Six Rounds: Celebrating life’s most heartfelt moments
Radiating goodness, the six-course tasting menu bows to nature’s largesse and follows the rhythms of the seasons. Named for key stages in the enduring cycle of time – and meaningful moments in the chef’s journey through life – each ‘Round’ realises a perfect balance of ritual and avant-garde flair. Dishes embody French techniques, as well as Asian diversity, and are populated by the fruits of the sea.
Preluded by an amuse-bouche of cold chawanmushi created with century egg and Sichuan sauce, Round #1 (Awakening) is a play on the beloved Voon signature of Royal Cristal caviar paired with Tasmanian Petuna ocean trout. Wrapped with pickled watermelon radish and sushi vinegar jelly, the lightly cured fish bathes in a sauce energised by the pickled green chillies typically served with wonton noodles in Malaysia.
Daily torrential rainstorms during the chef’s formative years in Singapore spurred an appreciation of nature’s life-affirming power, and this intensity is captured in the Round #2 (Rain) of ‘drunken’ Ezo abalone – the chef’s favourite abalone from Japan – delicately marinated in Xiang Zao Lu wine, ginger and wolfberries. Chargrilled for a smoky taste and appealing bite, the prized sea mollusc joins shiitake mushrooms in a luscious Asian bouillon inspired by Singapore’s famous pepper soup.
Onto Round #3 (Colours): a vivid revelation of how imagination can transform nature’s simple gifts into complex sensory stories. Atlantic langoustine tail is cooked ‘a la plancha’ (grilled on a metal plate), zested with lemon and lime, and served with butternut squash purée and the chef’s special beurre blanc that folds in essences of tom yum kung.
Round #4 (Diversity) has long been a watchword for Chef Voon, gleaned through his many travels in Asia. His belief that elements of different cuisines can be united in one compelling taste is seen in Sarawak black pepper crab au gratin. Prompted by his love of Singapore black pepper crab, the chef brings a unique Asian twist to a classic cheesy crab gratin. The rich, spiced butter sauce is infused with black-pepper paste, white wine, shallots, crème fraiche and onion crumbles for crunch.
Chef Voon deftly pairs prime produce from all over the world with an Asian sensibility for an ever-evolving repertoire of layered contemporary dishes that reflect the maturity of his cuisine today. This is evidenced by the meat main in Round #5 – the Soul of the Six Rounds – where succulent Bourbonnais lamb, raised on grass and aromatic herbs in the meadows of Allier in central France, is pan-roasted in butter and finished with mala spices of roasted dried chilli, cumin, coriander, sesame and fennel seeds. The rack of lamb is served with caramelised onions, bell pepper chutney cooked with Asian spices, glazed carrots and Madeira wine lamb jus.
The Six Rounds come full circle to culminate in Round #6 (Memory), an artistic dessert course that speaks to the chef’s impressions of the past and his Asian homeland. Prepped by a pre-dessert palate cleanser of Japanese-inspired yoghurt mochi, the meal concludes with an homage to Hong Kong milk tea: ‘Yuenyeung’, a decadent sweet of harmonious coffee and tea flavours.
Selected wine pairings by the glass are perfectly matched with the innovative plates of the two evening tasting menus. Six glasses for HK$880 per person complement the Six Rounds, and eight glasses for HK$1,080 per person can be enjoyed with the eight-course Menu Dégustation.
Auor serves dinner on Monday through Saturday from 6:30pm to 11:30pm (last orders 8:30pm). For reservations / event enquiries at Auor, please visit HERE or contact the restaurant directly.