Allo – Delicious French Food

Allo is a French bistro located in shophouses along Desker Road, Little India. I was attracted to Allo when I saw a posting on Allo’s dish on social media and added it to my list of places to try.

Allo

When you reach the front door of Allo, you will be welcomed by a nice al-fresco dining area, complete with rattan chairs and white round tables, just like those found in France. The indoor dining area is separated by white steel doors with glass windows. In the evening, the ambient of the indoor dining area is dimly lit. It is furnished, with square tables, rattan chairs and long banquette seats, for seats against the wall. Though not an open kitchen, through the pass, you can see the chefs at work in the kitchen.

Allo's Al-fresco dining area

We started the meal with Pan Seared Foie Gras [$26] - Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Figs Compote, Rice Crackers. A generous serving of foie gras, cooked to perfection. It has a lovely crisp externally, smooth and creamy internally. The figs compote is sweet and bodes well with foie gras and crispy rice crackers.

Pan Seared Foie Gras 

Warm Oven Truffled Camembert with Figs Compote [$28] - Camembert Cheese, Truffle Paste, Figs compote. The camembert is sliced evenly like a muffin and generously slathered with truffle paste. It is then baked, to the point where the cheese is warm and gooey. Eaten together with crispy sourdough and figs compote, it is just delicious.

Warm Oven Truffled Camembert with Figs Compote 

Moving to mains Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Pomme Puree & Seasonal Vegetable [$38] - Sirloin, pomme puree, brandy sauce. The steak is cooked to medium-rare, as ordered. It is nicely seasoned, juicy and succulent. The pomme puree (French mashed potatoes) is creamy, velvety and ridiculously delicious complemented by the crunchy seasonal vegetables. Yummy!!

Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Pomme Puree & Seasonal Vegetable

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise & Seasonal Vegetable [$38] - Brandy Sauce. The thick beef tenderloin is meaty and succulent. Unlike the sirloin which has more fats, the tenderloin offers a nice meaty texture. The Potato Dauphinoise (Potato au Gratin) has a crisp exterior, followed by a creamy interior, which complements the beef tenderloin nicely. The seasonal vegetables are crunchy, while the brandy sauce binds all the ingredients nicely.

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise & Seasonal Vegetable 

The service is friendly but minimal. On that night, we only have 1 service staff covering 4 tables.

Overall, Allo served delicious French cuisine in a French café atmosphere. The food is fairly priced and we will surely return for more. Santé!! Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80

Allo French Restaurant

72 Desker Road

Singapore 209595

T: +65 8897 9230

W: https://allo.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/allo.com.sg

IG: @Allo.com.sg

OH:

Tue – Thu, Sun: 11.00 – 15.00, 18.00 – 22.30

Fri – Sat: 11.00 – 15.00; 18.00 – Midnight

Closed on Mondays

La Savoir – L’Entrecote at La Savoir [MEDIA INVITE]

La Savoir is a luxurious café located in the heart of Orchard Road featuring local-French contemporary delicacies. The lavish ambiance is highlighted by their collection of exquisite wallpapers and modern décor. Each dish is prepared with utmost care and revolves around Hermes tableware.

La Savoir

Part of the Dining Area

La Savoir is proud to unveil L’Entrecote at Saviour. Only available in the evening, this 1 pax set course is priced at SGD 57.90++.

Part of the Dining Area

Foliage De Soleil Room

The set course starts with an appetizer, Mesclun salad tossed in yuzu dressing. The sweet, citrusy and refreshing yuzu dressing covered the bitter characteristic of the mesclun salad nicely.

Mesclun salad tossed in yuzu dressing

The Main Course is Ribeye Steak, Chimichurri, In-House French Sauce with a side of fries. The ribeye is cooked to perfection. It is lean, yet juicy with a nice crisp crust externally. The French fries have a crispy exterior, yet are soft and creamy inside. I prefer the rich and buttery in-house French sauce, compared to the slightly spicy and tangy chimichurri sauce.

Ribeye Steak, Chimichurri,
In-House French Sauce with a side of fries

The L’Entrecote set comes with a free Second Helping. We basically enjoy the delicious steak twice. Yummy!!

Second Helping

Since we had a bit of space after those two servings of L’Entrecote steak, we ordered the cake of the day (for an additional SGD6++). The cake of the day is La Savoir signature Chocolate Cake. The chocolate cake is thick and solid. In between the layers, there is a chocolate balls that add to the crunchiness of the cake. A perfect end to the meal.

La Savoir Signature Chocolate Cake

L’Entrecote steak is also available as a la carte option. A single serving of the steak is priced at SGD39.90++ and will also include French Cafe de Paris sauce, Chimichurri, and a side of salad and fries.

