A friend texted me saying that we would be going to a place at Fullerton Bay for dinner.
I asked where.
When we arrived at L'Entrecote, I realized I'd actually walked past the place many times.
But I'd never had a chance to dine.
Until today.
It isn't often that I get to have casual French fare by the Fullerton Waterfront overlooking the Marina Bay Sands.
And it isn't every day that I get to ponder whether I can have the Escargots and the Foie Gras Terrine.
Both appetizers looked particularly interesting.
The Escargots were prepared with parsley butter, and the Foie Gras had sugar-glazed onions with a baguette.
We looked at the menu, we contemplated, and then decided to keep the appetizers for another day.
I thought of having a glass of wine (hey, it was my birthday) but it was early autumn, and it was a very warm day.
I don't drink wine on warm days.
We didn't miss out on Happy Hour prices, however.
Because we had oysters instead of beer and wine.
I had a rather fun time sliding these freshly shucked Fine de Claire oysters down my throat- they were so cold and they were so briny and they were so refreshing with a squeeze of lemon.
Also in the name of fun, may I too say that we threw decorum to the wind and devoured the warm, crispy baguette- with salted French butter- rather inelegantly because, despite the oysters, we were still ravenously hungry?
Unabashedly we asked for a second basket. :D
Which they very generously gave.
We might have finished off this second baguette.
But then the soup came.
You cannot come to a French bistro-styled restaurant and miss out on a bowl of classic French onion soup.
Made with a stock of (what I assume) is beef, the soup comes with tons of caramelized onions, a hint of white wine, and a croute layered with thick, melted cheese arranged on top.
And, are you supposed to eat the cheese separately from the bread, or are you meant to eat it together?
I never know the 'right' way of drinking this soup.
Neither, I must admit, do I really care.
I simply peel the cheese off the toast (if I can), eat it up, then alternate between the soup and whatever's left of the bread.
It's amazing what caramelized onions and a bit of white wine can do.
We finished the soup just in time for the steak, and the fries.
Their menu includes a Trimmed Entrecote Steak, a T-bone Steak and a Wagyu Tenderloin.
On my own I might have gone for the tenderloin but tonight it was decided that we would have the T-bone instead.
Partially because it seemed impressive, but more importantly, because it was prepared New York Strip on one side and Filet Mignon on the other.
I'll gladly say that I've never been very familiar with steak and I cannot (to this day) tell the difference between a tenderloin, a chuck loin or a rib eye.
But maybe now I won't huffle so much when asked what kind of cut I would like.
And maybe now I can be more certain exactly what part of the cow I want.
The star of the steak here at L'Entrecote has to be the sauce.
They won't tell you what it is- it's a secret- but the taste is excellent, and it was enjoyable trying to guess what it was made of.
Mc companion thought it tasted like it had vinegar.
I said it was good, I liked it, I was going to slather the fries (inelegantly) with it, and whatever was inside didn't matter.
It wasn't because the sauce was insignificant.
It was because these fries were so good.
Crisp, hot, and salted just right, they were moreish, making them a perfect side to nibble on between bites of steak and lettuce, a perfect dish to eat on its own.
There are times in life when a fry is not just a fry, a potato not just a potato.
Tonight was one of those times.
It was a very lovely, very memorable dinner I had that birthday evening.
But I must remember not to leave out their desserts next time.
A bit of a pity otherwise.
i know what I'll go for.
Their Tarte Tatin- a caramelized apple tart served with sour cream.
Their Paris-Brest- a choux pastry with praline cream.
And the Meringue Aux Fruit Rouges- a crisp meringue piled high with vanilla bean ice cream and compote of berry.