Merci Marcel

Merci Marcel
390 Orchard Road
#01-03 Palais Renaissance

7 Club Street

56 Eng Hoon Street #01-68

http://mercimarcelgroup.com/

Lemon Pie Deconstructed (SGD $12)

Say Bon Appétit

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $48 per person.


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Established since January 2014, Merci Marcel is renowned for its casual modern bohemian vibe and refined French plates. With 3 outlets across Singapore, each with its own distinct stylish ambience and food menus, Merci Marcel regularly draws a queue, from glam instagram seekers of pretty photos, to foodies that appreciate chic gastronomy, to groups looking for casual social dining. The name 'Merci Marcel' supposedly evokes the imagery of a affable, refined French gentleman in the tropics.

Ambience at Merci Marcel is casual, with a mix of modern and bohemian. The concrete walls and tiled floors are decked in light pastel colours against grey, while cushioned wooden and rattan furnishings are warmly illuminated by decorative lights overhead. Upcycled decor, wall painted murals, and a touch of gleaming metal finishes lend a sophisticated, opulent feel. Space is thoughtfully curated into a bar, a cafe, an al-fresco garden patio, and a lounge, all with ample natural light and greenery for privacy.

Service at Merci Marcel is friendly yet professional, making diners feel welcome. Staff accord each table personalised attention, each interaction an opportunity to make guests feel comfortable. They display good product knowledge on the food and drinks, and proactively offer to top up drinks or clear finished plates. I note they clean up quickly when diners leave. Staff decently deliver service recovery, ensuring that the experience creates a memorable experience. Repeat visits are definitely worthwhile.

Food at Merci Marcel is distinctly French cuisine, with each of their 3 outlets having a slightly different menu. The kitchen serves consistently executed, good quality dishes that are tasty and uncomplicated, using fresh premium ingredients. The focus here is on social dining and sharing plates. Portions are large for individuals, and may be shared. Prices are comparable to premium restaurants, budget about SGD $48 per person for a regular meal at Merci Marcel, slightly more if you order alcoholic drinks.


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Merci Marcel Orchard Exterior

Merci Marcel Orchard Interior

Merci Marcel Typography

Bottles Of Light

Decorative Lights

Display Of Drinks

Orchard Bar

Merci Marcel Greetings

Coffee Duo

Merci Marcel Club Street Exterior

Merci Marcel Club Street Interior

Club Street Bar

The Bottle Of Water (SGD $1) is cool and refreshing, served in elegant Evian branded glassware. Choose from still, sparkling, or filtered.

Bottle Of Water (SGD $1)

Water

The Latte (SGD $6) has decent strength of body, with a fragrant aroma of roasted coffee beans. It contains double shots of espresso, tamed with milk. Straightforward and uncomplicated. Worth ordering!

Latte (SGD $6)

Latte

Latte

The Mocha (SGD $6) carries double shots of espresso, tamed by milk and cocoa powder. This lends a mild chocolatey sweet flavour to the beverage, nice. Worth ordering!

Mocha (SGD $6)

Mocha

Their version of Hot Chocolate (SGD $6) is decent enough, with a medium strength of body. With a mellow chocolatey sweet flavour, this was acceptable in taste. Love the elegant and precise foam art they did. Accompanied by a square of rich dark chocolate with chocolatey bitter sweet notes. Worth ordering!

Hot Chocolate (SGD $6)

Hot Chocolate

The Gin & Tonic Le Gin De Christian Drouin (SGD $17) features a blend of Le Gin De Christian Drouin dry gin, East Imperial tonic water, served over ice, garnished with green apple slices and a cinnamon stick stirrer. The Le Gin De Christian Drouin dry gin is in fact a cider apple eau-de-vie / fruit brandy from Normandy, France, in which apples, juniper berries, ginger, vanilla, lemon, cardamom, cinnamon, rose petals, and almonds have been macerated. The East Imperial tonic water has New Zealand Atesian spring water, natural cane sugar, natural quinine from Java cinchona bark, and lime juice. Together, the well-balanced blend results in a pleasant beverage with finesse and incredible aromas of green apple, liquorice, juniper berry, and white pepper. The body is fresh, crisp, and warm, with tastes of apple jam, cinnamon, blackcurrant, and raspberry. Has bright zesty fruity floral sweet sour herbal earthy spice flavour, with a short finish of botanicals on the palate.

Gin & Tonic Le Gin De Christian Drouin (SGD $17)

Gin & Tonic Le Gin De Christian Drouin

The Cocktail La Vie En Marcel (SGD $20) features a blend of Widges London dry gin, lime cordial, egg white, pear nectar, lime juice, and pear liquor, garnished with a slice of caramelised lemon. This has a lovely fruity floral sour sweet boozy flavour, with a silky creamy full mouthfeel. Nicely refreshing. Good!

