Le Saint Julien

Read in the papers that the Best French Restaurant voted by Singapore Business Review in 2008 and 2009 would be moving out of The Fullerton Water Boat House after 10 years in business. Among the handful of French fine dining restaurants I have tried, thought Le Saint Julien was the best in Singapore and reminded myself to make a trip down memory lane before it closes at the end of January (the last date for reservation is 18 Jan 2013). Visited on a Friday for dinner and was led past a comfortable-looking area with sofas ideal for lounging. Sat at a table by the window just like the last two times and found the place surprisingly quiet with only a few customers. Though its impressive selection of wine was awarded the Best Wine List of the Year by Wine & Dine in 2009, my dining companion had a mocktail while I started with an aperitif of Campari with orange that was bitter, sweet and tart at the same time.

Complimentary bread was served with butter, which I declined and staff was quick to ask if I would like olive oil instead. Soft and fluffy on the inside, my choice of cranberry (over multigrain) bread was warm with a nice crisp crust and sweet dried cranberries. Loved the aroma of olive oil and how it accentuated the taste of both breads as a dip. Next was amuse-bouche, a complimentary single bite-sized prelude to the meal and showcase of what to expect from renowned Chef Julien Bombard. Hailed "Global Chef of the Year 2006" by the Culinary Academy and Spice Garden Singapore, he was appointed as a knight of the order of agricultural merit by Minister Bruno Le Maire, the French Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fishing in 2010. So expect no less than an exquisite presentation and a delicate balance of taste and texture – thinly sliced turkey breast interlaced with sweet sauce stacked in a cube with a slice of crunchy red radish atop and tangy orange dressing by the side.

For appetiser, I had sautéed escargots with garlic butter and red wine sauce with tomato confit. Escargots done just right, neither too hard nor chewy and comparable to the ones I had in France, were well-balanced by raw crunchy greens and mostly sweet tomato confit with a nice aroma of garlic butter that did not overwhelm the dish. Tried the pan seared duck liver with caramelised onions, apple and Calvados sauce my dining companion ordered – noticeably less oily with a crisp outside and creamy inside that melted in the mouth. This was where I fell in love with foie gras and it was still as good as I remembered it to be, possibly because duck (instead of goose) liver were used here. Other than seeing familiar faces, we would not miss having its signature lobster bisque and watching the soup being poured from a kettle into a shallow bowl with lobster meat and garlic aioli though it was too salty for my liking.

Being the more adventurous one, I went for a recommended main not on the menu. What I believed to be grilled pigeon breast in red wine sauce was tender and full of flavour with a nice aroma while the leg confit was also crispy. Served with petai beans and sautéed mushrooms with garlic butter, topped with more raw crunchy greens. Different from the crispy roasted pigeon I ate in Hong Kong and loved yet as delicious, it was filling and better than the Wagyu beef I tried previously. My dining companion ate roasted Challans duck breast with leg confit, rillettes on toast (crispy rice) and orange sauce. And we shared crunchy and juicy green asparagus with orange zest butter, not that I could taste the orange in it. Ordered a chocolate mousse with coconut shreds atop, mini pineapple cubes and chocolate sauce by the side for desserts and was surprised with another – a complimentary mango cake with strawberries. A perfect end to a delicious meal with pleasant service, need I say more?