Gunther’s

Gunther’s

 

Gunther’s , a fine-dining French Restaurant in along Purvis Street.  I have always wanted to visit Gunther’s as many food bloggers were raving about their angel hair pasta with caviar.

Hence, Kaelyn made a reservation for the both of us to try out Gunther’s cuisine alongside to celebrate my 21st birthday.

The restaurant is quite cosy and dim-lighting, great for intimate dining. The atomsphere is slightly different from Lunch to Dinner. Reservations are highly recommended as they are often fully-booked.

                                                                                    Menu Degustation

 

The sommelier pushed out a trolley to showcase/recommend some of the specials of the day. He carefully explained the different items that they have and the method of preparation could also be customised according to our preference. Now, let’s look at the Alsakan King Crab & Fresh berries from France…

                                                                Alasakan King Crab (Huge)

 

                                                                 Alasaka Crab before Cooking

 

 

                                                                     Fresh Berries from France

 

                                                                                        Baguette

 

 

                                     White Asparagus with Morel Mushrooms ($35++)

 

Kaelyn’s eyes glow immediately when she saw the white asparagus. She loves them as they are very sweet and moreover, white asparagus are available only in season.

They steamed it and served it with morel mushrooms, ham gratinated with light Hollandaise sauce. Please take note that only 1 white asparagus is being served for the hefty price of $35++.

Well, IMO, the white asparagus certainly is sweet and slightly soft . I like the sauce that goes with the asparagus which was not too heavy. Both Kaelyn and I like the morel mushrooms which has a chewy and crunchy texture.

                                         Steamed Alaskan King crab leg (after cooking)

  

Both Kaelyn and I were eyeing at the Alaskan King crab and since it was fresh, we decided to get one earch to try it out. Well, we did not ask them about the pricing before placing the order.

The Alsakan king crab leg is lightly steamed, topped with some chilli and they served with it some roasted corn, tomatoes and seasonal vegetables.

                                                                  Alaskan King crab shot 2 ($115++)

 

For me, I did not like the corn and the beans so Kaelyn happily scooped them to her plate and finish it off happily. The crab leg was indeed fresh and though they top it with some chilli, it was not spicy at all. The sweetness of the crab impressed me in it’s own natural flavour. Well, I still find it too over-priced!

                                                                           Blue-eyed cod ($48++)

 

What is the difference between Blue-eyed cod and the other cod? Personally I felt that Gunther’s rendition of this cod is well-done. The meat is very tender and juicy. The factor on how  I rate a cod is the tenderness and the juicy interior and Gunther’s cod is indeed juicy.

                                                                                        Shot 2

 

The blue-eye cod is baked and has a nice crispy skin which I left it to the last to savour it slowly.

They served it with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and a crispy fried onion, finished off with pesto and balsamico.

The mushrooms were chewy and I love it so much that I almost wanted to request for extra. The fried onions were so addictive, like eating fried onion rings.

Well, I still left the small portion of the mashed potatoes on my plate.

                                                            Rum and Raisin Ice-cream

                                             Apple tart with fresh berries($20++)

                                                         Fresh berries ($27++)

 

Gunther’s rendition of the Apple tart was not what I expected it to be. It was in a form of a …. crepe.

The apple tart was a little oily, perhaps they deep-fried it and stuffed it with mashed apple puree.

They sprinkled with lots of almonds (which i carefully scraped it away) added to the crunchiness of the tart.

The rum and raisin ice-cream was addictive and both Kaelyn and I reqested for the second helping!

I didn’t expect them to charge the berries seperately… raspberries, gooseberries,strawberries…so colourful but neverthless it actually cost $27++ for a small serving! Over-priced!

                                                         Complimentary Tiramisu cake

 

They presented a Tiramisu cake right in front of my eyes …to celebrate my birthday (in a week’s time).

However, I was just too bloated to even touched it. Anyway, I had a mouthful to try it as Kaelyn insisted!

It taste ok to me as I just had a small mouthful to try. It’s the thoughts that counts!   🙂

                                                Happy Advance 21st Birthday to me!

                                                                       Petite 4 to end

 

Bill came up to $350++ for 2 pax.

Gunther’s impressed me with their cuisine… I actually like 2 of their dishes- The crab and the Apple tart. However, I still felt  it was over-priced.

