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by thywhaleliciousfay

Dinner @ Saint Pierre

August 10, 2016 in French by thywhaleliciousfay

And so, after celebrating my friend’s birthday, mine was next in line. Yeah! Haha. And because I haven’t had French cuisine in a long while, I decided to go with Saint Pierre.

And this would be my third time dining at Saint Pierre. The first was lunch when they started out at Magazine Road, and second being brunch when they moved to Quayside Isle (Sentosa). So one can say it’s only natural that I had to have dinner at Saint Pierre, especially after they relocated (yet again) to One Fullerton. =p

Reservation was made via Chope. And in my reservation, I indicated it was to celebrate my birthday. I know, it’s a little thick skin having to arrange my own birthday dinner. Haha. But my friends know how I am like; That I like deciding where to go next from my to-try list.

For those arriving by car, try to park near Lift Lobby 3 at One Fullerton’s basement car park as it will take one straight up to Level 2 where Saint Pierre is located at.

My friend and I were greeted by the staff who was standing by at the entrance. And I was glad we were given a corner table just right by the full-height window. It gave us a perfect view of Marina Bay Sands, including Louis Vuitton Island Maison. In fact, halfway through our dinner at 9.30pm, we caught laser beams from Marina Bay Sands. But of course, we were too far to witness the Light & Water Show.

  

Once we were seated, the staff pushed a trolley of beverages and asked if we wanted to start with any wines, champagne or juices. My friend chose nectar juice ($14) from an assortment which included tomato, peach, apple, strawberry and orange. After which, we were presented with pre-appetisers. Yes, pre-appetisers before we were handed the menu.

And pre-appetisers included la tomate d’amour (stuffed cherry tomato, vanilla and lime zest), le saumon betterave (beetroot salmon graviax wasabi cream), la sardine (marinated sardine, olive sandwich), opera de foie gras (home made foie gras terrine with cherry marmelade), celeri pomme verte remoulade (celeriac and green apple salad, cream & mustard dressing) and bonbon avocat/coriandre (avocado and coriander cream dip in tomato.

And from the dinner set menu (pages 1, 2), we ordered:-


  

1) Bread, Complimentary (above) – Besides being presented with a bread platter of mini baguette, milk bread and rosemary brioche, the staff gave us additional options of sourdough and fig bread. I went with the former. Although I didn’t manage to ask, I am pretty sure the sourdough was wholegrain. And I seriously loved their freshly baked bread! While the seaweed butter was interesting, it was the French salted butter that’s my favourite. It went extremely well with the sourdough.

2) Pre-appetiser, Complimentary (above) – Potato espuma served with soft-boiled egg and truffle.

3) Grand Earth, $188 comprised of:-

(A) Tomato (above) – Vanilla oil marinated Japanese momotaro tomato with coriander oil, balsamic vinegar sorbet and cashew nut papadum.

(B) Crab (above) – Dashi poached live Alaskan king crab with ginger infused roasted cauliflower puree, wild tarragon, cream fraiche, brioche and ikura.


(C) Scallop (above) – Soy-seared hand-dived Hokkaido scallop tartare with herb coulis, new harvest oscietra caviar and grated preserved egg yolk.


(D) Lobster (above) – Grilled Atlantic lobster ravioli revisited with veal jus braised celeriac, wild girolle mushroom, black winter truffle and foam of lobster bisque.


(E) Artichoke (above) – Crispy stuffed purple artichoke with turmeric sauce, herb crust, pine nuts and marigold leaf.

(F) Cod (above) – Coal-grilled white miso Atlantic cod flakes with caramelised fennel puree, oxtail consomme, fresh pea and chitose corn.

(G) Lamb (above) – roasted lamb saddle with sweetbread stuffing, confit of baby yellow squash and smoked tomato coulis.

  

(H) Pigeon (above) – Roasted pigeon breast with coffee dust, celeriac, chocolate armagnac marinated cherries, pigeon legs in foie gras ballotine, bacon and coffee emulsion. Having not eaten pigeon in a while, I forgot to check on how the pigeon was going to be cooked. It’s a personal preference to have it well done. If not, medium well. So when the pigeon was served medium, I was a little disappointed. I don’t like my pigeon too bloody.

