One of the French Restaurants that I’ve always wanted to try, but have not gotten the chance to visit until recently is Bistro Du Vin at Shaw Centre.

Bistro Du Vin by the Les Amis Group has been making a name for itself since opening in 2009. My friends have always raved about the classical French Food that they serve. I went there for lunch a while back and I have to say that the set lunch is absolutely a steal at $30++/pax.

What I like about the three-course set lunch at Bistro Du Vin is the variety that they offer. It has six items each for appetisers, main courses and desserts.

I am still saving up for the air ticket to Paris, so for now I can only satisfy my French food craving by eating at a French Bistro in Orchard road.

After taking a glance at the menu, I immediately knew that there was no way I could resist the Pan-fried Foie Gras with prune compote (supplement of $6). I took a bite and I could feel happiness entering my body. The Foie Gras was good, but the scrambled eggs were even better.

There is only one word to describe the Scrambled Eggs with mushroom & chorizo – scrumptious! I’d come back just for this (hopefully they don’t take it off the set lunch menu).

Other appetisers include: Tuna and Lemon Pasta, Duck Rillette, Foie Gras Terrine, Escargot, and Tomato Soup.

When we were there for lunch, the six main courses on the set menu were Chicken Leg, Roasted Pork Chop, French Duck Confit, Pan-fried fish of the day, Braised Oxtail, and Char-grilled US Angus Ribeye. There was also “blackboard specials” like the Roasted Spring Chicken, Braised Duck Leg, and Char-grilled Striploin.

My dining companions had the Roasted Spring Chicken wrapped with ham and Fish of the day. Both were not too bad, but it was the French Fries ($3 side order) which stole the show. There was no truffle oil, or any secret ingredients – just really good French Fries.

I had a hard time trying to decide between Char-grilled US Angus Ribeye (supplement of $10) and the French Duck Leg Confit. I eventually went for the latter. It was one of the better Duck Confits that I’ve had, and the portion was just right for a not-so-heavy lunch.

For desserts, there was Creme Caramel, Dark Chocolate Mousse, Coconut and Passionfruit Sorbet, Warm Pear Tart, Profiteroles and selected cheese on the set lunch menu. We used the elimination method and chose three desserts.

My favourite was the lovely Pear Tart with vanilla ice cream, while my friends found the pairing of Coconut and Passionfruit sorbet intriguing.

All in all, Bistro du vin by the Les Amis group serves a value for money 3-course set lunch at $30++. I will definitely come back again to try some of the classical French food like the Coq Au Vin and Pot Au Feu on the ala carte menu.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Bistro du vin
1 Scotts Road
#02-12 Shaw Centre
Tel: +65 6733 7763
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10pm

For more recommendations, read my list of best French Restaurants in Singapore

Brasserie Les Saveurs at The Regis is easily one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore. It offers all-occasion dining, serving set lunch, afternoon high tea, degustation dinner menu and of course, Sunday champagne brunch.

Even though I’ve been to Yan Ting restaurant many times, this was my first visit to Brasserie Les Saveurs at The St Regis Singapore and I instantly fell in love with the French restaurant.

But the problem is, it’s very easy to make me fall head over heels. Just give me two (maybe three) glasses of champagne and a platter of desserts and I would be screaming “baby, I am in lurveee with you!” So is it because of the champagne or is the Sunday brunch buffet at Brasserie Les Saveurs really good?

I was here for their Sunday Champagne Brunch buffet. For $138++ (non alcohol) or $170++ (free flow of champagne and juices), you get a main course with semi-buffet: antipasto counter that has tiny nibbles like smoked duck tartar and mini crab salad; seafood counter with fresh prawns, oysters and crabs; and a very impressive dessert buffet that has Isaphan, chocolate tart and creme brulee.

Besides having free flow of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, you can also order some of the St Regis signature cocktails like bloody mary.

But that’s not it. Plenty of beautifully plated appetisers – fresh crab roll with papaya mustard, yellowfin tuna tartart, creme brulee foie gras, traditional lobster bisque, calamansi sorbet and 36 hour braised pork belly – would appear on the table every now and then.

Besides the semi buffet of appetisers, cold cut and desserts, the champagne brunch has a choice of main course, and you can also have eggs done in any style.

From our table, we could smell foie gras. What a lovely smell. Brasserie Les Saveurs has a few ala minute stations and boy am I glad there is a counter pan-searing foie gras on the spot. Next to the foie gras station, there was another chef preparing stir-fried black pepper lobster.

I think I am in love. Or maybe it’s just the champagne.

From the seafood buffet counter: Fresh oysters (Royale oyster, Gillardeau oyster, Tarbouriech oyster), live prawns and Sri Lanka crab.

From the cold cut buffet counter: Iberico ham, parma ham, chorizo, air fried beef and selection of bread.

From the antipasto buffet counter: Vegetarian Soba salad, Organic Grilled vegetables salad, Caprese, Thai asparagus salad with black truffle vinaigrette, Organic “oriental” couscous, Achar Vegetables, Mini crab salad with avocado salsa, Mini “Datterini” tomatoes stuffed with ratatouille Smoked salmon pancakes, Smoked duck tartar, Caesar salad, Nicoise salad, Rocket salad, mix green salad, Lemon and balsamic dressing.

As mentioned, everyone is entitled to one main course, so it was fortunate that we had a big group and managed to try quite a few items on the menu. Among the ones that we’ve had, the Roasted Brittany Turbot stood out for its flavour, while the grilled USA beef ribeye was a little too dry.

The other main courses include: Black Angus beef tartar, free range sakura chicken breast, roasted Welsh lamb, pan seared red snapper, roasted Atlantic cod, and pan fried john dory. Like the other items in the buffet, they are changed from time to time.

Eggs done in any style: eggs benedict, omelette, scrambled, hard-boiled, over easy, sunny side up. I don’t think I can ever live without eggs!

Hello from cheese heaven!

And of course, what’s buffet without desserts?

Chocolate crunchy mousse, Chocolate tart, Lemon meringue tart, Strawberry sable, Banana cheese cake, Raspberry tart, Opera cark, Chocolate Manjari cake, Madeline, Chocolate choux, Mango éclair, Assorted Macarons, White chocolate cassis, Pistachio & cherry with apricot jelly, Orange jelly & Chantilly with ladyfinger sponge, Triple chocolate shooter, Mango & lime creameux with coconut dacquoise, and Cappuccino crème brulee – I’m really in love.

In fact, I’d go as far to say that the selection of the dessert buffet at Brassserie Les Saveurs is one of the best among the buffet restaurants that I’ve been to.

I don’t know how others do it, but I suck at multi-tasking. I always admire how some people can do a few things at the same. It was only when I was eating the desserts, then I realised how lucky I am not to be able to multi-task. Focus on one dessert at a time, eat it and repeat the process for maximum pleasure.

At $170++/pax, the Champagne Brunch Buffet at Brasserie Les Saveurs is not cheap. But what you get is a superb brunch experience in one of the most beautiful restaurants in Singapore. I would definitely save up and come here during a special occasion.

Mains selections from the ala carte menu during dinner are available from $35 for a pan roasted wild snapper to $55 for a grilled US prime grade beef ribeye. For a special indulgence, try their 6 course degustation menu at $138++.

After a fabulous champagne brunch, it’s probably a good idea to go home for a nap. If not, you can always get a suite in St Regis and enjoy a nice weekend staycation.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Brasserie Les Saveurs
29 Tanglin Road
The St. Regis Singapore
Tel: +65 6506 6888
Sunday Champagne Brunch
$138++ (Non-alcohol)
$170++ Free flow Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut & juices

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

For more recommendations, please read my list of buffet restaurants in Singapore

Apart from the key attractions like the Singapore Flyer, Sentosa, Universal Studios, and the Marina Bay Sands, the most appealing thing about Singapore is food. In Singapore, there are many restaurants serving different cuisines from all over the world, and it is one of the best things about dining out in Singapore.

French Cuisine is extremely popular in Singapore, and we are lucky to have many restaurants serving good and authentic French food.

Here’s my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore.

French Restaurant / Baguette / Bistro / Bouchon / Boulangerie / Brasserie / Café / Crème Brûlée / Coq au vin / Foie Gras / Gâteaux / Patisserie / Pot au feu / Steak frites / Tarte Tatin

Absinthe French Restaurant

For a long time, my friends have been telling me that I simply have to check out Absinthe French Restaurant. One of my friend said that it is the best French restaurant in Singapore. Sadly, I have yet to go there. But I will definitely grab some friends and head there soon.

48 Bukit Pasoh Road
Tel: +65 6222 9068

Au Jardin Les Amis

Offering French fine dining amidst the Singapore Botanical Gardens, Au Jardin by the Les Amis Group is one of the top Singapore restaurants. They offer a superb Sunday Brunch at $88; dinner degustation menu at $225/pax; as well as Table d’hôte – host’s table menu – where multi course meals with only a few choices are charged, at a fixed total price.

1 Cluny Road, EJH Corner House
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Tel: +65 6466 8812

Au Petit Salut

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Au Petit Salut is one of my favourite restaurants in Singapore. You are really missing out if you have not been there before.

40c Harding road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey)
Tel: +65 6475 1976

Bistro Du Vin

Another French restaurant by the Les Amis group, Bistro Du Vin at Shaw Centre is a casual French Bistro serving classical French food. If you are looking for a restaurant in Orchard road to have dinner, why not drop by Bistro Du Vin?

1 Scotts Road
#02-12 Shaw Centre
Tel: +65 6733 7763

Bistro Petit Salut

Located at Chip Bee Gardens, Bistro Petit Salut is the sister restaurant of Au Petite Salut, and it is a great causal dining option if you are craving for French food.

They offer one of the best set lunches in Singapore, and the whole experience is available for just $25++/pax.

