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2012-11-26
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There are many small eateries along Purvis Street that have earned a name for themselves, but Saveur is probably one of the more unique restaurants in that area. I was pleasantly surprised by its minimalist shop exterior and the interior was also very unique in its own way.As you enter the restaurant, the first thing you will probably notice is the high ceiling and black-white color scheme. Taking a closer look at their menu brings up a passage from the Bible and there is even a large heart-shap
As you enter the restaurant, the first thing you will probably notice is the high ceiling and black-white color scheme. Taking a closer look at their menu brings up a passage from the Bible and there is even a large heart-shaped art piece on the wall with a verse from the Bible. I immediately recognized the version from John 3:16 as it was a verse that was widely used at the secondary school I used to attend - Fairfield Methodist. I guess the restaurant owners are Christian as there were many Christian elements in the restaurant's design.I particularly liked the sign near the rear of the restaurant which had arrows pointing to "Heaven" (their kitchen) and "No.5 Purvis Street" (the other unit next door that is also occupied by the same restaurant).
THE FOOD
We were there for lunch (it was also a treat from our boss) and I decided to order the "Fish". Saveur's menu is also very minimalistic in its design, with their mains categorized according to the meat: ie. Chicken, Duck, Fish, Beef, Pork. This made it super easy to decide on what you want to eat!The "Fish" I ordered was a chunk of Barramundi ($13.90) sitting on top grilled potato cubes that had a small amount of crab meat on it. I enjoyed the potato cubes as they were crispy on the outside and just nice on the inside. They also plated it with small slices of blood oranges and grapefruit which added a unique fruity to the savory dish.
However the actual meat itself, the fish, was very average - it wasn't that tender and in fact, I found it to be a little on the dry side. As a main dish, the meat should have been the main "star" but it was rather disappointing as the condiments really out-shined the main ingredient.The portion of the mains are just right for me, but a few of my colleagues felt that it was too little. The portion is definitely lesser than a plate of $3 chicken rice, but I think the whole idea of French cuisine is that their meals are designed for multi-course: appetizer, main, dessert (at least). Which is why the portions are smaller so that you can try a wider variety of dishes. I also managed to sample a little bit of the Duck Confit from my colleague and it was delicious! Definitely a star dish that I would like to try on my next visit there.
I was very glad that we ordered some desserts to share because I was pleasantly surprised by the novelty of the desserts that they had. First came a big plate of Chocolate & Hazelnut ($7.90) with a generous sprinkle of nuts and sour raspberries. The taste was very unique and there were a mixture of different flavours and textures that you don't expect to have in a dessert. We also shared a Pistachio Panna Cotta ($6.90) which was one of my favourites. The Panna Cotta was really milky and creamy with a smooth texture, dusted in chunks of pistachio nuts on top.The last dessert item to arrived took us all by surprise. The menu simply read "milk and cookies" and it was printed on an extra sheet of paper that was stuck onto the last page of the menu - I guess they probably added in this new dish recently. The dessert was simply a plate of foam (milk foam, I think) with a chunk of cookie hidden within it. The foam also had a sparkly texture to it, similar to those "pop-in-your-mouth" candy powder that you used to eat as a kid. This is an unforgettable dessert that you definitely must try!
Well, the service however was just average. The staff were just very curt and did not converse much with their customers. The crowd there was mainly made up of young working adults and a few expats. And do you know that "Saveur" means "flavour" in French? One thing for sure, this restaurant is definitely filled with lots of interesting flavours. Overall, it is a pleasant place to have an affordable French meal at!
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