Venue by Sebastian is the brainchild by Chef Sebastian Ng and his partner. The former Ember chef made his comeback into Downtown Gallery, featuring European cuisine with a casual yet refined palates. The cooler colour hues of the interior gave diners a relaxed environment, complemented by a contemporary setting. The venue was packed on a weekend. Given how it is located in CBD area and yet a full-house, it gave a glimpse of how popular this new restaurant is. They serve a variation of lunch and dinner menu, with an emphasis on small plate sharing so that diners can have more options to choose from

Toast w Foie Gras Mousse $12

We started our meal with a bang. The foie gras mousse was delicious. It’s creamy and luscious and you can savour the full flavour in your mouth. It’s probably one the our favourite dishes of the night

Cauliflower Florets Fritti, Spicy Mint Aioli $10

A surprising popping dish. If you were blinded and didn’t know what you were eating, you would probably never expect these to be fried cauliflower. I like the crunch and the sweetness of the vegetables towards the end, paired with a spicy mint aioli to give a variation of texture

Whitebait, Chilli Salt $9

A well executed dish. You can really taste the heat in it

Grilled Asparagus, Poached Egg, Crispy Parma Ham, Miso Butter $12

A somewhat simple dish. But I think each component of the dish complements each other well

The crunch of the asparagus topped with creaminess of the yolk, finished with a touch of saltiness

Bluefin Tuna Tataki, Mesclun, Daikon-Yuzu Vinaigrette $15

A very refreshing salad with a very appetising vinaigrette

Angel Hair Pasta, Sakura Ebi, Kanbu, Chilli $27

You can never miss Chef Ng’s signature angel hair pasta. The pasta was cooked well, oiled with a nice fragrance of the sakura ebi, topped with a touch of spiciness

Handcut Pasta, Duck Ragout, Parmigiano Reggiano $21

The handcut pasta was unfortunately nothing to rave about

Chilean Seabass, Mushroom-Bacon Ragout, Truffle Yuzu Butter Sauce $36

This dish was wow. A perfectly executed seabass with the juice still glistening and a crispy top, sitting on a bed of mushrooms and truffle yuzu butter sauce. I would order this anytime again

Grilled Spiced Pork Collar, Celeric Puree, Chorizo Ragout $23

I thought the pork collar was a little tough, and there could be a touch more fragrance and seasoning

Wood-grilled Chermoula Chicken, Charred Lemon

Another recommended dish, the chicken had a nice charred flavour to it. Well cooked and tender, we would probably have given it a little more love if not for the outstanding seabass

Grilled Octopus, White Bean Puree, Capers, Burnt Butter $27

The grilled octopus had a nice crunch but I think we were too full by then to fully appreciate this dish

Pear Tart, Crumble, Baileys Icecream $14

The pear tart was delicious. The crust was thin and crispy, with a thin layer of pear puree (thought might be a little too thin), paired off with an awesome baileys icecream, topped with crumble. Perhaps the flavour of the pear puree can be enhanced a little bit more, cos we can’t really taste much of it

I would say this was a very satisfying dinner. Venue by Sebastian serves some decent options with a palate that is refined yet casual. I can see finesse on a plate and the thoughts and skills that were behind each execution. With each dish cooked with love and an awesome service crew, I would probably find my return soon

Venue By Sebastian

Downtown Gallery

#01-02, 6A Shenton Way, S(068815)