La Maison Fatien

The buzz: This six-week-old French bistro in a four-storey Duxton shophouse is inspired by and named after the tiny, second generation family-run vineyard Maison Fatien in Bourgogne.

The vibe: The first floor is the bistro, with copious amounts of wooden furniture and walls adorned with artworks and French paraphernalia, while the second floor is more homely with comfy couches and booth seats.

The food: Traditional. You’ll find classic dishes like pan-seared foie gras with caramelized apple-raisin glaze ($18), garlic butter escargots ($12) and duck confit ($28). There’s also cocottes that change daily (from $22)—we’ve got our eye on coq au vin (Mon, $22) and bœuf bourguignon (Wed, $26). For dessert, we suggest the luscious crème brûlée ($10).

The drinks: In a word: French. They proudly carry Maison Fatien wines (all printed in red instead of black ink, so you won’t miss them), which haven’t been available in Singapore before. Sample Maison Fatien offerings include basics like 2008 Rully $80/bottle and the top of their range 2008 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru which reaches $800 a bottle.

Why you’ll be back: It’s worth a visit if you’re in the mood for some hearty French classics. And the entire setup’s quite charming.