The French Stall

Never mind the unexpected setting. Fret not the heat and casual dining atmosphere. Expats throng this place, and keep coming back. It's not that strange a notion once one has tried the food here. Getting the price right is key to everything, especially in the credit cycle we're in today. The French Stall does just that, and does it really well too! Situated at 544 Serangoon Road (Little India), it's indeed a queer and the most unlikely place to find good and authentic french cuisine. 

At YS' suggestion, we celebrated Yan's birthday today at the French Stall. It was a surprised treat from YS, and we're grateful for the introduction to this restaurant. For appetizers, we ordered a bunch of things from the menu - rocket salad served with parmesan cheese, escargot, garlic bread, mussels cooked in white wine sauce and carrot soup. They were all very tasty, but of course, one can't expect michelin-star standard. My only slight regret is the presentation style for the escargots. Although at S$9.20 per half dozen, they're probably the cheapest escargots one could find in Singapore, the dish could have been better presented. 

The minced herb garlic bread was very tasty, but then again, it's a no-brainer. So were the mussels cooked in white wine, for it really is hard to get it wrong.

The carrot soup was light - more for diet-conscious people, I would say. I prefer it creamier and thicker, like how I would have made it.

As for the main courses, the most value-for-money choice on the menu for meat eaters would be the rack of lamb, as it comes in huge serving. 

However, the steak failed to impress. It was very average, and tasted rather like Han's cheap steak.

The birthday boy ordered something healthy for once - baked dory fillet served with spinach. As long as the fish is fresh, it's hard to get this wrong as well.

For a vegetarian like Yan's mom, it's not easy to eat out with a group of meat eaters like us. She had to order the only vegetarian dish on the main course menu - spaghetti in creamy mushroom and tomato sauce. This is a relatively safe dish to order, and it didn't disappoint.

For a gourmet like me (ehhmm), one of course will have to go for more refined and sophisticated choice - grilled duck breast served over a bed of risotto, and topped with orange peel. At S$21, this isn't exactly inexpensive, but overall I was rather pleased with the taste and the presentation. I consider this dish satisfactory. 

And the verdict? If you're looking for value-for-money and no-frills french food, this is the place!