Poetically named the Bridge of Life in French, this restaurant offers up a slice of the good life with great dining alongside, within its cosy purple walls. It is easy to miss this place out if you are not looking, for it is hidden away amidst the rustic scene of Waterloo Street . However, seek hard and you will find a quaint dining space that affords the choice of either enjoying your meal in the cool comforts of its interiors, or taking it outside with their breezy alfresco areas.

The essence of Le Pont De Vie lies in the fact that it is focused on pairing excellent culinary and wine selections with an unrushed ambience, all done with one simple goal: to please its patrons and tempt them back for more.

• The Vibe
  Upon stepping into its compounds, a laidback lounge area will inaugurate you into your dining experience in Le Pont De Vie, which looks like the perfect spot for some pre or post dinner drinks. Service is impeccable, from the welcoming greeting at the door, to the refined, unobtrusive manner to which your needs are tended to without any obvious interruption. Within, the dramatic hand painted purple walls are further complemented by exquisite artistic paintings that deck its entire length. Illuminated with rows of spotlights and hanging wooden beams, it had the unmistakable poise that only French restaurants are capable of; elegant yet laden with beautiful elements of the humble cottage home.

• The Food
  It seems like all the French restaurants are headed in one direction: serving up classical cuisine with modern touches. With such a steadily burgeoning trend, Le Pont De Vie demonstrates that precise responsiveness to their customers’ palates by offering a narrow, yet substantial menu of contemporary dishes that are deserving of meritable praises. Its pan-fried foie gras that is served on a slice of caramelized apple and mixed greens ($25) won me over with its grilled crispy exterior that was amazingly soft on the inside - a true “melt-in-your-mouth” moment that was just sublime. Similarly, the platter of grilled US scallops that came served with a side of arugula salad and toasted almond flakes was divine when combined with the tangy orange reduction puree, offering a smorgasbord of flavours all rolled into one.

  Continue your dinner on a high note with their praiseworthy signature roasted canon of lamb tenderloin, which is resting on a bed of eggplant caviar and drizzled in the natural goodness of Lamb Jus ($32). Succulent, sweet and yet not overpowering in its tastes, this flavourful dish is a definite pleaser, and has also won for itself the reputation of being the hot favourite of this restaurant. If you are in the mood for some seafood, do order the seafood platter ($38). It offers small portions of fresh pan-fried fish, poached lobster claw as well as a grilled scallop, all basking in the savoury Champagne sauce that come with drops of lobster emulsion to further tease out its unique flavours. However, being an ardent seafood fan, I was disappointed with its rather small portion and selection.

  Round up your meal with the Grand Marnier Souffle that is accompanied with a Tahitian Vanilla ice-cream ($11). I particularly liked that it reminded me of sugar-coated fluffy clouds and creamy vanilla rainbows. This was surely a revisit to my childhood fantasies!

• The Wines
  It is a tough task to find a restaurant that serves only quality wines, let alone locate one that couples that with excellent food and service standards. Restaurant owner Mr. Tye Yee Nen who was once a sommelier with the Les Amis Group, manages to pull that off while maintaining that refined posterior that he is so accustomed to. With wines as his personal pride and joy, this dedicated wine lover introduces a liberal range that will please all varying preferences, and even the most insatiable palates. Brought in from France , Italy , Austria , Spain and many more, you name it and you will most likely get it.

The SD Food Advisor’s take on Le Pont De Vie
Newly opened just in August 2006, this restaurant is in the midst of finding its direction and most importantly, its target clientele. But Mr. Tye is straightforward and no-nonsense in his philosophy behind his restaurant; he knows the style of Le Pont De Vie that he strives to reach, and is eager to look after his guests’ dining pleasures and needs. All in all, I had a good time dining in this restaurant because it had such a cordial vibe that made my culinary experience an enjoyable one. When summarized into a functional checklist, I would say: service, food, ambience – check, check and check indeed.