Service was friendly and attentive.

Food taste exceptionally good especially with good company. Both Kaelyn & I share the same taste in terms of food. Both of us love fish and dislike cheese and chocolates.

Gunther’s

Purvis Street

Website: www.gunthers.com.sg

Le Saint Julien

The view of Singapore River

                                                                                The Esplanade

 

                                                                                          Merlion

 

Now it’s time for some feast for your eyes!

 

Le Saint Julian, an elegant and fine-dining French Restaurant at the Fullerton Boathouse. The view from the restaurant overlook the Esplanade and Sinagpore River. Do request seats by the window!

The Executive chef/ owner Julien Bompard went over to Julien Bompard at The Ascott and would head the kitchen during Dinner time.  St Julien is now head by Stephane , the Chef de Cuisine.

                                                                                      Accolades

                                                                                   Set Lunch Menu

 

Set lunch menu is priced @ $58++ and the menu changes monthly. Do take note that the portions are small and normally they do not showcase their best in their set lunch menu.

I had the set lunch but top up for the Signature Lobster Bisque.

 

                                                                                    French Baguette

 

Choice of Sourdough/ French baguette. I had the latter as I do not like  the flaxseeds in the sourdough bread.

The baguette is crusty and had a chewy texture. It would be better if serve warm.

                                                                                Nyon Olive Oil

 

The sommelier highlighter the olive oil, Nyon, which is from the chef’s hometown.

Not too bad, it taste similar to the Olive oil from Italy.

                                                                   Signature Lobster Bisque ($28++)

 

This is a ”MUST-TRY” ! Do not leave St.Julien without trying this Lobster Bisque. Initially I had the set lunch which does not include the Lobster Bisque but since this is highly recommended, I decided to top up to try it.

The Lobster bisque uses everything from The Lobster- Head, Tail, meat…etc. They woould actually serve the bowl with lobster meat, , aioli and gruyere to you and pour the bisque over. By doing this, you could actually smell the aroma of the bisque.

                                                                                          Another shot

 

The Lobster bisque is rich and full of flavour. It is slightly smooth and creamy, this is one of the best Bisque that I have ever tried. They used quality ingredients in making this bisque to ensure it brings out the richness of the flavour of Lobster. This serves as a excellent starter before proceeding to the mains.

 

                                                           Le Saint Julien Mesclun Salad

This isn’t the usual salad leaves that you can always find/get .

The salad leaves were imported (unsure of the country) and this simple salad is refreshing!

It consits of finely chopped onions, mini radish, cherry tomatoes and  belgium endives tossed in Lemon dressing / Walnut oil.

I like the simplicity and the quality of the salad leaves is one that I am looking for!

                                   Grilled Snapper with spinach & fennel sauce with thyme

 

This was my choice of mains. Other popular choices would be the capellini pasta and Beef Tenderloin.

Choice of snapper/ barranmundi

This was not a wise choice…

The fish fillet actually contains some fish bones and even fish scales! This is the first time I had ever encounter eating fish scales in a fine-dining restauarnt.

                                                            The spinach leaves looks dull and wilted

 

There were some plus points as well:

1) The fish meat is quite soft and tender

2) I like the simple fennel and thyme sauce

Other than that, this was just an average dish, not something that I would return for.

                                        Petite 4( Almond Financier & Chocolate truffles)

 Some sweets to end…

The almond financier is crispy and has rasyberry jam in bewteen.

I simply love the chocolate truffles, they used good quality chocolate thus it has a bitter sweet taste and melts in my mouth. Yums!

It taste  even better when you ahd it with a cuppa of coffee!

 

Some Hits & Misses here… the lobster bisque is a ”must-try”.

The attentive sommelier and Edith, the owner of St. Julien makes the dining experience pleasant plus the nice view of Sinagpore!

Le Saint Julien Restauant

#02-01 Fullerton Waterboat House

 

Chili’s Restaurant

Chili’s Restaurant

Chili’s Restaurant , located at Tanglin Mall serve Mexican & American cuisine. You would find baby back ribs, burgers, Margarita, Faijta and tacos here.

The restaurant is quite busy during lunch time and I think they are under-staffed. Some customers stand at the door for quite some time but nobody attended to them.

Though the restaurant is a little dim, I like the ambience of the resturant. They have comfy seats , TV and a large dining area.

