This time, looking to try somewhere new, I made the move and stepped into the place. The ambiance gave an instant impression of sophistication, and the dining room is breathtaking: spacious, stylish and classic and benefits from an impressive double height ceiling.
We were soon given a Lunch Set Menu, with either 2 or 3 courses and a choice of about 4-5 dishes per course. The bread soon followed, and it wasn't the best thing we were served, as I prefer traditional crusty bread to the soft, brioche style one which tends to remind me of BreadTalk.
I was a lot more impressed by the amouse bouche, which was a crab meat based soft mousse, with a combination of beautiful flavours and textures. There was even some refreshing soft tofu right at the bottom of the jar to settle the palate.
Together with the amouse bouche, the waiter placed a couple of pretty cards right in front of us to announce the next dish, which we selected out of the set lunch. This was without a doubt a beautiful idea, as it prepares you mentally to what's coming and entertains you with the history and composition details of the dish. I much prefer this approach to the typical waiter babbling some hard to understand long memorised description when the dish is served.
The young Young Beets Salad with roast beets, spinach, hazelnuts, pear and blue cheese was well balanced and a way apart from what you would get in a regular café.
I ordered a Reinvented Vitello Tonnato, which was a brilliant variation on the classic Italian dish, still staying truthful to the original. The slices of veal were topped with some tomato marmalade and tuna tartare, and a few scattered large capers. In my case, the creamy tuna sauce was served separately, as the waiter gathered that I don't like "creamy stuff" while doing my orders. I was in fact enquiring about the risotto, which he told me contains cream, and I didn't choose for that reason. He asked me if I can't eat dairy products, but I explained that I actually just don't like food with a lot of cream. The kitchen was, from then on, very careful with adding too much cream to my dishes. This was a sign of excellent, attentive service and good partnering work between kitchen and serving staff!
Next, was the Venison Loin with coffee jus, Jerusalem artichoke paste, and almond powder. The dish was well presented and the venison just right, although I personally found that it was too "gamy", and it needed something either herby or acid to cut through that smell. This could be improved upon.
The Seabass from Italy was served on a potato brandade, green asparagus, and a capsicum sauce. The fish was well cooked, the skin was crispy,
and the capsicum sauce was an unusual but great accompaniment to the fish.
Now this was the most awaited part of the meal, since the description of this chocolate dessert sounded very intriguing. The Valrhona Chocvolate Test was described as 33% areated mousse, 55% soufflé, 66% sorbet, 72% warm custard, 85% dehidrated chocolate. The chef did a great job at playing with temperatures and textures, all around the same chocolate. I liked the dehydrated chocolate the most, and the warm custard reminded me of an Italian budino.
Soufflé is perhaps my favourite dessert these days, and I am always seeking for the "best soufflé", so I didn't let this opportunity slip, and I ordered the Apple and Calvados soufflé with Chocolate ice cream. I wouldn't rate this soufflé very highly, primarily because it was very spongy, almost like a cake, while I prefer soufflés to be light and airy. Also, what was advertised as an ice cream was actually a mousse (which was the best part). Between the two desserts we ordered, I would recommend the chocolate test.The cost of the set lunch was S$40 per person for 3 courses or S32 for 2 courses, and the total bill for two including water was S$100. We had a very good experience overall, since the ambiance is extremely pleasant, the service was impeccably attentive, and the food was very good value for money. I would be curious to try the dinner menu, which was actually not available for lunch, even upon request.
NOVUS Restaurant
National Museum of Singapore
Website: http://www.novus.sg
Tel: 6336 8770
It is actually the 40 hands owner who has a share in this restaurant, where he guarantees that speciality coffees are served. The quirky setup certainly keeps diners entertained, with the kitchen bringing action into the narrow dining room, natural light filtering from the glass ceiling at the back, the rustic materials such as brick walls, steel and rusted chairs. Such exciting combinations make the place feel "real" and alive, for once away from the polished, aseptic setups that have been out of fashion abroad for quite some time and are also becoming dated on this island.