44 Jalan Merah Saga #01-54
Chip Bee Gardens Singapore
Tel: +65 6474 9788

Brasserie Les Saveurs

As you can see from the first photo of this post, Brasserie Les Saveurs at The St. Regis Singapore is a gorgeous restaurant. It is easily one of the most beautiful restaurants in Singapore. The food at Brasserie Les Saveurs is equally stunning. Besides the brasserie-style refined French cuisine during lunch and dinner, they also have a luxurious Champagne Brunch on Sunday and afternoon high tea on weekdays.

29 Tanglin Road
The St. Regis
Tel: +65 6506 6888

Brasserie Wolf

Brasserie WOLF at Robertson Quay is a casual French bistro under the management of the Esmirada Group of Restaurants. It serves simple and good French food. Amongst the dishes that we’ve had, the Traditional French Onion Soup and Beef Bourguignon are worth ordering.

80 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-13
The Pier @ Robertson Singapore
Tel: +65 6835 7818

Choupinette

Tucked in a corner along Bukit Timah road near Coronation Plaza, Choupinette is a charming little place that serves bistrot style dinner, and lovely French pastries. They are very popular with expatiates, especially during weekend brunch, so be sure to make a reservation in advance if you want your Pain au chocolat and Croissant.

607 Bukit Timah road #01-01
Tel: 6466 0613

Cocotte

Located on the ground level of Wanderlust boutique hotel, Cocotte serves up unpretentious, rustic French cuisine in a casual and comfortable setting. Cocotte is all about communal dining. Go with a group of friends, and remember to order the Poulet Roti – their signature roasted whole organic chicken.

2 Dickson Road
Ground Level Wanderlust Hotel
Tel: +65 6298 1188

DB Bistro Moderne

With all the michelin star restaurants opening in Singapore, it is so exciting to be living here right now. Daniel Boulud’s name is synonymous with fine dining in New York, and his signature Manhattan restaurant, DB Bistro Moderne is probably one of the ‘slightly more affordable’ options among the Marina Bay Sands celebrity chef restaurants.

10 Bayfront Ave
#B1-48 Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 8525

Gunther’s Modern French Cuisine

Gunther’s restaurant by the Garibaldi group, was ranked 84th in S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010. It’s no mean feat to be up there with all the best restaurants in the World.

36 Purvis Street
#01-03 Talib Centre
Tel: +65 6338 8955

Guy Savoy

Hard-core food lovers no longer need to fly all the way to Paris just for a dining experience in Guy Savoy. His celebrated Parisian restaurant now awaits you at Marina Bay Sands.

10 Bayfront Avenue
#L2-01 Casino Level 2
Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 8513

L’Entrecote

Around the world, many restaurants featuring steak dishes use the word entrecôte as their name or part of their name, and L’Entrecote at Duxton Hill is no exception. If you are looking for a nice restaurant that serves steak and fries, here’s the perfect place to go.

36 Duxton Hill
Tel: +65 6238 5700

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Having a world class meal at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, is definitely a foodie pilgrimage. As at all L’Ateliers around the world, the fine dining French Restaurant at Resorts World Sentosa has contrasting and sexy red and black interiors, and you can choose to dine in either the casual counter-dining side, or the more formal table side.

Now that we finally have L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in town, surely, it is one of the must-go restaurants in Singapore?

8 Sentosa Gateway
Level 1 Hotel Michael
Resorts World Sentosa
Tel: +65 6577 7888

Le Bon Marche

Le Bon Marche at Alocassia Service Apartments, located near the junction of Bukit Timah/Dunearn and Whitley/Stevens Road, is a bistro and gourmet shop. Their food menu includes: appetisers ($11-35), French Sandwiches ($12-15), foie gras/escargots ($16-27), main courses ($23-35), cheeses ($21-49) and desserts ($11-16).

383 Bukit Timah Road
#01-01 Alocassia Service Apartments
Tel: +65 6226 3269

La Petite Cusine

La Petite Cuisine is a simple, no frills French restaurant that offers good French food at affordable prices. Where else can you find a decent restaurant that serves a good duck confit below $20?

10 Jalan Serene
#01-05 Serene centre
Tel: 6314 3173

La Saint Julien

Located in the central business district, La Saint Julien is the perfect place to meet your client for a nice and quiet business luncheon. This is French Fine Dining at its best.

3 Fullerton Road, #02-02
The Fullerton Waterboat House
Tel: +65 6534 5947

Le Bistrot

At the heart of the Singapore Indoor Stadium is Le Bistrot, a traditional French Bistro that aims to serve classic and inventive French Cuisine.

Le Bistrot is an interesting place. They have a prix fixe menu, which means you can order an entree & main course for $50, main course & dessert for $50, or entree, main course & dessert for $60. Otherwise, you can also order ala carte: entree ($18), main course ($40), dessert ($18).

2 Stadium Walk
#01-03 Singapore Indoor Stadium
Tel: +65 6447 0018

Le Bistrot du Sommelier

Previously from Au Petit Salut French Restaurant, Chef Patrick Heuberger is the Executive Chef and Part-Owner of Le Bistrot Du Sommelier.

The French restaurant is extremely popular. A month or two ago, I called them a few days earlier, hoping to get a table during the weekend – only to find out that they were fully booked for the next two weeks. If you are going there, make sure you make a reservation early in advance.

46 Prinsep Street
#01-01 Prinsep Place
Tel: +65 6333 1982

Picotin

The laid-back atmosphere of the bistro makes Picotin the ideal place for a nice escape from town. Just in case you might be interested, it is partly owned by award winning chef Emmanuel Stroobant of Saint Pierre (see below).

100 Turf Club Road
Tel: +65 6877 1191

Saint Pierre

Who doesn’t know celebrity chef Emannuel Stroobant? Saint Pierre is undoubtedly one of Singapore’s top French restaurant.

3 Magazine Road
#01-01 Central Mall
Tel: +65 6438 0887

The Black Sheep Cafe

The Little India area is a mini paradise for French food. Besides The French Stall along Serangoon Road, you also have Cocotte French Restaurant in Wanderlust hotel. And of course, The Black Sheep Cafe at Mayo Street.

I’d recommend this place if you are looking for a restaurant that offers affordable French Food in Singapore. Try the Baked Brie Cheese, Duck Leg Confit, Crispy Pork Cheek, and Souffle.

35 Mayo Street
Tel: +65 9272 1842

The French Kitchen

Looking for a nice restaurant to have a quiet lunch? The French Kitchen at Central Mall offers a $36++/pax set lunch which includes escargot/lobster bisque/goat’s cheese for appetisers; pork loin/duck confit/steamed barramundi for main courses; and red berry sabayon/creme brulee for desserts.

7 Magazine Road
#01-03 Central Mall
Tel: +65 6438 1823

The French Stall

The French Stall is the restaurant that most people mention when you ask them where to have French food in Little India. Homely French food in an unpretentious (road-side) setting.

544 Serangoon Road
Tel: +65 6299 3544

Which is the best French Restaurant in Singapore? Where do you go to satisfy your craving for good and authentic French food? Which is the next French Bistro/Brasserie you want to visit next? Bon appétit!

The Little India area is a mini paradise for French food. Besides The French Stall along Serangoon Road, you also have Cocotte French Restaurant in Wanderlust hotel. And of course, The Black Sheep Cafe at Mayo Street.

The small French cafe can probably seat around 30 guests, a nice cosy place for a quiet dinner. The menu is relatively small, with only 4 appetisers, 6 mains, and 3 desserts.

My friends are terrific to eat with, mainly because they are gamed for anything. Six of us went to The Black Sheep Cafe for dinner, and we tried the entire menu.

For starters, we had the Pan Seared Foie Gras ($22), Caesar Salad with Garlic Prawns ($12.50), Baked Brie Cheese ($12.50), and Daily Soup of Prawn Bisque ($6.50). The clear favourite was the Baked Brie Cheese, I’d skip the run-of-the-mill Caesar Salad and Prawn Bisque if I ever come back again.

Besides that, I also enjoyed the Pan Seared Foie Gras. But then again, I am biased towards anything-foie-gras.

The small portions reminded me of La Petite Cuisine. For those of you with big appetite, you would probably need to order an extra starter/main to share.

We continued with the six main courses: Crispy Pork Cheeks ($24), The Black Sheep Shank ($22.50), Duck Confit with Apple Rosti ($22.50), Beef Special – Tenderloin ($32-38), Meat Special – Lamb Chops ($32-38), Fish & Seafood Special – Snapper ($22.50-32).

The Black Sheep Cafe’s Duck Confit is by far one of the best I’ve had. It was lean and crispy, and very delicious. Unlike most French Restaurants in Singapore that charge $30 upwards for this dish, the one here is reasonably priced at $22.5. Definitely worth a try.

Another dish that I’d order again is the Crispy Pork Cheeks. The tangy sauce complimented the tender pork perfectly. The other dishes were decent, nothing spectacular. If pork and duck are not your favourite meat, I’d choose the lamb chop over the lamb shank.

To end off the French dinner, we had the Souffle, Tiramisu and Flourless Chocolate Cake. The souffle was the highlight out of the three. Orange Martini Souffle may take a long time to come, but when they reach your table and you dig in with a spoon – it’s instant happiness.

Given that I’ve tried the entire menu at The Black Sheep Cafe, I probably won’t be rushing to come back any time soon. But I’d recommend the place if you are looking for a restaurant that offers affordable French Food in Singapore. Try the Baked Brie Cheese, Duck Leg Confit, Crispy Pork Cheek, and Souffle.

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
The Black Sheep Cafe
35 Mayo Street
Tel: +65 9272 1842

Operating Hours
Mon to Sat: 11am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Located at Robertson Quay, Brasserie WOLF is a casual French bistro under the management of the Esmirada Group of Restaurants. With the appointment of new Head Chef Claudio Sandri, Brasserie Wolf had recently launched a new ala carte menu.

It consists of classic French dishes like the Beef Bourguignon, and Traditional Bouillabaisse Soup. Prices range from $15-$26 for appetisers/soup, $26-$48 for main courses and $10-$15 for desserts.

