When I think French cuisine, I think of snooty menus with hard to pronouce dishes and stuffy atmospheres where not a strand of hair is allowed to be out of place. So I was kinda apprenhensive when I received a meal invitation to 2fifteen Kitchen, a nouveau French eatery by Epicurean Concepts.
But I’m glad the unpretentious restaurant took the pain out of un dîner français (unlike how I’m trying so hard to be chic-chic by peppering my post with Googled French phrases. Heh heh).
2fifteen Kitchen is a short walk from Bouna Vista MRT Station and the restaurant’s name is as casual as it’s approach to French dining… it is located at unit #02-15 of Rochester Mall, hence the name 2fifteen.
“We put the unit number in the restaurant’s name so there’s no need to guess our address,” 2fifteen Kitchen’s Executive Chef Kenny Yeo shared. Likewise, the menu is well spelt out and listed in English so that diners need not second guess their orders. For a palate like mine which is untrained on French food, I instantly know what I’m getting; which is nice when compared to menus I had to wrestle with previously from other restaurants who insist on naming their dishes in French and I had to read the descriptions to know what they are. Sophistication shouldn’t come at the cost of convenience.
Enough of my misadventures with French food. Here’s more about the correction facility I went to that got me to re-like the taste of France. Food portions pictured have been reduced so I can sample more dishes.
The frills-free decor is pleasant and I like the bright lighting as I can see my food without having to shine my handphone over the plate to appreciate what I’ve been served.
This photo doesn’t show it but the slightly fan-shapped drinking glass is delightfully unique!
Started my dinner with the sinful Warm salad of Duck Foie Gras with Grape petite salad & Raspberry Vinaigrette. Worth every bit of the cholesterol!
Sautéed Escargots with walnut oil, assortment of herb butter & Garlic on toast. The soft, succulent snail meat with the fragant sauce is simply délicieux!
Lobster Bisque with Crab meat & Pistachio (front) and Pan-seared Hokkaido Sea Scallop, braised Cannellini Bean Lobster Bisque Foam (back).
The lobster bisque was thick and creamy and went really well with bread. The scallop, however, sat on the fire for a little too long I think as it was rubbery.
Grilled Angus Flank Steak, garlic Potatoes, shallot Confit in red wine sauce. Ordered this to be medium done but probably should’ve gone with medium rare as flank steak tend to get chewy when overdone.
Roasted Lamb Loin with Provencal Vegetables & Garlic herb crust.
Crispy Duck Confit from Périgord, Medley of Mesclun, Balsamic Vinaigrette. One of my fave dishes. Crispiness of the skin is perfect and the meat slides right off the bone. I would eat the bone too if I could!
The winner at 2fifteen Kitchen is the Prawn Cappellini in Aromatic Oil. Cappellini is also known as angel hair pasta and the texture resembles bee hoon. This is one of Chef Kenny’s special creation and it’s flavoured beautifully.
Trio crème Brulee Custard with Caramelised Sugar (espresso, classic and pumpkin). Can you see the grape-sized kiwi fruit on the plate? So cute!
Home-made Apple tart, Vanilla Ice Cream & Almonds. Love this too… the amazingly thin crust is so light and crispy.
Photo with 2fifteen Kitchen’s Executive Chef Kenny Yeo…. a really friendly and warm face of the restaurant who’s ever ready to give an insight into the dishes. Chef Kenny’s culinary flair is much sought in Singapore and Taiwan. He headed several restaurants here before spending a year coaching chefs in Taiwan.
Having tried a 5-course appetiser, soup, main, pasta and dessert meal at 2fifteen Kitchen, my appetite for French spreads was rekindled. Chef Kenny, the service staff’s Singaporean-ness and the simple chic of the restaurant made French dining so much more accessible without compromising on presentation and taste. Bon appétit!
2fifteen Kitchen @ Rochester Mall
Address : 35 Rochester Drive, #02-15, Rochester Mall
Reservation : +65 6659 8215
Website : http://epicurean.com.sg/2fifteen.html
Tagged: 2fifteen Kitchen, Chef Kenny Yeo, French Cuisine, Rochester Mall
