Craving French fare? L’Angélus promises to whisk you away to a bistro in Paris.
A shophouse in Chinatown may seem an unlikely location for a French restaurant, but step inside L’Angélus and you will be transported to a setting reminiscent of a charming bistro in the City of Lights.
Beautifully crafted artefacts and vintage posters endow the restaurant with a traditional feel, one that has not changed since it was first set up in 1998. L’Angélus has the distinction of being Singapore’s oldest single-location traditional French restaurant. That it has stood the test of time is noteworthy, considering the fast turnovers in Singapore’s volatile food-and-beverage scene.
One can put this down to its reputation for consistently producing superb fare. L’Angélus upholds French gastronomy by offering classical French cooking. All the ingredients — be they seafood, fresh gourmet meat, farmed poultry or fruit and vegetables — are meticulously sourced to ensure a high degree of freshness. In fact, many of these are air-flown from Rungis, a suburb in the south of Paris. Rungis is best known for Marché d’Intérêt National de Rungis, purported to be the largest wholesale food market in the world.
The kitchen at L’Angélus is helmed by Chef Ben, who — unsurprisingly — specialises in French cuisine, and describes his cooking style as “classic, inventive and respectful”. He reveals, “I enjoy creating new dishes while maintaining the standards by using traditional French cooking methods according to my interpretations.” This has given rise to a menu that is peppered with tantalising twists and surprises.
His know-how comes in useful when whipping up classic dishes such as Bar Façon Bouillabaisse (pan-fried sea bass, clams, celeriac, baby spinach and bouillabaisse sauce). “The secret is in getting the bouillabaisse sauce right; it is a tedious and labour-intensive process, from the marination to the cooking,” he discloses. “By incorporating just the right amount of saffron emulsion, it will ensure that the dish is not too fishy and, at the same time, has the fragrance of saffron, which will whet the appetite.”
L’Angélus has been awarded with Restauranteurs de France, a testimony toits authenticity, quality of food, and professional service. Situated in the Central Business District, it is also an ideal venue for a business lunch. Its monthly set menus — at $28++ for lunch, and $68 for a three-course set menu available all day — offer value for money for an array of delectable delights. The food is complemented by an exhaustive wine list made up predominantly of French wines from France’s different wine-growing regions. If you enjoy older vintages, you’ll have a good time unearthing a number of gems from their cellar.
The bar is L’Angélus’ best-kept secret. Besides wine, they also serve a large range of whiskies, vodkas, gins, liqueurs, cocktails, rums and Armagnacs. With personal attention from General Manager Chris and soft jazz in the background, it is a great spot to unwind with an aperitif or a digestif.
SPECIALLY FOR AA MEMBERS
Enjoy a complimentary glass of house red wine (valued at $16/glass) when you dine at the restaurant from Monday to Thursday, excluding PH and PH Eve. Only available for dinner. Promotion is valid till 31 March 2021. Minimum spend of $60 per person applies. Present identification when ordering to avail yourself of the offer.
Address:
L’Angélus
85 Club Street, Singapore 069453
Source: https://langelus.sg/