With dim orange lighting, vintage overhanging lamps and plush leather seats, the interior of Brasserie Wolf is cosy and spacious. The restaurant can easily accommodate 90 people indoor and I like the fact that it is not too pretentious.

For starters, I had the Traditional French Onion Soup ($14). It was rich and cheesy, just the thing you need to start the meal on a bright note. My dining companion had a Tomato Gazpacho which was not from the menu.

I’d have gone for the Pan Seared Foie Gras ($26) if not for the fact that my dining companion was not a fan of goose liver. Since it was impossible to finish half a dozen of Burgundy Snails ($15) on my own, I gave that a miss too.

To make up for it, Chef Claudio served us his signature Fresh Artichoke Heart ($18.50). Composed of Smoked Salmon Mousse, Poached Egg, Caviar, and Mustard Vinaigrette, the appetiser was so pretty that we did not know how to start eating it.

Next up on the menu, I had the Crispy Duck Leg Confit ($32) with Braised Puy Lentils. Brasserie Wolf’s rendition of the French dish was decent, but it was not the best I’ve had.

For the record, I love Duck Leg Confit. But if I must choose between Brasserie Wolf’s Duck Leg Confit and Beef Bourguignon, I’d go for the latter.

The fork-tender Beef Bourguignon ($28) was braised to perfection. Together with the sides of Bacon, Mushroom, Baby Onions, and Carrots, the beef was so good.

The Seared Cod ($35) was excellent in my opinion. The simple preparation of the dish highlighted the freshness of the Cod. So much so that my dining companion was actually reluctant to share the fish.

It was a shame that we were too full to continue eating. Otherwise I’d definitely order the Traditional Bouillabaisse Soup ($36).

For desserts, we skipped the ubiquitous Valrhona Warm Chocolate Cake ($15) and had the Chocolate & Coffee Liegeois ($13). The cold dessert was visually appealing, and the presence of Valrhona Chocolate Sauce added bonus points too. But I felt that it was nothing impressive, and did not justify the price tag. We also had a selection of macarons which were run-of-the-mill. On hindsight, we should have gone for the Creme Brulee Vanilla ($10) instead.

Chef Claudio had just arrived in Singapore from London to helm Brasserie Wolf. I’m certain he will slowly find his way to satisfy everyone with his straightforward French cooking.

Personally, I feel that prices are slightly steep for a causal French Bistro. But having said that, Brasserie Wolf serves simple and good French food. Amongst the dishes that we tried, the Traditional French Onion Soup and Beef Bourguignon are definitely worth ordering. Dessert is probably Brasserie Wolf’s weakest link. I’d suggest skipping it and go to Laurent Bernard or Canele Patisserie to have your sweets.

If you are looking for French food in the Robertson Quay area, check out Brasserie Wolf and say hi to Chef Claudio.

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Brasserie Wolf
80 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-13
The Pier @ Robertson Singapore
Tel: +65 6835 7818
Note: This is an invited Media Tasting.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I am sure all of you are making plans to celebrate with your family.

For Mother’s Day this year, I have decided to do something different. In this post, I will be suggesting a variety of restaurants serving different cuisines to give dearest mummy a little treat. Here is a list of Restaurants Recommendations for Mother’s Day 2011.

Where to go for Mother’s Day? Where to go for Mother’s Day? Where to go for Mother’s Day?

Chinese/Seafood Restaurants in Singapore

Formerly known as Pine Court, Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant has undergone a revamp and they have a new Weekend Dim Sum Brunch Buffet at $78++for Mother’s Day Special (usual price $68++). With 120 items including dim sum and ala carte selections, your mother will be spoiled for choices.

If buffet is not your thing, why not go for a scrumptious Seafood Feast?

A few weeks ago, I went to Master Crab at Ghim Moh Road to celebrate my Mother’s birthday. The Salted Egg Yolk Crab was very impressive and the Zi Char dishes were pretty good too.

Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant
333 Orchard Road Level 35
Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6262

Master Crab
Blk 19 Ghim Moh Road #01-229 Singapore
Tel: +65 6314 1868

French Restaurants in Singapore

Initially, I wanted to suggest Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel. But after hearing mixed reviews about the French restaurant, I decided to recommend La Petite Cuisine instead.

Located at Serene centre beside the popular Island Creamery, La Petite Cuisine is a no-frills French cafe where the food is above average but the main draw is definitely the affordable prices. For a slightly upmarket option, go to Au Petit Salut at Dempsey. They have one of the best set lunches in Singapore.

Au Petite Salut
40c Harding road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey)
Tel: +65 6475 1976

La Petite Cusine
10 Jalan Serene
#01-05 Serene centre
Tel: +65 6314 3173

German Restaurants in Singapore

Magma German Wine Bistro serves their Fruehschoppen Buffet Brunch on every second Sunday of the month. Guess what? Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May, so it is the perfect excuse for you to enjoy a luxurious German brunch. Choose from sausages, hot dishes, soup, fresh baked bread rolls, cold cuts & ham, eggs, assortment of cheese, fruits, cakes for just $29++/pax.

Otherwise, go to Paulaner Brahaus at Millenia Walk for some German Beer, and Pork Knuckles!

Magma German Wine Bistro
2 Bukit Pasoh Road
Tel: +65 6221 0634

Paulaner Brauhaus Singapore
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-01 Millenia Walk
Tel: +65 6883 2572

Italian Restaurants in Singapore

If you have been reading my food blog for a while, I’m sure you know that my favourite Italian Restaurant is Ristorante Da Valentino at Rifle Range road. Recently, I visited La Cantina in venezia at Changi Village Hotel and I had the best Crabmeat Linguine there. Is your mother a fan of Italian cuisine? Just remember: Valentino and La Cantina.

La Cantina in venezia
1 Netheravon Road
#08/09-02 Changi Village Hotel
Tel: +65 6546 9190

Ristorante Da Valentino
11 Jalan Bingka
Mayfair Park
Tel: +65 6462 0555

Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

“My mom loves Japanese food, where can I bring her for Mother’s Day Celebration?”

For the best of everything, try the Japanese Buffet at Senki Restaurant. It is $30++ for lunch, and $33++ for dinner. Prices are the same for weekday and weekend. For eve/public holidays, it is $39++ for the buffet dinner.

If you are not a fan of buffet, check out Izakaya Nijumaru at Cuppage Plaza. It is a great hidden gem with good Japanese food at very affordable prices.

Izakaya Nijumaru
5 Koek Road #02-10
Cuppage Plaza Singapore
Tel: +65 6235 6693

Senki Japanese Restaurant
109 Killiney Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 5565

Korean Restaurants in Singapore

Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that before starting my food blog). Naturally, I can understand that most people prefer to go to somewhere reliable, and Crystal Jade is evidently one of them.

Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is surprisingly good and affordable. Be sure to try the fantastic Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup.

For Korean BBQ Buffet, go to Blue Garden Korean Restaurant at Link Hotel. The Korean BBQ buffet is priced at $19.90 for lunch and $26.90 for dinner.

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700

Spanish Restaurants in Singapore

I am not sure about you, but I think it is a cool experience for the whole family try something new. So how about having Spanish Food for Mother’s Day?

Bilbao Restaurant & Tapas Bar is conveniently located in town, at the second level of TripleOne Somerset. Bring your Mom to shop in Orchard and have a good Spanish dinner after that.

Another good place to have Spanish food is Don Quijote Spanish restaurant. They have been getting good reviews in the Singapore food scene, and if you do not want to go all the way West to Lorong Kilat, they have a new outlet at Dempsey.

Bilbao Restaurant & Tapas Bar
111 Somerset Road #02-16
TripleOne Somerset Singapore

Don Quijote Spanish restaurant
Blk 7 Dempsey Road #01-02
Dempsey Hill Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 2811

Thai Restaurants in Singapore

It is a shame that not many people have heard of Sweet Salty Spicy as they have good Thai food. Not that I am complaining since I’d prefer them to stay under the radar.

But I guess the location makes a difference since Railmall at Bukit Timah is not exactly accessible. Let me suggest another Thai Restaurant for Mother’s Day if Railmall is too far.

Previously located at Hort Park, KHA (above picture) has recently shifted to Martin Road near Robertson Quay. Prices are not cheap, but this is an upmarket Thai establishment and you are paying for the ambiance after all. They have a kick-ass Tom Yam Soup and I am absolutely in love with the Red Curry Rubbed Wagyu Beef.

KHA Thai Restaurant
38 Martin Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 9000

Sweet Salty Spicy
394 Upper Bukit timah road
The Railmall
Tel: +65 6877 2544

Exotic Cuisines in Singapore

For mothers who have an adventurous palate, there is a new Russian restaurant in town. Buyan Russian Restaurant at Duxton Hill promises you the full experience of Haute cuisine. In a quiet corner of Shaw Towers is Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant. I think Mother’s Day is a good opportunity for us to venture out of our comfort zone and try new things. Turkish food for Mother’s Day, anyone?

I’m sure most of you are familiar with Peranakan food, but it is definitely an ‘exotic cuisine’ to those who are not living in this part of the World. Candlenut Kitchen at Neil Road has been getting raved reviews since opening last year. Be sure to try their delicious Kueh Pie Tee, Ngoh Hiang and the signature Ayam Buak Keluak.

Buyan Russian Restaurant Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar
9/10 Duxton Hill Singapore
Tel: +65 6223 7008

Candlenut Kitchen
25 Neil Road
Tel: +65 6226 2506
(Closed on Sunday)

Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant
100 Beach Road #02-42
Shaw Towers Singapore
Tel: +65 6291 1433

Where are you planning to celebrate Mother’s Day 2011?

Excellent French Food at Bistro Petit Salut

One day, I will be in Paris…

Since I am currently saving up for the air ticket, the closest that I can get to Paris is by having French cuisine. Located at Chip Bee Gardens, Bistro Petit Salut is the sister restaurant of Au Petite Salut, and it is a great option for causal dining if you are craving for French food.

