Chef Patrick Heuberger, part-owner and chef of Le Bistrot du Sommelier (right) in a cooking class

Ms. Atas said, “Have you tried Le Bistrot du Sommelier? The steak is to die for. I must bring you there.” Run by Chef Patrick Heuberger, former executive chef of Au Petite Salut, the restaurant serves French-styled steaks.

Beef tenderloin

At the restaurant, we had the famous and signature cote de boeuf (pictured above, 0.8kg-1.2kg), which you have to pre-order a day in advance, that comes with two sides, a salad and sliced baked potatoes in cream and cheese, otherwise known as gratin.  Was it the best steak I’ve ever eaten?

The steak was fantastic, juicy, buttery, done to a perfect medium-rare with slightly charred edges. But I think Ms Atas oversold it. With the profiteroles, which were the best in Singapore, crispy puff with super creamy ice cream, we paid slightly more than $80 each person. For that amount of money, I expected better. Besides, I didn’t think it was fair to weigh the bone with the meat and charge for the bone too?

The cost price of steaks isn’t expensive and another reason why I didn’t think the steak warranted such a high price is that the restaurant is cramp and noisy and the style is more of a rustic charm. If I go to JB, I want to pay JB prices. If the restaurant looks casual dining, I want to pay casual dining prices.

Onglet steak

Ms Atas was so smitten by Chef Heuberger that we paid $160 or so per person to attend his cooking demonstration. I shan’t mention the cooking school because it has terrible management issues but that bad experience aside, Chef Heuberger was witty and charismatic, and unlike Chinese kungfu masters who taught 90% of their skills to their disciples, Chef Heuberger taught us everything. All the taitais were enamored by him. You should see their starry, lovelorn eyes.

Cote de bouef

Because of this cooking class, I got to taste four different beef: tenderloin, cote de boeuf, onglet (hanger steak), and tartare. They all tasted amazing and cote de boeuf was indeed the best, juiciest, tenderest, most flavorful and fattest, although the onglet had a nice bite, which may appeal to people who like to chew a little. The secret to the delicious steaks? SO MUCH BUTTER. 

In general, Le Bistrot du Sommelier is a cozy, homely restaurant with amazing steaks but I wonder if the price-tag is set too high.

Le Bistrot du Sommelier

53 Armenian St
T: 6333 1982
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Rating: 3.722/5 stars