My dinner went up in flames, but I have no complaints. I am at Brasserie Astoria, where there’s a renaissance of table-side service—from flambé trolleys to dessert carts. “The hallmark of brasserie-style cuisine is when things are prepared table-side. That always gives extra energy to the dining room,” explains Björn Frantzén.
The celebrity chef is no stranger to culinary showmanship. He opened the three-Michelin-starred Zén in Singapore five years ago. Featuring a neo-Nordic and seafood-focused menu, the restaurant spans three floors in a restored shophouse and offers just one tasting menu priced at $580 per guest, excluding beverages.
Brasserie Astoria’s prices aren’t as cavalier. Most of the mains cost $50 on average. The most luxurious item on its menu is the Astoria osciétra caviar (from $130 per 30g), served with parsnip waffles, crème fraîche, lime, and browned butter.
“Following the success of Zén, we are excited to bring the more casual and accessible Brasserie Astoria to Singapore’s incredible dining scene,” says Frantzén.
Like its Stockholm flagship in the former Astoria Cinema, the local outpost is in the culturally relevant Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall. With elegant dining booths to match the venue’s neoclassical architecture, Singapore’s Brasserie Astoria sets the scene for a lively and memorable meal.
Frantzén says the menu and dishes are adapted based on feedback from guests at Brasserie Astoria Stockholm. Singaporean head chef and Zén alum, Emil Cecil Ess, heads the restaurant. Just like Stockholm, both the food and cocktail menus feature a Nordic slant, but with Asian influences.
Since the restaurant resides in a theatre, drama is par for the course. Curious eyes dart my way when the flambéed wagyu beef arrives on a trolley equipped with a pan and stove. The server sets the meat alight with a generous dash of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. A beautifully caramelised flavour accompanies the juicy steak after the sharpness of the alcohol fades.
A side of aromatic kampot and green pepper sauce comes with roasted potatoes glazed with one of France’s oldest cheeses, Fourme d’Ambert. The slightly tangy, savoury notes are like a warm hug for the carbohydrates.
Those who prefer a lighter main will enjoy the turbot bourride, a comforting fish stew with clam broth, baby fennel, and heirloom carrots. Infused with green ginger oil, the dish highlights the fish’s mild sweetness, which left me wanting bread to mop up the flavourful broth.
Frantzén envisions his restaurant as an “international power brasserie” that serves familiar dishes with a twist. He recommends the steak frites, a classic brasserie dish.
As the main attraction, the aged ribeye is served with bearnaise sauce, tomato and onion salad, spicy pomme frites with parmesan and garlic, and a green salad with parmesan.
Despite the lack of fancy table-side service, the quenelle and caviar is certainly a memorable dish. A puddle of vin jaune sauce and barley koji butter surrounds the delicious blobs of ice cream, which turn out to be scallops. The luxurious treat, topped with caviar, is best enjoyed with bubbly. The restaurant has several that you can choose from. We suggest the sommelier’s recommendation.
Frantzén’s Swedish roots shine through the restaurant’s cuisine. For instance, råraka, Sweden’s answer to rösti, features crisp agria potatoes topped with vendace roe, a delicacy in his region.
The toast Astoria is a nod to the traditional Swedish toast skagen. Over crisp sourdough are generous mounds of Baltic prawns and Norwegian king crab dressed with wasabi aioli.
In Stockholm, the chef’s namesake restaurant was awarded three stars, his proudest moment. In Brasserie Astoria Singapore, he wants the same thing, recognising that success is not a sprint, but a long, arduous marathon.
“Achieving that level of recognition in the culinary world was a testament to our team’s dedication and the continuous effort we put into our craft.”
