The Place Located along South Bridge Road close to Maxwell Food Centre is a relatively new dining and bar concept Muse Amuse, managed by The Carbon Collective. The three-storey restaurant is more than just a restaurant. Decked in a minimalist interior, the end of the space is the bar where you can get your cocktails and other alcoholic drinks. As I walked up the stairs to level two which has an open garden area where you can have your drinks, I felt like I was entering someone’s private property. There is also a separate indoor space on level two where private events can be held.

The Food There is no particular cuisine which dominates the menu and concept at Muse Amuse. The dishes are pretty global, with Asian elements. If you are looking for interesting cocktail flavours with Asian twist, some of the options we spotted on the menu are the Tom Yum Bloody Mary (S$25), Teh Halia Earl Grey with Gingered Candy (S$25) and the Mango Sticky Rice (S$25).

Take the Uni Pie Tee (S$15/2 pieces) with Hokkaido Uni and homemade Pie Tee as an example. The intrinsically Peranakan dish here is infused with Japanese Sea Urchin, definitely a first for me. The combination is interesting, though I feel that the Pie Tee and Uni flavours didn’t blend like a perfect marriage.

Beef tartare with Korean elements? Meet the Tartaro (S$18), prepared with hand chopped 200-day grain-fed Wagyu along with Sesame oil dressing, egg yolk and Korean honey pear. Some people are concerned about the raw beef flavour and smell of beef tartare, and I must say I didn’t get that experience from this version. The ingredients like the Korean honey pear and sesame oil dressing managed to balance the beef tartare flavour well.

I’m never a big fan of the French ratatouille dish, though the Royal Ratchaphruek (S$12) at Muse Amuse is quite a good twist to the classic French Provençal dish. Ratchaphruek means flower in Thai language, and this Thai inspired dish is served with a tangy tom yum broth at the bottom.

One of the most Instagrammed dish here at Muse Amuse is undoubtedly the Sautéed Scallops on Japanese Somen Noodles (S$18) served with a confit egg yolk. When this dish was served, I was curious and skeptical of the bright pink hue as it seemed like an artificial colouring at first glance. Well, the pink hue is in fact beetroot dashi, a unique twist to the otherwise bland Japanese dashi colour. Unfortunately, the overall flavour profile of this Somen was rather flat for me.

In the mood for some meats? Go for the Aurora USDA Prime Beef Angus Ribeye (S$78), first sous vide then grilled till Medium-rare and served with a unique Thai basil sauce. The steak was succulent, and I found it tasty even without dipping into the sauce.

Alternatively. the 6-day Baby Back Pork Ribs (S$16) is not too bad an option. The tender pork loin was twice-marinated with homemade BBQ sauce to lend it a rich flavour.

Desserts are not the usual fares either. There’s the Gula Melaka Panna Cotta with Umami Sea Urchin (S$12), or the Slow-Cooked Black Glutinous Rice (S$8) if you love your pulut hitam.

Rants The portions of the dishes are generally small, so be prepared to order more dishes – and it ain’t cheap. 

Will I Return Again? We like the space here at Muse Amuse, ideal for group gatherings as there are no two-seaters tables here. While some of the dishes are pretty unique in terms of the combination of ingredients, not all resonate well with us.

Make your reservation instantly at Muse Amuse here.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Muse Amuse
289 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058835
Tel: +65 8500 0588

Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday: 11am to 12am
Closed on Sunday

Ranted by The Ranter