Like the main restaurant at Dempsey road, the French bistro offers two different set lunches: 3 course set lunch at $25++ and the executive set lunch at $38++.

We had two normal 3 course set lunches and for starters, we had the Salmon Tartar, which was light and refreshing – the perfect appetiser to start our lunch. When it comes to escargot, there are typically only two reactions: a) I love it or b) eew snails are so disgusting! My lunch partner belonged to the latter camp, and refused to touch the escargot so I had everything to myself.

It took us a while to choose the main course. You could have the excellent Onglet Beef with French Mustard Jus and mashed potatoes, or the Penne pasta with roasted vegetables, or the catch of the day. It is impossible to not be tempted by the Chicken Leg Confit and the Braised Lamb Shoulder, and it’s hard to say no to my favourite Mushroom Risotto.

We eventually settled on the Mushroom Risotto and the Catch of the day which was an Escolar. The fish was very fresh and well-cooked, it fell apart nicely when we teased it with a fork. The portion was quite small for guys, but it is probably just nice if you don’t want to fall asleep in the office after lunch.

As much as I love risotto, I’d usually avoid this dish when it comes to choosing a main course for set lunches. It seems a little silly to choose risotto when there are meat and seafood on the menu. But I was glad that I ordered Bistro Petit Salut’s Mixed Mushroom Risotto with light cream emulsion and Parmesan Cheese. It was rich, and creamy: thick flavourful rice done al dente, with the earthiness of the fresh mushrooms giving it an additional flavour.

I think this is easily one of the best risotto that I had before.

Amongst the six desserts available on Bistro Petit Salut’s set lunch menu, we didn’t want the Fresh Fruit Salad, Homemade Strawberry Shortcake, and Financer with chantilly cream, so it left us to choose two desserts between the classic Creme Brulee, Choux Buns and Homemade Cheesecake.

We agreed that the Gateau au Fromage Blanc was too good to miss, and since I had Au Petit Salut’s creme brulee before, we went for the Choux Buns with vanilla ice cream.

Filled with vanilla ice cream and glazed with a sweet and thick coating of chocolate sauce, the choux buns were gone before you could pronounce profiteroles. While they were not fantastic, we wanted to end the meal on a sugar high, and the Choux Buns did just that. Unless you are a big fan of profiteroles, I’d advise you to go for the Creme Brulee over this.

The Homemade Cheesecake was accompanied by a mixture of fruits, a delightful end to a great lunch at Bistro Petit Salut.

* * *

The whole experience is just $25++/pax, which easily makes it one of the best set lunches in Singapore. One thing is for sure, I will be in Paris soon, but until then, I will just have to satisfy my French Food craving at Bistro Petit Salut, Chips Bee Garden.

You may want to consider Bistro Petit Salut if you are still looking for a restaurant to celebrate Valentine’s Day Dinner.

For more recommendations, read my list of French Restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Bistro Petit Salut
44 Jalan Merah Saga #01-54
Chip Bee Gardens Singapore
Tel: +65 6474 9788
// Closed on Sunday

Bugis Junction has gone through a revamp and some of the newer (okay, maybe not that new) restaurants at Bugis Junction include: Let’s Sweet Japanese Desserts Buffet, Nanxiang Xiaolong Bao, and Nando’s. The funny thing is, I have never eaten at any of the Bugis Junction restaurants before.

Even though I always pass by the restaurants in Bugis Junction, they somehow didn’t appeal to me, and one of them is Ma Maison Restaurant. The dark entrance of the place was probably the main reason, and it took me until now to try the food there.

Ma Maison Restaurant is located on the second level of Bugis Junction (they also have another branch at the Central). Although it is a Japanese restaurant, the decoration is predominately French, and they serve Japanese rendition of European dishes.

There are five different choices for Ma Maison’s set lunches, and each comes with soup, salad, rice/bread and a drink. The options for the set lunch are the following: Set A) Japanese Western Set Lunch (changes daily), B) Japanese Western Set lunch (changes once every 3 days), C) Hamburger Steak, D) Salad Set, and E) Curry Rice Set.

We opted for Set A, and it was fried Chicken with Japanese dressing for that day. I couldn’t quite describe the taste of the dressing, it was slightly sweet, yet savoury – I felt that it didn’t go very well with the chicken.

Ma Maison is famous for its Hamburger Steak, so it goes without saying that I had to try it. With a beautiful sunny side-up sitting on top, the hamburger steak was well prepared, and the lovely brown sauce complimented the meat perfectly. Although the portion looked small, it was actually quite substantial with the additional salad, soup and rice/bread.

Ma Maison recently opened a new cafe at Parco Marina Bay which serves pastries, cakes and coffee. They are currently having a promotion for their set lunches, have a fruit tart for dessert by topping up an additional $4.80++. I wasn’t expecting much from the Mango Fruit Tart, but it turned out to be exceptionally good.

* * *

Prior to this visit, I was under the impression that Ma Maison Restaurant was quite pricey, but after glancing at the menu, most of the main courses are reasonably priced from $15-$20ish and they also have a 20% promotion off ala carte items for ladies on Monday Nights. However, if you are a big eater, you will probably need to order an extra appetiser/dessert to share as the portions at Ma Maison are small.

Ma Maison offers value for money set lunches which range from $12.9++ to $16.5++. This is the place to go for lunch if you are working in the Bugis or Clark Quay area.

// Also read about the $10.50 three course set lunches at Chef Daniel’s Kitchen.

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Ma Maison Restaurant 200 Victoria Street
#02-51 Bugis Junction Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 4819

6 Eu Tong Sen Street #03-96
The Central @ Clarke Quay Singapore
Tel: +65 6327 8122

Cafe Ma Maison
9 Raffles Boulevard #P3-03
Parco Marina Bay, Millenia Walk Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 9391

Little India is probably a place that you will not associate with French Food, so I’m not surprised if you have not heard of The French Stall, a French restaurant tucked by the side of Serangoon road.

I have always wanted to check out Little India for good food. Other than Indian food like the famous Muthu’s Curry at Racecourse road, there’s an interesting mix of restaurants/cafes in the area like Pasta Inc at Jalan Besar, and Zsofi tapas bar at Dunlop street.

The French Stall Escargot

I always had the impression that Grilled Pork Medallions ($15.80) were meatballs so I was pleasantly surprised when the waiter brought the dish to the table. I preferred the pork loin as there’s melted ham and cheese within it, while the pork medallion was much tougher and didn’t really create an impression.

Another dish that we ordered was the Grilled Beef Sirloin Steak ($20.80). The 200g baby was enough to keep our friend occupied throughout the course of the dinner.

Pan Fried Seabass (first photo), Pan fried dory fillet (photo above)

I had a nibble of both the Pan fried Seabass ($20.80) and the Pan Fried Dory Fillet ($15.80). The former was smooth and tantalizing while the latter had a strong fishy taste which didn’t quite appeal to me.

I don’t usually use the word ‘yummy‘ because it doesn’t tell you anything about the food. But the Pork Loin Cordon Bleu ($17.80) was really yummy! Melted cheese and ham were sandwiched in between the tender and juicy boneless pork loin. The serving was adequate for a person and the side potatoes were very tasty too.

I ordered the Pork Loin Cordon Bleu as I had a good impression of it from my previous visit two years ago. Otherwise, I’d definitely go for the Duck Leg Confit with Pan Fried foie gras ($25.80).

Desserts too were quite a spread. Home Made Tiramisu ($7.20), Dark Chocolate cake ($6.20), Honey cheesecake ($6.80), Chocolate Souffle ($7.20), Creme Caramel ($5.20) were ordered.

When the Tiramisu arrived, I took a quick glance around and pounced on it before anyone else could respond. I’m very easy when it comes to tiramisu, I don’t specifically require one that has high alcohol or espresso content, just give me a tiramisu and I am a happy boy!

There was a mismatch in expectations for the Creme Caramel as we thought it was Creme Brulee. Unlike the latter which has custard with a caramelized sugar top, the creme caramel is a rich custard dessert with a soft caramel on top. With a sweet name like the Honey cheesecake, it was impossible for us not to order it. The cheesy cake layer had a base crust with a subtle taste of honey – it’s a very pleasant dessert to end the meal with.

“Look, look, there’s chocolate souffle!”

I was excited when i saw that there’s Chocolate Souffle on the menu. Since there’s a waiting time of 15 minutes for the souffle, it has better be good right? The first dig of the souffle saw hints of chocolate oozing out, but everything went downhill after that split second of excitement. The souffle was dry and not as fluffy. Fortunately, there’s the excellent Dark chocolate Cake which was deceptively light, moist and a delight to have.

* * *

The French Stall reminds me of La Petite Cuisine at Serene centre. Both places are homely French joints that serve unpretentious French food. Personally, I will choose La Petite Cuisine over The French Stall due to its proximity to my place, and also because of the slightly more affordable prices. Having said that, the fact that a French restaurant is located at Serangoon road Little India, makes The French Stall an interesting place to have dinner.

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

Restaurant Review
The French Stall Singapore
544 Serangoon Road
Tel: +65 6299 3544

83 MacPherson Lane
#01-263
Tel: +65 6746 0183
(Closed on Monday)

Saint Pierre Restaurant at Central Mall has always make headlines in the local food scene. I’m sure no one will disagree that this fine dining establishment is one of the best restaurants in Singapore.

I had the chance to visit Saint Pierre during a recent Singha Beer launch where they commissioned celebrity chef Emannuel Stroobant to create a special menu to show that beer can be enjoyed with fine cuisine.

Imagine my excitement when I saw the North sea grey shrimp salad. It was like a piece of art and all of us did not have any idea how to start with it. The intriguing thousand island ice cream caught our attention when we saw it on the menu.

Ice cream with salad? Who will have thought of it! Frozen thousand island dressing that was presented in an ice cream form, retaining every hint of the salad dressing. This is Chef Emmanuel Stroobant’s ingenious idea of pairing savory ice cream with salad.

