Housed in a 1930s-era conservation building in the lush surrounds of the Dempsey area, Claudine is a neighbourhood French restaurant that acknowledges guests’ desire to revisit simple joys and the ease and comfort of authentic human connection around the table.
Over two years in the making, Claudine speaks to a gap in the market for exceptional quality French cuisine delivered with the same level of focus and precision you expect of a fine-dining establishment. It is a concept conceived to be accessible — one that inspires diners to return with greater frequency.
While the restaurant is named after Royer’s mother, Claudine is an expression of what he believes a French restaurant should be today. Having spent more than a decade working in Asia, Royer has come to be recognised around the world as a chef who has authentically transposed the focal tenets of his French upbringing and culinary principles — respect for seasonality and terroir — to his restaurants, while always infusing them with a contemporary sense of place.
Julien Royer and his mother, Claudine, in their family garden at Cantal, France.
Claudine is a reflection of the person he is today. “Home has always been the heart for social interactions,” Julien Royer, Chef-Patron of Claudine observes. “With Claudine, we recognise our guests’ longing to return to the luxury of simple joys. This is even more so now. We have focused on what this means to them — genuine hospitality, a lively and comfortable setting, and an intimate side of French cuisine that enables them to celebrate moments of togetherness over good food and good wine at any time.”
Seeking to offer the simple joys of shared meals and cherished relationships, the menu at Claudine strikes a balance between quintessential French classics and personal recipes from Royer as well as the rest of the culinary team — all infused with a contemporary sense of place. Find selections for one as well as for many, with something for everyone here.
The Mozambique Langoustine (main image) is a deeply indulgent dish that uninhibitedly offers a sense of locality. A seafood bisque enriched with kombu purée and poured tableside cradles crustacean dumplings and langoustine pan-roasted in butter.
The dish showcases the combined strength of an accomplished culinary team sensitively utilising quality produce to develop an intimate and approachable contemporary French cuisine. Crisp sugar snap peas and delicate pea tendrils offer a fresh, textural contrast to the umami bisque while tarragon oil cuts through the decadence with herbaceous notes.
At Claudine, guests will discover what Royer most loves to eat, what he cooks for friends and family, and some of the favourite dishes he grew up eating, updated with his own perspective. Capturing the way Royer particularly loves to eat on his day off or to cook for friends at home, the Claudine ‘Bouillabaisse’ pictured above is the restaurant’s take on the hearty classic Provençal fish stew.
The juicy heads of the carabinero in this elegant and generous rendition are left intact – a nod to the preference of the local palate for the tomalley-like deliciousness they encase – flavours Royer has grown to appreciate over many years he has spent living in Singapore. Croutons are served on the side with saffron rouille to soak up more of the irresistible broth for greater enjoyment.
The classic Vol-Au-Vent (pictured below) was popularised by the seminal French chef, Auguste Escoffier. Traditionally born of the frugal practicality of wasting nothing in the kitchen, it elevates humble offal cuts and leftovers. At Claudine, the hollow case of puff pastry which accounts for its name — vol-au-vent is French for “windblown” — is filled with veal sweetbread, cockscomb, chicken quenelle and morel covered in a rich sauce. The addictively velvety sauce consists of mushroom jus that is then reduced with a touch of cream and Cognac.
Singapore-born Sacha Leong and Simone McEwan, co-founders of the design studio Nice Projects have reimagined the space. The award-winning duo has carefully preserved original details while giving it a new identity, creating a warm and inviting restaurant with a distinctive palette in a nod to French heritage.
Claudine is designed to be a flexible place for all occasions, from everyday meals to special celebrations. The existing gabled roof is now painted a deep earthy red that adds richness and warmth to the space, a detail you notice immediately as you enter the restaurant.
The brass-backed bar with a soft grey marble counter below the original stained glass window draws the eye as a welcoming hive of activity. In the Bar & Lounge, pale grey-green leather armchairs by Finnish manufacturers Adea are perfect for meeting friends for pre-dinner drinks. Horseshoe-shaped, lower seats with high backed chairs create an intimate comfortable atmosphere that speaks of home.
Overhead, a 15m-long paper lamp custom-made by Spanish lighting designers Santa & Cole visually connects across the entire length of the space. It spans the Dining Room where grass green velvet banquettes with seat backs in a complementary sage green cut velvet from Paris fabric house, Lelievre are perfect for people watching and large group gatherings.
Tracing the elegant lamp’s gentle trajectory over the dining room directs your attention towards the open kitchen to your right. The kitchen pass affords the chefs a clear view of every guest who walks in, drawing guests closer to the heart of the action at Claudine. Around the restaurant’s perimeter, banquette seating in sand-coloured linen — paired with classic bistro-style bentwood chairs padded for extra comfort — offers cosy corners for dates.
Baked Alaska pictured above is a Claudine signature that indulges in the romance of tableside service in contemporary fashion. Delicate meringue encases layers of chestnut ice cream, pear-ginger sorbet and hazelnut dacquoise punctuated with layers of wafer-thin dark chocolate. The dessert is flambéed at the table with Poire Williams.
Curated with an open mind to accommodate every style of wine lover, Claudine’s over 300 label wine list reflects and complements the contemporary approachability of Claudine’s cuisine.
Completing Claudine’s beverage programme is a concise list of cocktails designed to ensure that guests’ every need is considered. Mirroring its menu, the cocktails are French-inspired with a nod to locality.
a. 39C Harding Road Singapore 249541
w. www.claudinerestaurant.com/
s. www.facebook.com/claudinerestaurant
Lunch: Tues to Sun 11.45am – 3pm (last seating at 2pm)
Dinner & Bar: Tues to Sun 6pm – 10.30pm (last seating at 9.30pm)
Closed on Mondays
