Food for Thought: Bistro du Vin

A member of the Les Amis group of restaurants, Bistro du Vin sets out to serve traditional French food like the ones you would find in a family-run bistro in Paris' Ile de la Cite.  Chef de Cuisine, Dalton Fong, visited restaurants throughout France to learn to cook honest-to-goodness French dishes.  Of the restaurants he worked in, was La Regalade where he understudied Chef Maria Goncalves, a close friend of the Les Amis group. On returning to Singapore, he tweaked some of the recipes to suit the local climate although he tries, as far as possible, to keep close to the roots of French bistro cooking.

Its ala carte menu includes French bistro staples such as Assiette of pork pâté, duck pâté & duck rillette; French onion soup; duck leg confit; Coq Au Vin; slow-cooked lamb shank; freshly baked Madeleine; and Mont Blanc.

For me it was an extremely tough choice between the duck leg confit, Coq au Vin and the lamb shank - three of my favourite French meat dishes.  After much vacillation, I opted for the Coq au Vin, a decision made with the help of the knowledgeable waiter.  I was happy with my choice - half a chicken braised in red wine with carrot, mushroom, pearl onion and bacon, served with mashed potato.

Coq au vin 

Coq au Vin is a French braise of chicken (originally rooster or any tough bird), slow cooked with wine, lardon and mushrooms.  The most commonly used wine is Burgundy although there are variations using Jaune, Riesling, Beaujolais Nouveau and even Champagne.

Everything about the dish was 'honest-to-goodness' except for one slight deviation. Chef Dalton has substituted bacon for lardon.  The French version of lardon is actually cubes of pork fat cured with salt and this is used in French cooking for larding in meat braising or roasting.  The dish would have tasted much richer had lardon been used.

The preparation of Coq au Vin is, in fact, very similar to that of beef bourguignon.  The chicken is first marinated in wine, then seared in fat and slowly simmered until tender. The usual seasonings are salt, pepper and a bouquet garni comprising thyme, parsley and bay leaf.  The juices are thickened either by making a small roux at the beginning of cooking, or by adding blood at the end.

Darling wife and Laura ordered the pan-roasted Berkshire pork chop topped with caramelized shallot, garlic and mashed potato on the side.  Although it did appear a little pink (a sign of under-cooking), we realised later that this is actually one of the characteristics of Berkshire pork.  Its taste was sublime. 

Berkshire Pork Chop

Berkshires are very sought after especially now when there are not more than 300 breeding sows recorded in the world notably in the UK, New Zealand and in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan.  The Japanese breed is more well known as Kagoshima Kurobuta.  Berkshire pork are prized for their juiciness, flavour and tenderness due mainly to its high fat content.  It is pink-hued and heavily marbled which makes it perfect for slow cooking over high temperature.

For appetizer, we had one portion of  baked Burgundian escargot in garlic herb butter and French onion soup served with cheese and croutons. 

Baked Burgundian Escargot

French Onion Soup

Our meal befittingly ended with a Creme Brulee and Tarte au pommes with vanilla ice cream shared between the 3 of us.  The apple pie was outstanding.

Creme Brulee

Tarte au Pommes

Bistro du Vin

1 Scotts Road

#02-12 Shaw Centre

Ambiance:  8

Service: 8.5

Food: 7.5

Pricing: $$$$

Recommended dishes: Coq au Vin, Berkshire pork chop, Tarte au pommes with vanilla ice cream

Food for Thought: Iggy's

Iggy's needs no introduction.  It ranked as Asia's Number One restaurant in the 2011/2012 Miele Guide; and 27 in the S Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2010/2011.

The restaurant takes its name after its founder, award-winning Sommelier and restauranteur, Ignatius Chan.  It first opened its door as an intimate 28-seater at The Regent Hotel in 2004.  In March 2007, Iggy's expanded its seating capacity by double at its new outlet at The Hilton Hotel.

The cuisine at Iggy's is not entirely Continental although it has heavy European accents.  It is actually a combination of the best ingredients from Europe, Asia and Australia.  The Chef's Lunch Tasting Menu offered when we visited consisted of 6 exquisite dishes.

A very well presented dish of Hamachi was served as the starter.  We enjoyed the gratinated yellowtail (or Japanese amberjack) topped with slices of radish, fine herb salad and sesame lime dressing.  The slight tanginess of the lime dressing went well with the raw fish while the hint of sesame enhanced the taste of the radish.

