Platetrotter Blog - PlatetrotterDiscovering the world one bite at a time

Top 4 in Singapore - Part 4: Le Bistrot du Sommelier

16/10/2012

The perfect setting for a tête-à-tête

Two words come to mind when I think of the evening I spent at the Rillette Bar at Le Bistrot du Sommelier.

Duck and wine. Both very good words in my lexicon of culinary experiences.

Especially when said duck arrives in the form of foie gras (yes, I know how it's made and I feel bad, but I'd be the world's biggest hypocrite to say I don't LOVE it!) ... and said wine comes in the form of a balloon glass filled with a smooth French red, courtesy of Max Fedkiw - the man who puts the word sommelier in Le Bistrot du Sommelier.

Le Bistrot might serve French cuisine but it is just the sort of place you would like to end up in on a rainy tropical night. It's cosy, rustic, unpretentious, stripped back to plain wooden furniture and hearty plates of food.

I stopped here for what was meant to be a light bite - but the foie gras with fig jam and the duck rillette on the menu sounded too tempting to ignore, so all pretenses of a restrained meal quickly flew out the window.

Paired with crusty slices of bread, piquant gherkins and a fresh green salad, our choices were inspired. Smooth and rich in both texture and taste, it all went down very easily despite the more-than-generous portions.

The rest of the menu looked equally tempting - top of my list were the trotters stuffed with sweetbreads (might have to come back for that). But after the rather indulgent feast of fattened duck liver and potted meat, we resisted the urge to be greedy and decided to go straight to dessert; one order of creamy crepe mille feuille bursting with berries and vanilla custard, and a palate-cleansing lemon sorbet starred with mini meringues.

The team behind the restaurant - Max Fedkiw (Sommelier of the year 2011) and Chef Patrick Heuberger (Chef of the year 2008) - unsurprisingly, have some serious fans within the Singapore dining scene and the place can get quite full, so make sure you make a reservation as early as you can... especially if you are only in the city for a few nights.

Definitely one of my top meals in Singapore and I can't wait to head back for more!