French Ladle : In the heartlands of Singapore... a little french...

The French Ladle - (www.facebook.com/TheFrenchLadle)
2 Pandan Valley (Inside Pandan Valley Condominium) #01-206, Singapore, Singapore 597626
Tel: 64677505

The French Ladle is a new kid on the block in, stashed close to the heartlands of Singapore. This cozy diner serves up some pretty decent french cuisine. They do have specials that changes with what fresh selects the chef finds at the market and according to the crew at French Ladle the chef experiments and tries something different with each change of daily specials. They do not have a huge range of wine selection but having said that, they do make an effort to try and pair the wines that they have with the selection of dishes that they have.

Should you make a trip down to the restaurant, I would recommend you speak to the friendly crew and find out a bit on how the whole restaurant came about, the renovations and preparations behind it. It was rather interesting to hear from that aspect and the crew are really friendly and approachable to share that bit of their history with you.

Some of the main stays such as duck confit and chicken chasseur were decent i must say and i believe will get better as the restaurant matures. The fondant was freshly baked and served just right with a nice crisp top layer smelling of fresh bakery but oozes hot chocolate as you dig into it. They use semi-sweet chocolate for the fondant.

I must say they have opened in a time where we do see many other new restaurants springing up such as La Cantine by Bruno Menard popping up and so we may be spoiled for choice but hey i am not sure about you but I reminisce the times when Dempsey was a leafy quieter stretch... and this gives me the sort of a feeling the area. What can i say... i got a soft spot for such locations.

If you are looking for a nice, intimate and casual place out and grab a bite away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this is actually quite a nice quiet district to grab dinner. I must say I was thoroughly looked after by the friendly crew and the ambiance was nice, casual homely. Thank you French Ladle!

In the beginning... there was a Fat Duck...

First and foremost, thank you for your interest in this blog. My journey with food started like most Singaporeans out of our innate passion to find something interesting in this little island of ours. 

But when it all started was a serendipitous (i lied... it was pre-mediatated) trip to Fat Duck (http://www.thefatduck.co.uk/) in 2011. Some friends of mine though tit was time to lead me through the "baptism of fire" and it sure did burn a huge hole in my pocket. But it did more than that, my first ever fine culinary exposure was born that day... also my first Michelin Star restaurant and a 3 start at it.

I must say i was blown away by the service and the thought and finesse in each and every dish that was served. 

It was a pity I didn't get the chance to probably blog it while my memory was still fresh. But i can tell you this... having treated to a dinner where the chef challenges your taste buds while at the same time tantalizing all your sense. Honestly, how many places will invoke the imagery of the sea through the use of an ipod mini, as you savour cured fish slices on a beautifully decorated plate that resembles the sand on the beach with foam that is left behind as the waves recede. 

The dinner went beyond just sweet, sour, bitter & salty, the fifth taste also came into play - Umami.

What I came to realized as well as that a dining experience goes way beyond the art, the Tudor house and the amazing service crew made the experience unforgettable. I mean, how often do you go to a restaurant even a fine dining (prior to Fat Duck I have tried Aria & Rockpool (2005) in Sydney, Australia), that the service crew actually was so attentive that when they cleared our dirty utensils and only to replace with fresh ones, he set it up in a different manner for the left handed. Such small details were the extreme that Fat duck Service staff noticed and catered to much to our surprise. Fat Duck was an really an experience. 

In the subsequent blogs, I will periodically blog in past meals as well as the recent ones. Do share with me your food exploits around the world. 

Thank you once again for reading this blog and allowing me to share my escapades.