Oh my god, I’m sorry to do this to you, but the scallop was really good! Under normal circumstances, I’m not much of a scallop person. Even though I eat them like everyone else, I’d not particularly crave for them.

We can be good friends, but we will never be lovers.

So it came to a surprise when I actually fell for the Singha jelly with lemongrass infused scallop mousse and wild herb salad. Pan-seared to golden brown, the plump and meaty scallop was a scallop that didn’t taste like one!

Covered with a smooth, and intense layer of dark chocolate, the Caramelized banana crusted Flour-less Belgian chocolate cake came with the interesting coconut sorbet. The caramelized banana added a twist from the usual Belgian flour-less chocolate cake. So simple, yet so good!

Singha beer is light and refreshing, and it’s certainly very different from the usual beers that I’ve before. I had a great afternoon at the Singha Beer event with Aromacookery, Camemberu, the Hungrycow, and TheLittleTeochew.

I know beer taste great with fried food or burgers, the question is: will you consider trying beer with fine cuisine?

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

Restaurant Review
Saint Pierre Singapore
3 Magazine Road
#01-01 Central Mall
Tel: +65 6438 0887
(This is an invited session)

I’m a simple person, with a simple taste bud, however nobody ever believe me. Even though the food at fine dining restaurant is good, but it’s not me, I prefer going to small, unpretentious, and cozy places instead.

Escargot, escargot, you really need to hand it to the French. They cook anything that can crawl, and make everything taste so good! The escargot that I’ve tried before, have a very strong garlic and buttery smell from afar, but La Petite’s rendition did not involve the use of these, instead the sweetness of the snail was deeply captivated within the croissant. The bread was so good; it absorbed the essence of the juice from the escargot (6 pieces for $12) – it was heavenly!

Foie gras, has long been one of the sacred food that I promise myself I’ll try in this life. Up till now, I’ve not exactly eaten it before, not unless you count the one which hardly had any foie gras. Let me describe more about the encounter: she tasted familiar, hold on, it seems to be like pig liver. Oh no, it’s even better than that! With the gamy taste, it’s bound to be an acquired taste, but to everyone out there, go on, try it! And you can proudly declared: I’ve sample foie gras before!

We were contemplating between the foie gras pan fried w/orange confit ($17), or the ravioli of prawns and foie gras in light lemon creme ($14.5). And we went for the latter. The uncanny similarity with the Chinese dumplings, but this one had foie gras and a big prawn instead. Initially, we thought that there would be hardly any foie gras inside, but we were wrong. The foie gras fillings were substantial, enough to experience the goose liver taste!

In my eyes mouth, duck will always be better than chicken. But most places doesn’t serve duck, and even if they do, its usually duck confit or pan seared duck breast. There’s nothing better for a duck drumstick than a duck confit! I enjoyed slowly peeling off her clothes, admiring everything there’s for us to see, before bringing my nose to smell her fragrance. Oh my, she smells so good! I closed my eyes for a second, and imagine the unimaginable. In my excitement, I brought up the fork again, and poke it into her. Slowly, we teased each other playfully, until to the point where we couldn’t take it no longer. Then, I tucked in. It’s good! Confit de canard w/gratin ($15)

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

La Petite Cusine
10 Jalan Serene
#01-05 Serene centre
Tel: 6314 3173

The four of us, will meet up four times a year, you guessed right, for four of our birthday celebrations. After the initial awkwardness go away, we chat like old friends (we are anyway).

Here are some of the things we always do:

(1) I always choose the place

Being the guy that is deemed to eat good food, my friends always ask me for nice places to dine, naturally, I get to decide where to meet up, which also indirectly makes me the organizer for all my friends gathering.

With a poached egg sitting pretty on top of the pastas, the Carbonara ($13.50) looks great and tasty when it first arrived. But when I finally got to try it, the cream base pasta was a tad too strong; it was great for the initial few bites, but the cream was way too overwhelming.

(2) I take a lot of shots for every dish

It was almost like a magazine photoshoot; in place of the skinny models we have food instead, and the restaurant became the studio for the shoot. I took a lot of shots, a lot, especially so since the lighting didn’t exactly helped by being dim and romantic.

Spaghetti tossed in a classic rich tomato meat sauce and aged Parmesan cheese, the classic Bolognaise ($14.50).

(3) My friends are always very impatient

In the midst of getting engrossed in taking the perfect shot of my “models”, they would hold their utensils and sent eye-signals of ‘we-are-hungry’ to me. This was the moment, I knew it’s time to stop, much to the delight of everybody.

Bolognaise and poached eggs doria ($16), the traditional baked rice covered with cheese, and did you saw that? Poached eggs!

(4) We start to gossip, about everybody.

Croque Madame ($13.50) Homemade pain de mie (white toast bread) baked with ham, Swiss Gruyere cheese, sunny side up and side salad with house dressing.

“Sandwich for dinner?” You raised your eyebrow. “Why not?” Don’t look down on this Madame, she can sure hold her weight with the others; the thick slice of bread, the heavy cheese, the egg, ham, and salad – everything you need for a filling meal.

(5) Something sweet, to end the meal, before we continue elsewhere

One of us had the Earl Grey ice cream ($8) from Canele before, and she was bend on having it, wish acceded, it’s her birthday that we’re celebrating after all. The very distinctive earl grey flavour, the seemingly-smaller-scoop-than-my-previous-visit, and the milk chocolate shards.

(6) We laugh, fight, make merry and have fun

We almost fought over this, the madagascar ($8) was way too, common (read:plain), to worth the money. But I was proved wrong; open your eyes wide, that’s vanilla beans you’re looking at! Ooh, ah! That, alone, made me felt better about paying eight dollars for a scoop of ice cream. Fresh strawberries that were not very sweet, and almond crumble at the bottom to provide a crunchy texture to the smooth and soft ice cream.

(7) It is time to say bye-bye

I looked around the adjacent tables, throwing envious glances to the mont blanc, the tiramisu, the macarons, that the others were having. Unfortunately, the rest (on my table) did not have the same feeling as me, they never like cakes you see.

Even though we hardly see each other, well four times a year to be exact; the divergence of different routes in life that it may seems like we are strangers and drifting apart, but, we always had a good time when we met, again.

* * *

I wasn’t really impressed with the main course that Canele offered, but, to be fair, I think they are priced reasonably. And if I may, I’ll also like to think that the ice cream here are under-recognised; people always rave about the cakes available, but I don’t think much people know that they serve good ice cream too.

After three visits, I haven’t try enough of their beautiful creations yet. And I preferred the raffles city outlet, for better lighting.

(8) I want to eat cake.

Read my previous visits to Canele here, and here.

Canele Patisserie
1 Scotts road
#01-01A Shaw Centre
Tel: 6738 9020

Twenty four of us descended to Gunther’s in a foodgraphy-frenzy. Hells hath no fury like a flogger hunger. The long discussion of food, followed by the occasional exclaims of ‘ooh‘, and ‘ah‘. Welcome to the world of the food lovers.

Japanese tomato

It was smooth, and silky, strands of it sticking out; yet in the dim light setting against the white background, it looked angelic, yes, this must be it: Cold Angel-hair pasta. I enjoyed every slurp, and I’ll gladly have it again.

This, is the In-thing for this season, like the latest fashion trends for each year; rejoiced people, it is this time of the year for the sacred white asaparagus, not green, not red, but white. And then, I spotted the yellowish sauce over the the Poached white asparagus with Bouchot mussels.

I stopped, and slowly took a bit of it with my spoon; “it couldn’t be, Oh yes it is!” I dipped everything on the plate with the hollandaise sauce, and made sure not a single drop of it was left.

“Have you had white asaparagus before?”

“No, I don’t see whats the craze over them..”

A surprise always had the biggest impact when you least expected it, and it came pleasantly of course.

There was pata negra, and salted baked seabass for the folks who couldn’t have beef; and damn, the roasted black pig from spain sounded so good, I should have claimed to have allergies against cows!

My piece was very well balanced in the portions of the fats and meat (read: too much fats). I took a bite of the meat, and chewed down some fats. And it’s not that the Grilled Cote de Boeuf wasn’t good. In fact it was more than excellent; the slightly tinge of pink fully captured my imagination.

My eyes tweaked to see what was coming. It was supposed to be desserts next, but they were serving us, pizzas. You know, the elongated slice of thin-crust bread with toppings all over. Ah no, I was clearly mistaken, this was no pizza, it’s the Fine apple tart a la dragees, with rum & raisin ice-cream.

Once we had our desserts, once we paid off the bill, it would be bye-bye until a year later. Or at least that’s what the script wrote. A year, is far too long a time for us to meet up. We should meet up regularly my friends, and hunt down all the good food around our island.

I’ll like to thank my fellow floggers for attending the food bloggers’ luncheon, Gunther’s for hosting the event, our various sponsors and not to forget my lovely partner Yixiao for flooding my mailbox and phone constantly during the preparation stages.

Gunther’s
36 Purvis street
#01-03 Talib centre
Tel: 6338 8955

Meet my fellow food bloggers:

Yixiao @ hautestaff
Catherine @ Camemberu
Nic @ Black tie white lie
Fen & Yuan @ sgdessert
Dave @ Importance of salt
Cheryl @ thebakerwhocooks
June @ joonelovesfood
Mia @ skinny-epicurean
Jiaxin @ foodiesqueen
Jeremy @ eggtoast
Antonio @ foodieah
Phil & serene @ keropokman
Karen @ superfinefeline
Leroy @ thehungrycow
Elaine @ divine essentials
Kelvin @ timelessfacade
Maureen @ jaime-la-nourriture
Ryan @ caramelcorn
Evan @ bossacafez
Ivan @ food.recentrunes
Claudine @ claudzratznblabz

If 7atenine was the best meal I had so far, then Au Petit Salut would be its equal.

