Winestone is one of the restaurants by AccorHotels which is located close the entrance of Mercure Singapore on Stevens. This modern-European restaurant has introduced a 4-course Spanish Wine Pairing Menu which begins from now till February 2019. Each course is paired with a curated glass of Spanish wine hailing from different regions of Spain.
As the name of this restaurant suggests, you can find a wide selection of wines here at Winestone. What about the word ‘stone’ in its name? Some of their signature dishes are served on stone boards.
Winestone also has an in-house wine retail store and wine cellar which stores numerous different types of wines.
Need some help with choosing the right wines? You can seek help from Winestone’s sommelier, Steven and communicate with him via Facebook Messenger. Everything is going digital these days.
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4-Course Spanish Wine Pairing Dinner Menu
I have always enjoyed food and wine pairings because I felt that the wines enhance the taste of the food and cleanse the palate after each dish. Good wines can also cut through oily foods and balance a sweet dish.
The Spanish wines which are chosen for that evening complemented well with the savoury seafood dishes. They followed this simple rule of food and wine pairing – white meats pair well with white wines and red meats pair well with red wines.
Wine #1: Castillo De Baron Monastrell Tinto, Spain (2016)
It is a full-bodied, dry red wine which has a
This red wine has a sweet caramel scent to it on the first whiff.
First Course: Jamón ibérico
The shaved Jamon Iberico is served with two fried eggs and grated tomato jam on crystal bread. Like what my dinner partner says, it is like having bacon with eggs for breakfast.
I personally enjoyed the shaved Jamón ibérico for its robust flavours. This is a type of Spanish cured ham goes well with the perfectly-cooked sunny-side up eggs.
Wine #2: Alvarez de Toledo Godello Leon
This white wine has a tropical fruity flavour with some tanginess to it. I personally prefer white wines because it usually has a light fruity undertone to cut through the rich flavours.
Second course: Gambas
Gambas is a Spanish word for shrimp. The golden crispy battered prawns are served along with cod brandade and presented beautifully on stone boards.
The highlight of this dish is the cod brandade. It has a creamy soft texture which resembles mashed potatoes. This cod brandade, which comprises of salted cod, olive oil and potatoes, is cooked to perfection.
At this point, we were almost reaching 70% full.
There are two options to the entrée, a choice of Seafood Paella with Chorizo or a Spanish Beef Stew with Potatoes. There’s a different wine for each entrée. I would recommend their Seafood Paella for its generous portion.
Wine #3: Pujanza Hado, Laguardia (Paired with Spanish Beef Stew)
Pujanza Hado is a red wine from the Rioja region of Spain. The wine is made of pure Tempranillo grapes.
It has a bitter after-taste and slightly more persistent finish as compared to the first red wine served.
Mains: Estofados De Carne (Spanish Beef Stew with Potatoes)
This hearty dish comprises of beef, vegetables, crushed tomatoes and red wine reduction. It is usually served with rice so I was surprised that it is served alone as a main dish.
The beef stew was too salty for our tastebuds. It might have worked for us if it was served as a side dish. The saving grace for this dish is the red wine that goes along with it.
Wine #3: Castillo del Baron Macabeo Blanco, Spain (Paired with Seafood Paella with Chorizo)
This is a fruity white wine with elegant notes of white fruit (apple). It has a pleasant finish.
Mains: Seafood Paella with Chorizo
This is not your regular seafood Paella which has rice as its base. Instead of rice, they use broken pasta noodles.
There is actually a name for this version of paella which is called Fideuà. Fideuà is a Spanish delicacy which is cooked similarly as paella except that it uses pasta as its base.
It would have been more apt to call this dish a Fideuà.
The pasta, including the seafood components, are Catalanaquite well-executed. The pasta is coated with this creamy seafood-based sauce which has locked in all the flavours of the ocean.
The portion size is enough to feed two people. They should go easy on the portion sizes.
Wine #4: Sparkling Zeta Cava Brut (Champagne)
It is lovely that they served champagne for a change after serving the red and white wines. This sparkling champagne has a citrusy note and a clean finish.
Having a glass of champagne is the best way to finish off a meal though I will not mind having a glass of dessert wine too.
Desserts: Duo Crema Catalana with Churros
We had freshly prepared mini Churros, served with icing sugar, a shot of dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream and a Catalana tartlet on the side.
The churros are more on the doughy side. I prefer my churros to be less doughy and more fluffy. Nonetheless, the churros are still crisp.
The Catalana tartlet, on the hand, is delightful. It is a Spanish custard with a burnt caramel topping which is similar to Crème brûlée.
Verdict
I am impressed with Winestone’s choice of food and wine pairings. The Spanish dishes are well-executed but lacked the taste of prominent spices like paprika, which is commonly used in Spanish cooking.
The saving grace, for me, is Winestone’s wine selection and impeccable service.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
This 4-course Spanish Wine Pairing menu is available at $98++ per person, with a minimum of two persons to dine.
Winestone opens for dinner from 6 pm until 12 midnight (last order at 10 pm), from Mondays to Saturdays.
Winestone
Address: Orchard District, 28 Stevens Road, Singapore 257878
Phone number : (+65)64916100, Email: H9561-FB4@accor.com
