French food doesn’t need to be pretentious or expensive, as evidenced at La Cuisson
By Cheryl Chia
When I first heard that Le Cuisson was re-branded to La Cuisson Bistro and Wine Bar, I laughed. I think the owner realised the error in the feminine form of the word a few years into the business.
Chef Kenneth Lin trained at DB Bistro at Marina Bay Sands before opening La Cuisson. Le Cuisson (its former incarnation) started out at a hawker centre in Queen Street, and then moved to Holland Drive.
Recently, it moved again into a cushy shop house along Prinsep Street, and expanded its menu. With a new, cushier setting came the surreptitious name change.
I would say La Cuisson is a great introduction for those who may be unfamiliar with French cuisine.
French Cuisine for the Uninitiated
The meal began with a Charcuterie Platter ($22) with chorizo, saucisson and a selection of homemade terrines as well as a Homemade Duck Rillette ($8). But what I really liked was the Langue de Boeuf ($16), the ox tongue salad.
I’ve had bad experiences eating tongue before but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the tongue was cooked. i.e. I couldn’t feel any taste buds. The ox tongue was cooked sous-vide and came with Kipfler potatoes, mustard tarragon dressing, mesclun salad and shaved onions.
I also liked the Pork Pot au Feu ($29), a traditional cocotte from France. Normally, beef is used in the pot au feu, but Chef Lin’s version with pork is not too shabby either. The sous-vide pork shoulder, pork sausage, puy lentils and mixed vegetables are stewed in an aromatic pork jus.
The meat was soft and tender and warm, making it a comforting dish for a rainy day. Another dish worth a try is the Shoulder Tender ($28), a 200-day grain-fed AustralianAngus beef loin served with mashed potatoes, shallot confit, roasted parsnips and garlic. Cooked to medium doneness, the meat remained juicy and was flavour-rich.
I didn’t really like the Lamb Duo ($68 for two). I found both the lamb shank and the rump to be stringy and too gamey. The accompanying Kipfler potato gratin was delicious, though. It was creamy and nicely roasted on the top.
For the Sweet Tooth
La Cuisson’s Dark Chocolate Ganache ($13), was a little complicated, with white chocolate sesame crisp, chilli pistachio brittle, pomelo pieces and Earl Grey pudding, but the dark richness of the Valrhona chocolate block shone through.
If you like your desserts sweet, try the Poached Pear ($10), a syrup-poached pear with vanilla ice cream and beetroot puree. On the whole, La Cuisson is not the finest of French cuisine but does an acceptable job.
La Cuisson, 44 Prinsep Street, Prinsep Place, Singapore 188673, Tel: 8332 0302
ADVERTISEMENTS