La Cantine @ Asia Square

So it seems that celebrity chef Bruno Menard is so in love with Singapore, that he has opened not one, but 2 different restaurants in Singapore within a year. And the second and latest one is La Cantine, a higher-end restaurant serving some unique items on their menu.



Bold interior design with lots of quirky elements



Ordered a Viognier from Rhone Valley (S$139 for one bottle). Very floral. Slightly sweet.



The design of the menu and it's a really heavy menu.



Cevennes Onion soup (S$24) on "Foie Gras Royale". Truffle scented Chantilly. The depression on the bowl is for your to place your soup spoon.



La Tomate Farcie (S$14). Momotaro tomato filled with zucchini chutney, olive oil, yuzu-kosho tarragon sorbet, Parmesan cheese and arugula



Here they serve iced water to all diners.



One of our favourite fish - Steamed cod fish (S$30). Vegetable "noge" and olive oil emulsion, parsnip and salmon roe. It has a lot of special ingredients that made the dish delicious.



La Bavette. Beef flank (S$42) with Caramelized onion, Mushroom, "Royan" Ravioli Gratin and "&Made" BBQ sauce. Those who prefer a tender cut will not want to order the flank, which is a bit too chewey.



Love their Cheese ravioli : "Royan" Ravioli Gratin, which came with the beef flank.



For desserts, we had the Homemade vanilla ice-cream dulce de leche and almond tuile (S$10)



And also the Traditional baba au rhum, vanilla whipped cream and shot of dark rum (S$14). Reminded us of the one at Beige by Alain Ducasse in Tokyo (with Brandy and Armagnac though)



Worth a visit here for their unique dishes which can't be found in other restaurants.


La Cantine
8 Marina View
#01-01
Asia Square Tower 1

Au Jardin Les Amis @ Singapore Botanic Gardens

One of our favourite Sunday brunch place is at Au Jardin in the Botanic Gardens. Unlike other brunches which tend to be really noisy with people fighting over food or kids screaming, here you get to enjoy peace and quiet with great service.



The Sunday Brunch (S$72 per person) - which comes with free-flow of appetizers, a soup, an egg, a choice of main course, a choice of dessert, coffee or tea and Les Mignardises.



Warm rye bread with French butter.



We are presented with a selection of appetizers. You can ask for as much refills as you want for each appetizer.



Duck rillettes for the rye bread



The lovely Foie gras terrine, Rock melon with Serrano ham and Smoked salmon.



We especially love the Vine cherry tomato with mozzarella. The tomatoes were very sweet and fresh. We had 3 servings of this wonderful salad.



Tempura of fish and Prawn beignet. The prawns were esepcially tasty.



Mesclun salad with honey mustard dressing



Cream of mushroom soup with black truffle. Really intense truffle taste.



Egg Benedict with garlic sausage. The egg was still creamy in the middle.



Our first main was the Signature dish. Boston lobster pasta with sweet basil. This was indeed a very delicious main. The lobster was fresh and sweet, and the pasta had absorbed the fresh lobster stock.



The other mains we had was the Seafood stew with tomato and kidney bean in Mediterranean sauce. Love the tangy sauce which goes well with the medley of seafood.



Caramelized banana crème brûlée with rum & raisin ice cream



Coconut pie with yuzu sorbet. I think they need to do better for their desserts. Didn't had any "wow" factor to both dishes.



Tea



Les Mignardises : Madeline. They were soft and fluffy.



A look at the Au Jardin's Tudor style bungalow in Botanical Gardens. Lovely setting. Thanks to buggy transfer, we didn't get wet in the heavy rain.

Truly one of the best place for Sunday brunch.


Au Jardin Les Amis
1 Cluny Road
EJH Corner House,
Singapore Botanic Gardens

PeraMakan @ Santa Grand Hotel East Coast

Happy Chinese New Year to all our readers! Recently went for lunch at PeraMakan, a well known Peranakan restaurant in Singapore. But unknown to many, they have opened a new branch along East Coast Road. It's very near to 112 Katong, and is located inside the new Santa Grand Hotel.



Like the lobby of the hotel, which has many Peranakan artefacts displayed.



Ordered a glass of cold barley (S$2.50), and also a glass of sour plum juice (S$3.50). In between is their fiery sambal sauce.



