Words and Photos by Floyd Cowan

(Singapore 24 August 2021) The World Gourmet Summit (WGS) is collaborating with the USA Cheese Guild to present special USA Cheese Dining Experiences in restaurants throughout the city from August to September. Mike Smith enjoyed a Cheese With Everything! lunch at Shabestan Finest Persian Cuisine, which you can read all about here. 

The USA Cheese Guild claims that almost a quarter of the world’s cheese is made in the United States, comprising over 1,000 varieties, types and styles. Jamie Lee, Senior Program Executive at the US Daily Export Council Singapore says, “Many people believe that most and the best cheese comes from Europe. We are endeavoring to educate them to what the USA has to offer.”

Lee Boon Seng, The Spot’s Executive Chef (top left) is the Recipient of World Gourmet Awards Innovative Chef of The Year 2021, said that he created a new dish for each one on the menu to bring out the best of all the ingredients. The dish that brought him this accolade is the elevating Chinese Style Beef Short Rib. (below left) The ingredients are Black Garlic & U.S. Monterey Jack Glazed supplying the flavor for the most tender beef short rib. It is plated with a ‘Fermented Cabbage U.S. Colby Jack ‘Dumpling’.

Lunch began with a Welcome Cocktail – The Cheesy Evidence – comprised of Don Papa Rum, Rustic Raspberry Shrub Passiflora Sirop, Fresh Key Lime and U.S. Pepper Jack. Mixologist Remz Ocampo’s (top right) creation set the taste tone for the dishes to follow. Complex. There was always an ingredient that was sharp and tangy to offset flatter fatter flavours.

Smoked Paprika Salt is the tangy to the Whipped U.S. Gouda’s more subtle contribution to the U.S. Gouda Chipacito. (above center) A delightful mouthful. And along with surprising combinations is the lightness of all the dishes even where there is mozzarella, which you know can be heavy and sticky. The “Summer” U.S. Fresh Mozzarella (above right) demonstrates how this can be done. The Plum Vinegar gives the sting to Summer Vegetables, Strawberry and Stingless Bee Honey Ice Cream.

If lunch had ended with the Trout Ceviche & U.S. Cotija, I would have been perfectly happy – not knowing what I missed, of course. Marinated in Passion Fruit and Calamansi with Orange, Cashew Nut and Radish, I found it amazing. The Cashew Nut, for me provide the innovativeness that made it special.

How can you go wrong with Seared Scallop? I suppose there might be a way, but there was no chance of that here. Corn & Glazed U.S. Monterey Jack with Fermented Cabbage U.S. Colby Dumpling completed and complimented the dish.

After the excitement of the Beef Short Rib the desert went in a completely different direction with the Aerated U.S. Sharp Cheddar comprised of Red Wine Sorbet, Poached Grapes and Curried Nuts.

With each of the dishes my first thought was not ‘this is a cheese dish’ though each one of them would not have been as appealing without the cheese. 

The Spot is a holistic dining experience and new social hub at the heart of Singapore's Downtown area, Marina One. Offering an eclectic menu fusing contemporary European cuisine with Southeast Asian ingredients, The Spot is an all-day dining cafe, restaurant, bar and cigar lounge. 

This USA Cheese Special Menu is available at Spot for $108++ per person until September 9, 2021.

The Spot

www.thespot.sg 

USA CHEESE GUILD

www.USAcheeseGuild.org.

World Gourmet Summit  

www.worldgourmetsummit.com

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