Tucked away in an otherwise quiet Hollywood Road offshoot, Cocotte breathes new life into Shin Hing Street with excellent contemporary French fare served up in a chic setting. Draped in luxurious teal and grey-toned wallpapers, Cocotte makes good use of its intimate space, and although the bar serves no cocktails (yet) it doesn’t matter, because coupled with French wine, our meal is a delight.
We begin with the scallops ($198) and foie gras ($168), both of which keep things colourful. The scallops boast a perfect amount of pan-fried crisp and inner-juiciness, with a medley of vegetables, and flavours (think truffle and shiso cress) adding a lovely balance. Then, sprinkled with a side of crumble, fresh raspberries, rhubarb and a dainty slice of duck ham, Cocotte’s flirty take on the classic foie gras terrine wins us over with its presentation and well-matched tart flavours.
Last, and not least, we opt for the guinea fowl ($888). Served in two rounds – roasted breast, then fricasseed thighs – the fowl is an instant classic. Unbelievably tender, we relish the hunk of breast meat, garnished with a bed of crispy peas soaked in a wine reduction. The thighs, while good, don’t live up to the splendour of the breast meat, but we applaud the variety (and quantity) of mushrooms that adorn the cream-laden spaghetti buried underneath.
Cocotte is off to a great start and we look forward to tasting more of this little slice of France.
Dinner for two: $1,500.