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Shelter in the Woods with Masashi Horiuchi

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A chirpier interior for the recently re-opened Shelter in the Woods

After a 2-year run, Shelter in the Woods (“Shelter”) at Greenwood Avenue gets a makeover to reveal a brighter wooded space and a feature wall of forested 3-D mural.

In the back of house, consulting chef, Masashi Horiuchi, replaces former chef de cuisine, David Thein, fresh from his 5-year anchor as head chef of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (London).

Shelter’s revamped menu harks back to the eatery’s original rustic European intention, with rotisserie-grilled meats and charcuterie as its main headline.

Indeed, the rotisserie churns out some of the finest meats this part of town.

Rotisserie suckling pig with rotisserie pineapple chunks is a standout

A standout is the rotisserie-grilled suckling pig (S$35/S$68) served with chunks of incredibly sweet rotisserie-grilled pineapples. A de rigueur even if you’re a die-hard fan of Chinese-style suckling pigs, Shelter’s rendition comes with a thick rim of unctuous fat cushioning a suitably moist layer of protein and crackling crust so copious and crispy that your next table diner may be distracted by the crunch.

Lush and hearty bouillabaisse-like seafood casserole

Off the rotisserie radar, the bouillabaisse-like seafood casserole (S$39) comes to the fore with a mélange of market-fresh seafood basking in a hearty shellfish broth. The shrimps, scallops, mussels and clams – none of which suffers from a traumatized, rubbery texture - are as much the star of the show as the comforting broth.

Shelter charcuterie board

We are less enthusiastic about the Shelter charcuterie board (pork rillette, foie gras au torchon and pate en croute for S$34). While the pork rillette is perfectly tasty, both the pate en croute and foie gras au torchon can do with minor tweaks to achieve a richer, more intense flavour

Fret not, plentiful alternatives abound.

Trio of Hokkaido corn soup

The trio (boiled, roasted and popped) of creamy Hokkaido corn soup (S$13.50) offers a deliciously sweet respite from the done-to-death bistro standard of French onion soup and lobster bisque.

Moist and savoury quiche with muchrooms, cheese, herbs and onions

Or try the quiche (S$14.50) enriched with mushrooms, cheese, herbs and onions. Compared to the city’s mostly dry and bland options, Shelter’s moist and savoury quiche packs a flavoursome punch.

Endive and Roquefort salad is curiously bitter and pungent but so delicious - it's an acquired taste


It may be an acquired taste but the endive and Roquefort salad (S$14, S$26) with walnuts in honey dressing endears with its curiously bitter and pungent flavours.

Apple tart
 
Rotisserie pineapple crumble

Don’t say we didn’t warn you to make space for Horiuchi’s bountiful desserts. Of the lot we’ve tasted, we reckon the refined apple tart (S$12) is worthy of recommendation, as is the one-of-a-kind rotisserie pineapple crumble (S$14). Both are served with a dollop of ice cream.

Judging from the full house at dinner two months after its relaunch, Shelter appears to be enjoying a tremendously successful comeback. This gives us fresh hopes that the balmy enclave of Greenwood Avenue is back on the foodie radar once again.  
   
On a side note, we are wary that Horiuchi’s consulting arrangement may take him away from Shelter’s kitchen in due course but there's no reason why it should hurt existing dining sentiments. 




Shelter in the woods | 22 Greenwood Avenue | Tel: 65- 6466 6225| www.shelterinthewoods.com


© Evelyn Chen 2013




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