Cover Chef Louis Pacquelin (Image: Clos Pasoh)
Chef Louis Pacquelin (Image: Clos Pasoh)
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Heading the kitchen is French chef Louis Pacquelin, formerly of the now-shuttered BBR by Alain Ducasse
Louis Pacquelin, the former chef de cuisine of BBR by Alain Ducasse at Raffles Hotel Singapore which shuttered its doors last year, is back in the local dining scene with the opening of contemporary French brasserie Clos Pasoh in Amoy Street. The establishment, which he co-owns with French entrepreneur Jean-Christophe (JC) Cadoret, is a celebration of their French heritage as well as the city that they now call home.
The influence of the two cultures is evident in the chic interiors that merge classic French style with Singaporean sensibilities. Hence, the 50-seat dining indoor room is decked out in mesmerising wallpaper from French masion Pierre Frey, while the dining chairs were handmade by a Singaporean designer.
Indeed, the indoor dining is made for memorable meals but the space extends to the terrace overlooking the buzzy Bukit Pasoh neighbourhood, Chef’s Table for front-row seats to the chefs at work, and a private room with its own entrance. This is a French place after all, so there’s even a room dedicated to the extensive wines and cheeses it offers.
Above 50-seater dining room
Above Dining chairs handmade by
Ong Shunmugam
50-seater dining room
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In the kitchen, Pacquelin returns to his roots by dishing out what he calls “new school French fare", which is a shift from fine dining. “My menu remains true to the brasserie dishes that inspired me, but I have reinterpreted them to broaden their appeal to include another generation of diners as well as non-French diners,” he explains.
“We are not in France after all,” he adds, so signature dishes such as tête de veau and bisque coco-homard are presented in a new light. The aforementioned creation is a traditional dish that is served as a whole calf’s head, which, admittedly, can be unappetising for some diners. That’s why Pacquelin presents it as crispy fried dumplings served with fresh wasabi (instead of the classic ravigote sauce).
Tete de veau
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The expansive wine list of over 1,500 labels was curated by Cadoret and consists of a variety of styles that cater to all preferences. Apart from the 250 selections of champagne, you also have vintages from Domaine Armand Rousseau and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, among others.
Clos Pasoh | 48A Bukit Pasoh Road, Level 2, S(089859) | 6980 0672 | Book here
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Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
