Date of visit: 12 December 2013
This fine-dining restaurant is a collaboration between one-Michelin-starred Chef Laurent Peugeot and Singapore's F&B Lifestyle company Food Junction Holdings Limited. K and I celebrated our anniversary here and we were glad to have found such a gem in Singapore that restored our faith in the local fine-dining scene.
Simply LP+TETSU
6-course menu
$98 per pax
Amuse-bouches
Oshi Sushi Tuna, Foie Gras with Soya Espuma
This was a good way to start our meal and truly reflected what was to come - a bold fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. The influences were distinctive yet came together nicely to present a refreshing dish that offered the best of both worlds - fresh tuna topped with foie gras goodness that was subtle enough so as not to overpower the whole dish. I liked that they served the soya espuma separately as that let us adjust the saltiness according to our own tastes.
8/10
This was a good way to start our meal and truly reflected what was to come - a bold fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. The influences were distinctive yet came together nicely to present a refreshing dish that offered the best of both worlds - fresh tuna topped with foie gras goodness that was subtle enough so as not to overpower the whole dish. I liked that they served the soya espuma separately as that let us adjust the saltiness according to our own tastes.
8/10
Cod Fish with Onions and Pork Floss
The cod was fresh and the combination of caramelised onions with freshly cut red onions was a good match to the fish. However, I didn't think the pork floss did much for the dish. I have also tasted better fish dishes (see L'enclume) so this was not the highlight of the meal for me. I would have preferred more French influence as a contrast to the previous fish dish.
7/10
Organic Egg with Snail Tempura
This dish got me excited because of the colours and the fact that there were going to be snails and a sous vide egg (in this case, cooked for 1 hour in 63°C water)! I love escargots when they're done well even though I have to admit I previously could not believe anyone would try cooking and eating snails haha. The presentation made me think 'this is what we would expect of a Michelin restaurant' and felt proud that Singapore could attract such a chef to set up a restaurant on our shores.
This is a dish where the fusion was done well - the French influence was apparent and the twist of making snail tempura was a refreshing change. The sinfulness of traditional escargot dishes was not lost with the addition of the pinkish sauce that was light and creamy at the same time. K felt that the tempura batter could have been slightly thicker to give it a nicer crunch and I would agree with that. Other than that, the boldness of the chef's fusion attempt paid off and this was the star of the meal for me.
9/10
This dish got me excited because of the colours and the fact that there were going to be snails and a sous vide egg (in this case, cooked for 1 hour in 63°C water)! I love escargots when they're done well even though I have to admit I previously could not believe anyone would try cooking and eating snails haha. The presentation made me think 'this is what we would expect of a Michelin restaurant' and felt proud that Singapore could attract such a chef to set up a restaurant on our shores.
This is a dish where the fusion was done well - the French influence was apparent and the twist of making snail tempura was a refreshing change. The sinfulness of traditional escargot dishes was not lost with the addition of the pinkish sauce that was light and creamy at the same time. K felt that the tempura batter could have been slightly thicker to give it a nicer crunch and I would agree with that. Other than that, the boldness of the chef's fusion attempt paid off and this was the star of the meal for me.
9/10
Poulet de Bresse
This dish was basically layers of onion topped with meat from Bresse chickens. It's a breed of chicken that originates from the Bresse area of the Rhône-Alps region in France. The chicken is supposedly a special breed that gives its meat greater depth of flavour and is also more tender.
It was topped with crispy chicken skin and dry shavings (tororo kombu) that is made by shaving kelp (kombu) seaweed. It takes on a texture between moss and jelly when it comes into contact with the broth (consommé), which was a nice touch and helped to make the dish less dry. We didn't know that it was supposed to be soaked in the broth beforehand though as the servers did not bring that to our attention and got a shock when we tried some. It was such a strong absorbent that it left our mouths feeling very dry and might have affected how we perceived the rest of the dish.
I did not really fancy this dish because there was too much onion in it (there were layers of it under the chicken that were arranged to be like a flower) and the chicken was slightly bland. This is a case when the fusion did not help in giving the dish distinctive character.
6/10
This dish was basically layers of onion topped with meat from Bresse chickens. It's a breed of chicken that originates from the Bresse area of the Rhône-Alps region in France. The chicken is supposedly a special breed that gives its meat greater depth of flavour and is also more tender.
It was topped with crispy chicken skin and dry shavings (tororo kombu) that is made by shaving kelp (kombu) seaweed. It takes on a texture between moss and jelly when it comes into contact with the broth (consommé), which was a nice touch and helped to make the dish less dry. We didn't know that it was supposed to be soaked in the broth beforehand though as the servers did not bring that to our attention and got a shock when we tried some. It was such a strong absorbent that it left our mouths feeling very dry and might have affected how we perceived the rest of the dish.
I did not really fancy this dish because there was too much onion in it (there were layers of it under the chicken that were arranged to be like a flower) and the chicken was slightly bland. This is a case when the fusion did not help in giving the dish distinctive character.
