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“Communal French Dining”
Cocotte is a charming traditional French restaurant hidden away in the picturesque themed Wanderlust Hotel in the gut of Little India.
With a rustic yet electric vibe, the hearty French creations of Head Chef Anthony Yeoh has been attracting an eclectic crowd of trendy locals, curious foodies and everyday Singaporeans.
Tapping into the concept of sharing and communal dining, the serving portions of the dishes off the menu tend to be larger.
Head Chef Anthony Yeo quotes: “I want to present the ingredients as I would for friends and family, in a way that you can taste the essence of each ingredient and get to the heart of what we love – cooking French food.”
The dishes we are trying for this review are from the Communal Prix Fixe Menu ($65/pax) set.
Salt Cod Beignets. Deep fried fritters of salt cod, potato puree, garlic and thyme, served with tomato coulis. Not a huge potato fan personally, but my palate was especially accommodating to the lightly salted yet round in flavour potato puree within the fried fritters.
Olive Oil Poached Sea Bass with Olives & Tomato Provençale, with a single Spinach and Chevre Raviole. The skin of the Raviole is rather soft, breaking easily to reveal a generous amount of fresh spinach within. The sea bass was a little too fishy in taste for my liking, although the meat is tender and smooth.
Poulet Rôti (for 4 persons having the Communal Prix Fixe menu). When a whole roasted chicken is chopped up into different cuts of tender, fragrant meat and served on a chopping block accompanied by seasonal vegetables and pan gravy is presented in front of you, most might chicken out at the sheer volume of meat.
However, the communal concept at Cocotte encourages the sharing of dishes – have a few buddies divvy up the portions and finishing it will be chicken feed. The chicken used are cage, antibiotic and hormone free.The chicken is brined and then marinated with herb butter under the skin, and finally roasted to achieve its full flavour.
Steak Frites ($36). On the a la carte menu, a highly recommended parisian style steak and fries which performed way beyond expectations for a steak under $40. Perfectly cooked to a medium rare, each cut is savoury and juicy, and brought about a slight hint of charred smoky piquancy at the back of the palate.
Choice steak at a reasonably low price? Yes please.
Cote De Boeuf ($145). If you prefer a lot more meat, you can try this 800g char grilled Cape Grim steak instead. I however found it to have a bit more connective tissue, and isn’t as tender as the Steak Frites.
Burnt Caramel Ice Cream Sandwich. Our final stop on the Prix Fixe food coma train, homemade burnt caramel ice cream set between speculoos biscuits; The spiced shortcrust biscuits reminded me vaguely of Christmas, although the burnt caramel ice cream was a little too overpowering for me. A considerable treat for the sweet-toothed, nonetheless.
Simple yet hearty French cuisine that aims to bring people closer together in this fast paced society that we live in, Cocotte is the ideal venue for group dinners or family outings. The pastoral ambience is also welcoming for couples looking for a change in scenery.
Related Guide: Best steaks you can find in Singapore
Expected damage: $30-40 (Lunch), $60-$80 (Dinner).
