Private Affairs - Lunch

Located in the heart of Katong where fine dining has not yet penetrated is this new (about 3 months old) establishment that serves refined French cuisine. Quite a contrast from the surrounding local coffee shops, in a neighborhood that has a tradition for local delicacies. Nevertheless, since I live in Katong, I am delighted that someone took the initiative to try to introduce something more upmarket in an area that is quite wealthy and hopefully will be able to sustain it.

As always, I would rather try the lunch menu before committing to a full dinner, and since the restaurant is located around the corner from my place why not...
Their lunch menu offers 3 ($38) or 4 ($46) courses of your choice.

The beetroot salad with cucumber sorbet was very creative, beautifully presented and had a distinct, clean flavour. The cucumber sorbet in particular was very refreshing.

I wasn't particularly impressed by the fish carpaccio which was quite standard, but it wasn't bad either.

The purple carrot soup with open lobster ravioli was served dry, and the soup was poured by the chef onto the plate in front of the customer. Quite a good, well presented idea.

The soup was nice, although the carrot flavor didn't emerge as much as it could have. The piece of lobster was the highlight to me. Meaty and juicy, loaded with shellfish aroma.

The beef Parmentier was a tad too robust and sweet for our palate, and the sauce lacked of depth. The idea is food and well presented, but it needs some work.

The fish was cooked to perfection, and complemented by a slightly sour and creamy sauce and chopped vegetables. A few crispy tidbits added texture to the dish. I liked the accompanying semi-dried tomatoes.

The banana crepe with black sesame ice cream was quite nice, although nothing outstanding. The ice cream deserved more attention than the crepe.

A much better dessert was the strawberry sorbet with yogurt sponge and nougat. I have to say that I enjoyed every bit of it. From the poppy chocolate bits to the soft and creamy nougat stick, the soft and spongy yogurt texture and the refreshing, mildly sour sorbet.

I was pleased with the lunch, although a couple of the dishes could definitely be improved on. I will go there again for dinner to try what the full chef's course set tastes like. Being a Katong resident I am pleased that someone is trying to introduce sophisticated food in this neighborhood and I am hopeful that more similar initiatives will develop in this up and coming area.

Private Affairs
45 Joo Chiat Place
Tel: 6440 0601
URL: http://www.privateaffairs.com.sg/

Brasserie Wolf - Lunch

Your options are limited if you want to have French fare on a late Sunday afternoon. Wolf is one of them, since they are open all day during weekends, and their lunch set menu is available until 5pm. I previously had the dinner set at Wolf and I wasn't disappointed, so I decided to try their lunch menu. They offer 2 courses for $25 and 3 courses for $29.

The Goat's cheese tart was light and soft, not as cheesy as I imagined it.

As a light starter I would recommend the vine ripened tomatoes. The seasoning was well balanced and the mozzarella was tender and juicy. This was a simple, traditional Italian classic.

The chicken roulade would have been quite nice, although chicken and crab meat are not the best combination for my palate.

The roasted pork tenderloin in port wine sauce was slightly too mild and the pork could have been juicier. The mushroom polenta was tasty and helped balancing off the flavors.

The total bill was $70, inclusive of drinks. I would say that although none of the dishes stood out the food was simple and tasty. It was a fair deal and I would not rule out going back there again.

Wolf Brasserie
URL: Wolf Brasserie

Shibaken - Saturday Lunch

In reference to my previous post, this is one of those places that would deserve more attention.

A bright, spacious and relaxed ambiance brings the focus of this restaurant onto its kitchen, which is fully integrated into the dining experience. The square counter directs the attention of the diners onto the Chefs, who carefully prepare beautiful dishes right in front of their eyes.

I have been to this restaurant before (about 2 years ago) and I had a pleasant dinner. I decided to try this again for lunch. They have a few options (3 - 4 courses) priced at $38 and $45 respectively. I went for the 4 course option, and my partner ordered a la carte. Note that they only charge an additional 10%, instead of the ordinary 17% (only one +). We spent a total of $87 for a delicious, relaxed lunch. The mystery unsolved is: why were we the only ones? Well, I am not complaining for having two skilled chefs dedicated exclusively to satisfying my fussy palate!

The beauty of this place is observing the Chefs at work.

Wakame and beansprouts salad with fresh tofu and edamame.

A taster of 7 starters. The soba with bottarga (karasumi) is one of their signature dishes, and highly recommended. I also enjoyed the cream cheese tofu and hamachi with fennel. Overall, a well balanced selection of well prepared cold starters.

Burdock root soup, with a dash of truffle oil.

