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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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Apple tart |
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| 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.
© Evelyn Chen 2013