Singapore Food Blog - Antoinette @ Penhas Road

Location:  Central Business District (CBD), Singapore

Recommended: various cheese tarts (~SGD3)

Antoinette has appeared in the scene for quite some time but despite the fact that my place is relatively close to it, I never get to visit its main branch in Penhas Road until quite recent. Even though the Lavender scene is packed with novelty hipster cafes (such as Chye Seng Huat Hardware) and great dining spots (such as Lighthouse Bistro), Antoinette still manage to secure itself as not just another cafe but an original entity.

The pristine white exterior and its name are clear giveaways that this is a place with a focus on French food and pastries. Upon entering, I immediately succumbed to the rows of colorful macarons and cakes demanding the attention of my sweet tooth. Recently one of the owner chef's offer that grabbed foodie's attention is their own lineup of cheese tarts to ride on the sudden craze, so naturally I had to grab some for myself.

A pristine white front

Singapore Food Blog - Paul @ Takashimaya

Location: Orchard, Central Business District (CBD), Singapore

Note: This post is written base on the dining experience in Takashimaya Shopping Center's branch. Experience may vary from that of other outlets.

Recommended: Chocolat Frappé à la Menthe (SGD6.50), Mint Cucumber (SGD8.90), Roulade de Poulet (SGD23.90), Piece de Boeuf (SGD28.90), Cabillaud Royal de Méditerranée (SGD29.90), Millefeuille nature (SGD6.80), Tarlette Chocolate (SGD6.30)

Paul should be quite well known to most in Singapore. If you are not familiar with one, just visit the one in Takashimaya like I did – you will not miss the snaking queue of diners waiting impatiently for a spot to sample their patisserie. They have set up branches in various spots but my favorite haunt remains the one in Takashimaya.

I usually prefer to patronize Paul before noon for a hearty brunch, a time when the crowd is thinner and the queue more acceptable. I prefer a seat within, admiring the interior decor reminiscent of European styles but sometimes I can only get a seat outside of the cafe, staring at patrons of the mall and get stared back in return.

Paul, and a certain somebody behind...

Singapore Food Blog - Café Gavroche

Location: Tanjong Pagar, Central Business District (CBD), Singapore

I have no knowledge of this cafe tucked in Tras Street if not for my friend's recommendation, who in turn heard of it from his friend. He did warn me that the food was exorbitant relative to its meal but patrons usually visited for its ambiance that was famed for trying to duplicate the Parisian atmosphere.

Cafe Gavroche was its name, but it wasn't easy for us to locate it in our fist visit. Instead of a large signage declaring its name to everyone, the cafe was satisfied with a small one that was easily missed. For those returning patrons however, its front would be hard to miss - potted plants flanked its entrance which could easily convinced that you were about to enter another world 14 hours away.

The sign of the cafe is not easily located, but once you recognized the front of the cafe with its potted plants then locating it along Tras Street would be a breeze. The bar is right across the street from this cafe and opens in the evening.

Singapore Food Blog - Poulét @ Raffles City Shopping Centre

Location: City Hall, Central Business District (CBD), Singapore

Note: This piece was written base on the dining experience in Raffles City Shopping Centre's outlet. Experience may differ from those in another branch.

Getting affordable French cuisine in Singapore could be a challenge sometimes, with most of the high end fine dining claiming the honors to host such fine cuisine. The opening of Poulét by the same group operating Thai Express allowed middle income diners like me to try something French without the need to fork out a stack of greens or a significant deduction from your credit account.

Poulét is French for chicken, and as if to further emphasize this, their signature dish is one Poulét Roti, a dish offering you a choice of half or whole chicken. Of course, the queue in front of the restaurant during dining hours lend some testament to their reputation, so off we went for some French food.

If you can't relate the word Poulet with France, surely the half-chopped Eiffel Tower will remind you of the nation...