Salmon with mushrooms and beetroot puree'. Unfortunately the only fish dish on the lunch menu. I am not a big fan of salmon, but the dish is quite enjoyable.

This was a very good tenderloin with red wine sauce and parsnip puree'. I would say this is the most recommended dish out of the ones on the lunch menu.

I definitely liked this grapefruit jelly. Grapefruit and bitter taste lovers are going to like this dessert, as it's light and very low in sugar. The jelly is well textured, with chopped bits of grapefruit zest inside. A honey ice cream and fresh berries complement the decoration.

Shibaken
1 Nanson Road
#02-02A The Gallery Hotel
Tel: +65 6836 1613

Braise - Saturday Lunch

UPDATE: This restaurant is now CLOSED.

It's been a while since my last time I visited this restaurant, which I have already blogged about. I did like their old Sunday brunch a-la-carte buffet menu, which now has become a "tapas" menu. However this time I chose the a-la-carte lunch instead.

I still love their interior design, which is particularly bright and spectacular during lunchtime, when you can enjoy a view on Palawan beach.


The Cod Brandade with Cured Salmon, Avruga Caviar, Poached Quail Egg and Rocket salad was not the most impressive starter. I wasn't impressed with the salmon, but the Cod Brandade was very good.

I didn't like the King Prawn Ravioli, Light Prawn Bisque with Lemongrass Chervil Veloute. The dish, although perfectly cooked, had a "food court" taste and smell. The soup that the ravioli was served with, reminded me of "mee rebus" or similar. I appreciate that this might be exactly what the chef was trying to achieve, but I am not a big fan of it, so it might just be me.

While I wasn't particularly impressed by the starters, the mains were a totally different experience. The Pan Seared Kurobuta Cheek, Sweet Potato Chips, Apple Spheres and Herbs Oil was absolutely phenomenal. Since they ran out of cheek, we were served a tender piece of belly, together with its crispy roasted skin. The pork stood on a bed of finely chopped vegetables and surrounded by a tasty demigras, mashed potatoes ans mustard on the side.

I chose a Cod Fish with Miso Crust, Lardons, Balsamic Onion, Green Pea, Served with Truffle Vinaigrette. The generous chunk of cod was perfectly cooked, extremely juicy and tender, and covered by a layer of subtly flavoured, thick sauce. I particularly liked the sauce that was served on the side. It looked like an olive paste and it did have a subtle taste of olives, but it was more complex than that and it perfectly complemented with the fish.

The meal ended with a Selection of French Cheese. 5 cheeses were accompanied by a mix of dry apricots, raisins and nuts. All cheeses were pretty good, although the "cheddary" one was the one I enjoyed the least. I thought the small pieces of apricot were a very good match.

The meal cost $81.35 in total, including a bottle of sparkling water. I consider this an excellent price for a meal of this caliber.

Overall Braise is still a very good restaurant, offering good food at a reasonable price in a stunning environment. The starters didn't set the enthusiasm as much as they could have done, but the mains won it back. I will definitely be back to savour these dishes or others, as they are well worth it.

Braise Website: http://www.braise.com.sg/

Cassis - Saturday Brunch

UPDATE: This restaurant is now CLOSED.

I have already reviewed this restaurant before, but I wanted to go back and check out what executive Chef Eric Guilbert has prepared for the new Cassis lunch menu. Some items remained the same since last time I visited Cassis, but there are some new dishes and overall the new version is more interesting and appetising.

I started off with an Asparagus "Vichyssoise" with vegetarian caviar and smoked salmon tataki. Compliments to the Chef, as this dish was absolutely phenomenal. An incredibly light and foamy sour cream that disappears in your mouth, topped by a savoury vegetarian caviar, was accompanying slices of seared fresh salmon. The whole thing was immersed into an unprecedented delicate asparagus creamy soup. The subtle balance of flavours of this dish can only come from a very experienced Chef.

The other starter was a Mozzarella Bavarois with pesto marinated grilled vegetables and crispy Parmesan. I loved how Italian traditional classic flavours and modern French cuisine were successfully combined. As you can guess, the highlight of this dish was the mozzarella Bavarois. I am not sure how it was prepared, but it was a very interesting Bavarois-like textured mozzarella, accompanied by all time favourite Italian vegetables such as peppers, zucchini and aubergines.

The Veal Blanquette, linguini pasta, Olives and Vegetables was a meaningful example of French interpretation of pasta. I liked the fact that pasta was prepared in a French-style, without compromising on quality. The veal was tender and tasty, while the handmade linguini (which were actually more like fettuccine) were served into a creamy and buttery emulsion.

