La Résidence: Lounging Around

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It’s a warm summer evening, but the atmosphere around me is super cool. Hanging chandeliers and candlesticks placed around the dining area evoke an old castle or nobleman’s manor, but the contemporary furniture and abstract paintings are more reminiscent of a lounge or bistro. It’s the sort of place where Humphrey Bogart would feel right at home.

Veggiebuzz was invited to try out La Résidence, one of the newest dining options at the Raffles Hotel in Oud Metha that opened its doors just over a month ago. Presently, it’s only open for dinner, so I head over there with my brother one evening. The restaurant wears its French inspiration proudly on its sleeve and creates a chic environment, divided into the dining area on one side, and a gorgeous, well-stocked bar and lounge on the other; Bogart comes to mind once again, sipping on a whiskey. It’s very serene, mainly because there are only a handful of diners in the restaurant.

The vegetarian selection on the menu is small, mainly concentrated in the appetizers; we order two appetizers to share, as well as the only two vegetarian entrées. While waiting for our meal, we are presented with a choice of bread, served alongside two discs of butter: one plain and one dotted with bits of seaweed. The former has a nice milky taste, while the latter teases the taste buds with salt before assaulting them with a strong fish oil flavor. It’s more interesting as a concept.

Our server returns shortly with a small cheese wheel topped with greens, sitting by itself in the center of a bowl. It is soon joined by a rich green broth. This is Velvety Pea Soup with goat’s curd and olive oil, along with a topping of micro herbs and steamed peas. The soup is smooth, though unremarkable on its own. But a spoonful mixed with creamy goat’s curd, some zest from the herbs and the slightest kick from shaved radishes breathes life into the dish. It’s a course that I didn’t expect too much from in terms of flavor, and it just manages to exceed that expectation.

The other appetizer of green asparagus and warm leeks doesn’t inspire much excitement either, and with good reason. The flavors are all clean; the sharpness of the leeks, coated with a light crusting of black pepper, helps pick up the slack of the rather average asparagus. But it’s hard to get enthused about what is essentially a plate of seasoned stems. The dish is topped with shaved white truffle, which takes over the dish completely in a few short bites, pushing the taste of the vegetables to the background and leaving my palate in want of a different flavor note. The standout of the dish is the asparagus relish served on the side. Bursting with flavor, it elevates the hum-drum asparagus into a taste sensation. I wish they had served a big bowl of that instead.

The entrées consist of Morel Mushroom Massolette and Macaroni Cheese Old Vintage Comté. A strong, almost overpowering mushroom flavor tackles my palate on my first taste of the cassolette. It looks to be a repeat of the asparagus dish, but as I continue eating, the flavor mellows out; there is some further support provided by the reduction of herbs, shallots and mushroom stock that surrounds it. The stock, in fact, intensifies the flavor and adds a solid earthy backing that’s very pleasant. Some singers just work better in a band than going solo.

I was surprised to see a simple dish like macaroni and cheese on the menu, but it’s one of those dishes I can never refuse. This one’s anything but simple though, presented as a rectangular block covered with those almost ubiquitous shaved truffles, chopped herbs and a truffle ragout. The vintage comté cheese has a very subtle flavor and has been added with a light hand. The ragout, much like the mushroom stock, helps to temper the richness of the dish; the shaved truffles also work much better here than in the appetizer, joining hands with the creamy béchamel sauce rather than pushing it out of the spotlight. It’s easily the best savory dish of the evening.

We decide to round off the meal with French Toast Brioche and Raspberry Lime Meringue. A compote composed of chilled raspberries that melt on your tongue is topped off with a raspberry coulis and crisp meringue shards sprinkled with grated lime zest. It’s a delicate balance of sweet and tart, though it does tip toward the sweet side a bit more than I’d like.

The French Toast comes to the table looking like a thick slab of bread, but reveals a custard-like consistency when cut into, with a warm and comforting flavor. The salted caramel ice cream on top melts and mingles with the creamy interiors of the brioche, creating a savory and sweet flavor combination that cannot be adequately described. We’re both glad we saved this one for last.

But we’re not quite done, as another small plate is brought in, holding bite-sized almond madeleines and chocolate chip cookies. I have just enough space to nibble on them, but they are a bit of a letdown after that fantastic French Toast.

The atmosphere at La Résidence is elegant and charming, but the food doesn’t quite hit those same notes.  The vegetarian options are scarce, and while some of the dishes are quite good, mac and cheese doesn’t need to be 5-star quality to be enjoyable. The French Toast, however, is among the finest in town, and the elegant lounge area would be a good place to drop by for some drinks after work or on the weekend. At present, it’s a better place for Bogart than for the discerning veggie diner.

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