Cocktail La Vie En Marcel (SGD $20)

Cocktail La Vie En Marcel

The Champagne Maison Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve (SGD $19) is a sparkling wine brewed by the Maison Duval-Leroy winery in the Champagne area of Côte Des Blancs, Marne, Grand Est, France. It has a bright clear golden green colour, a clear bubbly fizz, with aromas of red apple, ginger, cinnamon, and toasted white bread. The body is bold, elegant, and persistent, with tastes of pear, almonds, brioche bread, and lime. Has a delicate fruity bready sweet earthy flavour, refined and graceful, with a lingering finish. A top-of-the-range, award-winning champagne.

Champagne Maison Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve (SGD $19)

Baked fresh in-house daily, the Croissant (SGD $3.50) is made with 100% French butter and house yeast. With a crisp golden flaky crust and an airy porous texture, the croissant bread has lovely bready sweet buttery flavour. While tasty on its own, you can choose to pair it with the jam-of-the-day; we had strawberry jam during our visit, which lent a rich fruity sweet note. Good!

Croissant (SGD $3.50)

Croissant

Croissant

A classic French Toast (SGD $18), with large fluffy soft brioche bread coated with a bit of egg and butter and toasted till golden brown, having lovely bready eggy sweet savoury smoky flavour. Garnished with juicy seasonal berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) with fruity sweet sour flavours, crisp toasted almonds with nutty earthy aroma, and drizzled with thick honey that lends bright floral sweet earthy notes. Finished with a dollop of whipped cream with milky sweet flavour to complete. Good!

French Toast (SGD $18)

French Toast

French Toast

The Marinated Crab Tartine (SGD $20) is their take on the classic avocado-on-toast, with a luxurious touch. This open-face sandwich features a base of crisp toasted sourdough bread with bready sour sweet flavour, spread with creamy deshelled shredded crab meat mayonnaise with sweet savoury sour flavour. Garnished with chunky smooth avocado slices with vegetal earthy sweet flavour, wispy alfalfa sprouts with vegetal herbal bitter flavour, and crisp red radish with vegetal earthy sweet flavour. Feels so decadent. It's served with a side of Mesclun Salad (mix of baby spinach, mizuna, sorrel, red radish) dressed with French vinaigrette and white sesame seeds, fresh and crisp in texture with vegetal bitter herbal sweet salty nutty flavour. Good!

Marinated Crab Tartine (SGD $20)

Marinated Crab Tartine

Marinated Crab Tartine

The Croque Marcel Set (SGD $25) is a filling breakfast plate. The Croque Marcel sandwich features 2 large thick slices of rustic baguette bread with bready sweet flavour; between which is melted gooey French Morbier cheese and tomato passata with vegetal sweet cheesy salty flavour. Over the top is laid wispy organic cured Bayonne ham with bold salty savoury meaty flavour, and a fried sunny side up egg with eggy sweet flavour and an oozy golden yolk. It's served with a side of Mesclun Salad (mix of baby spinach, mizuna, sorrel, red radish) dressed with French vinaigrette and white sesame seeds, fresh and crisp in texture with vegetal bitter herbal sweet salty nutty flavour. Highly recommended!

Croque Marcel Set (SGD $25)

Mesclun Salad

Mesclun Salad

Croque Marcel

Croque Marcel

Croque Marcel

The Duck Rillettes (SGD $18) are delicious, and makes for a good sharing morsel. The open-face sandwich features a base of crisp toasted sourdough bread with bready sour sweet flavour, and chewy duck rillettes with meaty savoury salty flavour on top. Garnished with soft melted camembert cheese with cheesy milky sweet salty flavour, a juicy slice of marinated pear with fruity sweet flavour, and a fresh mint leaf with vegetal herbal sweet flavour. Nicely satisfying. Good!

Duck Rillettes (SGD $18)

Duck Rillettes

Duck Rillettes

The Vegetarian Tarte Flambée (SGD $26) resembles a super thin crust pizza. This hybrid between a tart and a pizza has a thin crispy dough base, topped with creamy dijon mustard, crumbly goat's cheese, soft kale, crisp shallots, and crunchy pine nuts. The result is a pleasant combination of vegetal earthy milky sweet salty nutty flavours. Yum. Has a 20-minute preparation time, and is sufficient for an individual. Highly recommended!

Vegetarian Tarte Flambée (SGD $26)

Vegetarian Tarte Flambée

Vegetarian Tarte Flambée

Loved the Duck Parmentier (SGD $28), which was served packed into a circular tower shape. The tightly packed layers of shredded duck confit have robust meaty salty savoury herbal flavour with a stringy chewy texture. In between the layers of duck are tender firm shredded darphin potatoes with starchy salty savoury flavour. Garnished with crisp lettuce for a refreshing bright vegetal sweet note, and drizzled with duck au jus gravy to enhance the meaty aroma. Good!

