First dibs: Celebrity chef Justin Quek’s new gastro cafe-bar, JUSTIN, has indulgent French-Asian fusion dishes

Celebrity chef Justin Quek will be opening his new gastro cafe-bar, JUSTIN, in the top floor of TANGS Plaza along Orchard Road on 16 Aug 2023.

Chef Justin has 40 years of culinary experience, and has even served notable public figures like the late-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, former Chinese president Jiang Zemin and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

At JUSTIN, diners can tuck into sumptuous creations made using both modern and classic French recipes, with curated dishes that can be enjoyed throughout the day. Diners can opt to sit inside the restaurant or next to the window, which offers an al fresco-like dining experience while still being within an air-conditioned space.

Start your morning with JUSTIN’s gastro-brunch menu, which is available until 12.30pm daily, and consists of dishes like Croque Madame (S$22) and Egg Benedict (S$20). I loved the Wild Mushrooms, Poached Egg Parmentier (S$28), which contained sauteed wild mushrooms, poached eggs, house cured Iberico pork thyme jus and potato mousseline. The Scrambled Eggs (S$20) is another option, and you can opt to add on Smoked Salmon (+S$10) or 6 Grams Pronto Caviar & Champagne Sauce (+S$20).

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After 12.30pm, dig into JUSTIN’s Gastro A La Carte Menu, with high-end dishes like Pan-Roasted French Duck Foie Gras Escalope (S$26), Wok-Fried Lobster Hokkien Noodle (S$35) and Korean Ikan Bilis “Myeolchi” Fried Rice (S$23).

The Fresh Crabmeat Capellini “LKY” (S$30) is a pasta dish that was once served to Lee Kuan Yew, hence its name. For those who like something a little more indulgent, I would suggest getting the Crepinettes of Pig Trotters “Perigordine” (S$42), a dish that combined braised pig trotters, sauteed duck foie gras, wild mushrooms, potato mousseline and thyme jus. I was surprised at how incredibly rich the flavours of the dish were, though the gelatinous texture may be a little too jelak for some.

Our Vegetables Platter (S$28) is a main on JUSTIN’s menu that is vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free. The beautifully plated creation is made with greek vegetables, couscous, asparagus, grilled mushroom, capsicum coulis, basil oil, micro greens and fresh herbs. Though I enjoyed how refreshing and crisp the dish was, the serving size was incredibly meagre, and would hardly be able to fill anyone up.

JUSTIN offers sharing platters, like the Poached Oysters in Superior Sauce (S$14 for 2 pieces), Wok Fried Kampot Black Pepper Australian Grain-Fed Beef (S$40) and Warm Artisan Breads with Homemade Truffle Butter (S$15).

At night, grab a glass of alcohol along with JUSTIN’s Light Bar Snacks. I liked how crispy and indulgent the House-Made Iberico Pork Char Siu Deep-Fried Mantou (S$18 for 3 pieces) was, though there was a significantly higher amount of fat as compared to meat in the slice of pork.

End your meal on a sweet note with JUSTIN’s house-made desserts. The Classic Crepe Suzette (S$33) is served with vanilla ice cream, and flambés soft housemade crepes with orange juice. The Pineapple Carpaccio, Calamansi Sorbet (S$15), on the other hand, was a refreshing treat consisting of thinly-sliced pineapple infused in a spice solution.

I enjoyed the Freshly Baked Fine Apple Tart on Crepe Pan (S$40), which had a crispy, buttery texture and a complex flavour that reminded me a bit of butterscotch. Finally, the Freshly Baked Financiers (S$12 for 6 pieces) is another option for those who enjoy French pastries, though I found that it wasn’t as buttery or robust as those from other bakeries.

The prices of JUSTIN’s items err towards the higher end with relatively small portions, so its certainly a spot to visit if you have more disposable income to spend.

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