P.S Please Pardon the blurry pictures!

                                                                                   The Menu

 

They specialised in BBQ ribs and chicken. However, I managed to find a seafood item on the menu- Southwest Cedar Plank Tilapia.

 

                                                     Southwest cedar plank Tilapia ($21.90++)

 

I was curious what the ”cedar plank” was but the staff could not describe it to me. Anyway, I knew they are going to serve a Tilapia Fillet to me.

                                                                                           Shot 2

 

Waited for almost 20mins for the Tilapia to be served.

The menu states: ” Seasoned fillet topped with chimichurri (cilantro, garlic &Lime) sauce & pico de gallo served on cedar plank with rice & seasonal vegetables.”

I requested for the rice to be subsituted with sauteed mushrooms, capsicum and onions.

I do agree that the fish fillet is seasoned, with paparika powder and top with pica de gallo . The cedar plank is just a piece of wooden board which I feel it serves no purpose . Tilapia has a natural muddy flavour thus it by squeezing lime juice would help.

                                                                                                 Shot 3

 

The sauteed mushroom is quite tasty though I could only find mushrooms instead of capsicums and onions. Pica de gallo serves as a great appetitizer.

Overall, I feel that the service is quite good but they were just a little slow- food and bill takes a long time to arrive.

 

Chili’s

Tanglin Mall

#02-23

 

Kuriya Dining

Kuriya Dining

Kuriya Dining @ Great World City is a fining dining Japanese Restaurant. They actually prohibit children under 6 yrs old to be allowed in the restaurant. Well, children sometimes make a lot of noises…

 

I like the decor, open concept, a sushi bar and an ”open” area for diners. It is indeed a fine-dining concept.

They offer monthly & seasonal menu. For April, they have this Kinki Fish promotion but too bad it is only served during Dinner. They also have a set menu which is only served during weekends and Public holidays , priced @ $52++.

I decided to go ala-carte as I want to sample some chef’s specialities…

                                                                     Barafu Sushi ($4++/pc)

 

The name ” Iceplant” looks kinda unique and thus I decided to try it .

The staff told me it is actually ” a plant that has a natural salty flavour”.

Well, it looks like a catus plant and taste like raw veggie and it is crunchy! … can’t describe the taste.

The sushi rice is good!

                                                                                Lionfish Sashimi

 

This is recommended by the staff which she told me that the Lionfish is quite uncommon and has a natural sweetness. Indeed the fish looks a little strange , too bad I forgot to snap a picture.  I had it done half half which means 1/2 sashimi and half grilled. You can also choose to have it poached!

 From wiki : The lionfish is one of the most venomous fish on the ocean floor. Lionfish have venomous dorsal spines that are used purely for defense.

                                                                                             Another shot

 

The sashimi were thinly sliced and presented beautifully on a bed of ice , served with fresh lotus roots and japanese seaweed.

The sashimi has a light sweetness, best to eat it without wasabi to enjoy the natural sweetness.

 

                                                                      Lionfish(grilled) $38++

 

I was captivated by it’s beautiful presentation! This looks even better than the sashimi.

I actually enjoyed eating fishhead rather the fillet as the most gelatinous and tasty part is the head! The ”head” of this lionfish is quite small thus not much meat.

There were some tiny fish bones in the meat. Generally the meat is quite soft and sweet but would be better if the chef grill it with some salt to improve the overall flavour.

 

                                                                                               Before

 

 

                                                                                                        After

 

                                                                          Yasai Itame ($22++)

 

There’s always a vegetable dish on my table thus I had this Yasai Itame, mixed vegetables.

There were Japanese leeks, carrots, white cabbage, spinach and various mushrooms cooked in light broth. I like the broth which has the natural flavour of the vegetables. However, it seemed too pricey for just vegetables alone.

Overall, I was impressed by the presentation of the dishes  and the service level. Every dish is executed to perfection and they pay attention to little details.

The service is excellent, attentive and they gave good recommendations!

 

Kuriya Dining

Great World City

 

 

Brasserie Wolf

Brasserie Wolf

Located by the Singapore River at The Pier at Robertson, this authentically Parisian brasserie combines a casual and relaxed ambience with the culinary standards and service of a fine dining restaurant.

