Andre Wine & Dine (80p)

206 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068641

Tel: 6223 4548

WADA rating: 53 +27= 80 pts

QPI: 9 ($60+++ for set dinners and half of that for set lunches but they always have promos for friends of Andre's so be sure to get on their sms list)

WFI: A (Great stemware and decanters available, free corkage for 3 btls for friends of Andre's)

Tasted various times for special anniversaries with DBF and with good frens

A hidden gem in the heart of town.. I have reluctantly decided to give out my secret favourite french restaurant. They might not be standing shoulder to shoulder with Les Amis, St Julien etc etc but...they do serve good food at very reasonable prices located at an extremely convenient location for that good hearty french dinner after a hectic day at work.

What’s Good

Duck Confit
This is still my favourite duck confit ever. The presentation is as inviting as grandma’s homebaked pie that she took a whole day making and baking. The delightful crisp succulent duck skin covering the off dry butter-melt firm duck meat acts like a golden armour protecting its treasure beneath. The duck is just seared, baked , fried to an excellent perfection. Might not be fully French but the asian influence in this dish is all good… I suspect skills in making the perfect peking duck was used here. The skin here makes the difference although the meat is just as expectedly tender and juice-infused of duck fat. The cassis sweet sauce is just perfect pairing with the slightly oiled duck. The potato and onion gratin is also just nice as a side without overshadowing the duck. This has soul and tries its best to impress.

We also had a variation of this duck confit sitting atop a generous portion of foie gras and it was just heavenly! The fatty fragrance from the foie gras enhances the spirit of the duck, making it a first class dish. Exceptionally well made!!!

I notice that they change the presentation and add twists and turns to their duck confit all the time , which keeps the dish a new experience everytime you have it... like having your first love over and over again.

Foie Gras Soup

What decadence! But this is quite a simple looking dish. Clear broth with a tinge of brown ...looking very much like grandma's rustic home-cooked wholesome clear mushroom soup. There is a very generous portion of foie gras thrown in the middle of the soup platter ...wow!!!! its like adding the umbrella to a singapore sling....topping a choc covered cherry on a hot fudge sundae ....yummilicious! The rustic chicken mushroom broth clewarly shows through on the fore but you get an explosive boom of rich foie gras juices overwhelming and taking you to a pleasant climax. This is a wicked concoction that is not recommended for the weak hearted.

Molten Lava Cake with Lime Sorbet
Oohh man… of all the lava cakes I have had.. this I would call interesting! The cake itself is wonderful chocolate laden heaven. The chocolate is velvety viscous smooth and has the right consistency of sweetness. However, when eaten consecutively with the sorbet!…. it EXPLODES in your mouth….and proves worthy of its namesake “Molten Lava Chocolate” cake! The flavours of the chocolate cocoa beans is more pronounced by the fresh acidity of the sorbet.

Caviar Noir
An exciting flavour contrast with the salty seabreeze-flavoured caviar with semi-sweet egg crepe-like cake.

Other Dished Tasted
Leek Potato Soup - Good broth.

Beef Steak - Amazingly tender and succulent. I am definitely taking a second, third or fourth look at this in future visits.

Lobster Pasta - Good and reminded me of the scapellini pasta with scallops I had at Braise.

Comments

What more can I say, go try it and you will understand why I like this place so much. The staff are friendly and take pains to present their best all the time. In fact, I was quite shocked that they knew my name on the second occasion I ate there given that it was almost a few months past the first time. I still don't know how they did that. Definitely try the duck confit if you need to spend your last $28 (or thereabouts) on it.

Wine Pairings Done

2002 Yon Saint Martin , St Emilion Grand Cru
WADA rated 82+pts
Quite pinot-noirish on the nose with vegetal undertones of bell peppers with mushroom dried dirt dustiness. Palate has some pleasant greenness but carries itself with some ripe black currants. Good gentleness on the palate with gentle smooth tannins. Good decent length with bitter bell pepper seeds on the finish. Am surprised by the value in this.

2007 Rymil Sauvignon Blanc
WADA rated 80+pts
Good balance of grapefruit with pineapples. Gentle acidity carried through the palate with comfortable appetite enhancing stone fruits and some pear on the fore. Not as grassy yet meadow fresh.

2002 Yarra Yering Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley AU (ST92)

WADA rated 81pts

The nose has decent strenght of flowers, some earthy notes but blows off quickly with cherries dominating. Again decent cherries with hawthorne on the palate that doesn't do much after. Not exactly bourgogne styled but also not exactly NZ pinot....i believe it is still trying to find itself....its own yarra style. For that, I give it a thumbs up but then again for the price point of almost a $100 a btl, I will give it a pass.

2001 Pape Clement, Grand Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeax (RP95, WS90, ST90)

WADA rated 94pts

Had this with DBF for a very special night here. Intense dark purplish. Perfumed nose of cassis, sweet ripe plums and berries, aromatic mocca and animal notes. Layers upon layers of flavours attack the palate which had lots of good purple fruits, mocca black chocolate. It's just amazing. This has strenght and depth executed with precise military precision in a scholarly style. Big ...Yes...Over the top...No! Restrained by fine velvelty viscous tannins and an extremely eternal finish. Voluptuous without being over-revealing. I have another half bottle and am looking forward to tasting it in 10years.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

Definitely Pinot Noir!! just to have with their duck confit. French wines will work perfectly but aussie imitations are most welcome.