1Caramel - Surprises aplenty.

I've always considered 1Caramel at The Luxe(now-defunct) my trusty dessert spot whenever I happen to be that area. Imagine my horror when I found out that it moved out and been replaced by another cafe which I couldn't give two hoots about.

I found out from one of their service staff(the same one who used to work at 1Caramel as well) that my beloved patisserie had relocated to ulu ulu Rochester Park.

It was Love's birthday and I wanted to bring him to somewhere quiet and relaxing. Rochester Park came into mind. Both initial choices, Graze and Krish were unfortunately closed on that day, hence the next best option had to be 1Caramel.

And it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

It was a quiet Tuesday noon. We were the only patrons during our entire time there, as though we'd booked the entire place. What up!

 They do customized 3D cakes as well.

 The lovely cupcakes and mini-cakes on display. Loyal patrons would be able to tell that their cakes had underwent an image revamp.
They look more exquisite and delicate now, but I still preferred the huge, hearty portions of the past.

 Creamy scrambled egg with German-style sausage ($14)

Da boyf's choice. This was served with a roasted tomato, bay spinach and toasted country bread. Did not try the eggs & bread but he made remarks of the eggs having the right consistency; not too runny nor too rubbery. The scrummy German sausage was nicely-spiced and meaty in every bite.

 Croque Madame ($14)

Here comes the pièce de résistance. This French classic has officially toppled Eggs Benny as my #1 brunch must-have!

Toasted(sometimes grilled) brioche coated with cheesy Béchamel sauce and loads of cheese, finished with a wobbly fried egg sitting proudly on top. Brioche was pillowy with a delightfully crunchy crust, and I swore I tasted garlic-herb spread on it too.

So many different tastes and textures, yet not at all confusing. It's amazing how a simple ham & cheese sandwich can be made so delicious. One word: Orgasmic.

 A lovely mess indeed.

Earl Grey creme brulee ($14)

Little thought was need when it came to choosing desserts.

Infused with earl grey tea leaves, the smoky aroma was so strong that my delicate palate received a jolt that made me sit up and pay attention. Oh what an attention seeker. Its unique fragrance grew on me after subsequent bites; an acquired taste, I would say.

Crackling crust was lovely but I would have preferred a silkier, more meltingly-soft custard(again, personal preference). The accompanying grissini cheese straws were like twisted phyllo pastries and had the same smoky aroma. Lovely. 

Passionfruit souffle with banana-passion sorbet ($14)

I'd spied my little eye on this since god knows when; been dyin' to try this. Alas........I would say that this was a little less mind-blowing than what I had in mind. Texture was perfect, the eggy souffle was reminiscent of clouds. Deceptively demure, this badass souffle had my boyf cringing at the very first bite. Hahaha. Studded with passionfruit seeds, this was strong in flavour and unabashedly so. Nevertheless, this was devoured in seconds.

Banana passion sorbet was pleasantly good; I loved the harmonious blend of the tropical flavours.

Brunch is never complete without a good and warm cuppa.
Cappucino and Latte ($8 each)

Complimentary Gems(petit fours) were served. Orange creme brulee(left) strangely tasted nothing like its name. It tasted more like candied fruits on a soggy feuilletine. On the right was the milk chocolate which was left untouched.

The tiny syringe on the left petit four was lime curd and was interesting. The dark chocolate on the right was rather ho-hum.

Brunch-lovers would be pleased to know that 1Caramel is currently running a 1-for-1 F&B promo which ends on 14th June. We were pleasantly surprised when the grand total of the bill came up to only forty-ish.

We had a really lovely(read:lazy) afternoon brunch; and I can already foresee return visits. Apart from its yummy comfort food, I also loved the serenity, lush greenery, and beautiful colonial buildings in this area.

I just can't get enough.

1 Rochester Park, #02-01 (nearest MRT:Buona Vista)

Mon - Fri: 11:30am-10:30pm

Sat - Sun: 10am-4pm, 6pm-10:30 pm

67741302

http://www.1-caramel.com

Au Petit Salut - Classic French nosh done good

Dempsey again. This time, Au Petit Salut.

The moment I walked into the restaurant, the number question on my mind was, where to sit? 

Inside?

 Or outside?

The external dining area looked good for some privacy, while the interior looked really elegant.

We eventually decided on dining inside as we wanted to enjoy our meal air-conditioned =)

 Complimentary bread platter was served and it didn't leave much of an impression.

 Lobster bisque with tarragon and lobster ravioli ($16)

We had a soup to share; our first dish and star of the night! We immensely enjoyed this. It was slightly creamy, savoury much, and we could also taste the natural sweetness of the crustacean. The soup was nicely perfumed with tarragon; and it was..bowl-licking good!

They very kindly portioned it into two for us. At that moment, I thought. "Why did we had to share? I don't want to share!" Every mouthful was pure pleasure.. Sigh..I only had one grouse; that they could have been more generous with the shredded lobster meat innards.

 Oven baked baby French seabass "butterfly" served with mixed greens and fennel salad, thyme and tomato vinaigrette

I didn't know what "butterfly" means; I just found it interesting and ordered it out of curiousity. And when this arrived, I immediately regretted. It was such a boring choice! Michelle NEVER orders boring food like this. 

What to do! It was my own choice. So simple and clean-tasting(read: plain) that I would have believed if you told me that it was steamed fish. Not that this was bad, I just don't fancy it.

Crispy shredded pork with braised red cabbage, chestnuts, and grain mustard

The boyf's main was a much better choice. This was yummy. I loved the charred, crispy skin and the silky strands of pork which were juicy and flavourful. As this was almost half a year ago, I really forgot what the accompanying sauce was. Madeira sauce, I'm guessing?

But I do remember that the whole dish hit the right notes and there was nothing not to love about.

Orange and Grand Marnier soufflé with chocolate truffle

This was remarkable as well. The exterior was slightly crispy and had a nice caramelized taste, and the innards were ethereally light. The souffle was infused with a little grand marnier, giving it a nice, citrusy taste. I felt..What's that word? Oh yes..Invigorated. And the melted chocolate truffle in the center was a nice touch of sweetness. Chocolate and orange come together just like long-lost best friends.

Warm melted 70% chocolate cake served with 64% dark chocolate sorbet and red currant jam and pistachio nuts

Ubiquitous, but resistance is futile when faced against the sheer indulgence of chocolaty goodness.

APS's rendition had a crispy chocolate crust which when provoked, oozed out a tide of gooey, molten chocolate. Warm chocolate paired with cold ice cream. My, this was ridiculously decadent. The tart jam provided a nice contrast against all the sweetness.

With 4/5 hits, we remember leaving APS with a satisfactory smirk and a champagne-induced high. The big question..Will I ever return again?

Hell yeah.

Au Petit Salut
40C Harding Road, Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road)
Tel: +65 6475 1976
Website

Opening Hours
Mon– Fri 
Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm (last order)
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30 pm (last order)
Sat 
Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm (last order)
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm (last order) 
Closed Sundays


Random: We adjoined to PS Cafe for some post-meal drinks. And I have to comment that their Passionfruit martini is really good! It's not passionfruit syrup, mind you. There were more than a couple of passionfruit seeds in the martini glass.

And there was this Sunrise Caprioska or something that was pui, but the boyf insisted on finishing it. Guess who got tipsy in the end? ;)