Gaston Burgundy Bistro and Wine Bar - Restaurant Review

Location: Keong Saik Road, China Town
Price: ££
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Perfect for: Traditional Burgundy Cuisine, Comfort Food, Indulgent Date Night

When I lived in London I took for granted the abundance of ingredients, wines, food and flavours that were easily available from the gastronomical haven that is Burgundy.

This was one thing I was beginning to miss in Singapore, until I discovered the spiritual home of Burgundy cuisine in Singapore - Gaston.

As I approached this charming shophouse located on the ever popular Keong Saik Road, I wasn’t convinced a restaurant in the tropically cosmopolitan city of Singapore could recreate the wholesome, indulgent meals I’ve enjoyed in Burgundy, and I left with my mind firmly changed.

Headed up by Burgundy native Geoffrey Daurelle, he greeted and led us to a cosy corner table and promised a feast from his homeland. We couldn’t wait to begin!

The Decor

The shophouse location of Gaston lends itself to the traditional, investing interiors of typical Burgundy restaurants.

The space is warmly lit and filled with quirky items such as handmade lamps, well-worn cookbooks, wine crates and corks galore. This soft touch to the decor creates a homely and relaxing feel to the space, there’s no need to put on airs here.

There is also an alfresco and well covered dining space at the front of the restaurant, where I’ve often seen diners enjoying a glass of wine with friends and family long into the night.

Gaston Burgundy Restaurant Singapore review

The Menu

The menu at Gaston focuses on sharing plates, particularly with the starters.

We started with Croquettes Bourguignonnes, made with exquisite Epoisses cheese and smoked ham fried roll, as well as Escargots de Bourgogne which were served with lashings of garlic and parsley butter, but without the finicky shell. Instead it was served in a crunchy pastry, making it easy to enjoy.

These starting bites didn’t last long on the table and we were soon delving into the next round of sharing plates, consisting of their signature Oeufs à l’Epoisses. This dish is composed of silky and runny poached eggs with creamy Epoisses sauce, bacon and sourdough bread croutons. A rustic dish oozing with the irresistible flavours of home cooking.

We also tried the homemade Foie Gras en Torchon which was served with brioche toast, cherry compote and the most scrumptious gingerbread biscuit. This was my first time trying the classic Burgundy combination of foie gras and gingerbread and I loved it.

To balance out the rich flavours, we also tried the crisp Salade d’Endives au Bleu, with blue cheese, grapes, walnut and honey mustard dressing.

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For our main course, we opted for the Gaston classic of Boeuf Bourguignon. This is a dish close to Geoffrey’s heart as the recipe belongs to his mother. The stew is rich, complex and soothing, served with bacon, mashed potato which is 50 per cent butter to 50 percent potato, and meat that pulls apart at the touch.

We also tried the Pôchouse Bourguignonne, a dish which was a complete revelation to me and my favourite of the night. This traditional fish stew is served with barramundi, clams and delicate scallop alongside garlic bread to dip into the white wine sauce. This was a light dish packed with subtle flavours which left me diving in for more.

By this point we were in a happy place and very satisfied with the food. But of course we couldn’t leave without trying a dessert.

We tried the Gaston Pain Perdu, a sharing dish for two. This dish is composed of brioche which has been soaked in custard cream for 12 hours, after which it is baked and ran over with a blow-torch. The result is an unctuous dessert which is crispy on the outside and almost gooey on the inside. A delight to eat and a dessert I will remember for a long time.

The Wine

Gaston has over 350 wine labels to offer, including many from small-batch producers. They are also available to buy from the restaurant’s own wine-cellar and online shop.

Geoffrey paired our meal with a selection of well-chosen wine, including Authentic Kir from Burgundy composed of Crème de Cassis and Aligoté wine to start our meal. We moved from Chablis paired with our starters to Pinot Noir for the main courses, all of which enhanced the food copiously.

The Price

The prices at Gaston are slightly on the higher end of the scale, but this is justified through the authentic ingredients from Burgundy that are used in many of the dishes.

Sharing starters cost from between $10-$26, and main starting at $28 to $54 for the sweet veal bread.

Gaston also has a Happy Hour from 12pm -7pm which is perfect for those wanting to enjoy a leisurely afternoon glass of wine.

Overall

Gaston is a restaurant where you come to surrender to the food. The rustic dishes are bursting with a home-cooked charm that triggers the primordial part of our brains that tells us to hunker down and keep eating for our own good.

It’s fascinating to see how the authentic, comforting flavours of Burgundy transcends borders, and is wholeheartedly enjoy by all cultures in Singapore too.

This is a restaurant that I will certainly return to, especially on those dark rainy nights when a bowl of traditional Burgundy fare is all the heart craves.