Joséphine French Cuisine & Wine Bar

Do you have craving for delicious Burgundy Escargot in garlic butter sauce or a succulent Côte de Boeuf steak?

There is no shortage of high-end fine French dining restaurants in Singapore but sometimes we just do not want to burn a big hole in the pocket to dine on crisp, white tablecloths, indulge in the finest bottles of wine and savour such French culinary creations.

Located in historical Amoy Street, Josephine French Cuisine and Wine Bar has been a welcoming addition to the vibrant F&B scene in this neighbourhood for its reasonably-priced French bistro flavours.

Weekday set lunch starts from $24 for a 2-course menu to $28 and $36 for the 3-course with the latter menu offering dishes using gourmet ingredients like escargot, foie gras and duck magret.

The two of us decided to go for the gourmet set lunch menu and picked unique dishes to share. So literally we had a 6-course lunch at $36 each!

More Peruvian than French, the trending ceviche dish has made its way into the menu of many restaurants in recent years. Here small cubes of fresh sea bass are cured with lime and tossed with basil, onions, capsicum, lemon juice and olive oil. A light and refreshing starter to kick off our lunch.

For a set lunch menu, I am very impressed with the portion of the dishes served especially the pan-seared foie gras. Not one but two thick slices of perfectly seared duck liver sandwiched between toasted sourdough bread and drizzled with honey sauce. While foie gras is a controversial food, this is classic dish in French cuisine with intense texture and flavour.

Pan-seared sea bass fillet is served with creamy spinach and a wedge of lemon. While the char-grilled pork tenderloin comes with mushroom cream sauce. Not dramatic extravagant creations but rustic french cooking that fill your stomach and warm your heart.

The cheese platter complements the savoury notes that still linger on our palates after the mains. The apple tarte served with vanilla ice cream provides the perfect sweet ending to our first meal at Josephine, which I will now add to my list of affordable French dining options that doesn’t skimp on taste.