The Place Opened just few weeks ago, Reve is a new Japanese French restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Kawano Masahiko, an award recipient of the highly acclaimed Taki Hisao prize by Japan’s RED-U-35. Chef Masahiko is well-trained in French cooking, so you can expect Japanese elements infused in the dishes here prepared using French techniques. 

The space of Reve is intimate and the main dining area is the counter seats which can accommodate around 8 persons. The restaurant’s interior is predominately decked in dark earthy and woody tones, which creates an intimate dining ambience. 

The Food There are only fixed menus at Reve for lunch and dinner, at S$158++ for 7-courses and S$218++ for 9-courses respectively.  

I visited the restaurant for lunch and started with the Abalone/Uni. Served in a bowl, this starter spots cauliflower mousse topped with steamed abalone & Bafun Uni from Hokkaido, and dripped with chive oil at the side. A light dish for a start, where the mousse complements the abalone well. I prefer to have the Uni on its own for the best taste of its flavour. 

The second course is the Chutoro/Tomato. Grilled medium fatty tuna from Nagasaki along with braised winter melon accompanied with Jerusalem artichoke purée and tomato purée. I love the ultra-tender texture of the tuna, which still retains the pink hue despite being grilled. It also works well with the purée here, while the winter melon offers a refreshing take to the flavourful tuna.

Bread was then served, chef-made Focaccia bread with echire butter. 

Next up is the Kinmedai/Mussels, where sautéed golden eyes snapper (shizuoka) is served with spinach mussels sauce, along with French mussels with pumpkin purée. The fish is beautifully done, spotting a crispy texture and it goes so well with the green spinach sauce. The bright pumpkin purée offers a nice stark contrast in terms of presentation as well. 

The main dish is on the fourth course, Pigeon/Miso. It is a Japanese miso marinated French pigeon with portwine sauce along with black garlic purée & miso powder. I’m usually not a big fan of pigeon (the kind of eater who skips pigeon if there is an alternative meat), but I am quite impressed with this dish. Very tender meat, and I like the portwine sauce at play here which elevates the flavour of the pigeon. The skin is also quite crispy, where the inside of the pigeon meat is also beautifully cooked. 

The pigeon was followed by a Duck/Noodle course. No duck meat here, but the special made whole grain flour noodles is prepared with duck and chicken bone soup. It looks like a very simple noodle dish, though I enjoy the lightness of the umami filled broth. 

For dessert, I had the Mango/Tea which is Taiwanese high mountain tea flavoured panna cotta with mango, chef-made Vanilla ice-cream, topped with white wine granita. 

Rants It is a straightforward fixed menu here, and unlike other fine-dining restaurants, there are no additional snacks in between if that’s what you are expecting. I also wasn’t expecting bread to be considered a separate course in a fixed menu, given the norm that it is usually served complimentary in other fine-dining restaurants.  

Will I Return Again? Some pretty good courses I had at Reve, and if you love French Japanese cuisine, here’s a new restaurant to check out. I do wish that the bread can be replaced by a more substantial course. 

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

Make your reservations instantly at Reve here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Reve 
39 Kreta Ayer Road 
#01-01 
Singapore 089002 
Tel: +65 8371 2588 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Friday: 6pm to 10:30pm (Last Order: 8:30pm) 
Saturday: 12pm to 3pm (Last Order: 1:30pm); 6pm to 10:30pm (Last Order: 8:30pm) 
Closed on Sundays 

Ranted by The Ranter