Brasserie Wolf is under the Esmirada group and  swept the votes at the 2006 Singapore Gourmet Hunt competition to win the Most Popular Western Cuisine Restaurant award.

Seats available indoors/ alfresco. However, most people would opt for the latter. The place is especially crowded during the nights and weekends.

 

                                                                                                The Menu

 

I took advantage of the 2 course set lunch priced at $25++ . There are a few choices for the starters and the mains.

P.S: The pictures are a little blur due to the lighting in the restaurant and light rays from the sun .

                                                                                    Baguette

 

                                                Marinated Tuna with balsamic and Rocket salad

 

The tuna is marinated with some balsamic and lightly seared. I felt that it was a little over-done . It was diffucult to master the skill of searing tuna till middle rare… I can taste the hint of balsamic in the tuna. The rocket salad looks wilted and indeed it was not that fresh after all… + salty!

                                                                                        Shot 2

 

 

     Roasted chicken roulade stuffed, crabmeat, Risotto milanaise & mushroom sauce

 

I think they used the chicken breast instead of the thigh/Leg as the meat is slightly dry and rough.

The chicken is rolled up with minced crabmeat, mushrooms and carrots and roasted.

However, I can’t taste any crabmeat in it and could only find finely chopped carrots and mushrooms. I would prefer the outer layer to be slightly charred since it is roasted .

I actually requested for them to replace the risotto to mixed vegetables and apparently they have forgotten my request. They still serve the risotto on my plate… I gladly accept it as I do not want to waste food. However, they kindly prepare a mixed vegetable as a side dish for me ( as an apology).

I like the mushroom sauce which was quite mushroom-y and there were some black fungus in it. I requested for extra sauce to go along with the slightly dry chicken.

                                                              Sauteed mixed vegetables (FOC)

 

The mixed vegetables( cannelli beans, asparagus, brocolli, sweet peas and mushrooms) were light sauteed with garlic.

Indeed, all the veggies are green in colour! The only fault I can find is the saltish flavour…. pass me the water pls!!!

Overall, there were some hits and misses here. The staff are generally friendly and attentive but can be a little absent-minded.

Brasserie Wolf

The Pier @ Robertson Quay

#01-13

Arbite

Arbite

Arbite, a new kid on Serangoon Gardens. Initially I wanted to head to Ristorante De Parma but while searching HGW, i discovered a new restaurant. Arbite is located on the second level thus you had to climb up the flight of starirs before reaching the small little cafe.

Arbite, which is a pun on the German/ Danish word for work. It represents the quality food and drink, warm service and fair prices that they wish to introduce/ provide.

 

                                                                                     Their mission/vision

 

 

                                                                                     The menu

 

They actually hang the menu on a wooden board. Interesting way of placing the menu on the wall instead of puting it in a menu booklet.

 

                                                                                                                 Menu

 

Set lunch menu starting from $11.90+ are being offered from Mon- Fri ( 1130-230pm). It comes with a soup of the day, mains and a drink.

The set lunch does not seem to be interesting to me thus I decided to go ala-carte, to try their pastas!

                                                            Mixed Grilled Vegetable Salad ($8.90+)

 

A bowl of salad with salad leaves and grilled vegetables( eggplant, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes) and choice of dressings( lemon mayo, mustard/ balsamic vingrette).

Th portion is just nice for 1 pax. The grilled vegetables were served chilled  instead of warm and tossed in very light balsamic vinegrette. I would say that it is actually quite simple and was just ok for me.

 

                                                    Tagliatelle with mixed vegetables( $13.90+)

 

There were limited choices for the mains, I think there is only 4 dishes. Thus, I decided to go for the pastas as they claimed that their paparadelle & Tagliatelle are made fresh daily.

It was a little strange to have a mixed grilled vegetable salad and again… a pasta with mixed grilled vegetables. I requested for the Tagliatelle to be replaced by Paparadelle , less pastas and more veggies.

However, when my pasta arrived, it was completely opposite of what I have requested! It turned out to be a huge mess of pasta and the veggies… were nowehere to be seen!

On top of that, they serve Tagliatelle to me instead of Paparadelle.

The Tagliatelle is a little starchy and taste like ”Mee Hoon kueh” to me. The pasta seemed to ”stick” together and not  smooth. Personally I do not like fettuccine & Tagliatelle due to the texture. That is the reason why I requested for Paparadelle .