Gratinated Yellowtail with Radish Slices, Herb Salad and Sesame Lime Dressing

A salad was served straight after the starter.  The salad was an interesting mix of mesclun, avocado, pomodoro and fragrant floral petals.  The floral petals really made the difference.  It also added colour to the dish.

Mesclun with avocado, pomodoro and fragrant floral petals

For soup, the chef had chosen mushroom cappucino.  This dish, to me, is quite obviously inspired by the ultimate culinary genius, Ferran Adria.   The soup is topped with foam and we know that food-foaming is a technique that Chef Ferran has given to the world of haute cuisine.

Mushroom Cappucino

Ocean clams on flavoured rice was served as entree before the main dish. The meat of the ocean clam is firmer in texture than other clams with a somewhat stronger taste. They are usually minced, chopped or cut into strips before they are suitable for the table.  Iggy's was very brave indeed to have served these ocean clams whole.  Surprisingly, they were still good in spite of my initial apprehension that it might be too chewy. 

Ocean Clams on Flavoured Rice

My much anticipated main dish was the confit of duck, one of my all-time favourite meat dishes.     The traditional method of preparing duck confit involves a centuries-old process of preservation consisting of salt curing and then poaching it in its own fat.  The poaching itself, normally over very low temperature, can take anything between four to ten hours until the meat is completely cooked.  It is then left to cool before it is preserved either in a can or jar in its fat for up to six months.  The preservation process is what gives this dish its uniquely rich taste.  Just before serving, the meat is fried or grilled in its fat until well-browned and crisp.  Iggy's version served with rosemary potato and mesclun was good but I cannot be too sure that it followed the traditional method of preparation.

Confit of Duck

The German chocolate was a befitting end to the meal.  Although I must say that it's presentation was quite similar to the deconstructed Black Forest Cake served at a different restaurant.  Food deconstruction, by the way, is another revolutionary method introduced to the culinary world by Chef Ferran.

Deconstructed Black Forest Cake

Iggy's
Level 3
The Hilton Hotel
581 Orchard Road
Singapore 238883

Ambiance:  9
Food:  8.5
Service:  9
Pricing: $$$$$
Recommended dishes: The menu is seasonal and there are 3 fixed menus (with different pricing ranging from S$85 upwards) to choose from.

Food for Thought: St Pierre

Dinner with wine pairing at St Pierre Restaurant was definitely the highlight of my dining experience this year. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about Chef Emmanuel Stroobant and his food. Owner Chef Stroobant has worked very hard to put his restaurant on the map of culinary distinction. In fact, his restaurant is the only Singapore establishment to earn an admission to Relais & Chateaux – the definitive guide to the world’s finest hotels and restaurants.

Over the years, St Pierre has received numerous accolades.  Starting with Best New Restaurant Award for Excellence in 2002, it went on to receive many other awards including in 2007, the Restaurant of the Year Excellence Award by World Gourmet Summit. Chef Stroobant also received the Chef of the Year Award in 2002. In that same year, Wine and Dine magazine credited the restaurant with the Most Innovative Menu.

Like world-renown Chef Ferran Adria whom he greatly admires, Chef Stroobant started training, at a very young age, in the kitchens of Michelin star restaurants of Belgium where he was born. In 1987, he was named Best Apprentice Chef and at 23, he opened his own restaurant, Le Bal, in his home town, Liege.

Soon, the kitchens of the world beckoned him and he re-located to Australia before moving to Malaysia, and finally setting up home in Singapore. While working in Malaysia, he received the award for Best Expatriate Executive Chef by World Asia Media in 1999.

Posing with the Chef in Black

The evening’s degustation menu consisted of an amuse bouche ensemble of assorted nibbles; Millefeuille of Hokkaido Scallop; Slow poached Maine Lobster; Confit of wild salmon served with wild mushroom duxelle; Low temperature roasted lamb shoulder; Red wine glazed US Beef short rib; and Yuzu scented genoise with goma nougatine, mango sorbet and honey scented feuillantine.

Millefeuille of Hokkaido Scallop

The first appetizer, Millefeuille of Hokkaido Scallop, was good but lacked the wow factor. The pieces of scallop were scented with preserved black truffle, wild chives, ikura, citrus zest and crème fraiche. The crème fraiche, to me, was a tad too wet and milky when it should have been creamy with a velvety smoothness. What made the dish good was the freshness of the scallop which had the ‘melt in your mouth’ texture. This dish was paired with KJ Vintner Reserve Savignon Blanc 2008.

