Picture credits and birthday boy: Dave Koh

Last Friday, we celebrated Dave’s birthday at his favourite restaurant, Nicolas Le Restaurant. Not sure if it was because I haven’t done fine-dining in a while or that we were in a celebratory mood or that the kitchen put out a truly fine performance ... but the tasting menu N.90 was really good and I loved how texturally pleasing the dishes were.

While we waited for Danielle, the kitchen served us some pork rillette. I love rillette and the accompanying croutons reminded me of dough fritters. This was good even without the call of hunger beckoning down my neck.



We were amuse bouched with smoked eel. In the 6 seconds it took to eat this, the flavours didn’t register much, except it was er, smoky though not very oily.



Our first ‘real’ dish of the menu was a plump Hokkaido scallop confit and meaty wanton ravioli, served with scallop crackers on the side.



Sweet roasted Steward Island langoustine with Iberico chorizo silvers and Iranian saffron emulsion.



Then came along that "a la coque" (half boiled) egg that went from breakfast to dinner, thanks to the tender grilled Kurobuta pork cheek.



The al dente rigatoni was good but I'm saving my praise quota for the cod.



Dave’s main: Pigeon from the Loire Valley, slow cooked breast, leg confit, duck sausage & spelt risotto.

I love my unpictured main - a silky wild Atlantic cod that got textural oomph from the masago crust (tasted like rice puffs) and al dente spelt risotto.



Dessert tasting consisted of mango and mascarpone mousse, apple sorbet, milk chocolate and chocolate fondant, of which only the mango & mascarpone mousse really wowed.



Though none of us pre-empted the restaurant (tsk tsk), chef Nicolas remembered it was Dave’s day and presented him with not just a song but an opera… cake.

All together now, Awww...