Pardon My French @ Icon Village

Pardon My French? If you search online, the first thing that would come out is this " The phrase is uttered in an attempt to excuse the user of profanity, swearing, or curses in the presence of those offended by it under the pretense of the words being part of a foreign language." A couple of pages and you will find, there is actually a French restaurant by this name located at Icon Village. Barely a month old, I was looking forward to see what it has got to offer.  Judging by the name, would it be something quirky and bold?

With a small frontage, one may easily miss it. (it is right beside 7 Eleven). With only 3 tables plus another alfresco seating, its tiny space surprises me.  It holds a certain charm reminiscent of a small brasserie, and if warm lights were used instead of its current white, I believe it would be even cosier.  The menu is quite straight forward, with a few quintessential French dish - Poulet, Duck confit, Beef stew and Fish baked with ratatouille. Pastas are available as well.  It also offers quite affordable and interesting breakfast items for Saturday.  No coffee though, but its unique selection of teas makes up for it.

Paquet DePoisson 4/5

We went straight for their mains - Duck Confit ($25.00), Boeuf Bourguignon ( Beef stew $17.00) and my favourite dish Paquet De Poisson (Baked Fish Parcel $20.50) which seabass was the Fish of the Day.  The fish came to us hot in its baking paper. As we unveiled it, what intrigued me was the beautiful bright orangy sauce around it - Capsicum sauce, a twist to the original recipe created by the chef. Together with the huge slices of zucchini and just a tinge of seasoning, it enhances both the look and taste of the dish. Moist and tender, the fish even had a crisp-top even though it was baked enclosed in paper.

Duck Confit 3.8/5

Its Duck Confit ($25) has a slight twist to it as well, being paired with mashed pumpkin instead of potatoes. Thin and crisp skin with very tender meat, and it was not gamey at all.  However, I didn't feel the mashed pumpkin goes well with it. Something more starchy than the mashed pumpkin would have been better to counter the richness of the confit.

Beef Stew 3/5

Its Beef Stew came to us looking real promising but was also the most disappointing for me. The soupy gravy was very flavourful and I enjoyed soaking it up with the deep fried mantou which proves to be a yummy combination. According to the chef, Oxtail was used for its collagen, that will give the stew the rich consistency without having to add any fats to it. I expected the meat to be soft and tender and falling off the bones. That was what I had in Essen, my very first oxtail stew and I loved it!  However, this was simply too tough for me to chew.

Ruby Pear 4.2/5

As for dessert, Ruby Pear ($6.50) is a must-have here.  Soaked in red wine, the pear compote was served warmed with homemade Bailey's ice cream, adding on to its alcohol undertone. I have tried fruit compote served with vanilla ice cream which are often too sweet and dense, but this is light and tastes clean.  The only issue I have is with the ice cream, that melted so fast on the warm pear that 2 tiny bites were all I managed to get.

Pardon My French isn't as adventurous as I thought it will be, but after numerous big names sprouting in our small city, I appreciate such an earnest set up, without all the decorations. From the twists done to the dishes, I can see that the chefs have achieved a good foundation from their culinary training.  Certainly there are some rough edges (there are even handwritten strike offs & add ons in the menu), but as Derrick has cleverly pointed out, like its name, we should pardon them for being less of a French. (our expectations).

Written by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.



Pardon My French
Icon Village
12 Gopeng Street
#01-16
Singapore 078877
Tel: +65 64109353
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 830pm
Sat: 10am - 230pm

Direction: 
Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Peck Seah Street. Turn right onto Gopeng Street. Walk to the junction of Gopeng Street and Tras Street. Turn left onto Tras Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

JIN Fine Dining @ Amoy Hotel

I was very excited when I know I am going to dine at JIN Fine Dining by Chef Thomas Kok, one of Singapore's pioneers of Japanese food. I have heard about Chef Thomas from fellow foodies but has never met him in person. I am glad I got to meet him. Chef Thomas is really a very nice and warm person, it felt that I have known him for years.

Starter Platter 4.5/5

Starting off the dining is this exquisite Starter Platter that comes with Pitan Tofu, Marinated Squid, Tamago with Eel, Jelly with Vegetable and Seaweed. It felt like I am having amuse bouche that showcases the culinary philosophy of Chef Thomas towards Japanese cuisine.

Red Snapper Sashimi 4.5/5

Next up is the plate of Red Snapper Sashimi paired with Truffle. It seems like there is a new trend of using truffle in Japanese cuisine. It demonstrated the constant evolving of food incorporating other ingredients or techniques. The pairing of red snapper sashimi with truffle turned out surprisingly good. The combination gave a new experience in appreciating the raw fish.

Eihire, Fugu Mirin Boshi and Tatami Iwashi 4/5

The Eihire (grilled stingray fin), Fugu Mirin Boshi and Tatami Iwashi (dried sardine sheet) are the perfect trio to go with a beer. Even Chef Thomas could not resist the temptation and joined me with her beef as we nibbled on these snacks and caught up with some conversations.

Sashimi Platter 4.5/5

Freshness at its best is this Sashimi Platter of Toro, Cuttlefish, Scallop and Hamachi. It felt like summer has come early with these freshness blooming like flowers in my mouth.

Ikura Chawanmushi 4.5/5

The sight of the Ikura Chawanmushi itself already opened my appetite. Chef Thomas shared with me that the ikura is specially imported from Hokkaido as they are not too salty. Indeed it was not as salty and provided a nice harmony to the comforting steamed egg.

Grilled Fish 4/5

The whole fish was lightly seasoned with salt and grilled to perfection. It was moist inside with a thin crispy exterior skin. The salt further accentuated the sweetness of the Grilled Fish with a aromatic smokiness. Chef Thomas Kok taught me to pour some soy sauce onto the radish and eat it together with the fish. The method further complemented the enjoyment.

Stewed Saga Beef 4.2/5

One of the best beef from Japan is from Saga Pertecture where the cattle are breed in a clean air and water surrounding in a no stress environment. The premium beef has to pass strict criteria. It must be equivalent to the Japan Meat Grading Association's top grade of 4 or 5, and have a Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) rating of 7 or higher out of the maximum of 12. Saga Beef is tender because the red meat is interspersed with fine veins of flavoursome fat. The Stewed Saga Beef was slow cooked for hours to achieve that rich, melted in the mouth texture.

Aburi Sushi 4.5/5

What is more satisfying towards the end of the omakase dinner is the Aburi Sushi of Scallop, Toro and Salmon Belly. I like the fact that the ratio of the vinegar rice to the ingredient allows the fresh ingredients to be appreciated while not feeling too full.

Hamaguri Clam Soup 4.5/5

The Hamaguri Clam Soup was light and refreshing, natural flavoured from the sweetness of the huge clam. Perfect to wrap up the meal, washing down the greasiness. It is like having a cup of tea after a satisfying meal.

I have totally enjoyed my dining experience at JIN Fine Dining. It may be a bit pricey but you are paying for the quality with most of the ingredients freshly flown from Japan. For a value for money deal, if may want to check out the special 8 course omakase set, Chef Thomas is offering to ieatishootipost readers. I understand it is still available when I last checked with Chef Thomas.


JIN Fine Dining
Amoy Hotel
Far East Square
74 Telok Ayer Street
#01-02
Singapore 048462
Tel: +65 65366258
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 10am, 1030am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1)Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk down Telok Ayer Street towards the direction of China Square Food Centre. Turn left into Pekin Street. Walk to destination at the end of the street. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

PAUL @ Westgate

PAUL, one of the earliest French bakery-restaurant that set foot in Singapore, has just introduced executive lunch and dinner sets to their restaurants at Westgate and Tanglin Mall. Both set menus include some of the all-time favourites from their savoury range.

For the lunch set, diners get to enjoy their main courses with complimentary coffee, tea or ice tea for just $13.90. I get to choose from 4 dishes - Roulade de Daurade (pacific dory flavoured with paprika, served with creamy tomato sauce), the Cuisse de Poulet Rotie (roasted chicken leg served with salad and roast potato), the Salade Nicoise (tuna salad with olives and eggs), and the Club Poulet (smoked chicken sandwich served with salad and olives). I went for Roulade de Daurade. Though i'm not a fan of dory fish but I was quite intrigued by the use of paprika and creamy tomato sauce.

Roulade de Daurade 3/5

My fish came, looking a little too dark. I assumed it was due to the paprika seasoning. Given the texture of dory fish, I expect the meat to fall apart easily. But this wasn't the case. The fish was over baked. The sides were too tough for me to slice it. I could only slice it from its middle where the meat was much more tender. It was heavily salted, without much taste of the paprika or the subtle sweetness of the fish. The saving grace was the creamy tomato sauce. It was light with a tinge of sweetness, which balanced the saltiness. I particularly like the roasted bell pepper lying at the bottom of the fish. I thought its smoky and sweet flavour complimented the fish really well. Some greens or carbs would be good to bulk up this dish. I find it too light for a meal.

The executive dinner menu is more wholesome with a selection of heartier dishes - Traditional Beef Stew, Roulade de Daurade, Salade Caesar and Saute de Poulet aux Champignons (roasted chicken chunks in a creamy sautéed mushroom sauce). For $18.90, it comes with a soup of the day. I decided to go for the traditional beef stew.

Carrot Soup 4.2/5

Carrot soup was the soup of the day. It was my first time trying a carrot soup and I love it! It was light, with the natural sweetness of the carrot. It was well pureed and not harsh to my tongue at all.

Traditional Beef Stew 4/5

My Beef Stew was served promptly. The carrots and potatoes were nicely soften but slightly too salty for me, perhaps due to the stew. Fortunately, the beef chunks managed to retain its natural taste. Every piece was extremely tender and juicy. The bread that came along with it was a bit hard. I feel that thicker and fluffier slices of bread would be more suitable. Overall, the dinner did not disappoint me. It would have been even better if hot tea was included as one of the beverages' choices.

The executive set lunch is available from 11.30am to 2.30pm, Mondays to Fridays, except on public holidays. The executive set dinner is available from 6pm onwards, Mondays to Thursdays, except on public holidays. Bon appetite!

Written By Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. 


PAUL
Westgate
3 Gateway Drive
Singapore 608532
Tel: +65 63699080
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/PAUL1889.singapore
Website: http://www.paul-singapore.com/
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT Station. Take Exit A. Walk to Westgate Mall. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]