L'Angelus

L'Angelus was another restaurant that I had the fortune to dine at twice within a month. The first time was to celebrate a friend's birthday & the second was for my own birthday.

As you may have noticed by now, no trip to any fine restaurant is ever complete for me sans foie gras! However, I must clarify that I only took a few nibbles (ok, so they were BIG nibbles) from a friend's plate. She was so sweet to give me some of her Foie Gras with Spiced Apples. This is a very generous serving of foie gras considering the price. I thought the spiced apples added a nice touch to the rich flavour of the foie gras. I like the flavour of cinnamon. Since watching "A Touch of Spice", I'm constantly reminded of the movie whenever I taste cinnamon. The foie gras was just a little too well-done for my liking. Luckily it wasn't too far gone and so it still had a nice texture.

I had the Salad with Blue Cheese & Bacon Bits. Check out the pic! Boy, were there alot of bacon bits! Thankfully, the bacon bits were fried well enough such that they were crispy on the outside and yet still juicy when you bite into them. Usually the bacon bits that I get in salads came straight out of a bottle (I hate those) or are overdone and hard. This was a delightful change and was highly addictive to say the least! I say, pile on the lardons, man! The salad was a pretty large portion but I didn't have to worry because the other girls were digging into my salad too. I guess you can call this a food exchange programme of sorts? Nonetheless, we had loads of fun and a medley of flavours at the table!

The Steak Tartare was very well-prepared. It was fun to watch the waiter mixing the minced beef and condiments with such finesse. I must say that the showmanship at this restaurant was impressive! As is apparently the norm in this restaurant, it was a large serving. I loved the hint of mustard in this dish.

We also had the Magret du Canard (Duck Breast) with Provençale Tomatoes and Potatoes Dauphinois. The duck breast was served medium-rare, which I feel is the best way to enjoy it. A well-done duck breast is invariably tough. The duck meat was moist and tender. The browned edges imparted a smoky flavour to the meat which was a pleasure to savour. I love potatoes in any form. I especially love potatoes when prepared with cream and cheese as was the case with the side of potato dauphinois (a.k.a. potato gratin). The potatoes enhanced the taste of the duck by adding a rich and starchy element. I prefer tomatoes to be served raw or in a stew so I must confess that I'm not a huge fan of Provençale tomatoes which are baked with a herbed bread crust topping.

Finally, here's a pic of the Stewed Chicken with Morel Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce served over a plate of Conchiglioni Rigati pasta. By this time, I was getting pretty stuffed with "food tasting" and could not finish this dish. It was charmingly served in an oval copper pot. How quaint! The chicken was tender and delicately flavoured with the taste of mushrooms.

Despite how full we felt, we HAD to make room for Crêpes Suzette! Sorry, I forgot to snap a pic as I was too busy ogling as the waiter prepared it. I love almost all kinds of crêpes and the Crêpes Suzette from L'Angelus certainly did not disappoint. Its the mix of melted butter, caramelised sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier flambéed then added to the crêpes which makes the dish so appealing and the flavour so exquisite.

Do try the Molten Chocolate Cake too as its oh so devilishly divine. It was not overpoweringly sweet neither was the crust overdone such that it was too hard.

Overall, I had a most enjoyable meal at L'Angelus as its good old-fashioned French food in a casual setting. My friends and I also loved gazing at the movie posters that grace the walls of this establishment.

L'Angelus No. 85 Club Street Singapore 069453 Tel: 6225-6897

Operating Hours: 12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. - Mondays to Fridays & from 7.00 p.m. till late - Mondays to Saturdays. No lunch on Saturdays & are closed on Sundays

* This article was published in AsiaOne Wine, Dine & Unwind on November 2, 2006.