Nicolas Le Restaurant
Walking into the newly reopened Nicolas Le Restaurant, my first impression was that this was more of a wine boutique than a restaurant. And perhaps that is exactly the idea. Here, the wines take centre stage, with food designed to make you want another glass!
Established in 2007, Nicolas changed hands in February this year. The new owners renovated the space while retaining its name and wine-focused identity, reopening on 25 August.
At the heart of the new Nicolas is GM Guillaume, the main man overseeing the restaurant and its wine-focused experience. Guillaume warmly welcomed us and personally showed us around the impressive wine collection, sharing insights into the newly refreshed concept.
With over 1,200 wine labels and more than 2,000 bottles, the collection is impressive. Around 90% are French, with a particular love for Burgundy. Two dedicated cellar rooms house the white and red Burgundies separately. Bottles are organised by region, with prices clearly displayed, ranging from around $90 to several thousand dollars.
While the wine selection was hardly a surprise, the food was a very pleasant surprise!
Heading the kitchen is Chef Alynna Tan, whose culinary journey includes Odette, Esora and Michelin-starred kitchens in Scandinavia. Her compact à la carte menu is rooted in European classics with contemporary touches. Quality ingredients do much of the talking.
We started with beautifully cured Trout, followed by Wagyu Bresaola with aged balsamic. OMG! The bresaola was superb, with gorgeous marbling and rich beefy flavours. Definitely one of my favourites of the evening.
The Baked Camembert with garlic miso cashews was another comforting treat. The Mussel Toast was particularly interesting. Sweet mussels, gently spicy nduja and chives sat on pillowy brioche with a lovely crisp crust.
For mains, we shared the Lamb Rack with wasabi chimichurri and Padrón peppers. Nicely cooked, although I would have preferred the lamb more charred. The Roasted Pigeon was excellent! Perfectly medium rare, beautifully pink and tender, accompanied by cherry jus and slow-cooked turnips.
We ended with Sobacha Tiramisu and freshly baked Madeleines with truffle honey and milk gelato.
Sommelier Brosnan Ong guided us through the wines and even surprised us with an off-menu dessert wine! A lovely personal touch. Our server Raj was warm and attentive throughout the evening.
With just around 20 indoor seats, Nicolas offers an intimate setting where wine lovers can explore wonderful bottles while enjoying some seriously good cooking.
I came expecting an impressive wine collection. I left equally impressed by the food. Perhaps the wines bring people through the door, but Chef Alynna's cooking gives them another reason to return.