(I) Palate cleanser (above) – Poured into a cup from a tea flask, palate cleanser was in the form of soup. Didn’t manage to catch the staff’s introduction of this, but its taste reminded me of a diet soup which I tried many years before. Haha. Of cabbage, onion and ground pepper.

(J) Strawberry (above) – Hibiscus-lemongrass extraction with strawberry emulsion, strawberry sorbet and basil. Comprised of layers of different textures, do ‘dig’ deep as there’s popping sugar at the bottom.


  

(K) Chocolate (above) – This was supposed to be a manjari chocolate sphere with a centre of passion fruit caramel and tahiti vanilla parfait. But because dinner was to celebrate my birthday, we were treated to a performance where the staff placed a glass panel on our table before continuing to plate our dessert. Our gigantic chocolate sphere didn’t last long though. It melted shortly after warm chocolate was poured over it. I am sorry but I don’t quite understand what-seem-to-be the recent trend of melting the chocolate sphere in front of customers. So while I appreciate the restaurant’s effort in making the dessert special, I guess I would have been happier if I was just given a candle cause the chocolate portion was very messy to eat.

(L) Petit fours (above) – Observed from neighbouring table, the staff would push a trolley filled with goodies for one to choose. However, for mine, a collection of 6 was included in my ‘special dessert’.

4) Nature, $148 comprised of:-

(A) Tomato – Vanilla oil marinated Japanese momotaro tomato with coriander oil, balsamic vinegar sorbet and cashew nut papadum.

(B) Winter melon (above) – Soy-marinated and braised organic winter melon tartare with herb coulis, pickled purple radish and grated preserved egg yolk.

(C) Truffle (above) – Cep mushroom ravioli with wild girolle mushroom, black winter truffle and smoked celeriac jus.

(D) Corn (above) – Coal-grilled chitose corn with caramelised fennel puree, fresh pea and seaweed stock.

(E) Garden (above) – Texture of jerusalem artichoke with baby leek, heirloom carrot and pumpkin seeds.

(F) Palate cleanser

(G) Chocolate – My friend’s was combined with my ‘special birthday dessert’. However, while his set menu only entitled him to 1 dessert, the restaurant gave him the other dessert of ‘Strawberry’ too.

5) Coffee, $12.50

Dinner was great. There’s always something charming about longer established restaurants, which I know I can count on for a beautiful dining experience. From food, to service, and to ambience.

  

And as we made our way out of the restaurant (immediately) after settling the bill, we were surprised when the staff quickly came up to us with a box of sweets and stationery. We were caught off guard, but one can’t deny the nice intention behind the tokens. Especially after reading head chef Emmanuel’s message.

Will I recommend Saint Pierre? Definitely!

SAINT PIERRE
1 Fullerton Road, One Fullerton, #02-02B, Singapore
6438 0887, Website, Facebook
Overall: 8.5
Opening hours:-
Food/Beverage: 8
Mon – Fri : 11:30 – 15:00 (Lunch)
Ambience: 9
Mon – Sat : 18:30 – 23:00 (Dinner)
Value: 8
Service: 9
* Closed on Sun

UPDATE 1: Restaurant was awarded 1 Michelin star by Michelin Guide Singapore 2017.
UPDATE 2: Restaurant was awarded 1 Michelin star by Michelin Guide Singapore 2018.

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by thywhaleliciousfay

Dinner @ Absinthe

July 1, 2016 in French by thywhaleliciousfay

There’s always those eateries which leave one wanting to head back. That’s how it is for Absinthe and I. On my first visit, my friend and I came without reservation and had to head elsewhere as they were closed for a private event. On my second, I didn’t get to try the dishes I wanted to because my dining partner wasn’t feeling too well in the stomach; We went with dishes like fish that were easier on the palette. But I still remember how wonderful their peach tart was.

So yes, I have been meaning to head back to Absinthe. You know, to feast properly by ordering my kind of food. Haha. And the opportunity finally came, although I was a little too late because they had relocated.

Called the restaurant at least twice in an attempt to make reservation, but was directed to their voicemail. I double checked. I called during their operating hours. Not wanting to waste time, I made a reservation via online where I was directed to a third party website, Quandoo.

Quandoo showed there was limited tables left, but did not indicate there were different seating areas. Ie, within the 3-storey shophouse or by the river. Thus, I was slightly disappointed when my friend and I were directed to the alfresco seats on the day of our weekday dinner.