6/10
Brillat Savarin Cheese in Ice Soufflé
This was an intriguing dish for the both of us. It definitely delivered in the surprises department because of its solid but airy texture, the strength of the cheese and its pairing with red onion jam. By this stage, I barely had space for two more courses and found this dish slightly too rich and filling. The texture was interesting because it really was what an icy soufflé might have tasted like - it was like a compacted ice shavings dessert (popular in Taiwan and also known as 팥빙수 'patbingsu' in Korea) with many little pockets of air inside, but a slightly creamier version because of the cheese.
I thought the concept behind this was quite brilliant, but the matching of the flavours did not complement the rest of the set menu as well as I would have liked. The flavours used here seemed slightly too similar to the onion taste found in the cod and Bresse chicken dishes and did not provide much excitement for my tastebuds. The onion-cheese pairing was also not something I found particularly tasty and more-ish, but that is purely a personal preference.
I can see how this dish might have been elevated with a slightly more fruity and tangy flavour (something like passionfruit or tangerine would have been nice), but it still deserves points for technique and boldness.
7/10
This was an intriguing dish for the both of us. It definitely delivered in the surprises department because of its solid but airy texture, the strength of the cheese and its pairing with red onion jam. By this stage, I barely had space for two more courses and found this dish slightly too rich and filling. The texture was interesting because it really was what an icy soufflé might have tasted like - it was like a compacted ice shavings dessert (popular in Taiwan and also known as 팥빙수 'patbingsu' in Korea) with many little pockets of air inside, but a slightly creamier version because of the cheese.
I thought the concept behind this was quite brilliant, but the matching of the flavours did not complement the rest of the set menu as well as I would have liked. The flavours used here seemed slightly too similar to the onion taste found in the cod and Bresse chicken dishes and did not provide much excitement for my tastebuds. The onion-cheese pairing was also not something I found particularly tasty and more-ish, but that is purely a personal preference.
I can see how this dish might have been elevated with a slightly more fruity and tangy flavour (something like passionfruit or tangerine would have been nice), but it still deserves points for technique and boldness.
7/10
Matcha Dome (with cherry centre and rose-flavoured sorbet)
This matcha dome was green inside and the texture was like a slightly denser soufflé but a version that could be eaten at a cooler temperate without collapsing (yay!), while the rose-flavoured sorbet was not too strong or sweet. I really liked that it looked the simplest and most unassuming of the six courses but tasted great and ended off the meal really well. The cherry centre was a nice touch as well. I'm sure many ladies would love this :)
9/10
This matcha dome was green inside and the texture was like a slightly denser soufflé but a version that could be eaten at a cooler temperate without collapsing (yay!), while the rose-flavoured sorbet was not too strong or sweet. I really liked that it looked the simplest and most unassuming of the six courses but tasted great and ended off the meal really well. The cherry centre was a nice touch as well. I'm sure many ladies would love this :)
9/10
Sakura and Kiwi sweets
I actually liked these quite a lot and it was a great way to end our meal! The biscuit base was crispy and buttery enough while the little jelly-encased jams were very refreshing.
I actually liked these quite a lot and it was a great way to end our meal! The biscuit base was crispy and buttery enough while the little jelly-encased jams were very refreshing.
Service: 8/10
The standard is almost that of a one-star Michelin restaurant and was very promising. The staff were very polite and gave us a lot of personal space to enjoy the meal together. The only gripe I have is that they did not tell us about soaking the tororo kombu beforehand.
Taste: 7.5/10
In general, I felt the dishes were bold and exciting, and some dishes managed to execute the fusion of French and Japanese cuisine with great success. However, some of the beauty was lost in the experimentation and repeated flavours that resulted in some dishes not really standing out as compared to the others. My favourites are definitely the unassuming and simple dishes since the technique and flavours were more important to me than fancy meats or condiments like the jellies.
The menu was very value-for-money in terms of the commitment to a high standard and the amount served, but if I were to patronise this restaurant and choose from the Simply LP+Tetsu menu again, I would go for the 4-course ($58) menu instead and omit the Cheese Ice Soufflé and Poulet de Bresse dishes because six courses plus the little treats was too much for me.
I liked that this restaurant's dishes allow you to have fun intellectual discussions about influences from different types of cuisines and it would be great place to come to for a meal with fellow foodies.
Ambience: 9/10
This restaurant is tucked away in a corner of Tanglin Mall, and is great for a quiet date to celebrate a special occasion. We went on a Thursday afternoon and the restaurant was only serving a few tables that were generously spread out, so we could talk comfortably and really take our time to enjoy and discuss about each dish. I liked the decoration of the restaurant as the red and black tones and stone ornaments on our table were very reflective of the French and Japanese concept. Just be sure to keep any mischievous friends far away from the fighting fish in the tall cylindrical glass container on the table - K almost fed it some matcha salt for fun!!
Return?
Yes. Bold flavours and solid technique make this a place that I can see myself visiting again just to see what new tricks Laurent Peugeot has up his sleeves.
163 Tanglin Road,
#03-18 Tanglin Mall,
Singapore 247933
Tel: 65 6836 3112
No comments:
Post a Comment