Chef Ryan Clift from Tippling Club also has a stake in this restaurant as the food concept supervisor. Unlike the Tippling Club which is more experimental, the menu here is very simple and earthy, the kind of food which you would enjoy for a Saturday or Sunday lunch. And it was in fact during a Saturday lunch that I visited the place and tried a couple of their dishes.
The Flamed tuna carpaccio with radish and yuzu salad (S$19) came topped with abundant "radish noodles" in a tangy yuzu sauce. The tuna medallions were lightly seasoned and seared all around them for flavour. I liked the fact that the slices of tuna were thick enough to appreciate the texture of the fish.
The Grilled carrot salad with snow peas, orange walnuts and cardamom dressing (S$16) was a bit of a pleasant surprise. A bed of fresh rocket salad unveiled a warm carrot pureé, which also served as the sauce for the whole salad. Shreds of carrot and walnuts added a bit of crunch. This was really a bit of a welcome twist to what I would have expected from the description.
Unfortunately, the Pork belly with parsnip puree, braised quinoa and celery (S$29) looked better than it tasted. I must say that the amount of meat was incredibly generous, in fact too generous perhaps, for a cut of meat which is so extremely sinful. In this case, less is more. The lack of sauce to complement the meat was where this dish fell short, as the parsnip puré was just not enough to help it come together. On the other hand, both the quinoa and parsnip chips were excellently done.
I enjoyed the Roasted salmon with panzanella salad although the salmon was surprisingly quite raw (they claim it's 80% cooked, but it seemed more like 60%). This was perfectly fine with me, since I like my fish raw, but some customers might return it, if unaware at the time of ordering it. The panzanella dressing was a fantastic combination, and the crispy fried basil leaves were beautiful and aromatic.
We were too full to try the desserts, or perhaps there was nothing on the menu that was tempting enough. I was intrigued by the fact that "Amaro Montenegro" was available in the list of spirits. It is my favourite "amaro", a very Italian drink virtually unknmown abroad. It goes to show that this place really tries to offer something different! Overall, the place offered a good dining experience both in terms of setting and food. Don't expect anything out of the ordinary, but you will get some modern, earthy, no frills food at affordable prices in a cool setting in an up and coming district. I would go back try this again soon.
The dining room hasn't changed, which is a good thing for me, since I believe it's one of the most tastefully furnished fine dining restaurants in Singapore. The menu includes an introduction of the Chef's background and his mission statement. I like it as it's really a no-frills introduction, simple and concise. He believes in tradition, combined with creativity and fresh ingredients from the best producers.
Right after ordering the food, we were served an impressively presented thin bread with a "lentils hummus", the Chef's personal interpretation, made from Saint-Flour lentils and chestnuts. The presentation was both modern and artisanal at the same time, with a combination of stone and wooden utensils. Minimalist and warm.
All the small bites that were served with the bread were beautifully presented and were absolutely delicious. 
It was with great surprise that we discovered shortly after the amuse-bouche was yet to be served: a cep sabayon with fresh walnuts and lovage. It came served in a double-walled glass and it looked like a dense mousse.
When the waiter poured an infusion of boiling wild mushroom tea right in front of us, the magic happened and the dish transformed into a mushroom cappuccino. Flavoursome, hot, creamy, sophisticated and yet simple. I must say that with these two unexpected courses, the Chef already built a great momentum to the dining experience, and we were eager to find out what would be next.
The
Landes Foie Gras and Rabbit ballotine was a core of Foie Gras, rolled into rabbit breast meat, then again coated with a thin layer of lardo di colonnata to retain the moisture. Decorations of gingered butternut, hazelnut and pickled onions added dimensions of flavour and texture that could be combined with the protein.
The other starter was pure indulgence: a large raviolo, stuffed with soft, oozing egg yolk, and topped with cheese and truffle, on top of a dense mushroom sauce. Once again, very elegantly presented, pleasant and balanced to the palate. The fresh hazelnuts added an extra seasonal touch to the dish, which unfortunately in Singapore we tend to forget and neglect.
