Where to go for a fine, bun farewell lunch or dinner in Singapore?
Answer
We opted for Bistrot du Sommelier on Armenian Street in the heart of the business and museum district in Singapore. A sommelier is a wine expert in a restaurant.
Restaurant Table Choices
This restaurant is in three parts, up a steep staircase to the bar with a view down over the streets. The cosy restaurant indoors. Or outside.
Other diners chose to move outside after dinner. We presumed because one or more wished to smoke. Or they wanted to stand up after a heavy meal (to reduce hours spent sitting - as sitting all day is supposed to be unhealthy).
If a group has had a lot to drink and is talking loudly, it is a good idea to move away from cosy twosomes muttering sweet nothings or talking confidential business. If you are the ones not wanting to be overheard or disturbed, you might choose to be outside, because of despite of noise from traffic or construction works.
Delightful Decor On Wine Theme
We opted for inside. I was immediately impressed by the interesting decor. When they say sommelier they mean it. All the waiters are quietly confident and knowledgeable about wines.
Everything is wines.Two grand chandeliers are made of a stack of inverted wine glasses. On one side were tables for two. On the other side, banquettes, with wine cases used to make the banquettes backs and base facades.
Wooden Platters
The platters for the food were wooden pieces with wine names, too, not rough and mis-shapen with cracks like in many restaurants, but framed oblongs neatly-sealed and gleaming.
Chardonnay Juice
When it came to ordering food and drink, the first pleasant surprise was the alternative to wine for a non-drinker. I had a grape juice made from Chardonnay to accompany my fellow diner's chardonnay wine.
I was surprised, a bit disappointed, that it came out of a bottle - made in France. I suppose I assumed it would be made from grapes thrown into a blender, like most juices in Singapore shopping malls.
But, a good idea. I shall try that next year with the tiny amount of Chardonnay grapes we grown from one vine in our garden in London, England. We had previously allocated them for wine-making, ore eating, but making grape juice is a third use for garden grapes.
We also have friends in Singapore who grow a vine on a balcony. We could ask for some grapes, and give them half the juice we make, at very least a glass or two to drink with us, as a thank you.
A visit to a restaurant serves two purposes, no, three, more. To enjoy food you don't buy or don't have time and expertise to make at home. To benefit from the knowledge of the waiter or chef or sommelier. To get out of home. To have time to talk, without worrying about buying groceries, cooking serving or washing up. To eat out when working or visiting museums and attractions away from home. To enjoy funky decor. To enjoy smart toilets with flowers and music.
(In Bistrot de Sommelier wien theme and flowers. For music go to Sheraton Towers hotel in Singapore. Actuallly the downstairs toilet door needs attention, if a customer is fussy about such things. I am.)
To go home with ideas for your own cooking. To learn the ingredients of wines and dinner dishes so you are more enlightened next time you go to a restaurant or talk about food to family and friends.
The three-course set menu was good value.
Duck Terrine
The bread was good, with a crunchy outside. I wasn't enamoured with the duck terrine, and felt its flavour was eclipsed by the pickled cucumber.
Chicken In Garlic
However, things improved exponentially with the main course. I had poultry with cooked garlic cloves.
The pommes dauphinoise came up in a separate little round pot, with perfect cheese topping. How do they find such good potatoes!
Lovely Lemon Cake
Finally, the perfect lemon cake. Moist and very lemony. Like sucking a lemon. Strong flavour.
Christmas List
We left with their list of foods and wines you could buy from them for dinner at home. Looking at other customers at weekday lunchtime, (a small survey of only three tables midweek) I could see, that guess, hear from phrases echoing around he room as they raised their voices, that other customers were in finance or property or entrepreneurs so I imagine they are not short of money and are into working lunches. For them, entertaining whilst sealing a business deal, the Christmas prices would be good value, cheese with truffle at much more than it would cost from even a speciality cheese shop.
Not so tempting for us, but could be a good deal for you or somebody you know.
Thinking more about it, a restaurant can make more money by selling foods for Christmas at home, as well as satisfying customers who might have wanted to eat at the restaurant, if it closes (or charges high prices at Christmas) or is fully booked for the busy Christmas period, to keep the customers happy with an alternative option from their favourite reliable restaurant and stop them going out for dinner somewhere else.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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