We also ordered Charred Octopus (SGD28++) - Charred Octopus, pimento puree, ice plant, black olive, confit tomato, orange and aged balsamic reduction. The octopus is charred, yet tender. The sauce is sweet, tangy, acidic, yet refreshing at the same time. The plating is very artistic while the flavour is very complex.

Charred Octopus

Overall, dining at La Savoir is like dining in France. The beautiful décor of the restaurant is complemented perfectly with the delicious French culinary excellence. Definitely, a place to visit for your next meal at any time of the day. Of course, don’t forget to try L’Entrecote set course or a la carte. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Media Invite)

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $51 – 80

La Savoir

6 Scotts Road

#02-01 Scotts Square.

Singapore 228209

T: +65 9377 7788

F: https://www.facebook.com/lasavoir

IG: @Lasavoir.sg

OH: Mon – Sun, 11.30 – 22.00 (LO 21.00)

Racines – Delectable French Cuisine & Refined Asian Delights

Racines is the main restaurant of Sofitel Singapore City Centre. It serves authentic French cuisine and refined Local Chinese delights. The spread will be prepared by two different culinary teams to ensure the authenticity of the epic dishes.

Entrance to Racines

During our March staycation in Sofitel Singapore City Centre, we dined here to celebrate LD’s birthday. Do take note that Racines refresh their menu regularly, therefore, the food reviewed here might not be on their current menu.

Lychee Mojito

After we were seated, the service staff asked us to scan the menu using the QR code on the table. Once we completed our order, the service staff will bring us the bread bowl. They are served warm and served with unsalted butter.

Bread Bowl with unsalted Butter

We started our meal with Foie Gras ($26) - Pan-seared foie gras with roasted apricot, berry vierge and brioche. The foie gras has a nice seared externally. It is thick, smooth and creamy, paired well with the light and crisp brioche and berry sauce.

Foie Gras

Burratina ($32) with Roasted Cherry Tomato, Arugula and Pesto. One of our favourite cheeses and entree. The burratina is solid and creamy. Instead of the usual olive oil and balsamic vinegar, Racines uses pesto for that green robust flavour together with tomato, sliced radish and arugula salad. It will be nicer with more tomatoes though.

Burratina

Lobster Bisque ($26) with Seafood Ragout and ikura. Solid lobster bisque and you can taste the cognac in it. To add to the twist, the team added ikura inside for the bursting effect when you slurp the soup.

Lobster Bisque

Lamb Rack ($48) Chargrilled Rack of Lamb, Braised artichoke with onion confit, basil chimichurri sauce. The lamb rack is cooked nicely, leaving the middle meat section pink. The meat is tender, juicy, and absent of the strong lamb smell. I like the chimichurri sauce; however, LD disagrees with the peas.

Lamb Rack

Black Cod ($48) Baked Soy Black Cod with grilled leeks, crispy lotus and bonito butter sauce. We like the texture of the cod fillet, as it melts with each bite. It was even better when paired with the tomato and crispy sliced lotus. However, the bonito butter is a bit overpowering and more suitable for broccoli and corn instead of fish.

Black Cod

Black Cod

Baked Light Souffle ($20) with Cointreau with Lime Sorbet. A must order dessert. The souffle is eggy, light and fluffy. The pairing with lime sorbet is just awesome.

Baked Light Souffle

On our visit in April, we decided to try the 3-Course Degustation Dinner ($62).

Part of the Dining Area

We started with crispy toasted sourdough, slathered with a generous amount of duck rillette. It is rich and tasty, while the caramelized balsamic apple, provided the contrasting sweet and tangy flavour to balance the richness of the duck rillette.

Duck Rillette

Duck Rillette

Main was Chargrilled Angus Beef Ribeye with French Fries. Cooked to medium-rare, it is juicy and succulent. While the steak is good and paired well with the chimichurri sauce, the fries can be better with more time in the deep fryer.

Chargrilled Angus Beef Ribeye with French Fries

Dessert was Chocolate Cremeux - Valrhona Chocolate Guanaja crème with Walnut Praline and Caramel Ice Cream. Solid dark chocolate crème with a crispy tart. The caramel ice cream is bold, yet goes well with the chocolate crème. Yummy!

Chocolate Cremeux

Not forgetting, we also ordered the souffle again.

Baked Light Souffle

The décor of the restaurant is spacious and grand at the same time. When you walk into the restaurant, you can see different cooking stations such as dessert station and bakery before you enter the main dining hall. The bar and floor to ceiling wine fridge are the centrepieces of the restaurant. Though service is fine, there is still room for improvement.