Their highly recommended Beef Rendang (S$16). The beef is braised till fork tender, and the rich coconut gravy goes well with white rice. Sprinkled with toasted coconut.



If you come during day time, you can actually see the beautiful shophouses along East Coast Road.



Cincalok omelette (S$10) - The difference between the Fuyong Omelette and this one is that here they add the special Cincalok in it.



Babi Toh Hay (S$18) - Pork belly cooked with Toh Hay (fermented baby shrimps in wine and red yeast), red and green chillies, lemon grass and shallots. They did this very well. I am sure many Nonyas out there will be impressed with their version.



Itek tim (S$4). which is broth with salted Chinese mustard stewed with pork trotters and duck, and Bakwan kepiting (S$5) - broth with minced pork balls with bamboo shoot & crabmeat.



Their desserts are also very well done. Here we have the lovely Apom berkuah (S$6), which is Nyonya rice pancakes served with warm banana sauce. The pancakes are made with fermented rice flour and coconut water, and the unique purple colouring is from the Bunga Telang. Not sure if there is a reason for the colouring? But this banana pancake dessert rocks!



Bubor Terigu (S$4). White wheat porridge served hot with palm sugar and freshly squeezed coconut milk

 

PeraMakan
Santa Grand Hotel East Coast
171 East Coast Road

Osaka Ohsho @ Raffles City Shopping Centre

One of Japan's biggest chain restaurant selling Gyoza has finally reached our shores.



Located in Basement 1 of Raffles City, you can't miss this place from the giant Gyoza and chopsticks at the front of the restaurant.



As with all Gyoza shops, you have the spicy red oil, vinegar and soya sauce to dip the crispy meat morsels in.



Some interesting drinks to try here: Japanese Peach Drink (S$4.90) and Cold Tea (S$1)



Diners who eat here should order their sets. The last time I saw, there are more than 10 different sets. The best values would be those which include a plate of sizzling hot Gyozas. Here we have the Fried Rice + Gyoza set (S$10.90). Fried rice here was a bit "wet", and I find that the version at Taiwanese Din Tai Fung is much better.



The Gyozas were wonderful. Juicy in the inside, and crispy on the outside. Highly recommended.



Tenshin + Gyoza Set (S$12.90). It's basically rice wrapped in a giant omelette, and splash with generous brown gravy.



Again, the Gyozas outshine all rice dishes here.


Osaka Ohsho
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-75
Raffles City Shopping Centre

Jaan @ Swissotel The Stamford

Recently had a birthday Degustation Lunch at Jaan.



Ever since Andre left Jaan to set up his own restaurant, Jaan has been trying to reinvent itself as one of the top culinary restaurant in Singapore. Together with one of the best view in Singapore, Jaan has been quick in attracting a new generation of diners here.



Started our lunch with Hummus : Lentils from St-Flour, Auvergne and Chestnut paste



Mise en Bouche : potato, chicken skin, smoked eel with konbu gel. Really like the presentation here.



One of their most unique item here is their Steeping soup



This is what the soup looks like with everything added. A very flavourful Cep sabayon



Yummy truffle brioche, baguette, sour dough, raisin and nuts bread



Butter and salt



Bresse chicken, confit oxtail and foie gras 'pressé', with prunes, maple reduction, toasted Poîlane



55 minute rosemary smoked organic egg. Look at how they presented the eggs.



Organic egg added onto smoked rattes, autumn mushrooms, chorizo iberico, buckwheat

 

Crispy skinned Atlantic mackerel. Pickled shallot, squid, sweet corn, jus'dolce forte'



36 hours kurobuta pork. Forgotten vegetable, autumn broth. After 36 hours, the pork was fork tender.



Pre dessert



Chococuts 3.0 - Sable Breton, Tanariva chocolate, Tonka bean ice cream, macadamia & pecan nuts, walnut snow



Tea and coffee



Mignardises : Interesting Popsicle with bits made of bicarbonate soda that give cracking effect in the mouth. Choc orbs that melted right away and fruit juice oozing out



Plus a cute little birthday cake



Delicious food with a panoramic view of the Singapore city skyline.





Jaan
2 Stamford Road
Level 70
Swissotel The Stamford