Slow poached Maine lobster

I was really impressed by the second appetizer – the slow poached Maine Lobster served on roasted hearts of Romaine. The garnishing on the plate included sweet garlic confit, parmesan croutons and bottarga emulsion. The lobster, although cooked (I would have preferred sashimi), remained tender and retained its natural sweetness. But what I really enjoyed most about this dish were the charred hearts of Romaine which had a robust woody flavour. It was paired very well with KJ Vintner Reserve Chardonnay 2008.

Chef Stroobant has his way of keeping the best for later. The dishes that arrived at our table ‘from this moment on’ were all of exceptionally high standard.

Confit of wild salmon

The confit of wild salmon served with wild mushroom duxelle was outstanding, to say the least. Wild salmon, unlike its cultivated relatives, tend to be more marbled, moist and rich in flavour, thus making it a popular choice with food gourmand. Chef Stroobant’s clever use of crispy smoked bacon and momotaro tomato infused choron sauce enhanced the natural taste of the wild salmon to even greater heights.

In traditional French cooking, duxelle – a reduction of chopped mushroom (sometimes mushroom stems) and herbs – is used as stuffing. Chef Stroobant used it as a base for the lamb. It was a totally new way of presentation yet it did not distract attention from nor ruin the taste of the dish.

The wild salmon was accompanied by KJ Vintner Reserve Merlot 2006.

Roasted lamb shoulder

Equally outstanding was the low temperature roasted lamb shoulder served with pan grille scented eggplant puree, lamb jus and ratatouille.  The adept Chef roasted the lamb to pure perfection. It is not often that I walk away from a restaurant, happy with how they had done my steak. At St Pierre, I have no complaints, only praises. The meat was very slightly burnt on the outside but delicately tender and succulent on the inside – just the way I like my meats prepared. KJ Grand Reserve Merlot 2006 and KJ Highland Estate Taylor Peak Merlot 2005 accompanied the dish most satisfactorily.

US beef short rib

The last of the main course, though simple in presentation, reigned supreme in its preparation. The red wine glazed US Beef short rib was superbly prepared and its taste quite exquisite. It was served with bone marrow, potato bouchon and organic baby vegetables and paired with KJ Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and KJ Highland Estate Hawkeye Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005.

Short ribs or Jacob’s Ladder (as the English call it), are a cut of beef perfect for long cooking as in pot au feu, a classic dish of French origin. Because short ribs tend to be tougher than other cuts, it can be challenging to prepare as a steak. But Chef Stroobant had it proven otherwise, much to my delight.  Just by this dish alone, he has won my admiration and respect.

Yuzu scented Genoise with Goma nougatine

For dessert, Chef Stroobant created Yuzu scented genoise with goma nougatine, mango sorbet and honey scented feuillantine. Everyone loved the dessert and my only complaint was not having enough of it. A very sweet dessert wine, KJ Late Harvest Chardonnay 2006, accompanied.

Chef Stroobant has taken me on a culinary trip that is so sublime that St Pierre, now tops my list of favourite Continental restaurants in Singapore.

St Pierre Restaurant

3 Magazine Road

#01-01 Central Mall

Ambiance – 6.5

Service – 8

Food – 9.5

Pricing - $$$$$

Recommended dishes – Chef Stroobant’s Degustation Menu of the Month

Food for Thought: The White Rabbit

The White Rabbit's website promises 'impeccable fine dining without the stuffiness'.  This very aptly describes our dining experience there some months ago during the Singapore Restaurant Week - that is the 'stuffiness' bit. 

The restaurant is a converted chapel located in the Dempsey Road shopping and dining enclave.  The owners have retained the original architecture (smart move) while fitting the cavernous space with generally clean-cut furniture with a splattering of antique pieces.  The colour scheme is kept almost monochromatic thus accentuating the beauty of the original stained glass. There is absolutely no clutter.

Similarly, the table setting and food presentation are stylishly modern and simple.

The 3-course set menu comprised a freshly shucked oyster served au naturale with pork sausage on the side for appetizer; Sole Meuniere for the main; and Chocolate Mousse with raspberry sauce for dessert.

