FRE(N)SH

Had an appetite for cheap French food so headed down with my gf to FRE(N)SH at Vivo City for a quick tartine fix.

Hidden in a quiet corner of the colossal shopping mall, FRE(N)SH is interestingly named, from which I infer to be a short form for French & Fresh or vice versa. I may be wrong, but I deserve some marks for trying? The place in itself is tiny, as evident by the bar counter seats which take up the majority of the place. There are 4 tightly packed tables in a corner as well but they shouldn't even be an option unless you seriously don't mind sitting about 20cm away from the next table.

FRE(N)SH Chicken Tartine - How could I resist ordering a Tartine with the same name? (I'm assuming its their signature dish.) The bread was nicely toasted with extremely generous amounts of chicken, sliced potatoes and mustard. Personally, I couldn't quite stomach the mustard as it made me tear involuntarily but the chicken and potatoes were good. Probably next time round I'll ask for mayonnaise instead.

Chicken Tartine - This was very similar to the FRE(N)SH Tartine except that it had anchovies and it came with mayonnaise instead of mustard. As with the former, ingredients were generous and this dish had a slight fishy overtone which generally went well with the chicken taste. However, any stronger and it would have been revolting (at least for me).

Crème brûlée - Served in an aluminum foil container, the layer of sugar atop looked a tad charred but broke easily with the slightest effort. Didn't find it to be quivery smooth though. But I could make out the vanilla beans in it, which probably means that its home made. Thumbs up to that!

Tiramisu - Looking more like a chocolate cake than anything else, the Tiramisu had a nice amaretto liqueur taste to it, which is different from the usual Kahlua infused ones. However, I did find the layer of sponge a little too excessive, so much so that it reminded me of eating a slice of cake. On that note, the Mascarpone cheese was a little lacking. But overall rather smooth and decent.

No GST, no service charge, what more can I ask for? Well maybe a mint to cleanse my breath. I'm just being corny here but $32 for 2 set meals is a rather good deal if you ask me. A drink, a Tartine and a dessert - a complete meal without busting your wallet.

See my pictures here

Tucked at a quiet corner of a mega shopping mall, Vivocity, you will find a small café – Fre(n)sh. Shouting at the top of their entrance reads “Authentic French Café & Restaurant”.

French cuisine considered to be one of the world's most refined and elegant styles of cooking, and is renowned for both its classical or grande cuisine and provincial styles. Many of the world's greatest chefs are, or were masters of French cuisine. Although this French café is not some fanciful fine dining restaurant, they do served traditional French cuisine known as Tartines, or Open Sandwiches. I tried the Smoked Salmon with Avocado Tartine, and it was good.

But however it would have been better if the avocado was not in the form of a spread, but slice pieces from the fruit instead. The Crème Brulee was nevertheless outstanding – touched freshly only when you ordered; the layer of sugar coating was thin and burned to perfection.

Just a simple knock with the back of the spoon enables you to enjoy the sugar coated dessert – unlike others I have tried that comes thickly coated. If you wish to have a simple meal in a quiet environment, this is the place to be.

You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.