Aether House – New French Restaurant in the CBD serving dishes with Real Truffle and Wagyu Beef, starting from $14 onwards

French cuisine here is known to be rather pricey but Aether House prides themselves in offering quality and reasonably priced french food. It obviously isn’t $15/dish but the quality experience definitely makes this place worth a visit, especially since it is only a 5 minute walk from Telok Ayer MRT Station.

Walking in, you’ll be greeted by a bar with a marble top and rattan-like chairs, and warm lighting, giving a comfortable atmosphere. And most importantly, the build of the restaurant is reminiscent of french design; the arched tops and the classy yet casual vibes. Considering travel has been affected by the pandemic, it certainly is refreshing. Not to forget the french music playing, it really is a feast for the senses.

I got to try a 4 course wine pairing menu, each dishing coming with a complementing wine.

First was Amuse Bouche which is a wagyu and oyster tartare with “kaviari” caviar paired with Varnier-Farniere, Brut Zéro Champagne. The dish consists of two layers, the top layer of caviar and the tartare hidden below. Umami, salty and almost velvety smooth, the caviar packs a punch and is balanced out by the succulent beef and oysters below. I suggest having some with the bread and butter given. This savoury dish went well with the naturally fruity notes of the champagne. In fact, this champagne does not contain sugar making it extra fresh and really bringing out the summer scents. The other dish shown is Le Boeuf Wagyu au Couteau ($26) which I did not try.

Next up, my personal favourite, L’octopus de Méditerranée ($24). The balance of heavy and light notes of the dish is immaculate, the octopus carpaccio with citrusy lemon oil is already fantastic but to take it to another level, the aioli and grapefruit add a different dimension to the dish. I suggest a mouthful of all the 4 components to really experience the unique palate. Accompanying, this is Dopff au Moulin, Riesling Europe 2014, with a lovely yellow gold colour with citrusy notes as well.

Following up is Le Poulet ($24). Chicken ballotine in potato gratin espuma and truffle sauce, almost like an island in a creamy sea, with a generous amount of French Winter Truffle raining down. The presentation was definitely exquisite and appetising. After years of consuming artificial truffle products, this is vastly different from the true earthy almost nutty flavour of actual truffle that gels well with the tender chicken. Adding to this is Chateau La Valliere, Lalande de Pomerol 2015, with flavours of light wood vanilla and a rich and silky tannins that evens out the heavier notes of the creaminess.

Last but not least, ending of the meal with Le Soufflé de Singapour ($18). Just out of the oven, this fluffy treat is perfect with the gula melaka ice cream. It is suggested to make a hole in the middle of the souffle and put the ice cream in but I chose to just combine them together in my spoon. The sweet, toasted gula melaka ice cream and the fragrant souffle was certainly a great way to end this wholesome meal. To match this, is the Dopff au Moulin, Muscat Reserve 2014 that has a nose which is floral and fruity, fitting the flavour profile of this dessert.

The Pinot Noir Tea ($8) that I also had was definitely astringent and refreshing with a tangy, fruity profile with a hint of floral notes. Most of the teas available at Aether House are wine inspired, hence, pinot noir all of which

The attention to detail, the intricacies and the flavour profiles for every dish amazed me. No surprise considering the head chef is french! The menu is even colour coded to show which alcohol it pairs best with.

They also offer a vast variety of condiments from France such as mustard as well as oils of different aromas. On top of that, there are also wine books as well as some books along the seating area (not for sale) brought from France.

Great for indulging yourself, this place is perfect for casual yet elegant dining as well as to soak in the french vibes of the place.

Reservations can be made by email or by call on their website, as well as through Chope.

Aether House: 35 Robinson Rd, #01-05/06/07, Singapore 068876