08 March, 2011

Cocotte @ Wanderlust, Dickson Road

Who in the right frame of mind would name their restaurant “prostitute”, in French? Well, Cocotte did. But before one jump into various conclusions, allow HFB to clear the air – Cocotte has another meaning in French, and that is a round or oval-shaped casserole either individual-size or large and is traditionally made of earthenware. And with that, that’s how Cocotte served up their unpretentious rustic-style French communal cuisine in a comfortable setting.

Cocotte

Helmed by Head Chef Anthony Yeoh, previously part of the Funky Chefs – private chefs for hire duo (the other being Chef Melvyn Lee), who was spotted by hotel owner Loh Lik Peng during one of the private dinners, Cocotte has been garnering rave reviews from both traditional and new-media. In fact even “Anton Ego” of Singapore, Mr Wong Ah Yoke rated Cocotte a 4 out of 5 stars for food – how often does he do that, if one ever noticed? The communal set lunch for 2 (it is very much worth it IMHO) comes with a two appetisers, one main and two desserts for $70++ – but because it was so hearty, it feeds all three of us. Warmed bread was served butter before the Escargots Gougeres arrived shortly – escargots wrapped in Gruyere Pastry, with Parsley Cream and Tomato Coulis. It’s flavourful, with nice contrasting texture and what’s more, it is easy to pop into one’s mouth. What’s bad about it? It’s never enough and left one craving for more.

Cocotte (1)

The other signature dish was their Fried Tripe that was slow cooked till tender before coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Another dish with a nice contrast in texture, the tripe didn’t come with a foul smell that puts people off. But what HFB did miss, was the chewy texture of tripe that was somehow overshadowed by the crusty nature of the breadcrumbs.

Cocotte (2)

Although Cocotte’s signature Poulet Roti, or Roast Chicken, was unavailable during lunch due to the preparation time needed, HFB is glad that the other crowd favourite, the Roast Pork Collar, is available.

Cocotte (3)

Cooked in a creamy Dijon Mustard sauce, and served with crunchy Brussels Sprouts Amandine and Sautéed Forest Mushrooms, this dish is a winner! Robust flavours with a really tender pork collar to boot, the Dijon mustard added a really nice unique tang to the cream based sauce.

Cocotte (4)

The accompaniments were also really delicious. Love it!

Cocotte (5)

For desserts, we opted for the Strawberry & Pistachio Cream Tart, and the Basque Cake. The former based on an almond tart shell and garnished with pistachio and white chocolate ganache, HFB found the pistachio cream to be really brilliant. However, the strawberries were tad too sour that day and HFB did find the tart shell slightly on the hard side.

Cocotte (6)

The Basque cake however was nothing short of excellence. The filling was really awesome and it was baked to the right texture. HFB and friends really enjoyed it.

Cocotte (7)

HFB would recommend Cocotte as a venue to dine with friends, with its casual ambience and friendly service; it is truly an ideal place to dine communally.

2 Dickson Road
Singapore 209494


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