I was the passerby in your colourful life, we never seem to meet, until now. Our encounter is but an absence and a providence: now that we’ve met, I hold you dear. The place of eternal memories; Au Petit Salut.

Lush, lush, lush and green. It seems so near, yet so far. Right in the middle, but not in the middle; I had to admit – I was wrong. Overrated, you are not, there’s just something special about you. I wished we’ve met earlier, but like they say, it’s better to be late than never.

It was all we need to get started with, a piece of bread, and a stick of butter. We threw envious glares at the seemingly-softer white-looking bread at the table adjacent to us; it was just, human nature.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do – and in a French restaurant, eat snails as the French does. This was my second time eating the slimy-looking creature, and as much as I thought it looked similar to cockle; I love the strong butter and garlic smell. Half dozen baked Burgundy snails with tomato and garlic butter, way to go!

I’m-a-carnivore! And the only appetiser on the menu which seemed to satisfy the meat-eater in me was the Pork terrine and mesclun salad, shallots, gherkins and capers vinaigrette. I took a bite, chew-chew-swallow-swallow, and I took another bite. A piece of pork with really extraordinary subtlety and texture. And my dear, this was where the meal just began.

Words are powerful stuff, they can make you happy, sad, angry or nervous. In this case, I was excited by the mere-presence of the word, beef cheeks.

What part, you asked again?

Beef cheeks. Pardon me, but I have never eaten somebody’s cheek before.

Red wine braised beef cheeks, carrots, mushrooms and parsley potatoes. I realised I couldn’t really tell the difference between the different parts of the cow, but did it really mattered? The braised beef cheeks were tenderly-done, and there was the potatoes which were a-part-of-it.

I had to agree that braised beef tasted better than lamb shank, or maybe I haven’t tried one that is worthy, yet.

If the beef cheek were tenderly-done, then the Pan seared onglet beef was done exactly the way I love it! And just exactly what was Onglet, I know it’s a prime cut of beef, but past that I’m beyond caring. Don’t talk to me about the different grade, the marbling of the meat, there ain’t no need to discuss the cooking technique, I-just-liked-this!

With a tinge of pink, the medium-rare meat was per-fect! And I love the confit shallots which spreaded over the top of the beef, like the sky covered over the land. The presence of the French fries were puzzling, I decided I was going to ignore its guest appearance on the plate and focused on the beef instead.

The lemon tart was fabulous – how can something so simple. be so, absolutely wonderful. The texture of the lemon curd was done just right, and paired with the subtle ice cream with a hint of lavender-honey, I’m a happy boy.

I had a quickie with the Crème brulée; I took the first taste, stunned for a moment, and took my second. This continued until I finished the whole dessert. Beneath the nicely-touched caramelised sugar, was the smoothest yet firm, custard, infused with vanilla beans.

Till we meet again, my love

* * *

Total bill was $70 for two set lunches. I, had an awesome time! Which left me with this question, why didn’t I go there earlier! Au petit Salut has one of the most reasonable set lunches at $30++, comparing with most of the restaurants which are doing theirs at $38++, I thought it is a steal. Of course, there are certainly better restaurants out there, but I love the place as a whole. See you there!

For more recommendations, read my list of the Best French Restaurants in Singapore

Au Petite Salut
40c Harding road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey)
Tel: 6475 1976

Au Petite Salut is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore

I love that look, as I loved the look on your face when you grazed upon the slab of peanut butter chocolate, the same look on my face when I slurped down a cup of hot chocolate, the slice of rich chocolate truffle cake. It’s a gaze of wonder: the same look you see on children’s faces when they are given chocolate, and it is always a joy to see the happy smiles. Down memory lane one ninety one, one of the finest there is, Laurent Bernard Chocolatier.

The problem with eating good food means that after you tried the best, there’s no way you can accept something inferior. Tiny specks of real vanilla seeds imparted a fragrance that no artifical flavouring can match. I loved vanilla bean ice cream ($4.50 one scoop), and what am I going to do with those King’s ice cream in the fridge?

We eyed the Chocolate tart ($7.80++). After some hasty shots, I gave up in my attempts to take a perfect shot. The thinly pastry crust, the layer of hazelnut praline above it, the rich and sweet chocolate – what’s there not to like? It would be perfect if the whipped cream is replaced with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

The density of the chocolate. I just kept going and going, I don’t want to share this with anyone else. So simple, yet so, so good. Chocolate truffle ($6.80++).

It was unfortunate that we did not get to try the highly acclaimed Chocolate soufflé – the very one that prompted our visit to Laurent’s. And even though I only tried two of their desserts, I must say the array of chocolate desserts look very tempting, and I will certainly come back to try some of the other cakes.

Laurent Bernard Chocolatier
5B Portsdown road
#01-02 Wessex Village Square
Tel: 6475 9410

You know in life, there’s usually only one opportunity, and like they say, if you missed the train, it’s gonna be gone forever. That is why, gracious and forgiving, as cliché as it may sound, is important. Second chance.

Making the wrong choices once is bad enough, this time, we are going for the safe option. What better than their signature Le Royale ($7). If I’m to be a scientist, all the cures and breakthrough will never occur. But call me a mathematician, the cake had 64% of dark chocolate mousse. Of hazelnut feullitine and praline, I could never differentiate them apart. But I love them both, yes I do. So it doesn’t matter, anything with hazelnut & feullitine works for me. You know I love you, xoxo Le Royale.

Some of the female companions that I know, does not like to drink coffee. Yet they always frequent Starbucks, well just for their green tea frapp. Yes, call it irresistible, healthy, or whatever, our ladies love their macha. The lovely light shade of green tea mascarpone mousse was appealing. I’m no expert when it comes to green tea, but what I do know, the macha was very subtle. And the chestnut cremeuex was an interesting choice for the middle layer. Not that i’m a fan of chestnut. Oh yes, simply named,  the macha ($7)

Oh dear, if looks can kill, so can Tarte Citron ($5.50). The beautifully burnt effects from the blow torch was a sight to behold. Italian meringue with lemon cream on almond tart. My, my. This really is a beauty. And if you think she is a bimbo, the taste was as good as the looks too.

I never know Canelé has good ice cream. Well, they are known for their cakes, and chocolates, but ice cream! I love surprises. And Nougatine ($8) is all about that. Praline ice cream with hazelnut nougatine was always my beloved. But it was the salty caramel dripped alongside the ice cream, which really made it so good.

Total bill was $33 for three cakes and one ice cream. Well I thought that the ice cream was pretty decent even at eight dollars per pop since it was more than the size of two scoops elsewhere. The raffles city branch is canelé restaurant instead of patisserie, since they offered main course as well. But I resisted putting the word restaurant on my title since we didn’t try any of their main course. That will be another time of course.

Usually opportunities only come knocking once, but I’m gonna knock on the door a few more times.

Canelé Restaurant
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-81 Raffles City shopping centre
tel: 63347377

It wasn’t merely a coincidence when the seven of us stepped into Nectarie Patisserie, fate has brought us together. The group of us; all dessert enthusiast, were looking for more after our previous encounter. Our eyes literally light up at the mention of desserts, our saliva flows at the thought of desserts, and our imagination run wild at the sight of desserts.

Just like the number 7, while some sees it as their lucky charm, others dismissed it as pure speculation. Things could gone either way, and our adventure was just the same. Some people could have feel that the place was great with its nice ambience and pretty cakes, while others might have given their verdict that it was crap and terribly expensive for the petite slice of cake. But for us, the company’s was all that matter, even though the cake didn’t exactly deliver, to our lofty expectations.

We were supposed to be in Seventh Heaven, but that failed to materialise, & we found ourselves in Nectarie instead. While the core of us were the original members behind this, we found new friends who shared our common interest.

Choices. Often people had to make their decision in an instant flash. Inside and outside. We were torn between both sides, until reality stuck. The sun had decided for us.

The inside was a long narrow streak, quite unlike what you’ll normally see. The use of mirror and glass to elongate the place, plus the tall table and chairs were clever, and necessary.

We started with the Pistachio white chocolate ($7.50) eagerly, egged on by one of us who was a fan of pistachio. For the pistachio purist, this was unacceptable. The taste of the nut wasn’t strong enough, and the whole cake was sweet. However for the neutralist, the cake was not bad. The green layer did taste more like kaya than pistachio, but the cake was very smooth, i like the thin layer of raspberry jam which contributed to the sweetness of the cake. Althought some might have felt the cake was too sweet, but personally i like the overall subtle taste.

We favoured the Parfait of dark & white chocolate ($7) over its chocolate cousin, the double chocolate mudcake. There was dark chocolate, white chocolate, and the rather chewy layer. Everything seemed perfect, chocolate with chocolate is after all a fail-proof option. But somehow, the whole dessert couldn’t click, something was amiss.

Whether the Granny smith apple crumble ($6) was created by the granny or not, we do not know. But what we know was the crumble skin was crispy and flaky. Served warm, this dish wouldn’t disappoint you. The only gripe, the apple fillings were too little compared to the thick crumble skin.

I have been told that the Caramelized bananas with chocolate ($7.50) here is good. In fact, it ranked among the top 50 cakes by Sunday Times. Undoubtedly the best cake Nectarie has to offer, the banana and white chocolate mousse was velvety and rich. But that wasn’t the best part, eaten together with the crunchy base, the taste was divine. And all of us unanimously agreed it was the star.

If the caramelized banana with chocolate was the best, then the Dark chocolate Opera ($6) would definitely be on the other end of the score sheet, the worst. Even before we got started on this, our dessert enthusiasts already noticed the cake was too dry. Indeed, the texture and taste was almost dehydrated. Disappointing.

We can’t possibly neglect the unique combination of chocolate and coconut in the form of the Chocolate terrine with coconut mousse ($6). I’ve no idea what’s a terrine, my best bet would be chocolate layers. The whole cake was on the sweet side, just like how desserts are supposed to be. The chocolate actually covered the taste of the coconut, so the others were actually eating them layer by layer to discover the coconut mousse.

