In a quiet corner of Sentosa, the newly opened 1-Flowerhill heritage building houses three concepts by 1-Group. On the first floor is an offshoot of Wildseed Café, which turns into the Wildseed Bar & Grill at sundown, and upstairs is Camille, a new restaurant that offers sweeping views of the surrounding areas.
A French-Japanese concept, Camille features a menu put together by head chef Loh Wai Lun and 1-Group executive chef of Asian cuisines Lamley Chua. We begin with a tartare of cold-smoked beef and tuna ($42++ for two persons), prepared tableside with a variety of accoutrements. We particularly enjoy the addition of crispy puffed rice, which adds texture without distracting from the proteins.
Following this is a chawanmushi with multiple preparations of artichoke ($28++), which draws attention to a vegetable not often enjoyed in Singapore. We also have a medley of heirloom tomatoes ($26++), topped with a refreshing shiso sorbet that whets our appetites for the courses to come.
The mains start with a wagyu flatiron steak ($62++), served with celeriac in balsamic teriyaki sauce, a confit banana shallot and yuzu kosho. Everything is firing on all cylinders here, especially with the rare beef supercharged by the yuzu kosho’s citrus-tinged spice.
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Our favourite dish of the evening comes in the form of a seafood stew ($45++). Prepared papillote-style in a bag that’s cut open at the table, we’re immediately greeted with the wonderful aroma of a yuzu-scented lobster bisque. That — paired with the fresh mix of mussels, scallops, red seabream and a whole lot more — has us cleaning our plate.
For a vegetarian option, the Camille Garden ($32++) is a mix of pan-fried vegetables served with white miso brown butter and a salty-sweet mix of baked hazelnuts and walnuts, balanced by a subtle kick from togarashi seasoning.
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Closing off the meal is another bout of dramatic flair, with a deconstructed Black Forest dessert ($28++) put together — so to speak — tableside. A smorgasbord of ingredients, from dark chocolate mousse to cherry granola and mushroom-shaped meringues, makes this exciting for the eyes and the tongue (and no doubt for the ‘Gram, too).
With all the visual spectacle, a meal at Camille is really like dinner and a show. But bells and whistles aside, the food stands well on its own. We leave entertained, ready to return to the mainland and the buzz of the city.