My Red snapper fish, potato puree, winter vegetables, sweet yellow curry sauce was a classic and well executed dish. The snapper was tender and succulent, topped by its own light and crispy skin. The mild curry flavoured sauce added a twist of flavour to the puree and vegetables, as the fish was so perfectly cooked and seasoned I wouldn't want to dip it into any sauce.

I ended my meal with a Cassis jelly and Bavaroise on a fine Sable Breton, almond milk ice cream and fruity meringue. Although I always tend to go for chocolate based desserts, I enjoyed this combination of temperatures, sweet and sour flavours and velvety and crunchy textures. Description and presentation of this dessert are a real temptation, and taste matched expectation.

We were also served a complimentary plate of sweets prepared by the patisserie next door, run by the same owner. The service was incredibly attentive. The staff did their best to make me feel at ease although I went late and they were almost closing.

The final bill for 2 people was $65.05, including a 2 course ($25.50) and a 3 course ($29.75) set lunch. This is an absolute bargain. I don't think you can get this quality of food, ambiance and service for this price anywhere else in Singapore. If you can, let me know as I will be there in no time! I have visited this restaurant 3 times, and I never left disappointed. I can only recommend Cassis for its ambiance, top service and consistent excellence in French cuisine.

Flutes at the Fort - Saturday Brunch

What's unique about this restaurant is its prime location. Situated right in between the main road and Fort Canning, it's walking distance from town offering a very relaxed and green environment. It's an ideal place to go for lunch if you happen to be around the area and you feel like taking a break from the buzz of town.

Their Brunch Menu includes a good variety of French-style dishes with a selection for kids and it's reasonably priced at $25++ for 2 courses and $32++ for 3.

The mushroom salad was served with warm mushrooms, goat cheese and rocket. The mushrooms were quite juicy and tasty, and overall the dish was ok although not outstanding. It lacked of that extra touch to distinguish it from the rest.

This deep fried squid was served on a bed of rocket and cherry tomatoes and topped with mayonnaise. The squid was crunchy and non oily, although not particularly soft. Once again, an OK dish, although nothing you couldn't have at a regular cafe'.

The Eggs Benedict with bacon were the highlight of the meal. Two poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce on toasted soft bread, accompanied by 4 rolls of nicely roasted bacon and a rocket and tomato salad.

Finding a good egg benedict is not easy, and I have to say this was very well done. Excellent sauce, well balanced in sourness, perfectly poached eggs and crispy bacon to go with. Out of the dishes I had, this is the only one I would come back for.

I ended with a Pavlova accompanied by fresh fruits and topped with raspberry sorbet. This dessert was light and refreshing, with a good combination of fresh fruits including rhubarb and topped by a moderately sweet custard cream. The sorbet topping contrasted the rather sweet meringue with its cool sourness balancing the overall result.

The bill came to a total of $78.86, including a bottle of sparkling water, 1 x 2 course and 1 x 3 course meal. I would be interested to try this restaurant in the evening to taste what their regular menu is like. the brunch menu is nothing outstanding apart from the eggs benedict, but you still get your value back in terms of attentive service and relaxing environment. You probably wouldn't come back for the food itself, but I still believe that the price is reasonable when related to the whole package.

Website: http://www.flutesatthefort.com.sg/

Au Petit Salut - Set Lunch

Au Petit Salut is a chain of two French restaurants, one located at Holland Village and one at Harding Road (Dempsey Road). They have also a 'private dining' restaurant on top of the Harding Road branch for a private dining experience facing the Chef.
My lunch was at the Harding Road branch, which has a relaxed and bright 'al fresco' atmosphere. There is also an indoor dining area, with wide glass windows looking onto the surrounding patio.
There are two lunch menus, one 'executive' menu priced at $58++, and a regular menu priced at $30, which is the one we chose. The menu includes a starter, main, dessert and coffee or tea. Ice water is offered at the end of the meal.

I started with a 'Homemade duck rillette with mesclun salad and walnut dressing', which tasted like tuna-like textured flaky lean meat. Slightly on the salty side, but that's how it's supposed to be.

The 'Quail salad with Romaine lettuce, yogurt and cucumber dressing, croutons' consisted in a lightly seasoned and tender half quail laid on top of a typical Caesar-like salad. The quail was simple but nice, while the salad was a bit boring.

My main was a 'Braised beef cheeks Hungarian “Goulash-style’’, polenta and carrots'. I found this polenta style very interesting and gnummy. It is rather different from the traditional Italian style I am used to. In comparison, this is creamier and fluffier, probably smoothened by some dairy ingredients. The beef cheek was quite lean and tender with a clear and rich flavour enhanced by its red wine sauce.