I have a love-hate relationship with the Tiramisu ($7). I adored them, and they are definitely listed as one of my favourite desserts. Thus I’m always easily satisfied by the simplest and often i ain’t a good judge between an excellent tiramisu and the normal one.

Nectarie’s rendition was unusual for the fact they didn’t have the the typical layers found in others. The sugar & coffee icing were very beautiful indeed. The finger biscuits soaked in kahlua and espresso were right in the middle of the mascarpone cheese. I thought they were too soggy, a fairly average one, just as we suspected.

Total bill was $73 for 7 people, 7 slices of cakes, & 7 beverages. The promotion of 50% off per slice of cake with each drink meant that we need to get 7 beverages to enjoy the discount for our 7 cakes. This is only applicable during weekdays 1-3pm. With most the drinks fairly expensive, it made it seems like we were still paying for the cake, only that it came with a “free” drink.

I’ve noticed one thing, most of the cakes are decorated with raspberry dips on the white plate which made the whole dessert looked pretty. But while it’s nice as a decoration, to have it on every plate of dessert is a tad too much. Simple is beautiful. Yes?

Nectarie Patisserie actually wasn’t that bad, their desserts were generally okay, but for the prices you are just expecting something more, and they failed to come up with that x factor. The ambience is nice. Check. The cakes are pretty. Check. But somehow the taste failed to surprise us. I ain’t sure whether i’ll go back again, but for you people who hasn’t been there, this might just be one cool place to check it out, once.

Nectarie Patisserie
3C River Valley road
#01-05 The Cannery, Clark Quay
Tel: 6305 7628

Check out the rest of the dessert enthusiast entries:
Fen @ sgcake.com
Evan @ bossacafez
Sihan @ Fundamentally-flawed
Vicki @ herlittleblackdress

Until our next dessert enthusiast outing.. Seventh Heaven & choupinette’s calling!

Canelé Patisserie Chocolaterie, the fame dessert restaurant that had been making waves with its delicate and dainty small bites. With the mention of patisserie, the immediate reaction would be Canelé, which tells you something about the reputation that they had built up in a short period of time. Besides cakes and other desserts, Canelé also offered a variety of chocolates.

Canelé Patisserie has done a very good job with its marketing and branding strategy. The chic sounding name, the cool sun-shape logo, coupled with its stylish interior, and of course their “designer” cakes and desserts. Not to mention Canelé is under the Les Amis group, which has strong capital funding to make all these possible.

The miniuscule interior had few seats available. When we went around 3pm, the place was packed fully, and had to be put on the waiting list.

Seating are largely from the Al fresco area, built in mind to create the Parisian road-side cafe ambience, albeit it wasn’t prefect with the busy orchard road, and McDonald located just a stone throw away.

With the inauguration of their latest branch at Shaw centre, this brings the tally to four with the others located at Paragon, Raffles city, and Robertson quay. Like Starbucks, the opening of each outlet almost guaranteed full-house customers. This really makes me wonder why is there no other worthy competitor to come out and vie a share of the market.

Cafe caramel ($8.50)

Milk chocolate coffee mousse, chocolate genoise with expresso, salty caramel and hazelnut feuilitine. Canele’s signature cake with the usage of the salted caramel, which gave an unique taste to it. However, there was only a single layer of salted caramel right in the middle of the cake, which my companion and I felt was a tad too little.

The strong chocolate, with the subtle coffee flavour, overwhelmed the salted caramel taste. But i love the hazelnut feuilitine which added crunchy bites to the cake. Having heard rave reviews for Cafe caramel, it fell short of our expectations. And we felt that the caramel didn’t really compliment the chocolate sponge cake.

Strawberry shortcake ($6.50)

Japanese shortcake sponge, kirsch creme chantitlly, and fresh strawberries. Another famous cake, the strawberry was not very sweet, but it’ll be better if it’s those sweet tasting Japanese imported ones instead. We felt the cake was too tame,  there wasn’t much flavour.

However, it could work either way, as it’s good for light tasting, the cream wasn’t overly heavy, the sponge was light, but not for me because i would prefer more intense flavour. Overall I felt it was mediocre as it lacked the kick and “wow” factor. But then again, its strawberry shortcake, what else could you expect?

And how can we forget Macarons? Canele’s ones are divided into two different type, with the classic and the signature flavours. With a total of 12 variety to choose from, I’ll definitely come back to try the rest.

The pricing however, remained a mystery to me. If you would do some simple maths, buying 6 pieces of macarons at $2.3 will be only $13.8 instead of $14.50 per box. So is Canelé charging extra for the cost of the box? I’ll thought that buying more will cost less, since it can encourage sales.

Hazelnut Praline with roasted hazelnut ($2.30)

I told you, i loved my hazelnut! It was an obvious choice when my companion wanted 4 macarons. Hazelnut was supposed to be a safe and full-proof flavour for desserts, not lest macarons. But the one here was rather weak in flavour. The hazelnut taste was mild, and i’ll prefer it to be stronger. Obolo had a stronger case for its hazelnut macarons. Nonetheless, the hazelnut was still detectable, and there’s after taste of it.

Milk Chocolate feullitine ($2.30)

How can anybody resisted the temptation of milk chocolate? Not me, that’s for sure! The silky milk chocolate, with crunchy bites of feullitine, was one of Canele’s signature flavours. There was nothing intriguing about it, just a reliable and safe option to taste the chocolate while munching on the chewy shells.

Rose ($2.30)

We also picked the rose classic flavour for one of our macarons. The first taste of the lovely pinkish delight was subtle, the rose wasn’t very strong. But we did questioned whether real rose was used, as it tasted like rose syrup. Nonetheless, the rose should be a crowd favourite with the ladies.

Saltey caramel ($2.30)

Introducing the saltey caramel once again! Even though we chose the cafe caramel, but we couldn’t miss out having the saltey caramel macarons. Like mentioned above, the salted caramel had a very unique taste, and compared to the Cafe caramel cake, this one was much better as you could taste the saltey caramel, whereby the former was overshadowed by the stronger chocolate companion.

Total bill was $28.45 for 2 cakes and 4 macarons. I’ve to confess, amidst all the high anticipation of Canelé, my first visit fell short of expectations. I think maybe it’s a case of ordering the wrong desserts. Or because i had high hopes, which resulted in the not-as-good outcome. Such is the magic of Canele, that i’ll definitely visit them again to try out the other cakes, even though the first escapade wasn’t really what i want.

There’s plenty of others which i’ll love to try, the le royale, canele pastry, jupitar, and many more. I think the next time round, i’ll probably go to the raffles city branch, since the “in-thing” is to be seen hanging around at their Shaw centre branch, seats are hard to get here. And one thing i noted, if the area behind that is housing The Canteen (another Les Amis restaurant), is used to expand Canelé instead, i’m pretty sure it will also fill up pretty easily.

Canelé Patisserie chocolaterie
1 Scotts road
#01-01A Shaw Centre
Tel: 6738 9020

There are so many different types of desserts out there, so what’s your favourite? Chocolate cakes? Gourmet cheesecakes? Everybody has their own preference, i’ll say i love any types of desserts, and will willingly try all of them. The thing that i enjoyed about the pastry is that they ain’t just pretty to look at, they are also delightfully good.

So does that means that you can’t have a good chocolate cake if you want a similarity excellent cheesecake? Fortunately at Obolo, you can have the best of both worlds without any compromise.

From what was then an online patisserie to the boutique patisserie you see today at Joo Chiat, Obolo has gone a long way serving its gourmet cheesecakes and chocolate cakes. The flagship store opened in June 2007, almost a year plus already, provided a retail avenue for Obolo to showcase its repertoire of desserts.

The boutique de pâtisserie had a sleek and clean look, with the clever use of mirrors to create a bigger impression of the place. Nonetheless the small pastry restaurant can hardly sit more than 10, and it’s quite a squeeze in there.

Obolo’s famous for their signature New York cheesecake, which looked stunning with three ginormous strawberries. But we couldn’t possibly missed out on Noisette, and since we favoured chocolate over cheese, we decided to pick the latter. My friend and I decided to opt for an all-out chocolate feast, with all our selections chocolaty to prevent a clash of flavours over the chocolate and cheese.

Noisette ($6.70)

Dark chocolate mousse, caramelised toasted hazulnuts, crunchy praline feullitine, chocolate genoise. Noisette was the cake that put Obolo among the Sunday Times top 50 cakes. It got a smooth texture, not overly sweet. The Noisette was rich with chocolate and hazelnut flavours.

I particularly enjoyed the crunchy praline feullitine base, but the layer was too thin! It would definitely be better if there’s another layer in between the mousse.

Le Cassis ($6.70)

Dark Chocolate ganache mousse, cassis ivoire mousse, praline feulletine base and moist dark chocolate-almond biscuit layers. Le Cassis certainly looked pleasing to the eyes with its bright colour combination. The sour blackcurrent actually helped to smooth out the sweetness of the cake, which created a nice balance between sweet and sour.

With the cassis (blackcurrent) ivorie mousse on top, and the dark chocolate mousse enveloped in between the two layers of chocolate-almond biscuit, it provided a good blend of different taste. The cassis sour, the dark chocolate slightly bitter-sweet, the chocolate biscuit layer and the praline feulletine base added the crunchy sweet component.

Bittersweet Macaron ($1.80)

To continue with the chocolate-feast, we had the bittersweet macarons. Dark chocolate, not too sweet nor too bitter, just nice for the taste bud. It could be a double-edge thing though, in the shoe of those who didn’t fancy bitter chocolates, this would do nicely. But for the dark chocolate purist, the bittersweet macarons could be a tad sweet.

Hazelnut Macaron ($1.80)

The hazelnut taste was definitely there, the texture of the hazelnut macarons shells were chewy and the fillings in between was velvety and fulsome. Being a hazelnut fan, I immediately went for this one when i saw the lists of flavours available, with the others being cassis, rose, pistache, mango passion, raspberry, ruby, chocolate passion, vanille, and pabana.