Anyway, the menu states ” Mushrooms, zucchini, capsicums and eggplants. However, I tried to ”dig” and mess around with my pasta and still could not find any mushrooms and capsciums in it. I can only find about 3 pieces of eggplants and tomatoes…. strange!

The tomato sauce taste a little funny and diluted. I was not very sure what is lacking in the sauce but it just does not suit my tastebuds.

Marc, the manager of Arbite came and seek my opinion on the food being served and due to the mistake that they made , he welcomed me back to the cafe again and would offer a 50% off my pasta in the next visit. Well, I might go back again…. for the Paparadelle.

Arbite

66 Serangoon Gardens Way

L’Artisan Bistro & Bar

L’Artisan Bistro & Bar

During the day, Orchard Towers is like any other mall on the mile long road. You’ll find excellent tailor shops and electronic shops and a few places to eat or get a foot massage if your feet are tired. Most of these shops start to close up around 7pm to avoid the rush of guys and girls that will soon occupy the clubs and bars. The girls that work in the mall really hate it when guys try to pick them up thinking they’re hookers. But most of the time, if not all the time, you can tell the difference, and should leave the “non-working” girls alone.

                                                                                       The Shop Front

 

Orchard Towers serves as an establishment where clients are able to meet and pick up prostitutes. However, there is a small restaurant serving European cuisine next to a thai massage parlour- L’Artisan Bistro & Bar!

 

                                                                                                    The Interior

 

The interior is quite cosy and has simple decor. There is a bar area where they would prepare your food. I choose to sit by the window(can see the walking crowd), I felt that the restaurant is a little warm and stuffy. Since the area is quite small, you can smell and hear the noises from the kitchen…

                                                                                   The Menu

They offer set lunch menu during lunch time-consist of soup of the day, mains and dessert. However, if you would to come by in the evening, they would charge each of the items separately. You can seek the help of the staff for what is fresh/available for the day. Well, they would recommend the Goulash which is quite popular here.

                                                                                             Tomato Soup

 

They reduced the cream used in the soup and the mushroom soup that they serve is mushroom-y and not starchy/ creamy. The tomato soup that I had was up to my expectection…. the soup has a tangy flavour, bits of onion and peppery taste. I dislike soup that is too creamy or diluted.

                                             Cod fish with Hollandaise Sauce ($34.50)

 

They charge the fish/meat dishes by the weight . The cod is  priced at $18/100g and the cod steak that I had was 193g(they will inform you).

I do not like the puy lentils thus I requested them to replace it with more veggies. A choice of mustard/ hollandaise sauce to go with the cod. They allow me to sample both the sauce and I had the latter. You can even choose the method of preparation ( steamed/grilled).

                                                                                                  Close up

 

The cod was nicely grilled but there is a small portion that is slightly over-cook thus I felt it was a little tough. Generally, the fish is quite fresh and juicy. The Hollandaise sauce goes well with the cod steak, not too heavy and creamy. Who says Hollandaise sauce must go with poached eggs?

 

                                                                                   Strawberry sorbet

 

There are a few flavours to choose from and they made it based on the availability of the fruits. The sorbet has a natural sweetness of strawberries. Unlike some sorbet that I have tried, this sorbet is made from real fruit puree and it is really rich in the strawberry flavour. I like this!

A small and cosy restaurant serving European food. I must admit that the location was a little… the service is very warm  friendly and the staff is attentive to little  details.

L’ Artisan Bistro & Bar

Orchard Towers

 

Prive Bakery

Prive Bakery Cafe

                                                                                       Keppel Bay Island

 

Prive Bakery Cafe, just cross over the Keppel Bay Bridge . Well, I  took about 10 mins to walk in.

 

                                                    The Beautiful scenery as you walk in

 

Prive Bakery Cafe is quite popular for it’s breakfast menu- The egg benedict, egg royale…pancakes..etc. Well, some people came all the way here just for the perfect scenery here while some for the food of course.  Yes, it’s a little inconvenient as you would need to drive/walk in all the way from Main road. I promise, the view is well worth it!

