Review: Creperie des Arts @ Princep Street - Some of the Best French Crepes in Singapore!

After watching Iron Man 2 with Jack and XQ, we went hunting for food around the Cathay/ Selegie vicinity and decided on Creperie des Arts, which Jack & I spotted a couple of nights ago while having dinner at the neighbouring Sumomo, which warrants a separate post because the food there was good too!

I digress. Creperie des Arts is located at the shophouse row right opposite POMO, near the 24-hour Mr Bean cafe along Princep Street. It's got a nice terrace up front which is great for alfresco dining on a cool breezy evening. We however got ourselves seated indoors because it was full outside. It's a quaint little joint with wooden interiors and warm fuzzy lighting, decorated with fishing nets and fake crabs (!) to emulate the Brittany coastal feel.

The owners/staff were really friendly, and we felt totally at ease. On their menu there were several interesting looking starters such as Duck Rillette and Pate, and a huge variety of crepes in both sweet and savory (galettes) forms! The restaurant also served grilled meats but we decided to focus on what they're named after!

Both of the Galettes we ordered were heavenly - crepes were paper thin, buttery and nicely crisp! Reminds me a little of the tissue/paper pratas at the mamak stalls hehe..

The "Catherine" Galette

The "Catherine" came with Spinach, Bacon and Gruyere. We loved the way the crepe was crispy at first bite, then you reach the soft centre of mashed up cheese/spinach and finally comes the flavourful, smoky bacon!  

The "Saint Caradee" Galette

The "Saint Caradee" came filled with a creamy leek fondue, topped with pan seared scallops (1 each for us!). The leek fondue was aromatic with a hint of sweetness, but the highlight for the night was really the scallops! They were cooked to perfection - fresh, succulent on the inside, crispy and lightly charred on the outside. *bliss*  

The classic Crepe Suzette

Last but not least, we ended the meal with the all-time classic Crepe Suzette. Just as I wondered aloud whether they would prepare it in front of you (as do most french restaurants) because they have a rather low ceiling and I didn't want them to burn the shop down, the waiter came and poured lit Cointreau over the crepe at our table! The citrusy sorbet and orange sauce were sweet yet tangy and the crepe was nicely soaked through, but it was a little too alcoholic for our liking. Perhaps a little less of the liquor would be better.

Overall, Creperie des Arts is a fabulous place to just chill out with dear friends, and if you like, pick up a few simple french words from the lady boss!

8 out of 10
Creperie des Arts
44 Prinsep Street
#01-02/02 Prinsep Place
Tel: +65 6333 5330

Review: Four Fingers Bonchon Crispy Chicken @ ION Orchard #2

Since the last post a few months back where my experience at ION's 4 Fingers Bonchon Crispy Chicken was rather disappointing, I've decided to give this place a second try.

Upon entering - the store was noticeably tidier, and the store manager was around to supervise the staff, who were also a lot friendlier. Seems like they have taken the initial feedback seriously indeed! We ordered the Soy & Garlic chicken wings as well as the Shrimp & Calamari combos and the waiting time is much shorter this round. I nosily peeked into the kitchen and also realised that it's also much cleaner! Kudos to the owners for working hard to fine tune their operations!

Food-wise I really liked my Shrimp & Calamari combo, which came with seasoned fries. I'd chosen the Soy & Garlic seasoning for the mains and I liked the fact that it was salty yet mildly sweet. The chicken wings were also much juicier beneath the batter so I'd realised that this is actually how it was supposed to taste! The last time I tried, the wings tasted like they were double/triple-deep fried to the extend that all the moisture was lost and they were closer to chicken wing chips!

So the verdict is that I'm glad I gave this place another shot, and I would definitely visit again - I'm now a convert! Hope that the owners will continue to perfect their products and operations - well done guys!

Soy & Garlic Chicken Wings

Shrimp & Calamari Combo

7 out of 10
4 Fingers Bonchon Crispy Chicken
2 Orchard Turn
#B4-06A ION Orchard

Review: Galbiati Gourmet Deli @ The Rail Mall

I've been wanting to post this for sometime now but never found the time. This is a real gem nestled amongst the row of shops at The Rail Mall. If you're looking for a nice quiet place to chill out on a weekend, this is perfect for brunch/lunch!

Galbiati's menu looks compact at first, but they do have a strong variety of antipasti, pastas, pizzas and mains! And always check the board for specials because they usually have great seasonal stuff. This time Kays and I ordered their oysters which were extremely fresh and FAT!

For pasta I'd highly recommend their squid ink pasta. If you're comfortable enough with your date/ companion to have black teeth or goth lips, then go all out with the squid ink pasta + squid ink sauce! It is very delicious, really, but Kays and I were going out after lunch so we went for the Al Granchio (crabmeat, basil, in tomato and cream sauce) instead. The thing I love about their homemade squid ink pasta (think black fettucine) is that it seems to have more bite and smoother than regular pastas, and on top of that it has a hint of "squidish" flavour.

As for Pizza, I'd recommend the Parma Ham with Arugula! Pictured here is the salami pizza which was a nice simple cheesy treat, with crispy thin crust.

This place reminds me very much of Da Paolo back in the early days, before they expanded rapidly and I feel it's kinda lost that authentic Italian homemade touch... (coincidentally as I'm writing this and did some research, I realised that Chef Roberto Galbiati was formerly the Executive Chef in Da Paolo!)

They have recently opened a second outlet along Upper Bukit Timah for takeaways and delivery, so check their website for more details!

Salami Pizza

Lovely squid ink pasta with al Granchio sauce

Oysters that were oh-so-fresh and succulent!

7.5 out of 10

Galbiati Gourmet Deli
400 Upper Bukit Timah Road,
The Rail Mall 678050
Tel: +65 6462 0926
Mon-Fri 11am-10pm
Sat/Sun/P.Hol 10am-10pm
Closed on Tuesdays except Public Holidays