The main dish was an assorted serving of the most rich or flavoursome cuts pork: cheek, belly, short rib, pig's trotter. Unsurprisingly, the belly was the best, with those rich layers of fat and the unmissable crispy skin, followed by the cheek which was tender and coated in a rich glaze. I liked the distinct charred flavour of the short rib, which was quite lean and dry on its surface, but a delicacy that I couldn't resist from grabbing with my fingers and devour like a caveman. The pig's trotter was deep fried into a small ball in classic French style, which has never been my favourite way of having this delicacy, however this was the leanest I had so far and was overall quite pleasant. It is stating the obvious, but any pork lover would have to order this.
The second main dish was fish, for a change: an Atlantic cod with baby squid, Chanterelles mushrooms and summer beans. The fish was well cooked, moist and flaky. The beans were cut into strips and gave a bit of a light crunch to a dish that was otherwise mainly composed of soft textures. While most of the flavours on the dish were quite mild, they were compensated by the pieces of baby squid which were very savoury.
The main dishes were certainly not disappointing, and the momentum was still up there. Then another surprise course appeared in front of us. We were served a palate cleanser, which was essentially a blueberry pannacotta, topped with a 2-temperatures foam.
As one of the desserts, we tried the cheeses. There was a great cheese selection, with a couple of outstanding soft cheeses. I can't recall the name, but there was a special soft cheese that really had a buttery texture and intense taste I never encountered before in both French and Italian cheeses. The cheeses were accompanied by a selection of crackers and homemade jams, including delicious candied ginger which I wiped all out.
My dessert was a "Choconuts": a Jivara mousse with peanuts and Macadamia ice cream. Clearly, one for nuts fans like me. The eccentric presentation, almost out of a futurist sculpture, somehow suggested I should start from the left (the ice cream), and then progress from the soft textures slowly onto the biscuit and chocolate wafer. Solid caramel, nutty, chocolate flavours dominated this quirky dessert.
...but that was not it! Final surprise, the petit fours. This presentation looked warm and cozy, yet again with a humorous, quirky touch: CaramBar candies! This rosemary based combination of sweet bites included chocolate coated marshmallows, truffles, buttery biscuits, and finally ice cream chocolate coated lollipops. In particular, I liked the rosemary infused melt in your mouth truffles and bouncy homemade marshmallows. I am always an enthusiast for fresh herbs in desserts and cocktails!
In summary, this was an incredibly satisfying meal, full of surprises, excitement, a beauty for the eyes and the palate. In particular, I was amazed by its value for money. There aren't many places in Singapore where you can enjoy what effectively is a 7 course fine dining lunch (3 courses, + pre-amuse bouche, amuse bouche, palate cleanser and petit fours) for just S$52++ per person! On top of the great food, service is always excellent at Jaan, with competent, discreet and attentive staff, and the bright, spacious, breathtaking dining room is certainly a plus for any diner.
Without a doubt, as you walk through the door you are overwhelmed by the sophistication of the ambiance. An unique combination of black and strong red dominates the restaurant throughout. The lighting is extremely dim, but well thought spotlights point in all the right places (most importantly, right on your on plate!) to create a very suggestive ambiance.
The vivid colors displayed in front of the kitchen are the result of a display of stacks of fresh produce such as carrots, apples or tomatoes. Behind, the busy and dynamic kitchen is fully in view for the diners, who sit around a semi-circular counter. The open kitchen-bar concept is fundamental to the attractiveness and the success of this restaurant. Watching the Chefs at work is entertaining for the diners impatient to know what's going to be next on their plate.
As we sat down, we were served a beautiful basket of assorted fresh bread and while munching on it, we took our time to decide what to order from the menu. They offer a selection of about 20 "small dishes", 8 appetizers and 7 mains. The waiter recommended about 4 small dishes each, but we had about 3 to share and a main each and that was definitely filling enough for us.
They started off with an amuse bouche of foie gras mousse and Parmesan. Decadent, sophisticated, delicious.
I was really impressed by the Grilled seasonal vegetable with a touch of wasabi (S$29). I would have never thought a vegetarian dish could be so addictive, to the point that I would order it again on my next visit. 
Even more impressive, I shall say unforgettable, this Yellowtail tuna tartar with spicy tomato sauce(S$29). 
I am looking forward to visit L'Atelier again to get to taste once more their Milk fed pig, roasted on the spit with braised green cabbage and fresh ginger (S$45). This is their signature dish, and it's amazing how this succulent, juicy pork is perfectly complemented by the flavour of ginger.
