Tag Archives: French
SAVEUR @ Far East Plaza
Saveur has long been synonymous with affordable French cuisine since the successful start-up of their flagship eatery along Purvis Street. With their no reservation policy, the waiting time before one gets a table has been at least half an hour and even up to an hour during peak hours. The full house which is bustling every single night speaks volumes about their popularity and appeal to the masses.
About a month ago, to meet the high demand for Saveur’s recipe of quality French fare at inexpensive prices, owners Joshua Khoo and Dylan Ong opened a second branch right in the heart of town, at level 1 of Far East Plaza. I personally never got down to the Purvis outlet as the queues have been a large deterring factor so I was extremely psyched to hear about a second outlet opening.
Moving onto the food itself…
Saveur’s Pasta $4.90
This highly raved about appetizer, also a Saveur signature, won me over instantly with its elegant presentation and how every single strand of pasta was twirled neatly in its characteristic roll. The key to thoroughly enjoying this exquisite dish is to first ‘untangle’ the pasta before mixing it all up so that every part is covered with the concoction of chilli oil, minced pork sauce and finely-chopped sakura ebi. An extremely refreshing and oriental take on regular pasta and this was sure memorable.
Duck Leg Confit $10.90
My choice of main was a slightly flattened duck leg confit sitting on a bed of homemade potato mash and sauteed shitake mushrooms on the side. A superbly crisp browned skin with succulent salty meat which was also fork tender and delectably delicious. Mmmmm.. I am getting hungry just thinking about it right now! And for just $10.90, this was an absolute steal and a must try! The mashed potatoes too were creamy and smooth, complimenting the French classic perfectly.
Pan-Seared Sea Bass $14.90
My sister’s pan-seared sea bass was another winner with its freshness and rich flavours. I especially enjoyed the diced saute potato crabmeat that added a salty rustic touch to the overall dish. One does not usually get such good quality fresh fish at a mere $14.90 price tag. For a more premium alternative, go for the Cod at $24.90, which is still unbelievably affordable for cod in my opinion.
Weekend Breakfast @ Bistro Du Vin (Zion Road)
A classic French breakfast is traditionally a simple affair. Unlike your elaborate hearty American or Continental breakfasts which often feature whole sausages, thick bacon strips and the like, the French value quality and satisfaction over quantity and is instead all about freshly baked baguettes and croissants served alongside a good brew of coffee or freshly squeezed fruit juice. The Bistro Du Vin branch at Zion Road offers just that very experience.
Available exclusively at only the Zion Road branch, Bistro Du Vin has recently added a breakfast menu on the weekends. From 8.30-11am every Saturday and Sunday, one can expect only the classics of Le Panier (1 croissant, 1 Pain au chocolat, Baguette) $9, Brandade with poached Egg $14, Plates of Cheeses, Ham & Saucisson at $20 each and Eggs prepared in different ways for $16. The menu, while limited in variety, is comprehensive enough to re-create the actuality of having a very Parisian breakfast in a little French bistro.
Le Petit Déjeuné Complet: $23.00
Choice of hot Beverage
+ Glass of Juice
+ Basket of Bread & Croissants
+ Choice of “Let’s Get Serious”
- Omelette $16.00 (ala-carte)
- Fried Egg $16.00
- Scramble Egg $16.00
I strongly recommend getting the Le Petit Déjeuné Complet. For $23, one can enjoy two beverages, a basket of freshly baked French breads and a choice of eggs done the way you like it. The eggs also come with sides of Sautéed Lardons, Iberico Ham, Sautéed Mushrooms & Grilled Tomatoes as well. An absolute bargain for a hearty brunch, let alone a quality French one at that.
London Eats: Pierre Hermé Paris, Belgravia
Pierre Hermé is a legend in the macaron and French pâtisserie world for his wildly creative experimentation with flavours and insanely gorgeous pastry and cakes. And after seeing countless beautiful photographs of his work online, it has become a dream to step into a Pierre Hermé Paris boutique.
I had collated a list of Pierre Hermé creations that I really wanted to try during my trip to Paris. The Ispahan was first up, followed by the Plaisir Sucre and of course the macarons!
Unfortunately, we never made it to Paris due to some work scheduling changes and settled for the little boutique at Belgravia instead! I morphed into a crazy fan girl when we found the entrance of the shop and could not stop snapping photographs of the sign.
