Back when I first got into the world of wines, knowing where to start was quite the conundrum. And I certainly was too young to be attending wine events or buying whole bottles without knowing what I'm getting into. 

Sound familiar? Well, it'll please you to know that a quaint little restaurant in the east has something to offer.

Nestled in the heart of Siglap with over 150 labels in its walk-in cellar, The Winery is perhaps the perfect place for the curious wine drinker. 

In fact, one of its feature offerings is its Wine Buffet Mondays (which I found myself unsurprisingly drawn to). At SG$38 per person, it allows for a two-hour free-flow selection of select sparkling, white and red wines. It really is quite a charm, being able to try out different types and brands of wine without committing to a full bottle.

The wine for the night!

With wine options across various styles, this allowed me to have either seafood or red meat without having to adhere to a single wine, which is a concern I've sometimes had in the past. Starting the night off with a fizzy Champagne certainly doesn't hurt, either! 

For the start, we had a lovely flute of Montelvini Prosecco (From France).

Of course, the food selection is nothing to scoff at, either. Under the watchful eye of Chef Zoel Chung, the European-inspired fare was delightful to have. We started the night off with the seasonal fig and burrata salad. It's exactly as it sounds, although by no means does the direct-ness of the dish affect its taste. Laden gently into the plate was a whole burrata from Italy, dressed with kale pesto pumpkin seeds and topped with fig.

Mmm, creamy burrata...

This was a real good mix of both appetiser and palate cleanser for everything else to come, I'll tell you that. Lovely, creamy burrata pairs exceedingly well with the mild sweetness of fresh figs (first time I've had them, I'd add). The kale pesto and crunchy toasted seeds added a wonderful contrast in texture, and the herbaceous-nuttiness was also quite enticing.

Prawny, Garlicky, Chilli, oh my!

The second dish to grace our table was the signature Gambas al Ajilo, or Spanish-style whole shelled prawns grilled in garlic chilli oil and served with garlic chips and homemade bread. 

The chilli oil merged ridiculously well with the prawn juices to create what I can describe as a prawn-chilli-oil mix that absolutely explodes with flavor. It's at once savoury, umami and slightly numbing. This was, of course, paired with a white: Chateau Laubès Bordeaux.

The prawns themselves were succulent and well-done, avoiding that overcooked hardness that one might have experienced before, with the garlic chips offering a nice contrast. My dining partner was still picking them out of the oil with bread even after the prawns were gone! 

Next up was the Poulet Farci à la Perfection, a whole breast of chicken cooked sous vide before being stuffed with foie gras and stuffing. On the plate was also fried kale seasoned with salt, potato puree with truffle oil and chicken jus infused with white wine and dill oil.

A hefty and tender main course, the chicken was all well and tender. Clean-tasting and oozing juice, it was upstaged only by the combination of stuffing and fatty foie gras. The kale and puree all made it come together in a briny, juicy, umami-laden bite, with the hints of wine just enough to cut through and prevent repeat bites from becoming cloying.

My partner had the 36 Hours Lamb Shoulder. The lamb is marinated in green harissa paste for 24 hours, then cooked sous vide for another 12. It is then grilled over charcoal and garnished with cream leek, black garlic puree, charred onion, and a dollop of avruga caviar. The lamb was tender and well caramelized, though admittedly, the flavour of caviar was somewhat subdued by the richness of the lamb. 

Of course, this paired well with a glass of Thomas Goss Mc Vale Australia.

If whisky is more your thing, The Winery also has a rather impressive cellar that extends past wine, with daily tastings of single malt whiskies. There are up to 24 varieties to choose from, least of which start from $3 a dram. 

For those looking out for a place to hang with friends and family, I'm sure the roast platters starting at $39 for 2 pax on Sundays will also suit your purposes well! I always appreciate when a menu is designed to suit multiple seating sizes and occasions, and I'd say its definitely worth giving The Winery a try! 

The Winery Gourmet Bar (Siglap)

907 E Coast Road

01 - 03 Springvale, Singapore 459107 

Open Weekdays 3pm - 12am, Saturday 12pm - 12am, Sunday: 12pm - 10pm.

*Suspiciously racoon-like noises*

Contributed by @Definitelynotthreeracoons