10 at Claymore | Timeless Plates of Pleasure


31st July 2013.
Just last month, I had the a great time at 10 at Claymore and I was delighted to be able to go back again last week to try their new Timeless Plates of Pleasure Menu which changes every two months. For the months of August and September, the menu brings you back to the 1960s and 1970s setting with a nostalgic tone.

10 at Claymore - Oysters
10 at Claymore - Oysters

If you have seen my earlier post about 10 at Claymore, you probably know what to expect from its buffet line except this time round, I have to highlight a few items such as their fresh oysters which changes from time to time. On this occasion, the two oysters being offered are the petite and briny French Fin de Claire and the plump Canadian Taylors.

LW : I preferred the Canadian oysters to that from France because they were larger and sweeter.

10 at Claymore - Cheese

But the stars on the buffet line has got to be the cheese which were mainly sourced from New Zealand, my personal favourites are the Wensleydale with cranberries and Lime & Chilli which is a savoury cheese with a spicy kick.

LW : The cheese selection was small but nonetheless impressive in terms of taste. Like Xin Li, I liked the interesting chilli and lime-flavoured cheese where the sharpness of flavours were nicely balanced with the milky taste of the fromage. I also loved the port cheddar, which had a sweet aftertaste.


On to the Timeless Plates of Pleasure, there is the Canadian Handpicked Scallop with Imperial XO Sauce, which is a battered scallop topped with a spicy sauce, spring onions and chopped chilli. Quite decent and reminded me of a takopachi.

LW : The consistency of the scallop dish made me think that it was too finely processed. I would have preferred it to have been cooked simply, rather than being deep-fried, to preserve the sweetness of the flesh.

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Then there is the Pacific Ocean Depth Sea Perch with Chong Qing Spiced Bean Gravy which is one of my personal favourites for the evening. This dish really brought back those memories of a good family dinner at the occasional visit to a nice tze-char restaurant. The fish was very nicely done and I was told the oil used was from the fish itself.

LW : I enjoyed the fresh, oily flavour of the perch being complemented by the bean sauce, which was earthy and robust and yet not overpowering the natural sweetness of the fish... Exactly the sort of comfort food that one is familiar with at tze char establishments. My only quibble was that the fish was just very very slightly overdone.

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Next up there is a the Australian Kobe Wagyu Beef ‘Outside Flat’ with Mushroom Crème which is your good old braised beef stew with tender chunks of Australian wagyu laid on a bed of very fragrant mushrooms, excellent sauce.

LW : The cubes of meat were tender and cooked precisely to medium. I liked the sauce for its lightly spiced taste, which was reminiscent of black pepper sauce.

10 at Claymore - Australian Kobe Beef Wagyu 'Flat Out'

The New Zealand Free Range Lamb Shank with Shiraz Reduction was very tender and comes with a fine potato mash and vegetables. This lamb shank reminded me of Black Sheep Café’s Black Sheep Shank. Like the beef stew, the lamb shank in red wine is a very popular dish from the 1970s. These braised dishes are great comfort food and timeless because of its simplicity.

LW : I found the lamb to be very well-executed and I certainly enjoyed the rich gravy that perfused the meat and gave it a very aromatic flavour.

10 at Claymore - Lamb Shank

The epitome of the menu’s theme is probably the Indo-China Farmed Duck Breast with Citrus Honey Glaze aka Duck à l'Orange. This retro dish, a 1960s staple in dinner parties and restaurant menus in the Western world was featured on one of Heston Blumenthal’s Great Feasts. For the months of August and September you can try this dish at 10 at Claymore. I enjoyed the tangy citrus sauce a lot but I personally found the duck breast to be too tough.

LW : The duck itself was fairly pedestrian but I enjoyed the honey citrus glaze, which was a lovely bright yellow infusion with citrus and sweet undertones, for its taste as much as the spectacle it made of the dish.

10 at Claymore - Duck Breast with Citrus Honey Glaze

Coming back to Asia, and paying homage to the chef’s roots, we have the Penang Spicy Prawn Noodle in Soup with Spicy Crustacean Broth. It is a rich, thick and hearty version of the prawn mee. This dish is another of my personal favourites for the evening.

LW : This was easily the star of the night for me. People who love their food heavy in taste would not go disappointed with the prawn noodle soup, where the broth is thick and flavourful. It was almost like having the prawn heads in liquid form! Yet, despite the thickness and (mild) spice of the broth, the sweetness of the crustaceans was evident. Best of all, it was not cloying, which means one can enjoy it more than once in the course of a meal!

10 at Claymore - Penang Prawn Mee

Unfortunately, the Penang Style Char Kway Teow is not available for the Plates of Pleasure menu this time round. Thankfully, it is part of the Gourmet High Tea Plates of Pleasure Menu at the Lobby Lounge along with two other Penang classics on weekdays and weekends from 2-5 pm.

LW : The char kway teow was delectably smoked with wok hei and was a delicious treat, although I personally liked it less than the prawn noodle soup. People accustomed to the sweet and dark Singaporean version will be disappointed because this version is much lighter in flavour.

10 at Claymore - Penang Char Kway Teow

For desserts, I also tried the crepe and it was good especially when it was paired with their ice creams (which changes from time to time too). I had a Banana Crepe with Lemongrass and Ginger Ice Cream, it was heavenly. Their Bread and Butter Pudding was not bad too. It was crispy on the outside and the still moist in the inside and went well with either vanilla or chocolate sauce.

10 at Claymore - Banana Crepe with Ice Cream

LW : I was very impressed by the range of desserts, which has a large proportion of them served in a central area in taster portions. For the made-to-order desserts, I liked the durian crepe, which was jam-packed with durian puree and topped with a good measure of durian by the jovial dessert chef who gamely taught us how to hold plates like a waiter while cooking the crepe to perfection. 

LW : To get a truly decadent treat, go for a scoop of lemongrass and ginger ice cream. The fragrance of the lemongrass and the spice of the ginger were refreshing and exotic, which paired nicely with the pungent sweetness of the durian.

10 at Claymore - Bread and Butter Pudding

My final thoughts: reasonable prices (compared to some other hotels for dinner), great cheese and quality food. It is no wonder that the place gets rather packed during weekend dinners and special occasions.

10 at Claymore
10 at Claymore - Seafood
10 at Claymore - Roast Beef
10 at Claymore - Parma Ham

10 at Claymore
Pan-Pacific Orchard
10 Claymore Rd
Singapore 229540

Timeless Plates of Pleasure
Available throughout August and September.

Dinner S$48 | 8, 9 August
Dinner S$59 | Monday to Thursday
Dinner S$62 | Friday to Sunday
Brunch S$68 | Sunday

8-9 of August, the dinner is priced at 48++ to celebrate National Day but credit card promotions are not applicable. Otherwise, UOB and DBS cardholders can enjoy 2+1 for buffet lunch (Mon-Sat) and 3+1 for buffet dinner till 30th September.

Many Thanks to Abigail and Valerie from Pan-Pacific Orchard for the invitation and hospitality.

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