Absinthe Restaurant, 72 Boat Quay
I am currently taking a beginner’s course in French, and one of the activities I’m required to completely as part of the experience is to have a meal at one of the French restaurants in Singapore. Hence I decided to take advantage of the restaurant week deals to have a meal at Absinthe, located a mere 5-10 minute walk from Clarke Quay MRT Station.
Resembling a typical French bistro (albeit slightly more upscale), Absinthe conveys a warm ambiance as we were greeted by an enthusiastic French server at the entrance before being led up a flight of steps into the cosy restaurant. Approximately half the employees appear to be French and it was a delight conversing with them, especially with Francois, the head chef, who made the effort to go round to each table to ensure that everyone was enjoying their meal.
On to the menu for the day, which consists of a four course set meal going for S$40++ this restaurant week. For appetizers, we had a Grilled Marinated Baby Octopus Salad, Mesclun and Olives. I am not a fan of greens and avoid salads to the best of my abilities. However, the grilled marinated baby octopus was delicious and I polished off half my salad with the help of that. My dining companions had no problems finishing the whole course and said it was one of the better salads she have had.
The second course was Cream of Wild Mushroom, which wasn’t bad but wasn’t too impressive as well.
For the mains, we had a choice between a fish and pork. My guest went for the Crispy Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly with Star Aniseed Jus, Beans and Potato for which she had nothing but praise for. The pork belly was crispy, lean and I have heard plenty of other patrons compliment the dish as well.
I, on the other hand, was craving for cod and thus had the Black Cod with Prawn-Crushed Potatoes and Chervil Emulsion. The fish was cooked almost perfectly, just slightly overcooked but still retaining its juices and a translucent colour. The prawn-crushed potatoes were delicious while the chervil emulsion was negligible. Satisfaction for my craving attained!
Lastly, deserts consist of an Upside Down Caramelized Apple Cake with Vanilla Cream which I personally enjoyed and found was a great end to a delightful meal. The vanilla cream had a strong fragrance of vanilla beans and enticed me into finishing deserts despite feeling full to the brim from the previous three courses. Good thing the portions aren’t very big here (which is a pity if you have a large appetite).
Absinthe serves up good, authentic French cuisine by the riverside and is a must-go on every foodie’s list. Being name after the alcoholic spirit, Absinthe also serves its namesake but we weren’t keen on seeing green fairies at 3pm in the afternoon and thus gave it a miss. Would definitely be back next time to give it and their Cognac Lobster Bisque a try!
Absinthe Restaurant, 72 Boat Quay
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