Oso has not only moved but has expanded and diversified, and the ground floor is now a dedicated French restaurant called Absinthe.
I came for lunch on a weekday, and Absinthe appears to be a popular spot for City boys who come to discuss bonds and stock splits in the midst of white tablecloths and moss-green walls, the latter inspired by the eponymous spirit.
Given Oso's reputation, I came expecting the same attention to detail and high standards in terms of food. Upon entering, the first thing I saw was a well-stocked cheese trolley, and a dedicated cheese section is definitely a Good Sign that we can expect great things from Absinthe.
Service is attentive and unstinting; manager Philippe Pau is always on hand to address every request and query, while Chef Francois Mermilliod puts in a personal appearance to obtain feedback (though he seemed less than pleased when I suggested a lighter menu for lunch).
Speaking of the menu, Absinthe's website does not appear to be operational just yet, and I didn't bother to take down exactly what I was having, so this is purely from memory. The goat's cheese starter that my mother had was not out of the ordinary, but pleasantly presented; the cheese curving across the toasted bread in a delicate, serpentine form.
My father had an order of mushroom soup, which I thought was rather too creamy and thin, though it did not lack a suitable burst of earthiness from the porcinis and truffle oil.
With St Pierre currently non-functional (I have yet to find out the story behind this; has it closed for renovations, or is it actually shuttered?), the new place to go to for foie gras is apparently Absinthe. Carrying an $8 supplement to the prix fixe, the foie gras is lovingly caramelised, creamy inside, paired with a blini and little wild hibiscus flowers that cut through some of the fatty, sweet richness.
Absinthe only offers a meat or fish dish as a main course in its set lunch menu, which (as mentioned) I think is rather too heavy for lunch. I don't understand how all these executives can wolf down a three course menu with a substantial sirloin and still remain awake for the afternoon meeting. While the sirloin was delicious, I would have preferred a poultry option as I'm not a great fish fan.
For some reason I was very full after my steak (it might have had something to do with having some of my parents' starters), but I can never bring myself to order a fruit salad as a dessert (which my father did), as it always seems to me a great waste of money: cut fruits and some syrup.
While my father had the fruit salad, I ordered a creme brulee tart, which unfortunately I was slightly too full to do complete justice to, but I did not quite enjoy the presence of berries within the custard filling of the tart. The mango sorbet that the tart was served with was also surprisingly rich and sugary; I would have preferred something more tart to balance out the sweetness of the tart.
Complimentary chocolates from Valrhona in place of fancy petit-fours round off a very satisfying lunch at Absinthe, and it doesn't take a visit from the green fairy to see that Absinthe, like its parent Oso, will remain on the food radar!
Absinthe
46 Bukit Pasoh Road
Tel: 6222 9068
Mon-Fri: 12pm-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
Sat: 6.30pm-10.30pm
(Closed on Sun)
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