About
Step into the restaurant and you’re immediately greeted by a tastefully designed interior. Timber rods form a rib-like topography that adds to the intimacy of the space which seats only 38 diners, while the long bar that seats 20 guests conveys the idea that Le Binchotan is a place for busy city-goers to wind down and relax. We also love that even the cutlery is carefully thought out, with each plate individually created by Singaporean potter Mud Rock.
The intricate attention to detail, however, is most visibly expressed in the elevated dishes offered here. This casual yet chic tapas bar and restaurant presents an alluring marriage between French and Japanese fare, allowing diners to embrace the best of two worlds. At the heart of the creations here is the use of bincho-tan, or white charcoal, to smoke the meats and seafood. Temperatures can reach more than 1,000 degrees Celcius, thus bringing out the nuanced flavours of the quality ingredients used. The dishes here are meant to be shared, and some stellar small plates include the delicate Madai, featuring a smoked sea bream served with eggplant, radish, and sherry vinaigrette. Among the Large Plates, The Mangalica Pork Jowl, featuring a sous vide pork jowl infused with katsu curry, and smoked on the bincho-tan before finally being served with a side of Japanese kabocha pumpkin, as well as the Boston Lobster “Live”, served with fennel, butter, and orange, stand out the most.
Pair the dishes with a glass of wine, as recommended by Le Binchotan’s Head bartender Sugar Ray Ruban, to enhance your dining experience. For cocktail lovers, their house cocktails, such as The Gin, The Bowtie, and Sake My Cucumber, are exciting options as well.
So if you’re looking for an intimate and intriguing dining experience, Le Binchotan should definitely be at the top of your list! (Dec 2016)
The buzz
“Ingredients are flown in from Japan to produce dishes like the Myoban uni, a corn mousse topped with long-spiked uni that reaches the restaurant mere hours before ending up on your plate. Other highlights include shaven foie gras made to look like wood chips served with daikon and dashi gelée, single-stick skewers of wagyu striploin, and Iberico pork jowl.” -Time Out Singapore
“Want izakaya-style dining with a little French flair? This very narrow izakaya serves as a playground for Chef Jeremmy Chiam, who blends Japanese ingredients and French culinary styles to create unique izakaya dishes that are perfect for post-work bites...Expect unconventional twists on classic dishes like foie gras, as well a bar bites like tripe with champignon mushrooms.” -Honeycombers