                                                                                               The menu

 

They serve all day breakfast from 9am onwards to 3pm and the mains are only available after 12pm. (Take note)

                                                                                     Caesar Salad ($13++)

 

                     Romaine lettuce with crispy bacon,poached egg, filo pastry crisp

I requested for the omission of croutons  and thus they gave me extra bacon bits. The lettuce were a little flimpsy and too much bacon! The ”poached” egg had become hard-boiled egg, the egg yolk coagulated. The dressing is also a little too creamy & heavy.

                                                                                        Another shot

 

                                                                          Eggs Florentine (13.50++)

 

They served the Egg Florentine to me even before I finish my caesar salad.

2 poached egg dressed with hollandaise sauce on English muffins is presented beautifully in front of my eyes! The hollandaise sauce literally covers the whole egg and it seems to have a slightly baked layer.

The English muffin is slightly toasted and has a crispy texture… soaking the runny egg yolk & hollandaise sauce…fabulous! Does it look like an egg gratin!

                                                                                     Runny Egg yolk

 

Runny egg yolk flowing out…. it gets a little messy.

Anyway, I managed to finish up the Egg Florentine & the Caesar salad… imagine having 3 EGGS in a meal. I think my cholesterol level would shoot high up and protein boost!

The staff was actually quite surprised and amazed that I managed to finish up everything… well, i think this is just average as I’m a BIG EATER! Some people comented about about the service here but I beg to differ. The indian staff who served me was very friendly and gives good recommendation.

Alright, I’ll be back for the Chocolate Tart..

Prive Bakery Cafe

Marina @ Keppel Bay

Saint Pierre

Saint Pierre

 

Saint Pierre, one of the better fining dining French Restaurant in Sinagpore. When people ask me about fining dining  Restaurants, I would have thought of Les Amis, Gunthers and Saint Pierre. Saint Pierre offers one of the better Foie gras in Sinagpore. After my encounter of Saint Pierre, I reckon… they have the most extensive pre-meal nibbles and I would love to make another visit again!

P.S Chef Emmanuel Stroobant was there catching up with his friends while I forgot to snap a picture with him.

 

 

The restaurant can sit around 60 people, there is  a bar area and a private room. There is a book shelf which books and magazines are being placed, I helped myself to the reading materials there.

 I like the white roses placed on every table, classy…. and a sliver plate placed on the table.

                                                                         The Menu

 

The set lunch menu changes frequently but there are certain dishes that are always on the menu- The Cod & Foie Gras. The reason being, they are popular with the patrons.

Set lunch menu priced at $28++ for mains & desserts, $38++ for mains and starters and $48++ for the 3 course. My advice is to think twice and make a wise decision before ordering… the following pictures would serve as a good example/guide.

I proceeded with the 2 course set lunch…

 

                                                              Sun-dried tomato bread

A choice of plain baguette or sun-dried tomato bread. It would be better if the bread was served warm. Served with pesto dressing…. the bread was not too bad, flavour of herbs.

 

                                                                         Parmesan Bread sticks

 

The First Amuse Bouche of the day, Parmesan Bread sticks.

I feel that I’m still a little kid, nibbling on bread sticks…

                                                                       Butter and Olive pesto dip

 

Anyway, the parmesan cheese was not too strong .

Before I could even finish nibbling, the second amuse bouche arrived….

                                                   Sun-dried tomato chips and Black Olive Chips

 

Interesting… chips served on a rock.

2 flavours: Sun-dried tomato and Black Olives.

I like the Sun-dried tomato flavour as the flavour is strong. Nibbling….

 

                                                           Trio of brandied cod & Anchovy dip

 

The Anchovy dip is the dip for the chips. The fishy scent may put some people off. I overheard the lady from the table next to me that the dip was fishy and she didn’t dare touch it. Personally, I felt it is not too bad and in fact, I like it so much that I lick the dip clean.

The brandied cod in olive crumble was my favourite! A little creamy and savoury… creamy cod in a cone. I mistook the olive crumble to be sand/charcoal. It is EDIBLE of course…. savoury crumbles…. I like!

                                   Oyster cream, Apple & walnut emulsion and Jelly Fish

 

The Third Amuse Bouche came.

I am half full even before I even get to touch my main course.

The oyster cream is like ice-cream but has the natural flavour of oyster infused in it.

The jellyfish was crunchy.

Apple and Walnut emulsion was served probably to cleanse my palate without leaving the oyster flavour on my tongue. Anyway, the taste was quite familiar… i think is the taste of green apple gummies, sweet and pleasant.

