Le Binchotan located at Amoy street serves a fusion of French-Japanese tapas smoked over white charcoal. The bar is hidden and you have to enter though Gemmill lane in order to gain access to the elusive restaurant. The first sight that greets you will be a narrow bar space that is dimly lit to somewhat portray dining in a secret environment

The limited dining area is hidden behind closed doors though I personally would have preferred sitting at the bar

Amuse Bouche: Katsu Curry Foam with Pickled Onions

I thought the amuse bouche was pretty interesting. A lightly spiced Japanese curry with a sweet aftertaste complemented by sweet onions at the bottom of the glass. A combination that actually went pretty well

Myoban Uni $23

Corn Mousse, Grilled Corn, Sudachi, Shoyu

Served chilled, I like the flavor of the uni combined with the light and sweet corn mousse and the corn bits that gave a different texture

Foie Gras $21

Shaven Foie Gras, Daikon, Daishi Gelee, Shitake

It’s probably the first time I’ve tried shaven foie gras yet this dish was somewhat unexpected in terms of flavor. This probably isn’t the most aesthetically pleasingly dish but yet it provided various forms of surprise with its elements. You can taste the smooth and creaminess of the foie gras as it melts in your mouth rounded with a sweet and juicy piece of daikon

Sakura Ebi $19

Baked Omelette, Spinach, Mascarpone, Parmesan

The omelette was baked to a smooth and creamy texture, accompanied by mouthful of fragrant Sakura ebi with an explosive flavor in your mouth

Wagyu Striploin $15

Ume, Porto Reduction

Somehow I wasn’t as impressed by the wagyu beef cos it was too chewy to my liking

Chicken Tsukune $13

Soft Bones, Onions, Tare Sauce, Ginger, Garlic

Though I definitely preferred the flavor of the beef to the chicken as the latter was rather bland in comparison

Nagaimo Fries $9

Fleur De Sel, Chives

A variation of fries using yam, the fries were crisp on the outside and well cooked on the inside though i think it would have tasted awesome dusted with a little more salt

Risotto ‘Japanese Style’ $29

Mushrooms, Garlic Chip, Truffle

The risotto was a class of its own and my personal favorite. Though I was so stuffed by then but I couldn’t resist another mouth of its well cooked rice flavored in earthy mushroom and truffle, topped with crispy garlic bits

Coconut $15

Cremeux, Matcha, Raspberry Bits

Smooth and creamy coconut pudding topped with bitter sweet matcha powder, balanced with a shot of raspberry acidity

Smoked Chocolate $15

Frozen Blueberry, Yogurt

The smoked chocolate was something different. The smokiness enhanced the bitterness of the chocolate yet you could taste the sweetness at the same time. The chocolate was pretty dense so for those who love super gao chocolate, perhaps you can give this a try

I think this place certainly has their own strengths and do stand out in certain aspects. But I would definitely suggest having more light in its dining area. There is a very fine line between being romantic and poor visibility and when diners can’t even tell what they are eating or when your staffs can’t even read what’s on their menu, it is definitely not romantic at all. They also have their own selection of drinks and corkage charge at $50 for those who prefer to bring your own. Definitely one worth checking out if you are in the area, I wouldn’t mind returning

Le Binchotan

115 Amoy Street #01-04 (Entrance via Gemmill Lane)

S(069935)