The other main was a 'Oven baked sea bass fillet with fresh mixed vegetables, light herb butter emulsion'. The sea bass was superbly cooked, with a crispy surface sealing the subtle flavour of its juicy and firm meat. The foamy butter emulsion added that extra richness to the dish, while the bed of carrots and fennel slightly lacked of a distinguished flavour.

The 'Crème Brulée infused with fresh Madagascar vanilla beans ' is a classic French dessert, served in a very classic version. It was well prepared, with a visible quantity of flavoursome vanilla beans and a thin and crispy surface. The smooth flavour had quite a distinct bitter aftertaste, probably due to the caramelised surface.

I was very excited about this dessert. The '“Mont-Blanc” vanilla ice cream, chestnut purée and meringue' was absolutely phenomenal. I must warn you that this dessert is not very sweet, so in order to appreciate it, you must be someone who likes mildly sweetened desserts. I had Mont-Blanc before, and it was always extremely sweet and heavy. The intriguing thing about this version is that it's not purely a mountain of chestnut puree'. They have filled it with ice cream and topped it with whipped cream and chestnuts crumble, and more chestnuts and meringue chunks at the bottom, creating a well balanced harmony of textures.

If you like 'home style' French cuisine rather than 'Nouvelle Cuisine', Au Petit Salut is the place for you. Even if the lunch menu isn't breathtaking , it is certainly a quality meal that's excellent value for money. The bill came to a total of $70 for 2 people, including a bottle of water and charges. Au Petit Salut provides a relaxed ambiance in a superbly quiet and natural setting, accompanied by very friendly and attentive service and classic, simple and well prepared food.

Website: http://www.aupetitsalut.com/aps/aboutus.html

Cassis - Sunday Brunch

UPDATE: This restaurant is now CLOSED.

Sunday brunches often give you the opportunity to dine at your favourite top restaurants at a very reduced price. Or even better, you get the opportunity to test expensive restaurants without having to stretch your budget. While buffet-style-hotel Sunday brunches are very common, set menu Sunday brunches are not as popular. Buffet-style brunches will often give you good value for money, especially if you are on an empty stomach, but good set-menu brunches have a better opportunity to deliver the same sort of quality you can experience on a full-priced dinner at the same venue.

Cassis is located at Rochester park on the upper side of the hill within a black&white colonial house. The spacious and busy kitchen is open and visible from the outside, exposing the high level of hygiene maintained within.

I had dinner at Cassis once, and it was an amazing experience. Their lunch deal is actually available also on weekdays. They have two options: one including dessert and priced at $40++, and the other one only including starter and main for $35++. Drinks are not included.

As at their dinner course, we were first served a loaf of warm bread with garlic and herbs flavoured butter on the side. You can ask for more bread at no extra charge.

For starters, I ordered a tuna carpaccio topped with fresh tomatoes and vinaigrette. Although beautifully presented, I was quite disappointed by this dish. The seasoning was excessively sour, which made it rather unpleasant to the taste. I am still not sure if it was meant to be that way or they just got it wrong, but a more gentle seasoning would have made this dish a success.

The smoked salmon was as good as the one I had at their dinner set menu, only presented differently. Same quality of salmon and thick, creamy sauce, topped with extra leaves of baby spinach.

The rib eye steak, garnished with roast potatoes and caramelised onions, was as good as it can be. Well cooked, tender and moist, topped by real gravy. Unfortunately this particular selection required an extra $8 dollars on top of the standard price, but it was well worth it.

The red snapper was just as nice. Juicy white meat topped by its exceptionally crispy skin, suspended on a bed of assorted vegetables. The sauce was delicate but tasty, and wisely laid below the fish, giving you the option to combine it with the meat.

The nougat ice cream was beautifully served in a well sized portion. Its nutty and creamy texture was interleaved with extra-thin layers of dark chocolate.

These fabulous chocolate profiteroles were served split into two, filled with vanilla ice cream, covered in chocolate sauce and topped with almond flakes. Rich but refreshing.

The mini-desserts pictured above were served with compliments of the chef, which I thought was nice.

Overall, the bill came up to $143.60 for 2 people, including water and an extra tea. The otherwise pleasant experience was slightly ruined by the fact that we were charged $27.00 for mineral water ($9 x 3 bottles) unknowingly. Apparently, they kept opening new (small) bottles behind the scenes without informing us, while we thought we were only having one bottle. The bottle is not displayed, so it's hard to track when a new bottle is being opened.

Water incident aside, I still believe that the Cassis business lunch menu is an excellent opportunity to have some well served great food in a relaxing environment at a fairly reasonable price.

This is their website for more information: http://www.cassis.com.sg/