Almost-cheap bistro classics at the Plump Frenchman
SO WE know about not trusting a skinny chef, but it does feel like The Plump Frenchman is unapologetically thumbing its nose at thin Gallic men who can cook rather well. But we also understand that The Plump Frenchman sounds infinitely more appetising than, say, The Ozempic Frenchman or Intermittent Fasting Gent.
A name like The Plump Frenchman takes you back to when butter was good and you could be fat and happy without anyone shaming you into a clean eating regimen. French chefs were rotund with twirly moustaches and appeared in cartoon form in Ratatouille. Bistros had red-checkered tablecloths and served French onion soup in tureens, while escargots swam in melted butter like assassins aiming for your arteries.
The Plump Frenchman retains some of that retro DNA in its menu, but visually it has all the sterile charm of a tenant in a generic downtown mall. It tries to project intimate neighbourhood appeal, but at best it has chicken rotisserie chain vibes with a wine list and token wicker chairs thrown in.
It might feel different at night, but in the blinding noonday heat, the casual eatery is a welcome reprieve for office workers thrilled to find an affordable, sit-down lunch alternative to their daily diet of salad wraps or economy rice.
The Plump Frenchman is a Zouk Group initiative helmed by Robuchon alumnus Lorenz Hoja, and it answers the current call for bona fide cooking at an accessible price point. The food is more reliable than fancy, and not everything meets the mark, but you can't quibble with the pricing, and there are some genuine moments of delight.
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Already, people have gotten the memo, with online reservations seemingly booked up a good two weeks in advance. Set lunches start at S$25 for a main and dessert, up to S$47 for four courses.
Appetisers start at S$13 for anchovy toast, and a whole rotisserie chicken can be had for S$34 – granted, it has no pedigree, but it's still a far cry from the over S$100 you're used to paying for a French breed served in a cocotte with koshihikari rice on the side.
Beetroot and feta cheese salad. PHOTO: JAIME EE, BT
Here, the mantra is no fuss, no muss – get fed and leave full. Service is friendly, if sometimes draggy and inexperienced. The S$35 three-course set lunch is your best deal, so long as you're not tempted by fancier proteins like salmon for an extra S$10 or S$15.
Hefty chunks of tender beetroot feature in a too-tart salad to start, tossed with feta cheese, pickles and a bit of couscous. But it gets the appetite going.
Spicy and smoky mini squids stuffed with chorizo sausage. PHOTO: JAIME EE, BT
A la carte chipirons (S$16) is a gem – effectively transporting you to a Spanish tapas bar with the paprika-infused smokiness of mini squid stuffed with chorizo and seared in chilli oil till nicely charred. Bouncy, with just enough heat to tickle your nose, this is a clear winner.
Piping hot French onion soup. PHOTO: THE PLUMP FRENCHMAN
Above shelves of colourful pickles is a blackboard of specials, including French onion soup (S$18). They warn you that it takes half an hour to prepare, so order it the moment you sit down. You understand why because the soup is served really hot. It's so hot you could go home and come back next Tuesday, and it would still be simmering at a lava-like temperature.
It's not so much soup as it is a thick onion gravy, a potently rich brew hiding the real prize – a thick slab of toast already soaked and softened, with a heavenly layer of thick, melted cheese that's gooey and crunchy at the same time.
Points off, by the way, for the slice of cold, powdery sourdough bread and butter that cost us S$8.
Rotisserie chicken is a staple dish on the menu. PHOTO: JAIME EE, BT
The demi poulet (S$17) or half a rotisserie chicken – a rack of birds slowly turning in their oven is an entertaining sight – is perhaps more appealing to non-Asian palates who fancy well-cooked breast meat. We're on team thigh, especially with the chilli sauce that kicks things up a notch.
Ratatouille and soft-cooked eggs. PHOTO: JAIME EE, BT
Meanwhile, our set lunch ratatouille is a hearty if predictable stew of eggplant, onions, tomatoes and red peppers, with two soft-cooked eggs coddled enticingly in the middle.
Baked custard clafouti and pot au chocolat. PHOTO: JAIME EE, BT
Desserts are simple pleasures: a tiny pot au chocolate is a dreamy match of intense chocolate cream and a smooth vanilla layer on top; and clafouti (S$11) from the a la carte menu. This long-lost pudding is literally a hot favourite: wobbly baked custard studded with tart cherries and smothered with vanilla cream.
Neither a drain on the wallet or intellect, The Plump Frenchman has no ambitions apart from feeding people well. If you ask us, it's a philosophy that's well worth the calories.
Rating: 6.5
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