Rabbit Stash Unveils New Spring Menu

Rabbit Stash is a fine dining restaurant helmed by Chef Matthew Mok who has an impressive culinary background, including being shortlisted in the 2013 and 2014 World Gourmet Summit's Top 5 Chef of the Year. Along with indoor seats, the restaurant also boasts alfresco seating on the patio where diners can soak in the picturesque panorama of the CBD area. In conjunction with the dawning Spring season, Chef Matthew specially curated a Spring degustation menu ($168++ per pax) inspired by his travel experiences and ENSOPHI (Exotic, Nostalgia, Soil, Ocean, Piquancy, Heritage, Impression) philosophy. Available from March to June, each dish in this 7-course menu encapsulates an element of his ENSOPHI philosophy, and is not just aesthetically pleasing but also gastronomically stimulating.

Setting the bar high was the Soil platter (pictured) that features an intricate fusion of smoked anchovy, dehydrated kale, San Marzano, cucumber pearls and yolk drops. We were particularly interested in the intriguing yolk drops, an inventive creation by Chef Matthew, as well as the sprigs of dehydrated kale, that was exceedingly flavourful and crispy.

Served amidst much exclamation, the Ocean-themed platter (pictured) intimately conflates the boundaries between art and food. A glass box containing elements of the ocean – sand, shells, rocks – served as the base upon which various ingredients extracted from the sea are displayed. Consisting of a lobster cracker, a carabineros prawn from Spain that is garnished with garlic-infused foam, a bamboo clam from Scotland, and a flavourful streak of prawn gel, this dish is heavily redolent of the ocean with its robustness. After which, we were presented with the vibrant Piquancy dish that comprises of a Norwegian trout sous-vided to tenderness, lime fondue, a savoury zucchini blossom, mussel tartare and melon steak.

Inspired by his rock climbing adventures, Chef Matthew deftly executes the visually arresting Impression platter (pictured). Morsels of purple crab meat, a first born semi-raw egg, ratte potato and cuttlefish rissotto are plated on a volcano-shaped disc personally created by Chef Matthew who does pottery during his free time. On the side are two Pie Ti cups infused with a savoury chili crab inspired sauce. To truly enjoy this dish in its full goodness, mash up the ingredients contained within the volcano plate, then scoop the mixture into the crispy Pie Ti cups. The fifth element is the Heritage concoction that draws its inspiration from Chef Matthew's Perenakan lineage. Consisting of a lightly roasted quail, lemak coconut-infused coucous, pineapple cavier, homemade sambal ice cream, this dish is heavily redolent of the traditional Nasi Lemak.

Following up close is the Exotic ensemble (pictured) that features tender kangaroo meat and milk fed veal platted atop of truffle barley, trompette stew and bacon spread. Opinions may vary with respect to the acquainted taste of the kangaroo meat, but give it a try nonetheless. The highlight of the Spring menu takes the form of the Nostalgia dessert, which effectively concludes the 7-course meal on a high note.

At this time, Chef Matthew will personally come up to your table to draw upon a blank canvas with nostalgic old-school ingredients like Pandan balls, milk pudding and Teh Halia ice cream.

Witness the unraveling of a consumable art piece before your very eyes. After he has finished “painting”, Chef Matthew then hurls a mysterious chocolate bomb upon the canvas for an explosion of sweet treats.

Written by Tan Siew Bee Images by Tan Siew Bee