Saveur : Affordable French Food I of IV

Have you noticed a sprout in the number of casual French dining places here? This is certainly a good news especially for those who like to indulge without burning a hole in the pocket. I have visited three places and one of them is Saveur, a place which often attracts long queues before it is even opened for service. As this was a visit last year in September, the menu is likely to have changed slightly now.

As fish lovers, our main courses were of course, fish. The Pan-fried monk fish ($23.90) is quite a rare sight in French cuisine but this was executed well with interesting combination of cabbage, leek fondue and monk fish jus. It was chewy or slightly rubbery but it was the slabs of golden brown potato which left me with a deep impression till today.

The Barramundi with Crab Potato and French Beans($13.90) did not shine as much as the monkfish. The salted crust did not conceal the dry flesh and it was a relatively small portion. But one wonders why the cubed potatoes are called crab potatoes?
 

We could not miss this Sakura ebi angel hair pasta ($3.90) as it was one of their signature dishes. The verdict was that it tasted quite average as the pasta was not fully al dente. I guessed it was the aroma of the Sakura ebi and minced pork that rescued the dish.
 

Perhaps the strength of Saveur lies in their desserts than mains. This chocolate and hazelnut is a must order for chocolate fans. For $7.90,one receives a giant slab of sweet milky chocolate mousse topped with crunchy hazelnuts shavings and nutella swirls.
 The triangular shaped salted chocolate and pomegranate seeds inserted some alternative flavours to help us conquer the chocolate mountain.
 

The pistachio panna cotta($6.90) which wiggled like tofu pudding was one of the star that night. Simplicity is beauty.
 

But experimental ideas can go wild and crazy. The special dessert ($7.90) consists of :apple risotto/cinnamon puff pastry/ caramel biscuits soil/ cheese yoghurt foam/ toffee jelly /celery and apple ice . 

The ambitious plating style that resembled fine dining desserts was commendable but too many stuff on one plate confuses the diners.
 

If you were to dine here, do arrive slightly early than opening times to avoid waiting for hours since no reservations is taken. Do save space for their yummy desserts. While the monk fish was the most expensive just like the beef tenderloin, the price of other dishes including duck confit, braised pork belly, beef stew and chicken roulade fall between $9.90-$13.90.

Though the dining experience is similar to rush hours in school canteens,  who would mind if the food is delicious and reasonably priced? 

 

Saveur 

5 Purvis Street #01-04
Operating hour : daily 12-2.30 /6-9.30pm