Miso Marinated Black cod with smoked aubergine puree, roasted mediter.

 

The Miso black cod is highly popular and it remained in the menu for 20 years. Well, they do make some changes like changing the ingredients for the lunch menu.

The cod fish is marinated with miso ( see the top layer) and baked till perfection. However, I felt that the fish was too overdone, resulting the meat to be slightly tougher. Neverthless, the interior was still juicy.

                                                                                        Another Shot

 

The grilled mediterrean vegetables( capsicums, onions, aubergine) were flavourful…. delicious!

Finish it off with smoked aubergine puree and pesto dressing. I reckon… the vegetables were better than the cod itself!

 

                                                                                     Sauteed Spinach

 

Complimetary from the chef as I told him I love veggies and he kindly prepare this plate of spinach for me… delighted!

 

                                       Strawberry mousse & White Chocolate emulsion

 

My dessert was the Strawberry mousse served in a tall glass.

Strawberry tartar and mousse at the base and white chocolate emulsion formed the top layer. Finish it off with a crsipy waffle.

The strawberry mousse was not too sweet, just the way I like it.

                                                                                          Another shot

I simply love the white chocolate emulsion, it was very smooth and creamy… like eating vanilla ice-cream!

 Sweets to end (from left): Ginger Caramel fudge, lemon parfait and choco chip cookies

Sweet ending….

The Ginger caramel fudge melts in my mouth. It was not fudgy and I do not really like the ginger flavour in it.

Lemon Parfait: Soft and chewy lemon sweet..yum yum!

Chocolate cookies: I prefer famous amos….

”Any more amuse bouche to offer? ” that was my question to the sommelier. There’s simply no space for my tummy to fill any more food. The sommelier joked and promised that was the last.

My verdict: I feel like a kid…. eating sweets, nibbling chips and chopping down fod here… Saint Pierre is definately worth the visit. I was lucky that I ordered the 2 course set lunch … there’s simply too much food!

The service here is amicable, attentive and flawless.  The sommelier was a funny and interesting guy… makes my whole dining experience full of surprises and pleasant.

Saint Pierre, I would be back!

 

Saint Pierre

Central Mall

 

 

Gourmet Plus

Gourmet Plus

Gourmet Plus, an interesting name. I would never have thought to be a French Bistro. It sounds like a name of a deli or supermarket to me.

Gourmet + is a French Bistro located at Frankel Avenue Estate, away from the town area . However, it was quite crowded during weekends as they offer Brunch menu from 9- 11am.

                                                                            Chef’s special of the day

 

Besides the dishes offered in the menu, they have a board which serve chef’s special of the day. Well, it is the White Asparagus season thus the dish is on the chef’s specials. Do try their duck confit and Lamb shank which I heard was quite popular .

                                                                                        The menu

 

They offer a range of dishes such as deep-fried yabbies(prawns), oysters(fresh), pastas, mains , sandwiches…etc. Some of the dishes that I wanted to try but was not available… such as the trio of crab ( crab salad, crab pie & grilled crab) and the lemon tart.

                                                                                   Mesclun Salad ($5)

 

A simple salad to start off… Mesclun salad leaves with raw onion rings. The vegetables were crisp but somehow I felt that the dressing is a little heavy.

                               Pan-fried codfish with garlic & thyme, carrot emulsion ($28)

 

The staff actually told me that they do not serve any mashed potatoes with the cod but in the end, he served the cod with mashed potatoes! He apologised and wanted to remove the mashed potatoes but I told him it was alright and just leave it.

The fish was served with ratatouille and mashed potatoes, finished off with some paparika powder.

 

                                                                                     Another shot

 

This cod fish is damn shiok…. tender and soft, melts in my mouth in every bite. It has a nice and crispy outer crust and the chef sprinkled a little paparika powder to enhance the flavour.

The carrot emulsion was interesting… foamy and I was like eating ”clouds”.  It was sweet & pleasant to my tastebuds.

I love this cod and I felt it was one of the better cod that I’ve tried other than the chilean seabass that I had at Ember. I would definately make my way to Gourmet + again, just…. for the Cod!

I wanted to try the Lemon tart with sorbet but was not available today… I would come back again for the cod and try the lemon tart…. !

NO GST & SVC Charge here!

Gourmet Plus

117 Frankel Ave