The appetizer was really 2 dishes in one.  The freshly shucked oyster was served au naturale and because it was very fresh, all it needed was a dash of lemon juice.  Accompanying it was a lone sausage which looked rather uninspired and uninspiring.  I didn't particularly like the taste of it either as I found it a tad too salty.

Freshly shucked oyster and Sausage

Sole Meunière is a classic French dish consisting of sole fish that has been dredged in flour then pan fried in butter and served with the brown butter reduction sauce and a dash of lemon.  In classic service, the whole sole is sauteed tableside and boned by the server.  However, at White Rabbit, the sole was cooked in the kitchen and served whole on the bone.  Perhaps, the fish used was too little to be filleted! 

Sole Meunniere

My first serving of the sole was rubbery and tough and I had it returned to the chef who promptly replaced it with no questions asked.  Points deducted for not ensuring the quality of the ingredients used even though the dish was, overall, quite tasty.  Otherwise, I don't have any other complaints as Sole Meuniere is really a straightforward dish to prepare and no self-respecting chef should make a blunder out of it.  By the way, the baby potatoes were delicious. And darling wife loves the fish - she didn't get the tough one!

Chocolate mousse

The dessert was good but it did not really excite me the way desserts normally do. I felt it was a very safe choice since one can never go wrong with Chocolate Mousse.  This being a Restaurant Week menu, I would have expected something more creative and daring.

Overall, an enjoyable dining experience mainly because we liked the surrounding and the service.  The waiting staff were careful not to be too intrusive when we were eating.  But once coffee and dessert were served, they made the effort to come around to exchange pleasantries with us and discuss the restaurant's concept, design and architecture, since they consciously took note that these were topics of interest to us.

The White Rabbit

39C Harding Road

Tanglin

Ambiance:  9.5

Service:  8.5

Pricing:  $$$

Food: 7.25

 

Food for Thought: Dinner with Laura Calder

Dinner with Laura Calder was held on 25 May at the Fullerton Hotel.  During the introduction, Hian Goh, who co-founded Asian Food Channel with Maria Brown, very cleverly qualified that Laura is not a chef but a food writer and TV personality.  He went on to joke that the if the food wasn't good, the kitchen staff of the Fullerton should be blamed.  That, more or less, set the tone for the entire evening.

The best part of the meal, for me, was the amuse bouche -Kir Royale served with Gougeres or French for Cheese Puffs.  Everything else that followed was unsatisfactory to me.

Foie Gras on Asparagus

The Foie Gras served on asparagus must have been left to stand for too long.  By the time it arrived, it didn't taste good at all.  Foie gras should be lightly pan-fried until it is crisp on the outside but still soft and moist on the inside.  With your first bite, the insides should ooze out and melt on your tongue.  That, to me, is the perfectly prepared foie gras.  The ones served at dinner that night tasted like stale wood pulp soaked in oil.

Fennel Soup

The Fennel Soup was not any better.  Fennel has a unique taste that is quite similar to licorice or anise.  However, Laura's version of the soup was so rich in cream, it overpowered the aromatic qualities of the fennel.  I found this to be such a shame.  A good fennel soup should highlight the aroma of the fennel, not the cream or the vegetable stock that goes into its preparation.

I came with high hopes for the main course - Halibut with Spring Vegetable Medley.  This being a North Atlantic fish, is seldom served in our local restaurants.  Halibut is prized for its delicate natural sweetness, snow-white colour and flakiness.  It is also extremely low in fat content hence its very dense and firm texture.  Most chef agree that it is best eaten broiled, poached or very lightly grilled when fresh.

Halibut with Spring Vegetable Medley

What arrived at our table were two delicate pieces of Halibut fillet that looked very appealing to the eyes but, unfortunately, not to the taste.  They were either overcooked or left to stand for too long (yet again).  Our lady friend from across the table commented that it tasted just like frozen fish.  Again I was disappointed and I wasn't even expecting the likes of Halibut cheeks which, incidentally, are a delicacy.

For friends who know me well enough, desserts are the most important part of the meal.  It helps to cleanse the palate after a meal or 'cuci mulut' as a Peranakan would say.

But I felt rather let down at the quality of the two desserts served.  The poached pear in red wine with cognac whipped cream and the lemon tart were inferior by comparison with what we have eaten else where. 

Poached pear in red wine

The pear was bland (or 'tasteless' to be more honest) and hard.  There was nary a taste of the red wine, the spices or sugar.  To me it was one big flop of a dessert.

