Poulet (Bugis+) - Worth the wait and the bites

It really isn't difficult to find a French restaurant in Singapore, nor is it difficult to find good French fare. The only drawback? Your wallet may probably be bleeding by the end of the meal, which means you would probably be visiting them only on special occasions. But what if you are really craving for French fare but is tight on budget? Thankfully, there's a couple of good affordable French restaurants out there, one of which would be Poulet, set up by the company behind Thai Express.

I have read rave reviews on Poulet ever since their opening last year but never got the chance to try them out. So on a Monday night with PSI at around 62, I used the excuse of meeting up with a friend for dinner to try out the small establishment on the 4th floor of Bugis+ (formally Iluma). At 6.30pm, it was surprisingly packed with diners and took us about 10 minutes to be seated.

We ordered:

1) 1/2 Poulet Roti
($15.80++)

 2) Sauteed Mushrooms

($7.80++) 

Verdict: The mushroom (a mix of button mushrooms and oyster mushrooms) were sauteed with garlic, and were slightly on the salty side. The egg was probably there to serve as a balance in contrast to the saltiness, but other than that, it didn't make much of an impact. It would have been nice if some bread were served with it or have the saltiness reduced though.

Verdict: The Poulet Roti is Poulet's signature dish, and I could totally see why. The chicken was served piping hot, atop a semi-sweet sauce that goes very well with the chicken.. The chicken's skin was crispy and the insides tender which is really rare as majority of the time, roasted/grilled chickens tend to be overdone and dry inside. This however, was sweet and juicy every mouthful and ladies, you might like to consider sharing this.

3) Mediterranean Stewed Lamb Shank
($15.80++)

Verdict: The problem with lamb is always the strong smell that comes with it. This, however, was cooked to perfection because there was not much of a scent detected. The meat still retained it's juices and you could easily separate it off the bone. The root vegetables (2 onions and 1 small piece of carrot) helps to cleanse your tastebuds of the taste of meat. My only gripe with this dish was that the sauce was bland; it would be nice if it were a bit stronger in taste.

4) Tiramisu (Mousse)

($7.80++)

Verdict: Another signature of Poulet, this jar was good for 2 to share. The coffee-liquor-soaked sponge cake? (they didn't looked like ladyfingers) inside were moist and slightly bitter, and the mascapone cheese was light and creamy. Paired together, it really hits the spot after a meal.

5) Apple Tart
($7.80++)

Verdict: Light and fluffy, the puff pastry was not too thick, and the apple drizzled with cinnamon sauce was not overly sweet either. Served with the scoop of ice cream, it really wasn't too bad, except for it's size.

In all, we spent $76.05, inclusive of GST and service charge and 2 drinks (Iced Lemon Tea ($4.80) and Orangina ($4.80)). Word of caution though: They do not serve plain water, only bottled Evian (at $3.80 per bottle) so there's no choice but to get a drink really. 

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Poulet
201 Victoria Street
#04-12  Bugis+
Opening hours: 11.00 - 22.00
Tel: 6509 9411