And from the menu (pages 1, 2, 3), we ordered:-

1) Charcuterie platter of the day, $28 (above) – Comprised of duck rillette, cured Spanish chorizo, terrine de porc forestiere and jamon iberico. And served with accompanying bread of white and wholegrain. I am one who go for wholegrain, and out of curiosity, I enquired with the manager on the type. Example, spelt, rye, etc. But I was slightly taken aback when he couldn’t reply me properly. He just went “It’s wholegrain.” Erm, I think I could see the obvious? It’s a pity he didn’t take the initiative to check with the kitchen too.

2) Fjord ocean trout tartare, $26 (above) – With avruga caviar and frisee salad. Frankly, I was disappointed with this too. I felt I could easily put this together at home.

3) Pan fried foie gras, $29 (above) – With caramelized apple, sherry vinegar. The foie gras tasted better when it’s eaten with the apple for the contrast in texture and taste. Nice.


4) Lobster bisque scented with cognac, $16 (above) – While the soup was rich, it also tasted slightly diluted. Hmm. But what Absinthe had done differently was that the bisque was paired with puff pastry. I kept picking at the puff pastry that’s stuck on the bowl as they were crispy. Ha!

5) Duck confit, $29 (above) – With sarladaise potatoes, frisee salad.

6) Rabbit, $34 (above) – With mustard, tagliatelle pasta, vegetables. It was a little overwhelming to be eating rabbit in its visible form of a rabbit thigh. It was quite hard to remove the image of a cute bunny as I ate this dish. But honestly, maybe it’s just me and my overly-active imagination.

7) Souffle glace mandarine, $14 (above) – With honey, orange crisp. I guess the names of dishes have to be read as a whole. But when I saw the word ‘souffle’, I genuinely expected a fluffy soufflé. One that threatens to deflate within minutes. But no, we were served with what resembled ice cream sandwiched between cookies that’s further topped with another scoop of ice cream. I mean, it does look so, right? =p However, my friend and I weren’t impressed. It was just too sweet.

8) Tart of the day, $14 (above) – We were informed by the staff the tart of the day was apple pear tart. And with anticipation that it would be similar to the peach tart I had previously, I placed our order for it. However, this was a total let down. I put down my fork after having 3 bites. It was just like any fruit tart which one could get from a confectionery. Just that this was a size XL. I was expecting more from a restaurant.

With a view of the Singapore river and the occasional cool night breeze, Absinthe’s alfresco area had a good setting for a romantic dinner. However, having dined at their previous location, I was actually looking forward to that up-tight fine dining experience where the manager, dressed up sharply in his suit, would go through the dishes on the menu in detail, etc. However, it seemed that Absinthe has decided to become more… Casual with their relocation. Am not too sure if the ambience is different indoors.

But regardless of where one is sited, I am sure the level of service provided would be the same. And I was disappointed with the service. The staff didn’t know their dishes well and were often standing around, talking to one another, and gazing at the people who were walking past instead of paying attention to their diners.

So with this (updated) dining experience, I definitely won’t be thinking about heading back to Absinthe. Which is really a disappointment though cause I had such favourable memories.

RESTAURANT ABSINTHE
72 Boat Quay, Singapore
6222 9068, Website, Facebook
Overall: 6
Opening hours:-
Food/Beverage: 7
Mon – Fri : 11:45 – 14:30 (Lunch)
Ambience: 6
Mon – Sat : 17:30 – 22:30 (Dinner)
Value: 7
Service: 5
* Closed on Sun

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by thywhaleliciousfay

Desserts @ Mad About Sucre

April 16, 2016 in French by thywhaleliciousfay

My friends and I were in the area. Or rather, when we decided to meet for brunch, we knew Mad About Sucre was just round the corner from the café we were headed to. So it was intentional to head to Mad About Sucre after our brunch for their desserts. =)

And taken from their website, Mad About Sucre’s cakes and confections are handcrafted individually with finely-curated ingredients using French classical confection techniques.

I like that they reduced the amount of sugar used in their cakes. Up to 60% sugar! I mean… I am one who experiment with recipes by swapping sugar out with honey since I am into eating clean. So yeah to like-minded bakers! =)

Reduced sweetness. Organic flour. No artificial flavor. No preservative. No artificial color. Baked with love. Baked for love.