The Bar & Wine Chiller

Overall, LD and I like the food served at Racines for the French. When we went in March and April, we notice the menu is similar. I noticed that they have changed the menu for June. No matter what’s on the menu, the souffle is a must-order here. Cheers!

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 6.5/10 (9/10 with Accor Plus benefits)

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and above

Racines

9 Wallich Street

5th Floor, Sofitel Singapore City Centre

Singapore 078885

T: +65 6428 5000

W: https://www.sofitel-singapore-citycentre.com/gastronomy/racines/

F: https://www.facebook.com/SofitelSingaporeCityCentre

IG: @Sofitelsingaporecitycentre

OH: Daily

Breakfast, 07.00 – 10.30

Lunch, 12.00 – 15.00

Dinner, 17.30 – 22.00

Menu available online

[CLOSED] FrapasBar – French Tapas Concept by Saveur [MEDIA INVITE]

Crispy Pork Belly

FrapasBar by Saveur is the latest concept by the passionate and talented people in Saveur. FrapasBar is a combination of French Cuisine with Tapas style of presentation.

FrapasBar

Located in now-defunct Concetto, the Italian concept by Saveur; the group next concept is following the current market trend of pairing small bites with drinks. As the group strength in French cuisine, it is just natural that French style Tapas is the direction they are heading plus showcasing their forte.

Part of Bar & Dining Area

Not an alcohol drinker, I decided to order Frizzy Lemonade ($8). Citrusy, ice-cold and refreshing. Good as thirst cruncher for Singapore hot weather. 

Frizzy Lemonade

We started with Mussels & Cream ($12). Mussels cooked with white wine, cream, shallots and parsley. Creamy and fragrant broth to go with the juicy mussels’ flesh. It is best to squeeze the lemon into the dish as it helps to cuts through the richness of the sauce. As this dish does not come with bread, I suggest you order garlic bread ($3) to polish the sauce.

Mussels & Cream

Crispy Pork Belly ($15). One of the signature dishes in Saveur and I am glad that they bring it over to FrapasBar and revolutionise it.  Served with orange mustard puree, pickled daikon and balsamic baby onion.

The pork is juicy, succulent and almost melts in your mouth. While the skin is crispy and crumbly, almost like the Cantonese version of crispy roast pork. The mustard puree instead of the regular Dijon mustard elevates the presentation and flavour in this dish. While the tangy pickled daikon and balsamic baby onion gave this dish the OMPH factor and cuts through the "jelakness" of the pork. Yum yum.

Crispy Pork Belly

Seafood Bouillabaisse ($16). Mussel, prawn, seabass, squid, fennel, potato. A very robust soup base, filled with bold seafood essence. The medley of seafood provides different texture and flavours, while, the charred garlic bread has a nice smoky aroma and good to absorb the soup.

Seafood Bouillabaisse

Stuffed Squid ($18) with French Onion Rice. Though the presentation looks awesome, the texture of the squid let us down. It is a bit rubbery, even the fragrant French Orion rice unable to help in saving this dish. Will skip this dish next time around.

Stuffed Squid

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks ($18). The super WOW dish at FrapasBar. The beef cheek is so tender, you can pick it apart with your fork. The braising jus and seasoning well infused into the beef, as you can taste them while it melts in your mouth. Serving this dish with smooth velvety mash potatoes is just so comforting, while the picked red Bombay onion helps balance the richness of this dish. Yum Yum.

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks
Hand Model Tiara_Star 

We manage to leave some space for Sticky Date & Pecan Pudding ($10). Crispy externally, followed with a sweet sticky texture internally. The ice cream is generous and the creaminess goes well with the pudding. A must-order for those who enjoy sweet desserts.

Sticky Date & Pecan Pudding
Hand Model Tiara_Star 

The restaurant setting is modern and casual. Surrounded with floor to ceiling glasses, it maximises the use of natural daylight during the day. Good place to take photos.

Part of the Dining Area

Overall, the food in FrapasBar is on par with those served in Saveur. My personal picks are Crispy Pork Belly, Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks and Seafood Bouillabaisse. I look forward to returning to this place to try other dishes. Cheers!!

Thank you Msginginly for jioing and Tiara_Star for sharing the calories.

Food & Drink: 7.25/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

FrapasBar by Saveur

2 Handy Road

#01-11/12, The Cathay

Singapore 229233

T: +65 6735 1141

W: https://www.frapasbar.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/FrapasBar/

IG: @Frapasbar

OH:

Sun – Thu: 12.00 – 01.00

Fri & Sat: 12.00 – 02.00

Food Last Order 21.30

Menu available Online