The Foie gras filled free-range quail with mashed potatoes (S$53) was also well executed. A quail stuffed with foie gras, accompanies by very butter rich mashed potatoes. I enjoyed the dish, although after trying the pork, this was eclipsed by it.
I didn't get too excited by the Lamb fillet served with spiced eggplant (S$45). The seasoning reminded me of Mexican food (there was a dominant cumin flavour), and the dish just wasn't as exciting as everything else we had.
I have much better things to say about the Marinated anchovies with eggplant confit (S$27). Beautifully presented, the highlight of this dish was that the fresh sardines (don't think of the tinned stuff!) revealed that "sea" flavour which is characteristic of anchovies, sardines and mackerel. This is not a flavour that is commonly found in Singapore, since it's typical of fish from the Mediterranean.
The dessert we chose was chocolate based: Caribbean, hazelnut dacquoise, thin Orizaba chocolate leaves (S$23). An enjoyable, indulgent composition of ice cream, chocolate thins, and a rich chocolate ganache.
In conclusion, l'Atelier de Robuchon was a fantastic experience, which perhaps doesn't come cheap, but when compared to other similar restaurants marketed at a similar level, is worth every penny. 
The setting is minimalistic and sober, just like the presentation of André's dishes. We were accompanied to our table, located on the upper floor. The lower floor seemed to be closed for lunchtime. The dining room is spacious, divided into two areas, one of which overlooks the courtyard and the olive tree that stands out in the middle of it.
The menu was printed onto semi-opaque sheets, which were placed on the table like mini table cloths. We were served an amouse bouche of crispies flavoured with onion and porcini mushrooms. It felt like having a "French onion soup" crystallized onto these crispy textures. An interesting start.
The starter was a "decomposed salad" of tomatoes and smoked salmon. Everything on the plate was of good quality, although this dish failed to impress me. It was a refreshing starter, but it lacked of that extra something to make sense of it all. Perhaps that something was meant to be the basil flower sorbet, but I didn't quite get it.
Next was a sharp and clean kaffir lime consommé with a pan seared scallop, cured fish and mini baby leek ravioli. Everything was really mignon in this dish, visually exciting, but despite the homeopathic portions you could clearly taste all the different components and they all worked really well in combination.
Next, the foie gras mousse with black truffle. It seemed like every dish that we were served was more exciting, in a crescendo of flavour. I am not a huge foie gras fan, not that I don't like it, but because it tends to become a bit monotonous. Whenever a menu wants to look expensive, it seems that it must include pan fried foie gras paired with some fruit or jam. But this dish was really something different. The pairing of two delicacies such as foie gras and truffle, striking the right balance between the two aromas, lightening up the richness of the foie gras in a custard-like texture. This little bowl was packed with seductive flavour.
I was at that point eager to get onto the main course, as the meal kept getting more interesting at every subsequent dish. And I must say that the short ribs didn't fail to exceed my expectations. The sous-vide short rib was incredibly tender, juicy, rich of thin layers of fat, and incredibly flavoursome. Eating that just makes me wonder "why doesn't mine taste like this?". But the polenta bianca with wild mushrooms was not any less impressive. It was rich and packed with mushroom aromas, a bit runny, unlike classic polenta. I found this really inspiring, and I think I will soon open a pack of polenta bianca which I have been keeping in storage for the last 3 months or so. This is a dish I would come back for, and I would be happy to have it exactly the same.
I was always impressed by André's desserts when he used to work at Jaan. Thje indication on the menu that we would end up with a concert of chocolate got me excited. I couldn't reconcile what was on the plate with the description on the menu: "Tarte au chocolat" with milk pudding and ice cream "Milk marmalade". However, this was exactly the kind of dessert I was hoping for! The chocolate ball was only tepid outside, but once squashed, it oozed out a beautifully warm chocolate ganache. I enjoyed biting into that squishy textured shell while warm, rich chocolate kept oozing out! I loved the pairing of ice cream with crunchy cocoa nibble-like sand. I am never impressed by light sponges, which are so popular in modern desserts, but I did like the caramel jelly that came on top of it.