Total bill was $17 for 2 cakes and 2 macarons, which made a nice treat for after-meal desserts. Obolo definitely got prospect with its gourmet cheesecake and range of desserts, which made me wondered why didn’t they set up a branch in town. Obolo’s owner June explained that they are looking into expanding, so we can be looking forward to another branch probably next year.

With around 11 different type of cakes to choose from, Obolo is constantly coming up with new flavours, having said that, you should be able to find one that suits your taste bud. Prices can be considered slightly high given their inaccessible location, and that Canele’s charging similar prices. But i think for the Easterners, Obolo’s definitely a place for your treats of desserts.

Obolo
452 Joo Chiat Road
Tel: 6348 9791

Sage the restaurant, recently relocated to one of Mohamed Sultan’s historical conservation shophouse, just across the street from their previous place at a rather obscure location on the second front of Robertson Walk. Sage is one of the widely hype restaurant in our local food scene who has won acclaims from many foodies.

Sage the restaurant has just started their set lunch menu which offers 3 course at $38++, and 4 course meal at $45++. Given that the main course for their dinner menu ranges from 30s to the 40s individually, i’ll say that the set lunch do seems rather value. And note that lunch is only served from Wednesday to Friday.

The husband and wife combination works very well for Sage, with Chef-owner Jusman So helming the kitchen while his friendly wife, Kimberly taking charge of the service aspect. Chef Jusman So also recently won the choice title of rising chef of the year in the World Gourmet Summit (WGS).

The interior of the newly furnished restaurant speaks contemporary chic. With Black and grey being theme colour, the white simplistic tables strikes out bringing the simple-yet-elegant feel of the place. There is just a single picture frame to adorn the black wall, with the back of the room leading to the open kitchen

The open kitchen concept provides a insight of the chefs hard at work to provide a satisfactory meal for us. I do believe that having an open kitchen concept is a rather important aspect of a restaurant, for one, diners can have a look at the chefs at work, and also by doing an open concept, it shows that the restaurant has nothing to hide, and it does build a bridge linking the diners stomach and the chefs heart for their effort.

I applaused the fact that Sage chose to retain its seating capacity at 38, when they can actually have no problem expanding the place and filling it up every night. That for me, is a true sign of Sage’s intention, not to compromise the standards of the food quality with any increase in capacity.

Complimentary bread

The complimentary bread was very good, soft and fluffy, with the butter spread that comes along together, i’ll have asked for second helpings if not for the fact that we still have a four course meal ($38++) to finish.

Smoked Salmon ($12)

Scottish smoked salmon loin on cucumber relish with avruga caviar. Cauliflower couscous salad and dill infused leek & potato vichyssoise. The smoked salmon loin was tasty although i found it to be slightly salty. I didn’t like the cauliflower couscous salad as i felt that its rather heavy for a salad but my friend thought it was all right.

The avruga caviar, pearlescent black in colour, is a more sustainable alternative to its more expensive relative, Beluga caviar, completes the salmon loin.

Crab & tomato ($12)

Marinated crab salad topped with oven dried tomatoes and avocado mousseline, taggiasca olive tapenade and vine ripe tomato gazpacho. The oven dried tomatoes and the vine ripe tomato gazpacho, enhances the flavor of the crab meat. I couldn’t quite make out the taggiasca olive tapenade, but it tastes nice to me. Same goes for the avocado mousseline, but then again i am not really a fan of avocado.

Overall a simple dish (maybe not that simple in cooking it) that packs a lot of different flavors into one. The cooking method do seems to be the trademark of Chef Jusman who use many different type of ingredients to blend into one.

Mushrooms soup ($12)

Cappuccino of wild mushrooms. My friend and i had no words to describe the soup after having a spoonful. The plain-looking mushroom soup has a make-over and the interpretation comes in the form of a cappuccino, not quite what you will picture for a soup.

Nevertheless, the mushrooms soup was nothing short of excellence. Like what i mentioned before, mushrooms are always a tricky task, cook it for too long and the mushroom becomes over-cooked, while finishing it too early the soup will fail to absorb the essence of the mushrooms.

The mushroom soup arrived in a cup of cappuccino, with foamy top layer, and creamy base. Some common mushroom soups might still have bits of mushrooms in it, but not this one. The wild mushrooms seem to blend together naturally, and every mouthful just tasted so flavorsome.

Personally i do not like mushroom soup, but the fact that one spoonful of soup leaded to the other, with me finishing the whole soup tells you how good the soup was. There are definitely better mushroom soups out there, but for now, this is the best mushroom soup i had before.

French Onion soup ($12)

Perhaps the mushroom soup was too good, that we actually find the French onion soup to be quite normal in contrast. Nonetheless, the soup was still very rich, with its strong onion taste.

Traditional French onion soup with crouton and melted gruyere cheese. Crouton is the small piece of sauteed bread that acted as a companion to the soup. However we did not really taste the melted gruyere cheese because the bread became rather soggy in a short while.

Cod ($42, with $15 supplement applies to set menu)

Roasted fillet of cod topped with prawn and cognac butter on salt cod brandade and bouillabaisse sauce. The Cod was definitely the star of the show. Both my friend and i arrived at the conclusion that the cod was class. The roasted fillet was wonderfully balanced, there were hints of the roasted element, but it did not shows on the fillet.

If the end product of the Cod was the magic produced, then the prawn and cognac butter was certainly the wand that produce the magic. The cod on its own did not warrant a perfect score yet, but wait until you tasted the cod together with the prawn and cognac butter layer, that was pure magic.

The mashed potato beneath the cod also tasted well together with the bouillabaisse sauce. The sauce which was made from a traditional provencal fish stew has a fulsome flavor, and when you had a piece of the roasted cod with the prawn and cognac butter on top, and dipped with the bouillabaisse sauce, there was nothing quite like to describe the taste.

Duck Confit ($28, with $10 supplement applies to set menu)

Duck leg confit on a savoy cabbage parcel stuffed with field mushroom, leek and red onion in pommery mustard sauce. We chose duck confit because it’s always a dish that is difficult to handle, and can test the skills of the chef. The mark of a good duck confit obviously lies in the meat, if the duck is cooked for too long, the meat will become soggy and soft, while under-cook will make it becomes too tight and hard.

Poking a fork into the duck leg confit, we were glad to find that the duck meat remains firm while retaining its perfectly crispy skin. With the price tag, this was one expensive duck leg, which you otherwise could have a whole duck elsewhere, but made no mistake, the duck leg confit was certainly worth the money.

The pommery mustard sauce did come across as rather weird initially, but mixing it with the firm duck meat brought out the brilliance of it.

My friend enjoyed the Pernankan-inspired cabbage parcel stuffed with field mushroom, leek and red onion, but it did not works for me. I felt that the cabbage parcel was too salty for my liking, and the leek and red onion combination did not really suit my tastebud.

Strawberry Panna Cotta ($12)

Vanilla panna cotta topped with strawberry jelly and chocolate ganache, compote of strawberries and crunchy nougat. The sweet vanilla panna cotta and chocolate ganache striked a good balance with the slightly sourish strawberry.The panna cotta itself was quite thick and rich with the fragrant vanilla taste.

The serving size was quite adequate, and the strawberry panna cotta was quite good, until i try the Oreo Semifreddo, which is in a different league all together.

Oreo Semifreddo ($12)

Oreo cookie semifreddo with frozen raspberry mousse and soft coffee scented meringue. This, is the first time i am having a semifreddo, and i am already regretting why have i not try this earlier. The Oreo semifreddo was made up of three different compositions, with the top layer being the soft coffee scented meringue, the middle layer the oreo cookie semifreddo, and the base the frozen raspberry mousse.

The oreo semifreddo really, was playing with our scents, the soft coffee meringue was more to the bitter side, while the oreo cookie ice cream added the sweet touch, and the frozen raspberry mousse completed with a chilly sourish zang. Trying the three different parts separately yielded nothing special, but it was when you united the three layers together then you realised what the oreo semifreddo was about.

Total bill is a princely $135 for 2 person, and this is lunch, not dinner. This ought to be the most expensive lunch i ever had, but all the same, the best lunch. The amount is madness really, two set lunches at $45 each, we topped up $10 for the duck confit, $15 for the cod, and factor in the 17% additional charges, do your sums!

The way that Chef Jusman uses a combination of many different ingredients in one dish is one thing, but to blend all the tastes is another matter all together. There are of course positive and negative things for everything, and there is no exception here too. The slightly negative aspect will be every dish is too flavorsome and it really takes time to absorb and digest what you eat. However you can choose to look at that from a positive angle too.

One thing i ought to mention as well, before this visit to Sage i made a few attempts to go actually but on those few occasions i were held up in the very last minute and couldn’t make it. Each time i called up Sage to make another new reservation, and each time Kimberly picked up the phone and answer my every inquiry politely and patiently. There was never a time where i felt that she was frustrated by this guy here calling up a few times to keep on postponing the reservation. For that i applause her for her sincere altitude, which can be genuinely felt across the phone.

I rave about Sage the restaurant, I praise the way Chef Jusman uses his ingredients and play with his food. I appreciate the manner which Kimberly treats her customers, genuine, friendly yet professional which makes you totally free at home. Not to mention the other serving staff at Sage which i find are quite knowledgeable and know when’s the right time to approach us and when not to disturb us. The combination of all the factors make Sage the restaurant a strong contender to ladyironchef’s best restaurant 2008.

I do believe that there are certainly better restaurants out there, Les Amis, Saint Pierre, Iggy just to name a few, are all stronghold in their own rights, but since i have not try the other restaurants, i can only comment on what i have tried. And for the restaurants which i have been to, i say Sage is one of the best, until i experience a better one then, Sage the restaurant it is!

Sage the restaurant
7 Mohamed Sultan road
Tel: 6333 8726
ladyironchef“>Website

Sage the restaurant is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore