L'Entrecote @ Duxton Hill - Affordable Steak with Unlimited Crispy, Golden Fries

L'Entrecote is a Parisian concept serving steaks and fries at Duxton Hill. The restaurant has been around since 2010 offering the traditional entrecote (a premium cut of beef rib) and frites.

Homemade Duck Foie Gras Terrine 4.5/5

Before moving to the mains, we decided to order some starters to begin with. First is the Homemade Duck Foie Gras Terrine ($24). The foie gras terrine comes with sugar glazed onions and grilled buttered sourdough. I enjoyed having a bit of the sugar glazed onions together with creamy foie gras, which helped to cut through that richness.

French Onion Soup 4.5/5

It has been a while since I have such a traditional and tasty French Onion Soup ($10). The classic French onion soup comes with cheese toasts soaking up the delicious and robust beef stock, sweetened by the caramelised onion.

Green Salad with Walnut 3/5

For the main course, we went for the trimmed Entrecote Steak ($34.90) with its legendary sauce, that comes with free flow golden French Fries and Green Salad with Walnut. For those that has a bigger appetite, you can go for the XXL portion at $54.90. I find the salad was rather bland without any sauce though.

Entrecote Steak 4/5

The highlight here is the Entrecote Steak with its legendary sauce. The premium beef rib cut is cooked beautifully to tender, with a nice pink inside. What interesting is the pool of sauce, in which the steak is literally swimming inside. I tried asking the staff about the legendary sauce but they were mute about it. It is really an unique sauce, somewhat like a black pepper, mushroom sauce but has a tang to it. I have never come across anything similar for my steak before. If you are a fries lover, you will be glad that the crispy Golden Fries here are free flow!

Profiteroles de "L'Entrecote" 4.5/5

Moving to the desserts, we had the Profiteroles de "L'Entrecote" ($15). The choux pastry is sandwiched with vanilla bean ice cream and drenched with hot chocolate sauce. It is a classic dessert but tasted heavenly.

Crepes Suzette 4.2/5

The Crepes Suzette ($14) although sinful but is so good. The thin crepes are soaked in a citrus butter and Grand Marnier sauce, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

L'Entrecote is definitely a place for affordable steak and fries. You really have to try the legendary sauce to really know what I meant. We suspect mustard was added in the sauce, but we won't know until the mystery is solved.


L'Entrecote
36 Duxton Hill
Singapore 089614
Tel: +65 66907561
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 5pm - 11pm
Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road, cross the road. Walk to Craig Road. Turn left onto Craig Road. Walk to Craig Place. Take the staircase inside the carpark at Craig Place to Duxton Hill. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Les Bouchons Rive Gauche @ Robertson Quay - Sunday Brunch Along The Singapore River

Located at Robertson Quay, the laid back ambience is what Bouchons Riviera Brunch is all about. Inspired by the decadence of the French Riviera and staying true to its French heritage, Head Chef Mickael Cornac of Les Bouchons designed the a la carte menu with 30 new all-time brunch favourites including the classic French dish.

Riviera Wellness Bowl 3/5

Riviera Wellness Bowl ($18) has a couple of exciting elements such as the strawberries which have been soaked overnight with balsamic vinegar to soften and infused it with an additional layer of flavour. The same goes to the Goji berries which were soaked in passionfruit tea beforehand. Given all the exciting dishes on the menu, this serves more like a sharing appetiser to start off your brunch.

Eggs Mimosa 3/5

Have a taste of some of the French classics such as the Eggs Mimosa ($14) with sauteed garlic asparagus but what really got me into the mood is the Escargots De Bourgogne ($16) with garlic butter.

Escargots De Bourgogne 4/5

I have a little aversion to escargots, to be honest, but being cooked down to such tenderness helps to diversify the attention away. The hero of this dish, I would say is the garlic butter, and the escargots are there to give the dish some textures, while you deliver the rich and flavourful sauce into your mouth. If you love pesto sauce, this will hit all the right spots.

Gueule de Bois 3/5

I learned that the concept of Sunday brunch dates as far back as 120 years ago. It came about as a means to overcome a British author’s own hangover from the night before, which is the reference behind this ​Gueule de Bois ($24) ​or more commonly referred to as the ​Bouchons Hangover Cure. You get to try the most hyped about “Impossible” meatballs, served along with scrambled eggs with truffle oil on a slice of toasted sourdough bread. The meatballs are infused with other aromatics and spices; hence it tasted almost like lamb meatballs but without the gaminess. Still, it lacks the natural sweetness from real meat. I'm still not convinced after trying it, but I love how wholesome this dish has been played out, with all other elements such as the sautéed porcini mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes and asparagus so nicely done to draw out their freshness and flavours.

Sunday Roast 3.8/5

Bouchons Sunday Roast ($32) may vary each week and our ‘Roast of the Day’ was chicken with mushroom sauce and roasted baby potatoes. Nothing much to fault about the chicken really, what I want to highlight is the decadent mushroom sauce. It was so rich and shroomy, if you were to lighten it with cream and stock, it would have been one of the most comforting mushroom soups ever.

Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye Steak 4/5

Les Bouchons is amongst one of the first restaurants in Singapore to serve French Steak Frites “Steak and Fries” and if you are here with just one or 2 friends, Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye Steak ($39.80) would be enough to last through your whole Sunday conversation, coupled with a few glasses of wines. The steak was packed with good fats and flavours, and they thoroughly nailed it with the free flow homemade French fries that came with unevenly crisped edges, with dented soft pockets to give you the potatoey flavour. I don't remember having such good fries for the longest time.

Crepes 2.5/5

For desserts, the Crepes ($8) with Nutella and banana was a little underwhelming, with the crepe being a little stiff.

Chocolate Brownie 3/5

Chocolate Brownie "Fait Maison" ($10) with vanilla gelato is definitely more apt for the occasion with the warm, dark and moist chocolate brownie. Much bigger scope of ice cream is needed for sure.

Brunch at Les Bouchons, overlooking the Singapore River on a Sunday noon is the kind of hours that you would wish to spend just to have a quick escape from everything else. ‘Bouchons Riviera Brunch’ menu is available on Sundays between 1130am and 330pm.

Words and photos 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Les Bouchons Rive Gauche
60 Robertson Quay
#01-02
Singapore 238252
Tel: 65 67334414
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Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 12pm - 2pm, 7pm - 10pm
Fri: 12pm - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm
Sat: 6pm - 10pm
Sun: 1130am - 830pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to the bus stop along Upper Cross Street (Stop ID 06171). Take bus number 51 and 186. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the road and walk towards the river. Cross the bridge and walk to the destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to the bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to Mohamed Sultan Road. Turn left onto Mohamed Sultan Road. Walk down Mohamed Sultan Road. Turn left onto Nanson Rd. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to traffic junction of Clemenceau Ave and River Valley. Cross the road. Turn left and walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Then left onto Merbau Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Halcyon & Crane @ Paragon - A New Cafe In The Heart Of Orchard Road

The legend Halcyon (kingfisher) from the Greek mythology and Crane from the Chinese have flown into Paragon with the opening of Halcyon & Crane, a cafe and bar concept where modern European cuisine is given a touch of Sichuan flavours, offering all day dining at the heart of Orchard Road. The cafe is opened by the same folk behind Birds of A Feather.

Orange Yuzu Passionfruit Coffee Cubes Latte 3.5/5

If you are not into cocktails, Halcyon & Crane offers some fancy coffee selection on the menu. I went for the Orange Yuzu Passionfruit Coffee Cubes Latte ($14) which is an interesting combination. You pour the jar of orange juice into the glass of coffee ice cubes.You get the sweetness of the orange juice followed by the bitterness of the caffeine at the end.  It sounds weird but the end product is quite tasty. Come to think of it, we usually have both coffee and orange juice for breakfast, why not combine the two together?

Cured Sausage Shakshuka 4/5

At Halcyon & Crane, the kitchen as given the shakshuka a modern and Asian twist with their version of Cured Sausage Shakshuka ($22). The baked egg in tomato sauce is paired with Sichuan spicy cured sausage, mushroom, corn, white beans and cheese. The clever use of the spicy and mala cured sausage lends the heat to the dish, which is similar to the original recipe of cayenne pepper. This is best enjoyed together with the toasted beetroot bread.

King's Chicken Hash Benedict 3/5

If you are bored with egg benedict with hollandnaise sauce, Halcyon & Crane offers a good change with the King's Chicken Hash Benedict ($21). 64-degree eggs rested on top of English muffin and blanket with cheddar cheese. The twist is the use of gong bao chicken replacing the hollandnaise sauce, giving it an Asian touch. The crispy leeks on top of the leek provide a enjoyable crunchy touch. Unfortunately I find the gong bao sauce and cheddar cheese did not quite work for me.

Ham & Cheesy Crepes 4/5

If you love your ham & cheese, I find the Ham & Cheesy Crepes ($19) here is a much elevated version. The crepe is actually quite thick in texture, more like a wrap, holding ingredients such as forest ham, cured sausage, lettuce and cheesy scrambled egg. The magic that brings everything together is the dou ban mayonnaise sauce, giving it a hint of spiciness among all the different flavours.

Smoked Tuna Tataki Salad 3/5

For something light and healthy, one can go for the Smoked Tuna Tataki Salad ($21). The salad is tossed in a tantalising spicy red oil vinaigrette and citrus dressing. This is paired with the clean tasting smoked tuna and quinoa salsa.

Australia Black Angus Beef Carpaccio 4.2/5

Another delightful dish I enjoyed is the Australia Black Angus Beef Carpaccio ($23). The slices of flavoursome beef is topped with wild chilli vinaigrette, pickled daikon, white quinoa salad and scallion & Sichuan pepper dressing. I would recommend having the beef carpaccio together with a bit of the salad to keep that spicy kick from the salad dressing, for a complete enjoyment of the dish.

Beetroot & Seafood Risotto 3/5

The Beetroot & Seafood Risotto ($32) may look pretty in its stunning pink colour presentation, I did quite enjoy it. Topped with seafood such as clams, prawns, squid and quail egg, I find the texture of the pearl rice too mushy.

Seafood & Spicy Sour Capellini 4.5/5

Most of the dishes I tried so far comes with some form of spiciness. Hence if you can't take spicy, then I would recommend the Seafood & Spicy Sour Capellini ($25). Don't be mislead by the description. First it is not spicy, second it is not capellini but bee hoon. The bee hoon soup in its light broth with a hint of tanginess is very appetising. In the bowl of noodle soup, you can find ingredients such as mussels, clams, prawns, squid, leek and pickled long beans.

Marinated Baby Octopus Salad 4.5/5

The Marinated Baby Octopus Salad ($20) supposed to be a salad item but I thought its more like a xiao cai  which goes really well with the earlier dish, Seafood & Spicy Sour Capellini. What I like most is the pickled and smoked pepper and egglant, it just opens up appetite. 

Baby Chicken Roulade 3/5

Using spring chicken, the meat for the Baby Chicken Roulade ($32) is marinated with honey fish sauce, five-spice powder and Sichuan pepper. It is then cooked to a delectable tender texture, paired with creamy pomme puree. Unfortunately the dish pale in comparison to the other dishes I tried.

Speciality Beef & Tomato Braised Rice 4.5/5

A not to be missed dish is the Speciality Beef & Tomato Braised Rice ($28). The mixed grains consists of pearl rice, brown rice, pearly barley and kamut doused in a rich tomato based beef stew. It is very flavourful and comforting. Somewhat like an angmo version of mui fan. It is topped with a sous vide egg and buffalo mozzarella, stir them into the braised rice for a creamy finish.

Molten Matcha Lava 3/5

Last but not least, we ended our dinner with the Molten Match Lava ($16) for dessert. I thought lava cake was passe, I was hoping for something more exciting.

While some of the dishes didn't quite meet my expectation, I still applaud the European-meets-Sichuan philosophy, it spices up the usual cafe-style dining. I would recommend the Beef Carpaccio, Seafood & Spicy Sour Capellini, Marinated Baby Octopus Salad and Speciality Beef & Tomato Braised Rice.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Halcyon & Crane
Paragon
290 Orchard Road
#03-09
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 97275121
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit C or D. Proceed to the road level. Walk down Orchard Road until the junction of Orchard Road and Orchard Link. Cross the road and walk to Paragon. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Proceed to the road level. Turn left on Orchard Road and walk down Orchard Road until junction of Orchard Road and Orchard Link. Cross the Road and walk to Paragon. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Mezza9 @ Grand Hyatt Singapore - 9 Different Dining And Wining Experiences Under One Roof

Many people has the misconception that Mezza9 at Grand Hyatt is a buffet restaurant but actually it is not. Probably due to its popular Sunday brunch and open show kitchen concept, I also thought that Mezza9 offers buffet throughout the week. Mezza9 is actually a restaurant with 9 different dining and wining experiences under one roof. You have the Grill, Sushi, Thai, Seafood, Steam Basket, Patisserie, The Shop, Party Room and Martini Bar all housed together, where you can order anything from any of the concepts. It is perfect for people who wants variety and not restricting one to just a particular cuisine.

Lychee Martini 4.5/5

We started with some pre-dinner and I ordered a light but refreshing Lychee Martini from the Martini Bar to start with.

Tom Yam Goong Nam Kon 4/5

Actually the menu is a bit overwhelming as they are some many things we want to try from the different cuisines. We decided to try as far as possible order an item from each section or concept. From the Thai Menu, we decided to have the Tom Yam Goong Nam Kon ($16), a Thai spicy and sour soup with tiger prawn. The kick from the spiciness definitely whets up our appetite.

Blue Swimmer Crab Cake 4.2/5

Seasonal Rock Oysters 4.5/5

From the Seafood Menu, we tried the Blue Swimmer Crab Cake ($7.50/pc) with remoulade sauce. It is packed with real crab meat encased in a crispy exterior. A delicious and delightful starter. We also ordered some Seasonal Rock Oyster ($6/pc). They were fresh and plump.

Premium Sashimi Moriawase on Ice 4/5

Japanese is one the my favourite cuisines and I can't resist getting some sashimi from the Sushi section. The Premium Sashimi Moriawase on Ice ($88) comes with fresh delivery such salmon, swordfish, yellowtail, ebi and scallop. While they are fresh and thickly cut, I was expecting a little bit more in terms of ingredients since it is labelled as premium, such as toro and uni.

French Charolais Beef Fillet 250g 4.5/5

Green Asparagus with Hollandaise, Dukkha 4.2/5

From seafood we moved on to some meat from the Grill menu. We decided to go for the French Charolais Beef Fillet 250g ($70) which is grass-fed and dry aged for 50 days. Grilled to a beautiful medium rare pink, the beef had a delectable full flavour with a nice char on the exterior. To go with the steak, we also ordered Green Asparagus with Hollandaise, Dukkha ($9) as our side.

Mezza9 Dessert Extravaganza $38

We really have a hard time deciding which dessert to order, so the easiest way is to have the Mezza9 Dessert Extravaganza ($38) which includes everything on the dessert menu. The dessert platter consists of the Mezza9 Flower Pot, Peach Compote, La Esmeralda Chocolate Pudding and Gluten Free Banana Flour Crepe. My favourite is the chocolate pudding and gluten free banana flour crepe.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Mezza9
Grand Hyatt
10 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 67321234
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sun Brunch: 12pm - 3pm
Sun: 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Scotts Road. Walk down Scotts Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Hans Im Gluck @ Orchard Road - A Fairy Tale-like German Burger Chain Opens In Singapore

Situated in the heart of Orchard Road is Hans Im Gluck, an established German Burger Grill and Bar from Munich which has launched 49 outlets across Europe and hereby marking Singapore as the franchise’s 50th outlet globally. Originating from a wonderful story of Hans Im Gluck which is meant to teach readers the true origin of happiness, diners will be instantly transported to an enchanting dining experience akin to dining in a whimsical fairy tale forest with its carefully curated interiors - the lush greenery and floor to ceiling birch tree trunks sprouting in between tables to create a green haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Burgers are their forte. The casual gourmet burger restaurant specialises in an extensive selection of quality European gastro burgers - with over 30 beef and chicken burgers served alongside salads, as well as vegetarian and vegan burgers to cater to those with dietary restrictions. Also, the restaurant brings in its own range of housemade sauces, as well as multi-grain and sourdough buns, which come frozen from Germany and are made exclusively for the chain, in order to ensure consistency and quality. I liked how all burgers come with an option for customers to choose their choice of bread from Sourdough, Multigrain or go Naked, which basically translates into a bun-less burger, perfect for those on a carb-free diet.

1 PFUND SUSSKARTOFFEL-FRITTEN 4.5/5

The 1 PFUND SUSSKARTOFFEL-FRITTEN ($9) comes in a generously portioned sweet potato fries which boasts a crispy exterior, with a sweet potato fragrance within its soft airy insides. Though good on its own, pair them with the different sauces available and you will finish all one pound of these addictive sweet potato goodness in no time.

HANS IM GLUCK 4.2/5

The HANS IM GLUCK ($17) features a beef burger which comes with parmesan cheese, parma ham, rocket leaves and balsamic glaze. The subtle sweetness from the balsamic glaze complemented the savouriness of the other ingredients quite well, while the beef patty leans towards the tougher side as they only do their beef well-done. Furthermore, the restaurant opts for fresh Australian beef, which averages at 20 per cent fat-to-meat ratio. This explains why the patty lack the juiciness one usually expect for their burgers.

KLASSIK 4/5

Another beef burger from their menu, the KLASSIK ($14) claimed as the 'mother of all burgers', also came with a nicely seasoned beef patty, as well as the standard set of toppings such as fresh lettuce, red onions, sun-ripened tomatoes and their signature HANS IM GLÜCK sauce. Boasting a good balance of flavour and texture, their rendition of European beef burgers are generally less greasy and more healthy than the American-style burgers.

VOGELWILD 3.8/5

The VOGELWILD ($14) features a grilled chicken breast burger with sour cream chive sauce and crispy fried onions. A healthier option as grilled chicken breast is used, the meat was a tad dry on its own. However, the dressings provided a creamy tanginess which lends a refreshing flavour to the burger in between bites.

ABENDROT 4/5

One of the vegetarian burger options from the menu, the ABENDROT ($15) comes with parmesan cheese, grilled vegetable tartare & rocket leaves. Crunchy and flavourful, this meatless option is still satisfying as the rich flavour of the grilled vegetable tartare works wonderfully on the palate.

JUGLANS 4/5

Their Vegan options are no less impressive with the JUGLANS ($15) which comes with cranberries, sprouts and walnuts. The vegan patty has a nice crispness on the exterior while the interior retains a succulent texture. Its accompaniments provide a good balance of flavour to the vegan burger.

HENNE 4/5

The HENNE ($15) is a grilled chicken breast burger which comes with avocado cream, sprouts, orange and mustard sauce. However, with the option to go naked (without burger buns), the dish resembles a salad. It may look like a mess of leafy greens, yet it fares notchers higher than the regular salad bowls with its luscious avocado cream and mustard sauce adding a zesty kick to the entire dish. Fresh and yet retaining a nice crunchy texture, it is no less satisfying than the regular burgers and perfect for those on a carb-free diet.

OMAS GEHEIMNIS 4.5/5

End the meal on a sweet note with their selection of desserts, such as the OMAS GEHEIMNIS ($12) which features warm molten chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream & whipped cream. The soft moist molten cake oozes intensely rich chocolate lava upon breaking it open. The classic combination of the warm chocolate and cold ice cream never goes wrong, and is well executed in this case.

WOHLERGEHEN 4/5

The WOHLERGEHEN ($10) comes in a pile of mini Crepes drizzled with warm chocolate and served with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. The dish also came with some walnuts to add a crunchy texture to the soft mini crepes and creamy ice cream.

BESTER 4.2/5

The BESTER ($12) features warm glazed apple tart served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. The apple tart leans towards the sour side with a subtle sweetness while the creamy vanilla ice cream on the side provides a good complement to the apple tart, with the addition of whipped cream for a lighter finish.

Hans Im Gluck presents a whole new slew of wholesome burgers which is of both quality and nutritious value, defying the common perception of unhealthy burgers that we get mostly from fast-food restaurants. Owner Mrs Hirschberger says: "European burgers are healthy and nutritious. Our burgers are different from fast food. We want to offer gourmet burgers in a restaurant setting as proper sit-down meals." As a one-stop burger place to cater to different dietary preferences, it elevates its variety of handcrafted burgers into an exciting and healthy meal – with virtually unlimited options and something special for everyone.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Hans Im Glück
362 Orchard Road
Singapore 238887
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 12midnigh
Fri-Sat: 11am - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Follow the underpass too Shaw House. Walk to ground level. Turn right onto Orchard Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]