Lemon Tart

The lemon tart could well be described as 'looks are deceptive'.  The crust was uncooked and the lemon flan was again, totally tasteless.

The saving grace was the star herself.  She was lots of fun and yes, she did a cooking demonstration of 3 dishes before dinner was served.  And of course, she went round to say the obligatory hello to all the diners and posed for photographs.  Many of us were there mainly because we are fans of Laura so, ultimately, it didn't really matter that dinner was one huge let-down.

Darling wife with Laura Calder

Event:  Dinner with Laura Calder by AFC

Venue: Town Restaurant, Fullerton Hotel

Menu and Recipe: By Laura Calder, Food Writer and TV Personality

Preparation: By Kitchen Staff, Town Restaurant
Pricing: $$$$$

Food for Thought: L'Entrepot Bistrot

This is one of the newer outlets operated by the Esmirada Group of restaurants.

Fronting the Singapore River at Clarke Quay, the walls of L'Entrepot are adorned with copies of old French posters illuminated by the warm glow of soft lighting.  One wall at the far end of the dining room has been cleverly converted into a wine cellar.  The overall feel is cosy - just like a typical French bistro in Paris.  For smokers and those who enjoy the outdoors, there is al fresco dining by the banks of the river.

It was Laura's birthday and French immediately came to mind, remembering how much she enjoyed her birthday treat at a Greek taverna in Place St Michel, Paris way back in 1994.

True to the original bistro fashion, L'Entrepot's menu consisted of simple one-meal dishes that could be cooked in quantity and kept to be served over a number of days. Slow-cooked food like braised meat are its staples.

Laura ordered Beef Bourguignon.  This was (once upon a time) a popular peasant 'comfort' food but it has been refined over the years into haute cuisine.  Today, it is a French standard, its recipe having been codified by Chef Auguste Escoffier, who received the Legion D'Honneur in 1919 for his work in promoting French cuisine to the world.

Beef bourguignon

To create the perfect beef bourguignon, the meat should be marinated in Burgundy red wine and cognac together with a variety of vegetables, herbs and spices at least 48 hours prior to cooking. The mushrooms sauteed in clarified butter are then added only after the meat has been simmered to the desired texture.  L'Entrepot served their version of the stew over a bed of potato mash, topped with sauteed mushrooms.  Laura was very pleased with her choice of main course, as was I with my lamb shank.

Lamb shank with root vegetables

The shank of lamb is not the most tender part of the animal and is, therefore, best eaten braised over slow fire for a long period of time.  While some lamb shank recipes call for vegetables such as mushrooms and celery, L'Entrepot uses mainly root vegetables like onions, carrots and cassava root.  The lamb is braised in a rich rosemary jus giving it a robust flavour, which in my opinion is important for any lamb dish.

Atlantic cod in a red pepper compote

Darling wife's Atlantic Cod was served on potato mash and a red pepper compote in a sea of poultry jus.  The fish was fresh and the meat remained firm even though it was cooked to well done.  I thought it was tasty although Lyn wasn't really 'mad about it'.

We had originally asked for soup - lobster bisque - but the waiters had forgotten our order, so we had it cancelled without any problem.   A large bowl of Caesar's Salad was shared between the three.

Caesar's Salad

Fresh crisp Romaine lettuce is tossed with croutons, bacon bits, parmesan and  thick wedges of spiced chicken fillet. One of the best Caesar's Salad we had in a long while.

When dining at a bistro, you can look forward to good home-style cooking and a homey atmosphere.  But do not set your expectations too high as far as service is concerned.  This was exactly the case with L'Entrepot Bistrot.  I was not overly disappointed because I have experienced the 'bistro' culture in Paris on many occasions.  For those who have eaten in a Parisienne bistro, you will notice that they are mostly owner-managed.  Which means they are often manned by 2 staff only - the owner being the chef and his spouse who would double up as waitress, cashier and hostess.  So expect to wait for service! I guess that culture has somehow caught on in other parts of the world as well.

After dinner at L'Entrepot, we adjourned to Alegro for coffee and Spanish dessert.

