This elegant and modern restaurant meticulously cooks traditional French dishes. At its helm is Michelin-star chef Herve Frerard, the former personal chef of the the late French president Francois Mitterand. As such, Frerard has cooked for a long list of dignitaries, but also boasts stints in some of his home country’s top Michelin-star kitchens. As one of the five outlets inside the Glasshouse complex on Wireless Road, Cafe Parisien is the perfect spot for a reasonably-priced business lunch (sets start from B690), but its refined setting also makes it ideal for a fine-dining tete-a-tete in the evenings.

As the name Glasshouse suggests, the brasserie’s dining room sees plenty of natural light stream in during the day. Combined with the decor’s light tones (mint green, white), Cafe Parisien feels both open and spacious. Those looking for some privacy can head to the more intimate mezzanine where a chef’s table offers opportunities for truly unique meals to wow a big client or celebrate a special occasion.

Having cooked for the Thai royal family and Queen Elizabeth, not to mention extensive experience in Michelin-star restaurants in France, Frerard cooks some of the best regional specialties a la Francaise, such as 72-hour slow-cooked coq au vin (B650), baked crispy duck leg confit (B990) and bouillabaisse marseillaise (B890). Despite Frerard’s impressive resume and the long list of ingredients sourced directly from France, the results are fuss-free provincial dishes in keeping with Cafe Parisien’s relaxed atmosphere. To ensure ideal pairings, the restaurant also has a very Gallic wine list focusing on Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Alsace and the Rhone Valley. But new world wines are also on offer and house wines starts at a mere B250 by the glass.

Frerard has chosen signature dishes that stand out as great, historical classics of French cuisine. For instance, the Baked Endive with Savoy Ham and Béchamel Sauce (B550) is a favorite in Northern France and Belgium for the contrast between the slightly bitter endive, the creamy bechamel and the salty ham. This dish is so good, it has been on the tables of Northern Europe’s nobility for over a thousand years. The Traditional Stew Beef Bourguignon and Celeriac Puree (B750) is another iconic recipe, where beef is simmered with red wine until it becomes tender enough to cut through it with a fork.

If you’re still grieving the closure of Le Beaulieu, this spot does similarly traditional French delicacies at prices that won’t break the bank. You can even order desserts and pizza from the sister restaurants, Eiffel and Milano, which serve delicious French pastries like millefeuille topped with vanilla ice cream and some of the tastiest pizzas in town. But if it’s the full Cafe Parisien you’re after, do book the chef’s table for an exclusive experience with the culinary master himself (starting from B3,500, minimum 6 people).

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