From the onset of its amuse bouche of beef tartare with campari jelly and pea mousse, we knew this was going to be an experience that surpassed all expectations. Though it was just the amuse bouche, much thought and effort had been put into it, apparent from the myriad of ingredients and tastes on display. The assortment of bread too was impressive. From mini seaweed baguettes, honeyed rolls, rolls infused with figs and olives to dark rye bread, they came fresh and crusty, enough to put most bakeries to shame.
For starters, my other half had the duck tatare while I opted for the steamed trout. The tartare was as smooth as can be with the carrot mousse providing a refreshing respite to the duck's savoury taste. The steamed trout with capers and apple puree was given an interesting twist with the introduction of potatoes with yuzu cream sauce. Needless to say, the potatoes were a hit, accentuating this simple dish with its scintillating blend of savoury, sweet and sour. A pea of soup with Bonita emulsion can be had for an additional 2,000JPY or S$32. I was not too taken with the soup though the pairing of ingredients was quite unusual and creative.
When the mains arrived, all was well again. My custard of foie gras with three types of gnocchi was a visually stunning display like a grand masterpiece. The mini gnocchi of pumpkin and sweet potato played up the singularly rich flavour of the foie gras custard and the dish was a perfect reflection of a great balance of colours, tastes and textures. My other half's choice of beef braised for 60 hours in red wine sauce and pea puree with macaroni gratin was no lightweight too. Though not as creative, the lengthy braising had propelled the meat to such tenderness that you could finish off the dish without feeling too overwhelmed.
At this point, I have to reiterate again that the forte in French kitchen is in its pastries and sweets. And boy, were we in for a joyride! Dessert #1 was custard on orange jelly with blood orange sorbet and a host of sweet tidbits that had me squealing with delight! They included a mini creme brulee, macaroons, rice crispies and dainty tartlets and pastries. The genial French maître d' decided that we should not spoil our appetite for the second surprise and proceeded to doggy bag the sweets for us:) For dessert #2, my other half had the jelly of orange with chocolate sauce, praline and hazelnut ice cream and hazelnut biscuit with a light dusting of coffee flakes. Moi, on the other hand, had the soft biscuit filled with white cheese and orange cream, strawberry compote and white strawberry sorbet. As evident from the descriptions and pictures, L'osier certainly spared no efforts in pleasing even the most discerning of tastes with its splendid creations.
The petit fours on wheels, loaded with a dizzying array of sweets was irresistible. There were chocolates with different cocoa concentrations, dainty cream filled choux pastries, tiny yuzu tartlets, strawberries with four different flavours of icing sugar, homemade caramels and rice crispies, a pyramid of marshmallows and a staggering number of other variations. I felt like Hansel and Gretel, my resistance futile in the "house of candies".L'osier has deservedly earned each and every single of its three-star rating through its ingenuity, brilliance and superb execution. It has even been said that there are six pattisiers whose main task is to create those delectable petit fours! And recession or not, they are now taking weekend lunch reservations for the month of July.
L'osier
Address: 7-5-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, 104-8010 Tokyo, Japan
Telephone: 03-3571-6050
Michelin: ***
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