Saveur the French Food

There has been much talk about Saveur - the affordable French Restaurant right across from another more up-market restaurant - Gunther's.

Having been to Black Sheep Cafe recently, I thought it would be good to also savor the French fare at Saveur and do a comparison. The restaurant sitting is pretty tight - a table for two is just a table for two with little room for anything extra. Two main dish later and we were struggling for space.

We ordered three dishes - crab meat pasta, duck confit and the pork belly. The crab meat pasta was served cold with a bed of crab meat on top of the capellini with some Lumpfish caviar. The capellini was al-dente and when tossed with the crab meat has a strong dried shrimp taste - lacking crab flavor actually. And also rather dry. Looks nice but could be better.

Next, the duck confit. Gina's choice. Can't compare to that of Black Sheep Cafe for sure. A rather flat piece of duck pretty well cooked but the skin is not as crispy as it should be. Gina said it was salty and when I tried it, she was right. The pan-fried shitake mushroom was done just nice.

I ordered the pork belly which comes with a soft boiled egg on a bed of green lentils. The pork is well cooked and the skin was a nice crisp. When one breaks the egg and combines with the pork, it lifts the pork belly.

Saveur is a decent restaurant - pricing is good value but haute cuisine it is not. And in their defense, they are not pretending to be haute cuisine. They just want to bring affordable french food to the masses and this they do well. Long queues every time I visit. Good for an occasional visit.

Saveur, 5 Purvis Street.

www.saveur.sg

The Black Sheep Cafe - Ratha's Back!

The Black Sheep Cafe is BACK!. Chef Ratha is back with his signature dishes albeit in a newer location off Upper Thomson Road.

After shutting down his previous restaurant in Mayo Street, Chef Ratha has reopened The Black Sheep Cafe in Thomson V One on Sin Ming Road. Our family was there for dinner on Thursday night and it was well worth the trip.

The restaurant is significantly larger than Mayo Street although Chef says it only sits ten more. Although Mayo Street had the old world charm, the new restaurant also has its own charm - a window seat at the basement level!

The food menu is the same as previously but there has been a change in the wine list. Chef recommended the Graham Beck Sparkling and I have to say that we liked it a lot. Now back to the food menu. My favorite the duck confit and pork cheek are still on the menu.

Business was good that day - the lobster bisque sold out for dinner. So we went straight for the mains instead. By 7pm, the restaurant was already three quarters full.

My son Justin had the Seafood Carbonara. The cream sauce mixed well with the seafood. The prawns were sweet and firm to the bite while the mussel is succulent. Definitely fresh.

Timothy had the rack of lamb and he liked his medium rare. Cooked to perfection. That's what he said (I don't eat beef and lamb). The hint of bloodiness was just nice for him.

Gina had the pork cheek - again, my favorite whenever I visit Chef Ratha. Well crisp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside!

I had wanted the Duck Confit but Chef recommended the Coq Au Vin - the chicken in red wine. I had not tried it done this way before. The chicken thigh and drumstick was well braised in red wine and accompanied by two mushroom filled with pork. Nice but I would have preferred the way it was done before - in bowl with a pastry top.

To Gina's favorite part of dining - dessert. Signature the Kahlua Soufflé. Ensure you pre-order as it takes at least 20 minutes. Baked to perfection, the soufflé puffed up above the ramekin and was well browned on the outside.

And soft and moist on the inside…The sweet dessert version is exactly how I like it. Chef used to make another version - The Grand Marnier. I have to have that again the next time I revisit.

The boys shared the crepe which was rather normal. I'd say stick to the soufflé.

And my friend Peter, his wife Kin and son Edward was there too. And seated an the next table too. What a coincidence! It was a nice dinner overall and by 7.30pm, the restaurant was full. So go on! Go down to Black Sheep Cafe for your fix. Ample parking available in the basement parking lots.

The Black Sheep Cafe

11 Sin Ming Rd, Thomson V, B1-30, Singapore 575629

Please call 6459 5373 (11.30a.m-10.30p.m) or 92721842