L'Entrepot Bistrot

#01-02 Block E

Clarke Quay

Singapore 179024

Ambiance:  7

Service: 6

Food: 8

Pricing: $$$

Recommended Dishes - Caesar's Salad, Beef Bourguignon, Lamb Shank

Food for Thought: Nicolas Le Restaurant

Le Restaurant is the brainchild of French chef, Nicolas Joanny, who hails from the Provence in the southern part of France. His love for fine ingredients stems from growing up in a family of food lovers who grew practically every food that was laid on the table, right down to the olive oil which was home-produced.

Nicolas graduated from the renowned Culinary Institute in Burgundy, Chateau Chinon, at the age of 17. During the second year of his study, he attended training under the watchful eyes of famous chefs at two prestigious Three Michelin Star establishments.

No promising chef would miss the opportunity of working in Paris. Nicolas worked at top-notch Parisian restaurants such as the 2-Michelin star Le Vivarois and 3-Michelin star Taillevent (which I recently recommended to Chee Koon when she visited Paris). Later in his Paris career, he was chosen as personal chef to ex-French prime minister, Alain Juppe.

Before coming to Singapore, he spent 4-years in Bangkok as Executive Chef of Le Vendome which is internationally recognised as one of Asia's top French dining spots. Last year, Nicolas set up Le Restaurant in a restored house, part of the Bukit Pasoh Conservation Project.

Nicolas acknowledges that his style of cuisine is traditionally French with emphasis on the use of products from the Provence. He uses mainly natural jus and emulsion rather than cream. He understands and respects the natural flavors of each ingredient that he uses to create traditional seasonally changing French menu. His philosophy and culinary skill are best displayed in his 6-course tasting menu.

The menu for the night included several appetisers, a main course, dessert and complimentary coffee/tea with pralines.

As soon as we had finished placing our order for the main course, freshly baked bread and duck rilettes were brought to our table.

Duck rilletes 

The rilettes was raked and packed tightly with just enough oil to ensure a smooth texture, which is the mark of a good rilette. The softness and smoothness of Nicolas' duck rilettes went very well with his freshly baked breads.

Potato Soup with Parma ham

Soup was then served. Nicolas had chosen potato soup topped with a thin strip of Parma ham. At first glance, the soup resembled Louis Diat's Vichyssoise. However upon tasting, I found that it had a very light and delicate flavour without the strong overtones of leek which Diat uses in his creation. The soup dish was combined with Australian yabby done two ways. On one side of the soup dish was a filo wrap filled with yabby meat, deep-fried to a crisp golden brown. On the other, sat a yabby completely clothed in its shell and grilled to perfection.

A prawn dish followed the soup. A sizable blue prawn was denuded and grilled. This wasn't my favourite dish as I found the prawn to be a little over-done causing it to lose much of its natural juices.  It was a tad too dry for my liking.

Grilled blue prawn

My grouse with the prawn was soon forgotten when I tasted the Japanese hen egg. Infused with white trufle essence, its taste was simply sublime. A tiny slice of kurobuta pork accompanied the steamed egg.  The pork definitely added to the dish's presentation.  Did it enhance the taste of the steamed egg?  I am not so sure that it did but that didn't really matter at all.

Japanese hen egg infused with white truffle essence

Next up was North Atlantic scallop served with an ensemble of different meats including bits of shrimp and chicken.  The scallop was very lightly seared in order to retain its sashimi quality texture.  Of course, it tasted wonderfully velveteen and I voted this the best appetizer of the meal.

Seared North Atlantic scallop

For main course, I selected the slow roasted rack of lamb from Tasman fields. This is Chef Nicolas' version of the famous French favourite, Carre D'agneau.  Chef Nicolas uses only the best imported Tasmanian lamb. I ordered medium rare and true to honesty, it arrived done to my preference. It was rare but not overly bloody yet the meat was tender and had the 'melt in your mouth' texture.  Darling wife opted for the 200-day grain fed beef tenderloin.  One bite of the main courses and we were convinced that these were the creation of a Chef de Cuisine.

White Chocolate soup

Dessert was white chocolate soup (not my favourite) and Chef Nicolas was very kind to whip up a creme brulee infused with vanilla for me even though this was not offered on the tasting menu for the day.  Not quite in  the same league as the crema catalana that I have eaten in Catalonia, it was still definitely better than many others I have tried outside of Spain.  Darling wife's white chocolate soup with Belgian chocolate was interesting in its presentation.

