5 new French bistros in Singapore

In a city that is fast gaining fame as much for its credit card-denting celebrity chef dining institutions as for its vibrant street food culture, a new breed of restaurants is coming into being.

Bistronomy -- which conquered Paris years back when Michelin-starred chefs “gave back” their stars in favor of undressed tables, off-beat menus and affordable prices -- is fast gaining pace in Singapore.

Even celebrity chefs like Daniel Boulud and Joël Robuchon have jumped on bistro bandwagon.

So here are five of the latest, hottest French bistros to debut in the Little Red Dot.

Cotton Bleu

The name Cotton Bleu is a play on the name of chef proprietor, Hervé Cotton, who was inspired to create a bistro with his wife, Susan Cotton, after topping a reality TV cooking competition. The Bleu’s compact bistro is located along the Thomson Road thoroughfare.

What to expect: Homey French fare such as boeuf bourguignon and baked escargot that will not create a dent on your credit card. Entrées are priced from around S$13 while the cost of mains is capped at S$32. Reservations are a must as the venue fills up quickly, especially on weekends.

The perfect meal: Ask for the divine rosemary-skewered seared scallops with seasonal greens, a highlight of the meal, and moules marinières, a classic French dish of mussels cooked in white wine, onions and a splash of crème.

205 Upper Thomson Road; +65 6252 5525; cottonbleu@yahoo.com.sg

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

Owned by Joël Robuchon, who has 26 Michelin stars to his name and more than 20 restaurants spanning 11 cities, the black-and-red bathed L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon ("L’Atelier") is the legendary French chef’s stab at fine bistro cuisine -- and it rocks. The 20-minute drive from town to L’Atelier’s roost in Hotel Michael at Resorts World Sentosa is, to say the least, completely worth the trek.

What to expect: While there’s an à la carte menu, everyone comes to L’Atelier for the tasting menu, which features deft tapas-sized French creations such as Le Crab (king crab sandwiched between slivers of sliced turnip) and Le Langoustine (crispy langoustine fritter with basil pesto) at prices that will not break the bank.

The perfect meal: The best way to sample Robuchon’s tapas-sized French creations is with Menu Decouverté (Discovery Menu, S$250 per head), an eight-course degustation of petite-portioned L’Atelier classics including our favorite of La Caillie, foie gras-stuffed quail on a mound of buttery mashed potatoes.

8 Sentosa Gateway, Resorts World Sentosa; +65 6577 8888; www.rwsentosa.com

• More on CNNGo: Joel Robuchon: 'The best gauge of success is still the number of guests who keep coming back'

L’Entrecôte

Conceived by French millionaire-turned-restaurateur, Olivier Bendel, L’Entrecôte is tucked away on the ground floor unit of a charming shophouse along the cobble stone-paved Duxton Hill.

What to expect: A remake of the Parisian Relais de Venise experience where only one plat du jour -- entrecote steak doused in a closely-guarded secret -- features for the daily main course. You dine in a boisterously convivial space with tables packed so close that you can almost hear your neighbor’s heartbeat.

The perfect meal: You can’t go wrong with starters like the pink, rich and melt-in-the-mouth foie gras terrine and succulent parsley and garlic butter-soaked escargots. To make up for the shortfall in main course selection, you’ll get to choose from almost 15 desserts including a profiterole sandwiched with vanilla bean ice cream and French classic of tarte tartin.

36 Duxton Hill; +65 6238 5700; lentrecote.sg

• More on CNNGo: 5 reasons to return to Duxton Hill

 

Taratata Bistrot

Started by French chefs Bertrand Raguin, who held kitchen stints at various restaurants including the former L’Aigle d’Or at Berjaya Hotel, and Philippe Nouzillat, an Au Petit Salut alumnus, Taratata is housed in a shophouse unit on the atmospheric Keok Saik Road.

What to expect: With its back-and-white checked tiles and confection of red banquettes, the look and feel of this airy bistro is as authentic as the real deal in Paris. The gargantuan menu features bistro standards such as steak tartare as well as lesser-known French classics like cassolette d’escargot.

The perfect meal: See what the Frenchies at the next table are ordering. Ours piled their table with homemade pork pate, hand-chopped steak tartare, cassolette d'escargots with mushrooms, ribeye with potato gratin; duck confit on a bed of white bean ragout, pear belle Hélène dessert and the biggest profiterole we’ve ever seen.

35A Keong Saik Road; +65 6221 4528; taratata@taratata.sg

db Bistro Moderne

You should know by now that db Bistro Moderne at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is French-American celebrity chef Daniel Boulud’s take on casual bistro fare.

What to expect: Arguably the prettiest restaurant along the celebrity chefs-stretch, the glass-and-tile db Bistro Moderne boasts a more casual café on the left and a convivial tiered restaurant on the right that booms with upbeat tunes. And befitting Boulud’s celebrity status, the fare is a notch more sophisticated than you would expect from typical bistro joint.

The perfect meal: We love our dainty mound of snail and chicken oyster fricassee, the intensely robust bouillabaisse with succulent seafood and Boulud’s refined take on pot au feu beaming with Wagyu beef and foie gras bits in a lovely beef consommé; but our neighboring table’s piping hot seafood in a fragrant espagnole sauce served in a cast iron casserole looked just as alluring.

#B1-48 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave.; +65 6688 8525; www.marinabaysands.com