Recently, I attended an appreciation dinner hosted by e2i at Lerouy and I would love to share my dining experience at the one-Michelin-starred restaurant with you.
Disclaimer: I am not a French Cuisine expert but if you are looking for an honest review by a layman, here goes. :)
I like the open kitchen concept in the 26 counter-seat restaurant where one gets to witness the chefs working their magic. Unlike the conventional straight counter, the wavy counter at Lerouy allows diners to face one another and facilitates conversations.
Helmed by the renowned Chef Christophe Lerouy, the restaurant serves modern French Cuisine in the Omakase format. We had the Dinner Menu Grand $158++ (7 courses), comprising of various starters, mains, dessert and petits fours.
Starters:
Goose Liver / Apple / Smoked Sardine
This was my favourite out of the four starters because it was unexpectedly refreshing (thanks to the green apple). The tastes of the different ingredients blended harmoniously, with the cheese crust adding a crunch to each bite.
Ikura / Parsley Root / Parmesan
Unlike my table mates, I found this starter a little too creamy with its generous serving of parmesan.
Muenster / Cumin /Corn
The smell of cumin was strong so those who love cumin would adore this starter. The creative presentation on a wooden spoon made it easy to finish the dish in a neat mouthful.
Liquid Sauerkraut
I came to know sauerkraut from my doctor who shared its health benefits with me. Little did I expect my first tasting to be in a liquid form, served in a test tube. Do not be fooled by its appearance because this ‘drink’ was actually savoury. It had a peculiar taste that I could not quite put into words.
Sourdough Loaf / Butters
We were also served freshly baked gratis sourdough with an assortment of French butters. As a bread lover who has high standards for breads, I enjoyed the sourdough loaf.
Mains:
Crab / “Beef-heart” Tomato / Burrata / Kaviari Caviar
This dish was generally well-executed but what impressed me more was the exquisite plating and dish presentation.
Kunihiro Oyster / Alsacien Bacon / Girolle Mushroom / Yuzu Kosho
This was my favourite out of the 5 mains. The kunihiro oyster soaked up the goodness of the broth and was delectably topped with the tangy yuzu kosho. The bacon complemented the oyster well.
Salt Baked Cabbage / Anchoiade / Lardo / Lime
The anchoiade added different depths and complexity to the vegetable dish and I would never look at cabbage the same way after savouring this. My table mate remarked that the plate presentation depicted a smiley face (did you see it?).
Foie Gras / Duck Tea / Korean Abalone / Black Garlic
The duck tea was a tad too salty and I personally felt that the serving portion could have been more generous.
Carabinero / Carrot / Pineapple / Butter Milk
The carabinero prawn was fresh, well-cooked and had a beautiful sweet flavour.
Iberico Pork Pluma / Pimenton / Eggplant
The slightly burnt aftertaste of the Iberico pork was compensated by the sweet tangy sauce. We could not quite taste the eggplant in this dish composition.
Dessert:
Chitose Strawberry / Sorrel / Fromage Blanc / Ginger
The dessert was a refreshing change following a cacophony of strong flavours.
Petits Four:
Dark Chocolate Dome / Pate De Fruit “Raspberry” / Cream Cheese “Chouquette” / Feuillantine “Waffle”
I went straight for the chocolate dome before I took a picture and had to borrow my table mate’s. No doubt, it was my favourite, followed by the feuillantine, cream cheese and raspberry, which was slightly sugary for my liking.
Final Thoughts:
The food at Lerouy was pleasant but I would personally prefer a lighter course in between dishes as my palate was subjected to intense flavours throughout the meal. Nonetheless, I could feel the sincerity and effort put in by Chef Lerouy and his team in terms of the exquisite plating, dish presentation as well as attentive service.
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Ambience: 3/5
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