Singapore’s leading restaurant group Les Amis Group launches the newest addition to its stellar line-up of dining concepts, élan. Located in the heart of town at Shaw Centre, élan brings approachable, modern French cuisine with sprinkles of Asian influence to the table.
The name élan, which has French origins and refers to enthusiastic vigour, liveliness, and a distinctive flair, is symbolic of the restaurant’s dedication to creating dining experiences filled with joie de vivre and a touch of irreverence. Diners can expect excellent French cuisine on par with that of fine dining establishments, but served in generous portions within a convivial, lively and approachable setting.
This includes an array of innovative starters that juxtapose sweet and savoury flavours; tantalising mains with a variety of meats and seafood including A4 and M9 graded wagyu, pigeon, and tilefish; and creative desserts bound to satisfy every sweet tooth.
Upon entering the 48-seater, which includes a semi-private dining room for four, diners are greeted with unique patina elements within the restaurant’s interior and on its tableware, elevated by elegant copper, brown, gold, and dark teal highlights.
élan’s debonair, playful and slightly mischievous French bulldog mascot, Bruno, is inspired by Restaurant Director Philippe Pau, who boasts over 25 years of culinary experience in Singapore, as well as an array of international experience from several Michelin-starred restaurants across France, Switzerland, Dubai and Seychelles.
Leading the culinary team alongside Philippe is Chef de Cuisine Peter Teo, who began his culinary career at Les Amis Group, where he has been perfecting his skills and has since demonstrated his technique and finesse in French cuisine over the last decade. Not resting on his laurels, Chef Peter’s creations allow diners to reimagine the French dining experience through the subtle inclusion of ingredients commonly used in Asian cuisine, such as basil, ginger, yuzu, and kombu.
Notable starters include the Foie Gras Bonbon ($38), a sweet and savoury harmony of rich, buttery foie gras coated in dark chocolate served with hazelnuts, balanced with the tanginess of kumquat and marigold on a toasted brioche; and the Carabinero Prawns ($42), served atop al dente tagliolini pasta, kelp, umami sea urchin and yuzu sauce.
A signature main not to be missed is the Smoked Pigeon ($64), which is first oven-roasted then hay- smoked to perfection and served alongside vacuum-compressed watermelon, bringing diners on a delectable, smoky journey. Another is the Tilefish ($65), prepped with piping hot oil poured over the scales of a fresh, flavourful fillet resulting in a distinctive crunch, and served alongside silky potato mousseline, melted leeks and bonito velouté.
With generosity at its core, élan’s steak menu features hearty servings of charcoal-grilled Yamaguchi A4 Wagyu Striploin ($75), as well as the Australian M9+ 600g Wagyu Steak ($170) which is ideal for sharing. The 500-day grain fed, pure-bred Wagyu flank cut comes from Blackmore, a Victorian high country located in Alexandra, Australia and is prized for its rich flavour.
Lamb lovers are also in for a treat with the roasted saddle and rack of Pyrenées Lamb ($68), accompanied by tomatoes, zucchini tian and lamb jus. Raised on the pastures of Basque valley of Soule and fed exclusively on their mother’s milk, Pyrenees lambs have a relatively lighter-coloured, pale pink meat that is exceptionally tender and known to have a smooth, delicate taste.
Carrying an extensive range of desserts showcasing endless creativity, dining experiences at élan are engaging from beginning to end. Diners are invited to crack open the white chocolate shell of the Lemon ($20), that is realistically textured to resemble a full lemon, revealing zesty palette-cleansing lemon compote, lemon and kaffir lime cream, served with refreshing basil gel. The élan's Chocolate ($20), perfect for those with a sweet tooth, is composed of milk chocolate mousse, passionfruit jelly, caramel, ginger and almond sponge cake.
élan is open from Mondays – Saturdays from 12pm – 2pm, 6.30pm – 10pm. Diners can opt for à la carte items, or a set menu ($70/pax) for lunch and a 4-course ($135/pax) tasting menu for dinner.
Reservations can be made here. For more information, visit www.elandining.sg and follow élan on Instagram @elan.dining.
a. 1 Scotts Road #01-13 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208
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