Stepping through the entrance door, I was immediately in awe of the interior. The front half of the long unit was furnished resembling a living room that’s taken out of a storybook. The fairy-tale kind of story book with tiered cakes hanging from the ceiling. Pretty!

And from the display shelf, we ordered:-

1) A compter du printemps, $11.80 (above) – Beginning of spring. Strawberry cream, lemon mousse, French champagne, raspberry, almond sponge cake, croustillant. Available in cake sizes at $60 for small, $90 for medium and $120 for large. We were told to slice all the way though to get the 3 flavours; Strawberry, lemon and coagulated champagne. (This was paired with peony white tea with lemon grass if one opts for the tea pairing). And one can enjoy the cake in 3 ways; On its own, with the sauce or with walnut. I enjoy it most on its own. =)


2) Saveurs de printemps, $11.60 (above) – Flavors of Spring. French earl grey-apricot mousse, savoire sponge, blood orange and grapefruit insert. Available in cake sizes at $60 for small, $90 for medium and $120 for large. We learnt through the staff that chef visioned roses blooming when he came up with this masterpiece. And that earl grey was introduced because it’s the only tea that can be blended with rose. Ahhh… But the real surprise which had my friends and I intrigued was the surprise within the cake. While eating, we were debating on the citrus amount. Which the staff overheard and told us that even the jelly of blood orange and grapefruit were spaced. So sometimes the citrus hit you, sometimes it doesn’t. Wow. And because the cake is of an uneven shape, every mouthful is different since every bite of the cake would be of varying earl grey amount. (This was paired with French rose tea with lavender)


3) San domingue, $12.80 (above) – 70% single origin chocolate, rum jewel box, caramelised plantain, brittany crunch. Available in cake sizes. $75 for small, $150 for medium and $120 for large. To savour this dessert properly, we were told to pop the ‘box’ into our mouth, and to allow the (liquid) rum within to coat our palate. The staff went to explain the chemical reaction between the dessert and rum enhanced the flavour. And since there was 3 of us, we purchased 2 more ‘boxes’ of rum at $3.50 each. Similar to the previous cakes, we were told to ensure every mouthful had the 4 elements; vanilla cream, banana, chocolate and Brittany crunch. And although this was a chocolate-y cake, it wasn’t very heavy. And the best news for a person who’s trying to eat clean was that this dessert is made with 70% dark chocolate, with limited sugar that’s in the caramel only. So feast away? Haha. (This was paired with green tea with mint and lemon grass)

I absolutely love Mad About Sucre. The cakes were delightfully good. And the fact that these treats were achieved with lesser sugar than normal? That made it even sweeter. o_O Haha.

Service was great too. The staff were approachable and friendly. I could feel their great enthusiasm as they talked about their bakes when we asked for recommendation.

And with every cake served, the staff would introduce the pieces. Of how the chef was inspired to come up with the respective master pieces, to how we should properly savour the cakes. Very interesting and nice.

My friends and I shared our cakes. And for that, the staff served the cakes which taste was from light to heavy. Mad About Sucre also does (organic) tea pairing for cake degustation, which we decided to go with. However, the tea was sold by ‘cup per head’. Which meant that if one is only having one dessert but there are 2 people, one would need to get 2 cups of tea. Unless one doesn’t mind sharing. But if one is getting 3 or more dessert, the staff told us for the same price point, we could go for the tea buffet. So we had tea-buffet pairing at $7.80 per person.

My friends and I have made a pact to return when the menu is updated with the next season. can’t wait. We were having the spring menu. Can’t wait cause I really like the ambience. Mad About Sucre makes a very nice place to just wind down and chill. In fact, if I need a quiet place to have some ‘me time’, Mad About Sucre would definitely come into mind.

They have a food menu too if one wishes to have a meal there before tucking into their desserts.

MAD ABOUT SUCRE
27 Teo Hong Road, Singapore
6221 3969, Website, Facebook
Overall: 8
Opening hours:-
Food/Beverage: 8
Tues – Sat : 12:30 – 22:00
Ambience: 8
Sun : 12:30 – 17:00
Value: 7
* Closed on Mon
Service: 9

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