Duck Parmentier (SGD $28)

Duck Parmentier

Duck Parmentier

The Grain-Fed Angus Steak Frites (SGD $32) is a little smaller than expected in portion size, but the execution and taste is certainly on point. The thin but meaty slab of grain-fed angus beef steak is nicely seasoned and grilled till medium rare, with robust smoky meaty salty savoury flavours. The mesclun salad (mix of baby spinach, mizuna, sorrel, red radish) is dressed with French vinaigrette and white sesame seeds, fresh and crisp in texture with vegetal bitter herbal sweet salty nutty flavour. The chunky skin-on medium thick potato fries have a fluffy soft chew to texture, with addictive starchy salty sweet savoury flavour. A satisfying plate. Good!

Grain-Fed Angus Steak Frites (SGD $32)

Grain-Fed Angus Steak Frites

Grain-Fed Angus Steak Frites

For the 3 Cheese Board (SGD $24), I'd asked staff to pick their favourite from among the daily selection of 8 cheeses. The hard cheese was a distinctive Comté, with a firm flexible texture and mild milky sweet earthy flavour. The semi-soft cheese was a seasonal Livarot, with a creamy sticky texture and bold nutty savoury spice flavour. The soft cheese was an agreeable Bleu D'Auvergne blue, with a crumbly moist texture and buttery sweet herbal flavour. The cheese board is served with a basket of crisp light baguette bread slices with mild bready sweet flavour, and succulent caramelised white onions grilled till crunchy yet still retaining their juicy bite with bold smoky vegetal sweet savoury flavour. Accompanied with luxurious Beillevaire butter, living up to its reputation of 'so good, you don’t want to even put bread under it'. Made the old-fashioned way by churning unpasteurised cream in a wooden barrel, this creamy smooth luscious butter has bold milky savoury salty sweet flavours. Highly recommended!

3 Cheese Board (SGD $24)

Basket Of Baguette Bread

3 Cheese Board - Bleu D'Auvergne, Livarot, Comté With Caramelised Onions & Beillevaire Butter

The 18-Month Cured Organic Bayonne Ham Platter (SGD $18) is a decent munching platter. 10 generous slices of cured organic Bayonne ham feature, wispy and chewy with robust meaty salty savoury flavour. Served with a basket of crisp light baguette bread slices with mild bready sweet flavour, and juicy crunchy pickled dill gherkins with bright vegetal sour tangy sweet flavour. Good!

18-Month Cured Organic Bayonne Ham Platter (SGD $18)

Basket Of Baguette Bread

Got the 1 Cheese Board - Bleu D'Auvergne (SGD $10) as a sample. The bleu d'auvergne / blue cheese is not overly pungent, but still medium strong in aroma, with a distinct cheesy savoury sweet earthy taste, and a soft crumbly texture. Served with crisp light baguette bread slices with mild bready sweet flavour, and succulent caramelised white onions grilled till crunchy yet still retaining their juicy bite with bold smoky vegetal sweet savoury flavour. The rich salted butter, creamy with salty buttery sweet flavour, was so addictive and good enough to eat on its own. Good!

1 Cheese Board - Bleu D'Auvergne (SGD $10)

The Crème Brûlée (SGD $10) here is a classic dessert, with a base of rich thick speculoos coulis, soft creamy pudding of custard infused with vanilla, a hard caramelised sugar crust which cracks beautifully, topped with a mint leaf and biscuit crumble. Each mouthful is a delightful burst of milky sweet floral flavour, with toffee and vanilla notes, yum. Highly recommended!

Crème Brûlée (SGD $10)

Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée

The Apple Tart (SGD $10) is an open-face version that reminds me of a danish pastry. Here, the base of flaky puff pastry is properly crisp and thin, with buttery sweet flavour. Topped with slices of juicy tender caramelised red apples glazed with thick homemade salted caramel, rich with fruity sweet salty flavour. Served with biscuit crumble, and a small creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with sea salt crystals resulting in a bright floral sweet salty flavour contrast. Love how visually appetizing it looks too. Good!

Apple Tart (SGD $10)

Apple Tart

Apple Tart

Apple Tart

The Apple Crumble (SGD $11) is a deconstructed apple pie. Here, the warm juicy caramelised chunks of red apples are glazed in thick caramel, with crunchy biscuit crumble and soft whipped cream on the sides. Each mouthful is a burst of fruity sweet grainy milky flavour, yum. Worth ordering!

Apple Crumble (SGD $11)

Apple Crumble

The Lemon Pie Deconstructed (SGD $12) is a decent rendition of a deconstructed lemon pie dessert. Here, the homemade soft meringue is sprinkled with white sugar and light torched, resulting in a sticky creamy texture and bold milky sweet flavour. The thick gelatinous lemon curd, bright with fruity tangy sour sweet notes, sits on a base of crunchy biscuit crumble with grainy sweet flavour. Garnished with a mint leaf that lends a mild refreshing herbal spice flavour. Good balance of taste and texture, causes you to keep reaching for more. Highly recommended!

Lemon Pie Deconstructed (SGD $12)

Lemon Pie Deconstructed

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