Slow Food Convivium Society (Singapore)

Review of the 36th SFCSS Event (Duo Restaurant & Bar)

by Roland Yap Hock Chuan

This time we were off to another leisurely lunch in Club Street at Duo

Duo is aptly named as it focuses on settings for couples. We were of course a much larger group and ended up taking up the top floor which came with a balcony. The balcony came in rather handy for those needing “smoko” breaks in between courses!

Lunch began with a ceviche of pink snapper paired with Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Domaine du Vieux Lazaret (2000). This matching worked quite well since the wine was on the quite fruity side and stood up to the strong marinated taste of the fish.

This was followed by ravioli filled with blue crab and spinach with a strong shellfish sauce. If you like, “har mee” soup with wontons done French style. Here I found the spinach filling to be have an almost herby taste (upon asking the chef later, he said it was only spinach). I quite liked this since it made a more subtle combination with the crab.

Next we had a homemade chicken and mushroom sausage paired with Domaine d’Auilhac Montpeyroux (1998). While the sausages were fine, I didn’t find too interesting. I suppose they tasted pretty much like chicken sausages and while somewhat better were still essentially chicken sausages.

The main course was milk fed (bobby) veal cooked with a parmesan and thyme crust matched with Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Cuvee Exceptionnelle (1999). This dish would be more often done as rack of lamb rather than veal. The wine was full bodied with well balanced tannins. The matching with veal is a bit of a change but I think I might have preferred a stronger meat instead. This worked but perhaps its just my personal preference here for lamb as I felt that the veal being milder doesn’t go as well with the full bodied wine.

The serving itself was most generous and would have sufficed as a regular sized main course. Since it was slow food after all, it was still quite feasible to tuck a big chop in since we did have the time to get plenty of rest from the first three courses!

The best was saved for the last. We had a prune cognac which I had not the pleasure of having before. This was combined with a frozen praline parfait on a bed of shredded coconut.

I thought this was the best pairing.

The praline gave the creamy icecream taste combining with the rich coconut flakes and the strong prune liquor which prevented it from being too rich.

All in all, it was another successful SFCSS event with a good match of wines and food.

Where: 38 Club Street, Singapore 069418

When: Luncheon on Saturday, 18 January 2003, from 12.30 pm to 4.00 pm

About François Mermilliod, Chef de Cuisine:

With a love for food since his childhood days, François embarked on his career as a chef at the tender age of 14 and has since worked in various countries. Over the years, he has developed a penchant for simple, uncomplicated cuisine and incorporating both French and Asian techniques in his cooking and preparation methods.

Having honed his craft as Executive Chef at Sanders, a modern Australian restaurant in Sydney, as well as previous stints at Au Petit Salut and Salut in Singapore, François hopes to entice the local palate with his unique brand of modern French cuisine.

Despite his training in classical French cuisine, François has always been keen to evolve with the times. He said: “French cuisine has changed considerably lately, from typical, earthy dishes using local products to a more cosmopolitan cuisine with new flavours”. Apart from the seasonal produce, François also draws inspiration from his own dining experiences. With the myriad of ingredients available these days, he is been able to conjure a novel menu of inventive creations for DUO Restaurant And Bar.

At DUO, his task is to create dishes of exquisite pairings since the concept of the restaurant focuses on the idea of dining for two. His ingenious touches can be detected through dishes such as a Black sesame and coconut king prawns tempura with a green mango salad and kaffir lime leaf reduction, as well as an Oven-baked whole duck with sweet potato and cumin mash complemented with brocolini and a star anis-infused jus. Offerings such as a Bounty of luscious warm and cold seafood, U.S C̫te de Boeuf with truffle polenta served with small herb salad and veal jus, and Sweet Cupidon Рa dessert platter, are ideal for sharing.

“There is no greater achievement than to be able to satisfy my customers,“ François added. “I want them to leave the restaurant with the feeling that they just had something special.” And at DUO, he aims to do just that.

About Jean-Philippe Joye, Restaurant Manager:

Even though Jean-Philippe did not undergo any formal training in the hospitality line, his passion for serving in the F&B industry is evident from the extensive years he has spent at various hotels and restaurants.

With a wealth of knowledge accumulated from over 16 years of experience working in various managerial positions, Jean-Philippe is thrilled at the exciting prospects with the launch of DUO, a unique concept restaurant that focuses on dining for two.

Based on his keen observation, he has noticed that the percentage of couples dining in Western restaurants has been increasing over the years. He said: “Asians like to share meals, be it with a friend, lover or business partner.” With that, DUO seems like the perfect setting for dining in twos.

However, he stresses that groups of three or more are also welcomed and special arrangements will be made to ensure that the privacy of other guests is not compromised.

Having held positions at Club Mediterranee in over 14 different resorts, Salut French restaurant and Mandarin Hotel in Singapore, Jean-Philippe aims to adopt a casual yet refined approach to service, one that is not imposing since privacy is the priority at DUO. He quipped: “Staff will be alert and attentive, but aware that they should be discreet at all times”.

Menu:

Champagne Mosimann Rosé

Ceviche of marinated pink snapper with coconut, coriander and mizuna
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Magnum 2000

Blue swimmer crab and spinach ravioli with a creamy shellfish sauce

Homemade chicken and mushroom sausage with sautéed Portobello, shiso and hazelnut
Domaine d’Aupilhac, Montpeyroux 1998

Oven-roasted rack of bobby veal with parmesan and thyme crust, olive mash, broccolini and truffle jus
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Domaine du Vieux Lazaret ‘Cuvée Exceptionnelle’ Magnum 1999

Frozen praliné parfait with sultana raisins, apple and rum salsa
Vieille Prune “Les 3 Rois” Magnum

Mignardises
Coffee or Tea