L’Entrecôte

 

French cuisine has undoubtedly gained a foothold in the dining scene here over the years. A good number of top French restaurants regularly appear in Michelin guides (not a list that some Singaporeans take too kindly to, I know, but just saying). There are also several bistros that serve up great French fare - you can find a cluster of them in the Duxton/Tanjong Pagar area. 

L’Entrecôte, the eatery I visited on a Sunday night, has an outlet there. It also has two other outlets at Duxton Hill and at Customs House. You may be somewhat surprised to know that there is only ONE main course served here: steak frites, a classic French dish that literally translates to steak and fries in French. Paired with their secret “L’Entrecôte sauce”, they hope to recreate an authentic Parisian experience for diners.

Apart from steak frites, there are also several intriguing starters & sides to complete the French bistro experience.

Freshly Shucked Fine de Claire Oysters ($30 for 6)

We ordered half a dozen of oysters to kick-start the meal. If you prefer less fleshy oysters, this is for you. Tasting just slightly salty and really fresh, it is more balanced in flavour and definitely not as creamy as those grown in the open sea. This came served with shallot vinaigrette.

Duck Foie Gras Terrine ($28)

Another cold starter we had was the duck foie gras terrine. This dish is where you get duck liver packed in a terrine mold and then cooked at low temperature in a water bath. It is served chilled, and the texture is naturally less creamy and fatty compared to goose liver. Together with the accompanying caramelised onions and baguette, this was nicely appetising and set us up nicely for the hot appetisers.

Oven-baked Camembert ($30)

Camembert is a type of moist, creamy, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese. Here you get a full wheel of Camembert that has been oven-baked till the centre is molten. After breaking open the baked crust, you get to dip the accompanying steamed potatoes, cornichons and baguette in the molten centre. I really liked this. Perfect pairing for our wine.

Château la Genestiere (Cotes du Rhone, 2020) ($88)

Our wine for the night was the Château la Genestiere. This red was very sharp and tasteful, with hints of liquorice and red fruits.

Smoked Bacon & Caramelised Onion Tarte Flambée ($28)

Tarte flambée literally means “a pie baked in flames”. This is an oven-baked flatbread with toppings - similar to the pizza we are more familiar with. The french-style we had here had lots of tasty smoked bacon spammed with lots of caramelised onions - a little too generous for us such that we had to pick some out so that it wasn’t too overwhelming. Still, a great appetiser to go with your drinks.

Oven-baked Beef Marrow ($28)

Here, they use huge femur bone and split it down the middle, exposing the marrow before baking it in the oven. You are supposed to scoop out the marrow, spread it on the accompanying baguette and top it with some Guerande sea salt.

The marrow has an extremely beefy flavour, with an oily texture. The men liked this, the ladies did not. Not for the faint-hearted, for sure.

Trimmed Entrecôte Steak ($39.80)

So this is the one and only main course here. Tender beef ribs cooked to your preferred doneness and then served sliced. The legendary sauce is cream-based and slightly tangy to the taste. It is indeed unique and I couldn’t really pinpoint what went into it.

Accompanied by a generous serving of fries (free-flow!) and walnut salad on the side. Not the best steak or fries I’ve had, but definitely competent and generous in portion for sure.

Nicely pink centre

Walnut Salad

L’Entrecôte has a nice ambience with attentive service, though prices are a little on the steep side. The dinner bill came up to more than five hundred for our party of 6, which wasn't surprising since we had wine and five sets of steaks. A good dining experience, nevertheless, if only to try out that special and unique L’Entrecôte sauce.

L’Entrecôte

46 Lorong Mambong

Opening Hours: Opens 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm

Closed on Mondays

Date of Last Visit: 14th August 2022