Frozen nougat | S$14/+
People tend to forget the appetisers but nobody ever neglects the dessert as it is almost a mantra to end a meal on a high note with a perfect dessert. Chef Edward did himself proud with his stellar homemade frozen nougat with mixed fruit and the refreshing lychee sorbet and raspberry sauce. My only complaint was that it melted way too quickly but the combination of textures and flavours were absolutely spot-on with a right balance of sweetness and acidity.
Cocktail - Violet Breeze | S$14/+
With three signature cocktails namely the Violet Desire, Violet Sensation and Violet Breeze, we went for the last one as it was supposedly the most lightweight in terms of alcohol content and spots a fruity zest. Nonetheless, the cocktails are known to be of American concoction so the bartender tends to be generous with his alcohol and that can only be a good thing!
Americano | S$5/+
While there is usually nothing too exciting about a cup of Americano, the brew uses the famous Illy coffee beans and that spells aroma and robustness in flavours. Every cup of coffee comes complete with a slice of homemade cookie that was crisp and carried a lovely buttery fragrance! Make this a must-try to go with your desserts although the ladies at the table were mostly contented with their teas.
The refurbished shophouse restaurant has two storeys to the building and the upper level even has a private dining room that can host a table of 14 guests or two separate rooms of eight each. There is however a minimum spending of S$1,000 for the entire room which would not be an issue if you have some of the wines on the fine list which includes Chateau Beychevelle 2005 or the Les Ormes De Rez 2005.
Chef Edward with his wife co-runs Violet Herbs
With a cosy ambience and hospitable service, we were thankful that it was not a pretentious affair as we had the opportunity to strike up a casual conversation with Chef Edward and some of the serving staffs on the floor. At such prices, Violet Herbs makes an extra mile to celebrate SG50 with a 50% discount on Fridays on the bill, otherwise known as the iconic Violet Fridays. The only catch for the gents or ladies for the matter is that you have to be dressed in violet, or at least some shades of it. This promotion runs from now till 28 August 2015 but do call in advance to book your table! With six-course degustation that starts from S$98+ to eight-courses for S$128+, it is definitely value for money to enjoy a proper fine dining experience at a fraction of what it would cost at most upscale restaurants.
We are already planning our next visit to make our calories count.
Overall verdict: 8.5/10
Violet Herbs
81 Tras Street,
Singapore 079020
Tel: (65) 6221 3988
Website: www.violetherbs.com.sg
P.S: Special thanks to Veronica for the invite and Violet Herbs for hosting us!