Atout Singapore - Fine Groceries and Delicious Food

What leads me to discovery of this gem of Atout is actually Kampot Pepper! It is one of the best peppers in the world with hints of floral aroma amid the distinct spiciness of black pepper. A search on the web for this, and voila, I found Atout, one of the few grocers who carries this product. And being very happy with my stash of groceries brought online from here, I figure that I should try dining at this place.

Smoked Salmon Rilette with Mixed Greens & Pickles is full of colours and flavours. The tanginess of zucchini and carrot refreshes the palates while the greens is crunchy and full of flavours due to zesty seasoning oil drizzled over it. I'm not exactly a salad person but this salad wins me over. Salmon rilette has that subtle distinctive flavour of cooked salmon, and this subtlety is exactly how I like it. The pink peppercorns sprinkled over this spices things up. A well-executed dish.

One of the perks of dining here is that bread and French butter are included in the set lunch because the warm bread with soft fluffy interior is delicious. I can actually finish the whole lot of them, whether with butter or on its own. What is even better is that the French Conviette butter given is oh so amazingly good. Within the buttery, super creamy goodness, there is a very light hint of citrus, which refreshes the whole taste of the bread. This is so good that it is totally worth it to come to this restaurant to dine just for this butter.

And extra information: this butter is certified AOP (Appellation D'Origine Protégée), meaning that it is a unique quality product produced with au naturale ingredients, strict standards and specific methods.

Marrennes-Oleron Oysters Super Special Jerome Miet is fresh, fleshy, succulent, nutty and milky in taste. Very good oysters. And they are interestingly paired with lime vinaigrette, which has a bit of Thai influence. This vinaigrette actually goes very well with the milky taste of the oysters. I love this new surprising combination. Though one thing of imperfection is that the shucking process is not meticulous, so there are bits of shell and sediments left in the oysters. If this is improved, I say this is highly recommended.

US Kurobuta Pork Cheek braised in Red Wine, Carrots, Mushrooms and Potatoes is such a hearty treat. Generous portions of tender, gamey meat and potatoes will delight Braised Meat fans. The pork is so tender that I can use a spoon to lightly scoop out a chunk of pork. Unbelievable. Obviously, lots of effort is put into making of this dish to make the meat so tender.But I have to admit that I regret ordering this because I’m not into braised stuff, and this does not change my mind about it.

I love Valrhona Dark Chocolate 'Nougat Glacé, Almond Tuile because not only it is good, full of the intensity of quality dark chocolate, and the texture is so unique. It is slightly sticky and chewy, just like chocolate nougat. I'm surprised by how good chocolate can be when in chewy form. To make it even better, after a few chews of the chocolate, it melts into chocolatey goodness in the mouth. This change in texture is interesting and for practical purposes, it does not leave chewy bits in the teeth. Almond Tuile is a nice complement to the chocolate to add the crunchiness texture and nutty flavour to it. This creation is another one of those desserts that I think deserves a special trip down to try out.

The place is of stylish interior with dark wood framing the full length windows overlooking the lush greenery outside. One will really feel the peace and serenity of nature here, with the comfort of air-conditioning. This is perfect for an idyllic day out for families, couples, friends and even solos, like me. The service is very good. They are very attentive, without my prompting, they automatically come up to clear the plates, fill up my glass with still water and even clean up the water spilled by me immediately. Extra compliments to two young service staffs: an Indian guy and a Chinese gal, I didn't get their names though. All of them are very friendly, and the dining experience here ends on a good note with the guy at door bidding farewell.

I like this restaurant a lot. In fact, I prefer this place over another one of similar concept (dining + grocer) due to the extensive menu, unique creations, the value-for-money set lunch and good service. This is a great place to recommend for gatherings and yes, even for solo outing to just enjoy nature with the good food.

Thoughts: Lots of Greenery + Good Unique Food + Quality Groceries + Good Service = Win

40C Harding Road

Singapore

Nearest MRT: Napier

And of course, I go to the grocer after this to get my hands the Conviette Butter,

Got some quality milky white chocolate to make white chocolate lava cakes.Country of Origin: FranceYes, the Kampot pepper! I also got some pink peppercorns which is more fruity in aroma.Country of Origin: Cambodia

Chocolates!!!

Frankly speaking, I had never been a fan of chocolates or anything chocolate. Only quality chocolates can covert me into a chocolate lover in an instant. And these do not include the likes of boutique chocolates, like Godiva, and the Belgian chocolates that many love. Boutique chocolates are more renowned for the brand name instead of the taste while Belgian chocolates are the best among supermarket brands only. Just check the list of ingredients to know if it is quality chocolate. More often than not, they have artificial flavouring, such as vanillin, and oil added.

Good chocolates will not feature these additives. The creaminess will only come from the cocoa butter, nothing else. Real vanilla is added, sometimes, some varieties do not even have vanilla incorporated. In fact, depending on the origins of the cocoa used, gourmet chocolates have unique tastes of their own, ranging from rich, smoky, smooth, acidic, fruity to tangy. The cocoas are sunned dry instead of being smoked dry to ensure the flavours are preserved and untainted by the smoke. Some of the best cocoas come from South America. Yes, quality chocolates will have the origins of the cocoas stated.

For le créme de la créme chocolates, go for Amedei, Valrhona and Michel Cluizei chocolates, which are from Italy and France. Chocolate cakes made with these chocolates are definitely a league above their counterparts.

Other chocolates that make great gifts or for savouring are Royce Chocolates and German chocolates. I like Royce for the nama chocolates, which are incredibly smooth and creamy due to lots of fresh cream added. This is very different from other chocolates, thus will definitely impress if given as gifts to family or friends. While German chocolates are not gourmet chocolates, I prefer these over the Belgian ones since these do not contain artificial additives and not as cloyingly sweet.

Valrhona Chocolates

As I had said before in another post about gourmet chocolates, premium chocolates are totally different from the common ones found in most supermarkets. Premium ones are made from pure, natural ingredients, and the rich taste and smooth yet not waxy texture show it. Valrhona chocolate, famous for use in cakes, is definitely one of my favourite brands of chocolates.

It is not easy to find this brand of chocolates, so imagine my joy when I first spotted them in Emporium Shokuhin. Best of all, there are occasional discounts on specific types of chocolates, so I grabbed the ones on offer.

Andao has the richest chocolatey taste of the lot while Tanariva features the flavour of caramel, adding a hint of excitement to the taste. And amazingly, no caramel is added to Tanariva, the flavour comes from the cocoa itself. Yes, quality chocolates are like wines, they have their own characteristic bouquet and flavour. Ivoire has my nod of approval due to strong flavour of cocoa butter and the addition of raspberries to give that extra kick and crunchiness to the chocolate. Guanaja is elegant and intense in taste. I also like Manjari a lot due to its fruity taste.

For best appreciation of the chocolates, savour it at room temperature, or at least, not straight out from the fridge.

Country of Origin: France
Where to buy: Emporium Shokuhin (This grocer is currently not in operation)