HazelDiary

Araya located at Mondrian Singapore Duxton stands out as the first fine-dining South American establishment in the city. The restaurant emphasis on Chilean South Pacific cuisine infused with indigenous and Japanese ingredients. It is the latest addition to the Culinary Arts Group, which also boasts Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Hamamoto and popular open-fire grill eatery, Revolver.

Read more: [SG EATS] Araya At Mondrian Singapore Duxton | South American Fine-Dining Cuisine With Chilean Focus

Situated within Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Araya is a cozy 30-seater space led by the culinary expertise of Michelin-starred Chef Francisco Araya and Chef Fernanda Guerrero. The main dining area features a 12-seat rose quartz counter that provides an intimate view of the chefs at work. For large groups, there is also a private room available with a minimum spending requirement of S$4,000.00++.

Araya offers a singular dining experience with its Menu Degustacion prices at S$298++ per person tasting menu for dinner along with a vegetarian option, Menu Vegetariano at S$298++ per person. The courses showcase a fusion of South American flavours with Japanese elements, and a wine pairing option is also available.

We started off with a series of snacks including Ama Ebi Tomato Meringue, Tepache (fermented pineapple juice), and Corn Flan with Murasaki uni marinated in white shoyu.

The bread course, La Panera introduces three distinct Chilean breads- Marraqueta, Chapalele and Chorizo.I enjoyed the trio freshly baked bread complemented by Butter Merken, a Uruguayan butter infused with merken.

Following the bread course, the refreshing Ceviche features Hokkaido scallops marinated in shio koji with tiger’s milk sorbet and a medley of flavours.

The Causa course presents Araya’s take on potatoes and caviar, incorporating oca,yellow chillies and lightly smoked chutoro.

A standout dish is the Moqueca, a traditional Brazilian fish stew featuring gently poached kinki fish with a flavorful moqueca sauce made from kinki bones, palm oil, and coconut milk. Interesting!

The following course features exquisite harmony of 154 days aged Ecuadorian cacao. It’s rich and velvety taste perfectly complementing the succulent essence of Bresse pigeon intensifying the richness of flavors.

Transitioning to the “Sunday Lunch” segment, highlighting the traditional Chilean snack, the Empanada takes center stage. Crafted with wagyu beef, it is elegantly adorned with a pebre gel (a Chilean condiment typically comprising coriander and/or parsley) and delicate micro herbs on top.

For the final savory course, we had Picana presenting Wagyu beef with vibrant chimichurri sauce.

Palate cleanser before moving on to our sweet treats.

The dessert experience unfolds in three acts. The first, Desierto Florido features crushed honey orange meringue, chirimoya alegre espuma, and mango-pineapple-infused orange flan.

Antarctica, the second dessert offers goat’s milk ice-cream, crispy milk, cinnamon anglaise, Patagonian blackberries, and dulce de leche.

The grand finale Carrito De Dulces involves a dessert trolley presenting single-origin chocolates from South America for patrons to choose from. We get to choose whichever type of chocolate from the dessert trolley.

While unfamiliar to many, Chilean cuisine takes center stage at Araya offering a refreshing addition to Singapore’s dining scene. The carefully crafted dishes, attentive service, and unique flavour combinations position Araya as a strong contender for a Michelin Star in the future. I would recommend giving it a try for an exquisite dining experience.

Address: Araya 
Mondrian Singapore Duxton 
83 Neil Road, #01-08 
Singapore 089813 
Tel: +65 8870 0871 

Opening Hours:  Tuesday to Saturday 6:00PM to 11:00PM (Last order at 9:00PM) 
Closed on Sunday & Monday 

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for insta updates