Celebrated a friend’s birthday so we went to try Violet Herbs @ Tras Street. I think this place must be pretty new since we can still smell the lingering renovation smell of a new place when we sat down. Place was pretty empty except of another table which was occupied. This restaurant has 2 levels with the upstairs being catered to ‘special bookings’ or only when the first floor is filled. The place pretty much revolved around its purple theme which I thought was pretty unnecessary since ‘Modern European’ and ‘Purple’ don’t necessarily go together

I like the spaciousness of the sofa though I pretty much will prefer it in another colour

Complimentary Bread to start

Amuse Broche

Salmon Belly topped with Salmon Roe

Well, we were only told this is salmon belly so I have no idea what is that yellow thing either. The salmon belly was pretty oily. When I placed it in my mouth, I can really feel the essence of the salmon belly filling the entire mouth

We took the 4 course set dinner with an additional order of starter. We thought the set dinner was pretty cheap and we probably won’t have the stomach for the 6- or 8 course

Starter: Pistachio and Herb Crusted Scallop

I think the scallop was a little overcooked to the point it was rubbery. I couldn’t taste the sweetness of the scallop and neither the herbs. The butternut squash puree was nicely done and it gave a nice overall touch to the plate

Starter: Pan Seared Foie Gras

With a one-hour poached egg and summer truffle. Visually, it looks like you are eating a half boiled egg with soya sauce. Taste-wise, the friend said the egg and the foie gras don’t go together. It’s like two mutually exclusive items being served on a plate. It’a a little strange

Homemade Lobster Tofu ($15)

When this came we were a little apprehensive. So we sliced the tofu into half and slowly savour it. Then we took the other half and chew it as well. But after swallowing the whole tofu, we were puzzled. Where’s the lobster?? hahaha. We finally found the (very) small piece of meat in the last tofu and the friend went ‘We are paying $15 for this??’ I just lol-ed. Yes the tofu is pretty good. It was silky, soft and has a nice layer of crust and it paired well with the sauce but the absence of the lobster put some disappointment here and it is definitely not worth paying $15 for 3 tofu

Soup: Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute

The soup felt like it was missing something. I asked the friend if it’s supposed to taste like this and he added it was a bit strange. It was sweet but it would have stood out if there are more earthy flavours to it and perhaps a few more drops of truffle oil

Soup: Lobster Cappuccino & Brandy

The lobster soup was salty, or I thought it was more salty than usual and I couldn’t really taste the brandy

Palate Cleaner: Yuzu Sorbet

When the waitress put this down and told us this was yuzu sorbet, we were confused why is there a sorbet when we haven’t finished our meal. So I asked her is this a palate cleanser and yes we got our answer

I have to say this is one damn good palate cleaner. The sorbet was more milky than icey and there is an evident taste of yuzu in it which was really delicious

Main: Roasted Duck Confit

I was impressed by the portion of the duck confit. It was actually bigger than expected. Taste-wise, the skin was crispy and the meat was very tender. This was pretty good

Main: Marinated Red Miso Cod w Almond Eggplant & Roasted Pumpkin Puree

The fish was nicely marinated and done and I thought the eggplant was good too. The only downside was it starts to get really oily after awhile. (Look at the plate) I think the fish went well with the puree with a balance of flavours since you can taste the sweetness of the pumpkin yet the saltiness of the miso at the same time

Desserts: Treasures of Strawberry (Yoghurt Mousse)

A simple dessert revolving around strawberries. The yoghurt mousse was light and you can add on the coulis for a different texture. The macarons were baked nicely and the ice wine gave a sweet closure to the dish

Desserts: Valrhona Chocolate Fondant

Before his dessert came out, the restaurant had a black out. So I mentioned to the friend ‘Eh, black out ah?’ and he replied ‘Ya lah, if not birthday surprise ah’ It was like 2 seconds of awkwardness cos I had really arranged a surprise. So when the dessert came out with the candle, I just burst out laughing. I like it when the restaurant is thoughtful enough to decorate the plate. The chocolate fondant had a slightly burnt taste to it and I thought it could be better if there was more lava in it. That being said, I think the dessert was decent overall

The meal started out shakey, but I think it progressed towards the end. This place just needed some more fine-tuning considering it just started. For a 4-course dinner at $42 per pax, it is really decent and worth considering

Violet Herbs

81 Tras Street S(079020)