7Adam – New Chef, Better Food

I never have a good impression of 7Adam initally. We were there for dinner last year and the food was not up to expectation. The pilaf rice was tasteless, the duck confit was too tough, the baba pork ribs was too sweet… it just didn’t work for me and quite a disappointment.

So when the restaurant manager contacted me and told me they had changed their chef and menu, it took me a while to consider if I should give them another chance. I am glad I did.

With a new Chef de Cuisine, Reynaldo P. Arriola, helming the kitchen, 7 Adam’s new menu offers European cuisine with a dash of Asian influence, giving guests a multi-dimensional palate experience. He was with The Halia and joined 7Adam since October 2012.

If you’re a fan of Japanese food, you’ve likely had the pleasure of eating 7 Adam “Goma” Wagyu Beef Carpaccio ($22) with sesame dressing. Thinly sliced wagyu beef is served with caperberries, parmesan cheese, shallots and chives.

If you have been to Halia, you probably will remember Chef Reynaldo’s signature Sauteed Risotto Soja. Chef had previously spent five years in France, training under French chefs like Thierry Marx at the two Michelin-starred Chateau Cordeillan Bages. This dish was actually a challenge set by Chef Marx, that is to cook a dish that represented Reynaldo’s home, and he came up with this. It has since been in the menu at any restaurant he works in.

Chef’s Risotto of Sprouts ($22) is not an ordinary risotto dish. The risotto was made from bean sprouts and served with braised oysters, sliced truffle, emulsion of mushrooms and wine. The crunchiness of the bean sprouts provided the “mouth feel” which ordinary rice could not have achieved.

When I came for dinner last year, I had the Cod Fish Confit prepared by the previous chef. The pilaf rice was dry and the orange hollandaise sauce was bland. I am glad Chef Reynaldo’s take on Masala Atlantic Cod ($38) was way better. The atlantic cod was marinated with masala and served with oriental pilaf rice, harricot beans and egg plant, lemon grass cream sauce. I wish the dish has more sauce because it was too dry for me.

Wagyu Rump Steak ($30) is not the best steak I have eaten but still good for its price. The meat is flavourful and tender and served with ginger, oyster sauce, trio of capsicums, truffled baby potato mash with bacon crisps.

Asian Spiced Australian Lamb Racks ($42) had the lamb marinated in asian spice for 6 hours. The marinade permeates the lamb’s meat before grilling it to medium. It sits beautifully on a bed of ratatouille peppers and sauteed potatoes, served with rosemary and port wine jus. The lamb slid off the bones easily and ratatouille gives a tangy flavour to the dish, which is an interesting twist to the classic.

Overall, I think Chef Reynaldo has displayed daring creativity by giving his European dishes an Asian twist, such as adding Southeast Asian spices to them. The food is good enough for repeated visits and the prices are friendly.

7Adam
Address: 7 Adam Park
Tel: 6467 0777
Open Daily from 11am to 11pm
email: enquiries@7adam.com