Ash & Elm – Intercontinental Singapore

By Sharon Tan

The long overdue makeover from the former Olive Tree Restaurant now houses the new and upcoming Ash & Elm Restaurant on the ground floor of the Intercontinental Singapore in Bugis.

Not a single detail had been spared in the multi million dollar revamp project. A modern, European restaurant, oozing elegance, sophistication and an innovative new menu, Ash & Elm is set to join the hotel dining scene in Singapore.

Step through the striking new façade, take in the modern open layout, tall ceilings, incredible flow of natural light in the day and magnificence pendant lights at night as you are shown to your table.

The menu revolves around the 3 culinary theatres which is the talking point of Ash & Elm.
• Charcuterie & Cheese room
• Wood-Fired Oven
• Open-Grill Kitchen

We began our culinary journey with some house specials of the Ash & Elm Platter and the signature Pumpkin and Bacon Flat Bread.

The platter was delightful ranging from the house cured cuts to foie gras with smoked duck, now that’s not something you see on everyday meat platters!

The flatbread had just the right balance of the sweetness of the pumpkin to cut through the saltiness of the bacon. The only criticism we have it that the bacon could have been crisped to add a contrast of textures.

Both are centred around the concept of sharing and would go down very well with our Asian culture of catching up over food, be it a girly affair or an after office drinks gathering.

A fresh basket of bread is also prepared for each table, on the house. I do love the smell of freshly baked bread and the warmth on your fingers as you tear it apart. The bread basket portions are generous, unlike some measly bread rolls at some fine dining restaurants and you also get a choice of the unsalted or seaweed butter.

The sharing theme followed through to the mains. We had the Beef Tasting Platter, perfect for two with an array of sides and accompaniments. Portions were generous and featured 3 different cuts on the board, the USDA New York Striploin, Australian Rib-Eye and French Bavette dA’loyau. The Rib Eye was my favourite and I nearly polished off the whole lot myself!

Seafood lovers, fret not. You get a choice between the Seafood Linguine and interesting dishes like the Salmon with Grapefruit Hollandaise and if you’re going to go all out, don’t forget the Boston Lobster Themidor for two is also on the menu.

Clearly a lot of thought and care had gone into the menu where there is enough variety to cater for the fussiest eaters. We were there for a good part of the evening for a romantic dinner and observed that the population of diners ranged from the typical family to romantic couple dinners, groups of young professionals to girlfriends catching up on a weekend.

And again following through with the sharing theme for dessert, the signature dessert is the Chocolate-Hazelnut Pizza for sharing! A chocolate lover’s heaven with a perfect mix of dark, milk and white chocolate.

Some of the other ala carte desserts were also to die for and priced at a very reasonable $14. We tried the Salty Chocolate Rum Raisin, Peach Melba, Yuzu Citrus Combination. The Yuzu Citrus Combination was my favourite which was a delightful and most refreshing combination of yuzu sorbet, curd on a lemon sable Breton, drizzled with a mandarin reduction, topped with little meringue batons to cut through the citrus notes.

We ended our evening with a TWG tea and coffee each. I was delighted to find out that they serve TWG tea which is a good measure of the quality and standard of a restaurant!

Mondays – Fridays – Semi Buffet Lunch (12:00pm – 2:00pm)
Dinner – Ala Carte offerings (6:00pm – 10:30pm)

Address: Level 1, Intercontinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966

Dining Reservation Email: intercontinental.dining@ihg.com
Dining Reservation Tel: (+65) 68251008