by joanna on January 25, 2010
A very special New Year’s Eve at Amantee
We decided to spend Christmas and New Year’s in Thailand this year. It was time to totally chill out and honestly I have yet to find a better place than Thailand for complete relaxation. But we still wanted to do something special for New Year’s Eve in Bangkok and when we heard Amantee was having one of their seasonal celebratory event dinners, ourselves and some friends immediately booked a table. [keep reading…]
by joanna on December 8, 2009
Bubbly wine tasting debunks the ‘has to be expensive’ and ‘has to be French’ myth
We were invited to a blind bubbly wine tasting by our friends at The Local Nose. The idea of the event was to taste both champagnes and sparkling wines of all price points and from various regions to see if one could discern the difference between champagne vs. sparkling wine, and expensive vs. inexpensive. [keep reading…]
by joanna on December 3, 2009
Stunning presentation, impeccable service and inventive, modern French cuisine
It was Paul’s birthday, so it had to be special…something out of the ordinary and truly impressive. After much consideration I selected Gunther’s, #7 on the Miele Guide’s list for top restaurants in Asia. I think what got me, besides its reputation as one of the best restaurants in Singapore, was the idea of a menu-less, 8-course tasting dinner designed on the spot by the chef (who trained in a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris). The idea of every course being a surprise sounded exhilarating and like just the kind of unique experience I was looking to share with Paul on his special day. [keep reading…]
by joanna on October 13, 2009
Creative reinterpretations of French classics alongside the standards
There was a lazy weekend stretched ahead of us….for the first time in 9 months, we didn’t have one single appointment on the weekend. This had been planned intentionally. The good thing about running this blog is the wide variety of adventures and experiences we have. The bad thing can be there is little to no down time. And so we awoke on Saturday morning and went to our friend Helena’s restaurant Epicurious for a lazy breakfast. As we ate, Helena came and joined us and was chatting about a lovely French meal she had enjoyed the night prior at Le Bistrot. As she told us more we were intrigued and then something about a Wagyu Beef Cheek Crumble sealed the deal. We knew where we were going to have dinner that night… [keep reading…]
by joanna on September 30, 2009
Cote de Boeuf steak for two and other French classics
Thoroughly French bistro style… chalkboard, inlaid marble tables, dark interior, temperature controlled wine room and all. Two-year-old Franck presents a French menu with bistro classics like pigeon, roasted chicken, steaks, beef tartare, grilled tuna and more in Shanghai’s French concession. Overall, it is a classic presentation of classic dishes in the classic style….in a word “solid” but not necessarily original or distinctive. Then again, it’s always a pleasure to have a well executed French meal in Asia…. [keep reading…]
by Paul on August 18, 2009
(This review has two parts as we’ve dined here twice, the first time unfortunately was just with friends and I didn’t have my camera with me. The second visit covers the weekday dinner set menu)
The neon Heineken sign visible from the street coupled with twin oversized yellow umbrellas belied the charming interior and delectable French cuisine found inside. But once past the front door, L’Angelus French Restaurant transported me to the unassuming French countryside. Not the commercialized French experience with wrought iron cafe tables and doilies scattered about, but rather an almost homey atmosphere with walls decked out with vintage French movie posters, tables dressed in simple, white tablecloths, and golden lighting that warmed the room. [keep reading…]
by joanna on June 28, 2009
A quiet little place, with an endless wine list, tucked away on Duxton Hill
We were searching, maybe a bit too late at 9pm, on a Friday night for a place on Duxton Hill to have dinner. Walking up and down the cobble-stoned hill lined with conservation shop houses, we were surprised to see that most restaurants were quiet. This seemed a bit surprising on a Friday night – and further stumped us on our selection…as when in doubt in Singapore one always follows the crowd as food-loving Singaporeans seem to have an instinctual drive for good food. Maybe we should have left at this point for more crowded environs, but we decided to be adventurous and try The Universal.
[keep reading…]
by joanna on June 16, 2009
Every time we go to the area known as Chip Bee Gardens on Jalan Merah Saga we make a new discovery…With a bevy of lovely little restaurants, gourmet food stores, art galleries, bakeries and cool specialty kitchen / baking supply stores, one can spend a whole afternoon puttering around. And we often do!
A destination in and of itself, here are some of our favorites on Jalan Merah Saga.
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Imagine Jim Thompson house. Now strip away the legend, crappy silk (I’ll give you that it looks good, but Thai silk is the least comfy silk I’ve ever had the displeasure of touching), over inflated prices, and throngs of farangs decked out in sandals and fanny packs. Does such a place exist in Bangkok? Well… I don’t know if it’s considered Bangkok proper, but with a short drive you’ll be away from the masses and relaxing at Amantee.
[keep reading…]
A birds eye view on the Bund and fine French dining from the 36th Floor of the Shangri La Hotel 
