Restaurant Ibid is a Michelin-recognised restaurant founded by Chef Woo Wai Leong, a lawyer-turned chef and MasterChef Asia winner.  Nestled along North Canal Road, the restaurant only has counter-seating so you don’t miss out on any of the exciting action.  We visited on a Friday night and what struck us was the personal service – Chef served each and every diner, even though he had a team to help with the food preparation and plating. 

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After settling in, we started off with the Ibid Sourdough – made in-house served alongside yeasted butter and a touch of sesame oil.  The sourdough was sliced in front of us it does not have too much of a tangy aftertaste.  Served warm, the sourdough had sufficient crust but not too tough to bite into.  Definitely a good start to the meal.
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Then came a trio of snacks – the Tea Quail Egg, King Salmon and Lamb Tartare.  The Tea Quail Egg has century egg and pickled ginger within the little nest to whet your appetite.
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My favourite of the three would be the King Salmon Kueh Pie Tee.  It was a delightful bite, with the trout roe popping in your mouth and small punches of spice as you chew further. 
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The next snack was one that I was a little apprehensive when I saw it the ingredients on the tasting menu “Lamb Tartare | Xinjiang Spices | Toasted Brioche” because I am not a fan of lamb.  However, this little snack does not have the usual gameness that I expect.  The spices and herbs also help to camouflage that, and it turned out to be a pleasant snack, with well-toasted brioche. 
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Moving on, the first hot dish of the night was the “Chawanmushi” – or at least, I call it that because it reminded me of a chawanmushi.  Instead of the usual egg custard, Chef Woo uses soy milk custard and has bits of swordfish belly and some roasted kombu oil so the dish is very fragrant and comforting. 
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The star of the night for me has to be this Amberjack main.  Two slabs of thick  grilled amberjack is served atop creamed spinach, carrots vichy and beets escabeche.  The texture of the fatty fish was on point – even though the fish was grilled (and has a slightly charred skin), it still retains the tenderness of the meat, almost sashimi-like.  I also love my root vegetables so the carrots and beets are great additions.  Chef told us that he used to dislike eating beets and hence he created this dish to make beets “tasty”. 
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The next dish was a lobster confit.  The crustacean porridge was full of seafood flavours and the laksa oil added gave it a local touch.  I would crave for this on a rainy day.
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The last savoury dish was the beef cheek.  The meat was tender and boy, what stood out was the braised daikon.  If Chef Woo reads this, can I please have another daikon the next time I visit?  The braised daikon is sweet, juicy and what you would think of superior Japanese produce. 
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I love how the sweets here aren’t just a simple “course”, but come in several forms.   First up was the Hawthorn Sorbet with peach gum and yoghurt ice, which served as the perfect palette cleanser.  The hawthorn used as its main ingredient is meant to evoke childhood memories.
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The Kaya Foam is also delightful – drawing inspiration from kaya with kopi.  The coffee ice-cream is paired with salted pecans and kaya foam to create this light, fragrant dessert that keeps you wanting for more.
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Good thing there is more, because the last dessert is my favourite.  The black rice madeleines are taken out of the oven just before they are served to you so you are guaranteed warm morsels with crispy edges and fluffy interiors.  The cold-brewed milk oolong tea provides an exquisite pairing.  Instead of an extra daikon, I can definitely do with more madeleines too! 

It was full-house the night we visited, so be sure to make a reservation before heading down.  We hear that Restaurant Ibid will also be serving Late-Night Sessions on Fridays and Saturdays (10:30PM onwards) so we’re quite excited to see what would make it to that menu!  

Budget per person: $188 per person

  • Restaurant Ibid

  • Phone
    +65 9151 8698
  • Address
    18 N Canal Rd, Singapore 048830
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