menu heavily focused on French techniques. “The cuisine is French Asian,” shares Chef Justin, “a culmination of my culinary expression honed while I worked in France as well as Asia.”
There is a certain delicacy to the treatment of ingredients that if often only be attributed to French chefs. Take, for example, the simply named Vegetable Platter ($28). It’s an elegant dish, with perfectly cooked bits of vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, etc., plated like a work of art with sauces and condiments such as basil oil and capsicum coulis, all made in-house. It looks like a painting and tastes like a harmonious orchestra. The simplest dishes are often the most difficult to hide behind, and the finesse with which this platter is executed belies the years of experience that Chef Justin brings to the kitchen.
Another favourite is a dish from the brunch menu - Scrambled Eggs with Pronto Caviar and Champagne Sauce ($20+$20). Again, eloquent in its flavours, the dish is all about perfecting techniques and perfect balance. A light champagne foam circles fluffy scrambled eggs, topped with a generous dollop of caviar. The salt comes from the caviar, not added externally, rendering each bite a luxurious mouthful.
Mains are hearty and great for sharing, especially the Korean Ikan Bilis ‘Myeoichi’ Fried Rice ($23). Served topped with a fried egg, the aromatic wok hei notes are elevated with JustIn’s house-made sambal sauce. The sauce is retailed as well, and at $4.5 per bottle, I suggest you take home a few. Add it to any dish at home and enjoy gourmet meals at your leisure.
Chef Justin demonstrated how Crepe Suzette ($33, good for two) is served at his gastro-bar, flambeed tableside on order. A dramatic finish to a meal. My recommendation for dessert though, is the bite-sized Freshly Baked Financiers ($12, 6 pieces). Perfect to pop into your mouth, they are warm and moist, an ideal dessert if you want to keep it light. If you have a sweet tooth, there’s plenty on the menu to choose from, but I suggest you pick one which is paired with their incredible salted Gula Java Ice Cream.
Chef Justin is not new to the dining scene, and his love for food and for the region shows in each plate at JustIn Gastro Cafe & Bar. A great place for work lunches around Orchard Road or social gatherings in the evening.
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JUSTIN will be featuring signatures such as the subtly delicious Lobster Capellini, highlighting the rich flavours of the fresh lobster with fresh lobster oil and just a touch of chillies, as well as Chef Justin’s Spring Salad that features fresh mangoes, asparagus, and tomatoes - both reputed to be favourites of the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, for whom Chef Justin had cooked 21 of his birthday meals.
Diners will be tempted by the full repertoire from Western staples of Artisanal Breads and Special Scrambled Eggs to Asian classics of Lobster Hokkien Mee, Oyster Poached with Superior Sauce and Roasted Garlic, Homemade Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao and Prawn Noodle Soup.
Not to be missed here is the house-made flourless Souffle and Homemade Ice Cream, perfect for brunch, lunch, and high tea. Dinner ups the ante on indulgence with a set menu of six spectacular courses that are just as delicious.
JUSTIN will also stand as Australia’s No. 1 pure coffee brand Vittoria Coffee’s official flagship store, a first in Singapore and the region where everything is brewed up with the largest range of Vittoria Coffee’s facilities and merchandise.
The gastro café-bar will be located at Level 4 of TANGS at Tang Plaza this August where visitors can hop on a private lift that opens up directly to the all-day dining gastro café-bar even before TANGS operating hours. JUSTIN’s Franco-Asian menu comes with perfect pairings of Vittoria Coffee’s best brews, all to encompass a dining experience that is just splendid, just marvellous, and just exquisite. This includes a gastro brunch served from 10am-12.30pm on weekends (weekdays starting at 11am), an all-day sharing menu that is served from 12.30pm daily supported by lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, along with an after-5 social hour menu.
a. 310 Orchard Road, Tang Plaza, Level 4 TANGS @ Tang Plaza Singapore 238864
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