‘I AM FINALLY ENTERING A PIERRE HERME PARIS BOUTIQUE’ ran through my mind over and over again as I pushed through the glass door, preparing my eyes for a visual treat.
2fifteen Kitchen @ Rochester Mall
One of the newest French restaurants in town, 2fifteen Kitchen (named after its unit number #02-15) has been in the media limelight recently for their affordable set lunches- 2 courses at $25++ and 3 courses at $35++. And despite just starting off, this new kid on the block had also pledged all the proceeds earned from the launch of their semi-buffet weekend brunch menu which took place on the 3rd of November, to Citramus Foundation- a charitable organization dedicated to the children in Batam. It’s French food with a heart at this place people!
With the kitchen helmed by Executive Chef Kenny Yeo whose credentials boast of a 3-star Michelin Restaurant in France, Les Amis as well as Tables By The Bay, it is safe to say that your craving for French cuisine will be very much satisfied here. Reservations are an absolute must as lunch times are mostly fully booked and dinner time a tad quieter and appropriate for that special night out.
Service is attentive without being intrusive and special requests such as a birthday dessert platter are usually accommodated. It was indeed a lovely experience dining here at 2fifteen as the service staff try their utmost to make you feel at home and well looked after. Chef Kenny too is often seen outside the kitchen, talking to customers and finding out if they had enjoyed their food.
Prawn Cappellini in Aromatic Oil $26
A delightful burst of colours and aromas, this Prawn Cappellini reminded me a little of the Angel Hair Pasta served at Saveur with its signature style of twirling the pasta like a cannoli on the plate. Taste wise, it was a fusion of East meets West especially with the touch of spring onions added as garnishing. The prawns were fresh and sweet, pairing off well with pasta that was cooked al dente. Could hardly fault this one.
Pan-seared Cod Mignon with Crab Meat & Leek Veloute $38
A beautiful cut of Cod that was fatty, moist and smooth and the white flesh simply melted in our mouths. Absolutely adored the mash that was sitting under the Cod which was hardly grainy and had that lovely buttery consistency. Definitely one for the fish fans.
Restaurant Week ’12: Au Jardin Les Amis
Au Jardin by the Les Amis group is a hot favourite every Restaurant Week. Needless to say, for this October’s edition, seats were all taken up even before bookings were open to the public. I was however rather fortunate as Nat, with his connections, was able to help my friend and I score a Wednesday lunch reservation. And since it was a DiningCity restaurant, we had to top up $15++ for a 3 course meal.
Nestled amidst the beautiful lush greenery of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and a rough 2 minute walk from the Visitor’s Centre, Au Jardin is clearly hidden from sight until you turn a corner and walk up a lane. A restored colonial house, this restaurant is almost like a greenhouse with glass windows all around and tall ferns lined on the outside that lend a comforting touch, it is no wonder that the English translation of Au Jardin is ‘In the Garden’. The main dining area is on the second level and I simply must insist that an afternoon experience at Au Jardin is mandatory for you to wholly appreciate its elegance, beauty and especially the view from your seat.
Request for a window seat when you make your reservation and you will enjoy privacy and intimacy with your dining partner as wooden partition screens are strategically placed between tables.
APPETIZERS
Grilled tuna with marinated black eye peas salad, Serrano ham, citrus vinaigrette
A lovely summery salad to start us off, the slices of grilled tuna were thinly sliced and seared perfectly, retaining its flavour with minimal seasoning. The freshness of this dense fish gave the salty Serrano ham a little depth and with some citrus vinaigrette tying everything together with a touch of fruitiness, this salad was both welcoming and refreshing.
Braised Escargots with scrambled egg, mushroom and asparagus, Madeira sauce
Escargots are a must-order at any French restaurant for me and Au Jardin’s version though uniquely prepared, did not disappoint. While most French places choose to serve their escargots in shell and drowned in garlic and butter, the ones here were already shelled for us. How considerate. Though I must admit that I personally enjoy using the snail forks to extract the meat. Anyhow, no complains for the well-marinated and chewy texture of the meat and I loved how various types of mushrooms were added. The scrambled eggs too were smooth and had a great consistency. However, the Madeira sauce was for both of us, a little too intense and thick that it got a tad too overwhelming towards the end of the dish.