Crema Catalana

Chef Nicolas' culinary skills and adeptness have the ability to sway one's mood and make one forget about any other inconveniences that might have been encountered.  I was told not to use flash photography hence, the rather poor quality of the photographs used here . I thought this was a rather unusual request by the management.  I have used flash photography in many of the world's top restaurants including our very own Au Jardin Les Amis and Tatsuya, and have never encountered any problem.

Despite this small inconvenience and the fact that the restaurant lacked the ambiance of a fine dining restaurant, I would still recommend it simply because the food was good.



Nicolas Le Restaurant

31 Keong Saik Road

Bukit Pasoh Conservation Project

Singapore 089138

Ph: 62242404

Ambience: 6
Food: 8.5
Service: 7
Pricing: $$$$$
Recommendation: Chef Nicolas Tasting menu

Food for Thought: Restaurant Bouley by Chef David Bouley

Talking of The Big Apple brings to mind one of our favourite eating places, Restaurant Bouley in Tribeca, NYC. It is owned and managed by Chef David Bouley, who graduated from the Sorbonne, Paris.

David first worked with some of Europe’s most highly acclaimed chefs like Roger Vergé and Gaston Lenôtre. Then he returned to NYC to work in leading restaurants of the time, such as Le Cirque and Le Périgord, as well as spent time as sous chef in a restaurant opened by Roger Vergé in San Francisco. David also co-authored the cookbook, ‘East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and The Danube’.

With such an illustrious portfolio, naturally David Bouley became one of our ‘must try’ chefs when we visited The Big Apple.

Our Degustation menu consisted of five courses not including the chef’s complimentary and very refreshing palette cleansers such as the lychee sherbet served with fruits of the forest, and the melon gelee. We were served our soup first. The chef’s choice of cold Gazpacho was perfect to be eaten on a hot summer day. It was August when we visited.

For starters, I had Sashimi Quality Tuna with shaved Fennel dressed in Herb Oils and Spicy Marinade, while darling L had the Phyllo crusted Florida Shrimp, Baby Squid, Cape Cod Sea Scallop and Sweet Maryland Crabmeat in Ocean Herbal Broth. My second appetizer was Tender Maine Baby Skate with Pineapple and Capers, Brown Butter and Balsamic Reduction.

Darling L chose the Line Caught Chatham Cod with Stew of Artichokes, Salsify, Baby Bok Choy and Black Trufle Dashi, for her main course. I opted for the Tea-smoked Organic Breast of Long Island Duckling served with Vanilla glazed Baby Turnips, Oregon Porcini Mushrooms, Lima Beans, and Quince Puree. Both were excellent.

My dessert was of course ice cream - Hot Valrhona Chocolate Souffle with a trio of Vermont Maple Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Sorbet. But somehow, darling L manage to settle for the winning dessert recipe - Organic Passionfruit and Blueberry Meringue with Passionfruit Caramel Sauce, Hunkleberry Coulis and Provence Lavender Ice Cream. The meringue was delightly soft and melted in the mouth almost instantly unlike the commercial ones that are usually hard and too sugary.

We were served coffee and tea with petits fours.

In fact, every dish was a winner. As I have said before, a gourmet is concerned with the sight, smell and taste of food. In every aspect, Bouley lived up to our expectations. The presentation was stylishly simple yet pleasing to the eye and the servings were of just the right quantity. The choice of dressing, garnishing and reduction added to the aromatic experience of the dishes presented. Of course, the ultimate test was in the tasting of the food and Bouley stood up to the test with flying colours.

It is small wonder that Restaurant Bouley has been lauded with so many accolades including the James Beard Foundation awards for best restaurant and best chef. It was also voted number one restaurant in food and popularity in the Zagat Survey of NYC restaurants and is the only restaurant to achieve 29 food rating in Zagat up to this day.

In the words of Chef Charlie Trotter, "David Bouley is the most influential chef cooking in the United States."

Sashimi Quality Tuna with shaved Fennel dressed in Herb Oils and Spicy Marinade

Phyllo crusted Florida Shrimp, Baby Squid, Cape Cod Sea Scallop and 

Sweet Maryland Crabmeat in Ocean Herbal Broth

Tea-smoked Organic Breast of Long Island Duckling

Organic Passionfruit and Blueberry Meringue with Passionfruit Caramel Sauce, 

Hunkleberry Coulis and Provence Lavender Ice Cream

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 7.5/10

Food: 9/10
Pricing: $$$$$

Recommended dishes: Chef's Degustation Menu