For pictures and full review, check out my blog post: http://melicacy.com/?p=5068
Au Chocolat is a made-in-Singapore French-inspired playground for chocolates, confections and savoury treats, located at the prestigious Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Why I call it a playground: It takes you on an enchanting romp; you swing by the candy shop (the confectionary) to gaze at dainty indulgences, almost feeling the need to tug on mum’s dress and beg her for one; ‘I scream for ice cream’, the ice cream booth dispenses a quintessential treat to appease the wailing kids; omnipresent at every theme park, the ‘toyshop’ is where the young and old can do some retail therapy or shop for souvenirs; and lastly, hop over to the whimsically decorated bistro dining area with your famished stomachs to nourish your bodies after a day of play.
At Au Chocolate Bistro, Head Chef Elvin Chew showcases his flair for incorporating chocolate into savoury dishes, succeeding without facing unwelcome backlash. He made kids’ dreams – of consuming chocolate during mealtime – possible, what conventional parents of Stone Age would not have approved of.
The Au Chocolat Bistro offers all day dining with a wide variety of flavours.
Au Chocolat Fudge Freeze ($12)
Rice and creamy chocolate fudge topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings
The Au Chocolat Fudge Freeze was pure bliss, and I was so reluctant to share. But, imagine how much more calories I’d be consuming if I didn’t!
Modern Nicoise ($20)
Fresh picked salad with French beans, roasted potato pieces, feta cheese and sundried tomatoes topped with seared tuna
The menu consists of soups, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, meats and more. But, if your palate dares step out of the box, sample what Au Chocolat focuses on –chocolate.
If you think the integration of chocolate and salad totally defeats the purpose of ‘consuming salad to maintain a slim waistline’, don’t be too quick to judge! The dark chocolate balsamic vinaigrette contains no more calories and fat than your usual salad dressing. Furthermore, cocoa has health benefits to boot, such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. As opposed to what I was envisaging, the dressing is deficit of sweetness; it is slightly tangy and subtly bitter.
Au Chocolat Benedict ($18)
My favourite ingredient is egg. Eggs Benedict is undeniably one of my favourite dishes.
All-day breakfast is served at Au Chocolat. Did I just hear some hoorays from night owls who always have a hard time waking up early?
In their own variation of Eggs Benedict, poached eggs sit atop bacon, spinach and tomatoes on a base of English muffin. Notice the colour of their hollandaise? It’s not the typical light lemon-yellow colour, but a sepia brown that’s gotten its hue from the infusion of red wine and dark chocolate.
I quite like this innovative interpretation; it didn’t taste as bizarre as I thought it would. A potential dish that’s likely to be widely accepted.
Stuffed French Toast ($18)
Another all-day breakfast item to perk up your day would be the Stuffed French Toast. Fresh plump berries colour the plate with brilliant hues of red. Crushed cornflakes coat the rims of two thick slices of brioche bread, providing a desirable crunchy element, in contrast to the creamy mascarpone cheese and juicy fruits.
Fancy some crepes? There are both sweet and savoury options.
Savoury Crepes, Creamy Chicken & Mushroom ($18)
Chicken fillet served with sautéed mushrooms, bacon, garlic and sour cream
Savoury crepes are served with salad that’s drizzled with Au Chocolat’s chocolate balsamic vinaigrette.
I wanted to love the Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Crepes, I really do, but there’s one reason why I didn’t –just one.
The crepe is made flawless; the aromatic cream that slightly moistens the crepe is delectable. One thing I could not overlook though, was the dryness of the chicken.
Battered Fish & Spiced Chips ($22)
Lightly-battered white fish fillets with crispy chips tossed with Parmesan and herbs, served with their signature green tartar sauce
Here comes my darling –fish and chips. I can eat this at any time of the day. Fish is crisp golden on the outside, juicy and succulent on the inside. Love everything, except the portion size. Not sure if they shrunk the fish just to fit into the cone without having it topple over, or if the chef stole a piece coz’ its so delish, or if they’re just plain stingy. They then try to fill you up with a generous amount of fries so you’d probably be too full to complain after the meal. I could get the same amount of satisfaction with half that price, at Torte for instance.
Duck Confit ($27)
A popular classic with an Au Chocolat twist, pan-roasted duck thigh served with potato mash, white wine poached pear and topped off with a tangy chocolate orange sauce.
Truffle Fries ($15)
Truffle fries are love. Drizzled with white truffle oil and seasoned with truffle sea salt, the aroma just blows one away.
Chocolate Cake ($18)
Rich dark chocolate cake layers filled with luscious milk chocolate mousse and crunchy dark chocolate pearls, enrobed in dark chocolate ganache, served with a scoop of vanilla gelato
I was a little disappointed with the chocolate cake. As opposed to my high expectations, it’s unfortunately not the best I’ve ever had, not the moistest, and not the richest. It is decent chocolate cake at best.
Au Chocolat cupcake ($5.50 each)
The cupcakes earned most points in visual appeal! I didn’t get to eat them though, as much as I wanted to. I wonder where they disappeared.
Extra large Blanc Feuilletine Macaron ($7 each)
I especially adore their range of ‘extra large’ macarons –as large as the size of an average palm. Like those with a sweet tooth who yearn for a bite of every single flavour, I too can’t come to a conclusion as to which flavour I loved most –I say this with a very positive tone.
Extra large Blanc Feuilletine Macaron ($7 each)
If you’re in a group, order one of every flavour. You won’t regret it!
Chocolate is the whole essence of Au Chocolat, and I’m glad their artisanal chocolates didn’t disappoint. You can purchase these at the Confiserie, next to the Bistro.
Chocolatier Tai Chien Lin firmly believes that the quality of chocolate used for any creation should always be fresh and of the best.
Chocolate encompasses antidepressant effects; it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant; it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure. The next time you feel depressed, Au Chocolat may just be the antidote.
Video
It's my 2nd visit at Au Chocolat so this time i decided to try the Duck Confit since i've seen so many pictures of it on Instagram and blogs =)
