Gullible Travels

Bistro Du Vin

POSTED ON Sunday, September 20, 2015 AT 12:36 AM \ leave a comment (0)

carrying on with the European theme, we move on to one of the Les Amis Group's most popular creations - Bistro Du Vin. the restaurant does a fine job in recreating the ambiance of a French Bistro, and this is translated into the interior design, the lighting, the service and of course the food itself. located at a corner of Shaw Centre, where all the cars roll up to its carpark, having a seat by the window really gives you a French street-side feel. take it from someone who hasn't been to Paris *wink*

the restaurant is most famous for its set lunch menu, it is reasonably priced, covers a good range of their signature French dishes and comes with a good selection of desserts. the only small drawback, which i personally don't even consider one, is that the mains come in smaller portions than the ala carte version of the same thing. The mushroom veloute as an entree comes together with a serving of bread. we also tried a foie gras ravioli for starters and it was superb, down to the very last drop.

a very hearty portion of a duck leg confit soon followed and it was served with pommery mashed potatoes. the duck meat was tender, well grilled and had a decent portion of meat. it is not surprising that this dish is one of the more popular choices amongst the set lunch mains.

next up, we had the braised pork cheek set, that came with pork sausages, baked potatoes and cabbage. the pork cubes were all very soft and easy on the chewing, the gravy kept the meat moist and carries a unique flavour, though it felt a little boring towards the end. we saw other patrons having the tuna steak with ratatouille and made a mental note to try that on our next visit.

then came our desserts. the baked apple tart on a puff pastry served with ice-cream is something those with a sweet tooth would go for. the waffle-like pastry was served warm and the apples had caramel sauce dripped over them. i guess this accompanies well with ice-cream. on the other side, we tried a creme brulee, which is a custard-based pastry decked with flame-burnt hard caramel. this is a popular French dessert that is served warm, and was also very sweet. good thing that the set lunch ends off with coffee to wash it all down eventually.

in all, the visit to Bistro Du Vin was a refreshing and pleasant experience. the cosmopolitan crowd and packed tables on a weekend is probably the best testament to its quality (reservations for weekend dining is recommended) and having all that as part of a set lunch was surely a steal. the environment is nice, good for catching up with friends or having a small family meal. we're converts, and we'd almost certainly be coming back. Bon Appetit!

Bistro Du Vin
Shaw Centre
1 Scotts Rd, #01-14
Singapore 228208

Opening Hours
12 pm to 2 pm; 6.30 pm to 10 pm (Daily)

Food - the best ingredient to relish life with your loved ones over a memorable meal..

Pasta Brava

POSTED ON Sunday, September 06, 2015 AT 7:22 PM \ leave a comment (0)

with a couple of our friends touring Italy now, and having plans to visit Europe next year, we kick off a short series of European cuisine that can be found locally. Pasta Brava is a classic Italian restaurant located within a conservation shophouse along Craig Road in the Duxton area. it has been around since the 1990s and is known for serving authentic Italian dishes.

Established by an Italian native founder, the restaurant gives out a European family restaurant vibe. It has won numerous awards over the years and is rated on Tripadivsor for tourists visiting Singapore. they carry an authentic menu from its appetizers, to salads, to its pastas, Risottis and mains. The price point is reasonable and can be very crowded during weekday lunches as well as weekend dinners.

we were very curious why they had chalk and paper on every table. somewhere deep down, we seriously thought it was for the waiters to mark special orders from the customers. fortunately, the crew clarified, and even quipped that "they are confident that customers to their restaurant wouldn't be drawing on the walls"... hence, we wrote a birthday message for our friend who joined us that evening.

there are a wide range of starters, and we went for their Calamari Fritti, which was fried squid rings served in their special spiced tomato sauce. other starters that we were recommended to try include their cold cuts with provolone cheese and the Gamberi Con Aglio E Prezzemolo, which is essentially sauteed prawns prepared in brandy, butter and garlic. the gravy and sauce for most of their starters are thick and well-flavoured, giving them a distinctive taste.

this was all the more so for the pasta dishes that we ordered. I especially loved the Tagliolini Con Aragosta, which was a Tagliolini pasta dish served with lobsters in cherry tomato sauce. the flavour of the pasta was very rich, served smoking hot and had the spices/sauces well immersed into the pasta. similarly, the crayfish spaghetti (Crayfish Al Cartoccio) which was served with tomato-based sauce and wrapped in paper to contain its taste was excellent! we also tried some of their Ravioli and found the servings generous and well-stuffed.

in all, the visit to Pasta Brava can be described as a unique experience. the food served here does not taste like the average pasta meals we get readily in chain restaurant establishments in our country and was certainly worth our visit. The setting feels right for a romantic dinner date, though some evenings can get a little too crowded. reservations are advised and just open your heart to savour a truly gastronomic Italian experience.

Pasta Brava
11 Craig Road
Singapore 089671

Opening Hours
Mondays to Saturdays: 12 pm to 2.30 pm; 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm
(Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays)

They occasionally open for dinner service if a Public Holiday falls on a Friday or Saturday, so call to check!