AS far as restaurants in Singapore go, 10 years is a long time to be in a fickle industry that sees eateries closing every year or so. It's perhaps an even greater feat of sorts that the low-profile 'deluxe bistro' L'Angelus has been quietly riding through all manner of health and financial crises for the last decade - all the while serving authentic French food to both expats and local foodies.
There's no definable secret to its success, says Gabriel Balasy, who owns L'Angelus with his partner Philippe Hoyez. 'It's very simple - we remain as authentic as we can, delivering what we think is the best value for money to our customers.'
It's with this philosophy in mind that the two owners and two former employees have teamed up to open its second Les Bouchons - a casual bistro concept - at the former River Cafe premises in Robertson Quay, beside the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI).
Opened just last week, the new eatery is named Les Bouchons Rive Gauche, which is French for 'Left Bank'. 'Paris lies between the Rive Droit (Right Bank of the Seine) and Rive Gauche,' explains Balasy. 'Ann Siang Hill is on the right bank of the Singapore River. STPI is on the left bank, so we found it quite amusing to call it 'Rive Gauche'.'
Unlike L'Angelus, which he describes as something in between fine dining and bistro - 'a hybrid of the two' - Les Bouchons is more like the 'bistro around the corner - very relaxed and informal'.
Informal it certainly is at the tiny restaurant which barely fits eight to 10 tables and features a small menu comprising various kinds of meats and free flow fries. There's no complicated cooking on the menu besides the grilling of steaks and frying of fries - even the starters are simple, ranging from baked snails to terrines and charcuterie. What was thought to be a harmless question, 'Do you have any soup?' got this firm reply: 'No, this is not River Cafe'. It reminded us of service in Paris.
Service got friendlier later though. Meanwhile, expect large slabs of meat done to your liking and a mountain of crispy fries (no refill required unless you're a real fry-lover), served with an array of condiments from mayonnaise to horseradish sauce. At about $28, you really do get your money's worth, which as Balasy says, is the secret of its success.
Les Bouchons literally means 'the corks' as in those from wine bottles. In Lyon, a bouchon usually refers to a small cosy restaurant. But instead of serving cuisine from Lyon, Les Bouchons specialises in another French bistro staple - steak frites, or steak and french fries.
The idea to take over the River Cafe came because of its availability, and that Les Bouchons in Ann Siang Hill 'is full every day'. Says Balasy: 'That's why we took the challenge. The location has a magical touch, with its romantic terrace along the river. And the STPI building has a majestic allure, dominating the river.' While only the eatery downstairs is open now, the plans are to turn the upstairs space into a wine bar, which will have a great view of the river.
Balasy adds that while the area was over-rated in the past where 'people expected great outdoor activities but ended up disappointed', the place has been experiencing a turnaround thanks to the eateries at The Pier nearby. 'People are friendly. We are confident all the ingredients for success are there. The only danger, as usual in Singapore, would be in the over-exploitation of the area, with more and more restaurants and bars coming. Remember Club Street and its downfall . . .'
But given L'Angelus and Les Bouchons' staying power, we're pretty sure they'll be just fine on the left bank.
LES BOUCHONS RIVE GAUCHE #01-01, 41 Robertson Quay
Tel: 6733-4414
