Last month, Binary entered a new chapter with a refreshed menu to celebrate its First Anniversary. Remaining true to its binary approach of featuring Asian and Western influences in its dishes. The gastro-bar would present both Asian and Western versions of a single produce for diners to choose from. The revamped menu extends this to their cocktail selections too, where a base spirit will be presented in two ways.
Begin the meal there with Binary’s signature Kubaneh Bread ($14++). This is a must-order, and it is no wonder why you’ll see one on almost every table there. The pull-apart rolls are made in-house and served with garlic butter and kombu butter. The fluffy bread is also good enough to have on its own. Although we wanted to leave stomach space for other new dishes, we could not resist and ordered another portion of this bread and dug into them as soon as they arrived.
New highlights under the sides section ($14++ each) of Binary’s menu include the Grilled Asparagus, where the torched greens are flavoured with egg aioli made in house, grated parmigiana and salt-cured egg yolk.
A new dish added to the small plates section is the Fresh Burrata served with impossible meat sauce. This is Binary’s Asian take on cheese. It is an interesting dish although I prefer having my burrata as is as the tomato flavour can overwhelm the lighter burrata taste.
The Octopus curls in Lao Gan Ma chilli crisp ($32++) is not a new dish, but a popular item amongst Binary’s diners, hence they continue to be served. The octopus is sous vide with thyme and lemon zest for 4 hours then grilled on the plancha. The lao gan ma chilli crisp is a flavour that many Asian families are used to. Our only gripe was that the portion is a tad small.
Moving onto the Mains, we had the King Prawn with Cajun Herb Butter ($42) and the Iberico Presa served with Vietnamese dipping sauce. The former is Binary’s Western take on the King Prawn. King prawns are partially baked in the oven then spread with cajun herb butter before finishing it off in the oven again. This dish was a tad over-seasoned on the day we visited, but the king prawns were fresh and large.
A small plate that we tried and preferred was the Wagyu Petit Tender in Char Siew Sauce ($18++). Wagyu beef is torched with Char Siew Sauce and served with fresh lettuce. A cut off the shoulder, but still tender and slightly fatty. The western take would see the meat served with truffle. This is pretty good value given the portion size and the cut served.
Our preferred main was the Iberico Presa. Drawing inspiration from the Vietnamese cuisine, the Iberico presa is marinated in lemongrass, honey, sugar and fish sauce overnight, then sous vide and grilled on the plancha. The Vietnamese fish dip is tangy and complements the meat well.
We were also treated to this special off-menu egglet with caviar. We understand that this is a popular item when the owner’s friends visit Binary. The briny flavours from the caviar goes well with the egglet and served with a side of egg mayo and chives. Don’t say we didn’t share!
For desserts, my pick would be the Ice Jelly with Yuzu Sorbet to cleanse the palette. Aiyu jelly is served with yuzu sorbet, lemongrass, lime juice, kaffir lime syrup and blueberries. Refreshing!
A new dessert would be the miso caramel parfait with Valrhona chocolate ganache and pistachio brittle – an option for those with a sweet tooth!
Overall, the refreshed menu shows Binary’s continued experimentation. With its new Cocktail Menu (from $24++ each), drinks from 6 different bases – Gin, Vodka, Rum, Tequila/Mezcal, Whisky and Wines / Champagnes are available. It is also conveniently located at the first floor of Palais Renaissance, a spot to chill at after some retail therapy along Orchard Road or simply to catch up with friends.
Budget per person: $35 to $45 per person
