Visited on 19 Oct 2014 (Sun). Renowned French-inspired Japanese Patisserie "Henri Charpentier" has finally opened their first global dessert salon in Singapore in Oct 2014! Henri Charpentier was nestled among lush greenery on the top of Dempsey Hill, just beside "House" restaurant.
Opening Hours: 11.00am - 10.00pm daily
Note: In order to have a better gastronomic experience here, it's best to arrive earlier. Otherwise it will be very crowded, service might not be that good and you can't enjoy the peaceful and relax ambience..
The covered walkway with striking fuchsia carpet!
Henri Charpentier can accommodate 30 guests at the alfresco area
Upon entering the main entrance, you'll be greeted by a merchandising section, with an array of beautifully boxed gifting options..
Beautifully made Japanese sweets!
Henri Charpentier can accommodate up to 50 guests indoors
Luxurious & romantic setting - Suitable for a date with your partner or girls gathering!
Front seats by the window with some alfresco seats outside as well.. I was impressed that their logo was even printed on the arm chairs!
This area by the window is for 1-2 persons..
Relax while enjoying the view of the greenery outside...
The only table-for-4 by the window, is located at the back of the restaurant ..
Full set of their food and beverage menu below
A Pot of Second Flush Darjeeling Tea ($14++)
The tea was light and refreshing, but the price was too steep...
Flower Temptation ($25++)
Exclusive dessert only available in Singapore! Sautéed pineapple, caramel-flavored chocolate mousse and dark chocolate mousse are placed in a bowl resembling a flower made of sugar. The dessert is finished by being flambéed with orange liqueur. Enjoyed looking at the flames, which are like flowers in bloom.
The flaming effect was not that prominent as the daylight by the window was too bright...
Upon being doused with the flaming liqueur, the sugar bowl begins to melt away, flowing down the sides of the dessert tower. The sugar bowl was very solid, hard to bite. I like the chocolate mousse, but the liquor was a tad too much so it tasted quite bitter.. This dessert was quite high quality but the taste was not as good as the dome (below).
Short video of the flaming process for Flower Temptation
Dome ($29++)
Exclusive dessert only available in Singapore and also the most expensive dessert here that you have to try!!!
Upon pouring the warm liquor, the chocolate sphere quickly melts away to unveil the hidden sweet treat!
Tada - The chocolate sphere encloses a chocolate parfait biscuit of fraise d'amande (Strawberries & Almonds)
A little pot of raspberry sauce is served on the side, so you can decide how sweet you want it to be.
No more choco ball... I prefer this dessert - Dome than the flower temptation! The liquor was not that strong so the bitterness was very mild. With the chocolate & rasberry sauce, the whole combination here was excellent with a touch of crunchiness and sweetness! Happy that I've finally had the most expensive dessert in my life! (:
Short video of the flaming process for Dome
My loot from Henri Charpentier!
Les Financiers (5 pcs - $14.30+)
Two almonds (Marcona, Fritz that are rich in aroma) are blended with original cultured butter from Hokkaido. Enjoy the world-quality financier with the aroma of almond and cultured butter. The butter was truly aromatic and leaves a fragrant aftertaste! But it was a little too sweet though... Beautiful and elegant packaging makes this great for gifts.
Petits Gâteaux Assortis (8 pcs - $14.30+)
A fun selection of eight types of cakes which includes bite-sized versions of their leading Financier and Madeleine; the Chocolat de Nancy, made using an abundance of French chocolate; the Pistache, full of succulent pistachios; the Framboise, which gives off the delicate scent of raspberries; the Caramel Boule Sel, which tastes of salt and caramel; the Espresso, with its rich coffee taste; and the Pain D’epis, flavored with honey, lemon, orange, and various spices.
Overall Impression:
As we were there early, the restaurant was not crowded so the service was quite good. No issues of food delay and ice water was refilled promptly too. The only problem is most of the staff are Japanese except 1 or 2 are local, so the Japanese staff may have some difficulty in understanding you fully. In my case, the staff wrongly packed one of the items I chose, so I had to make a trip back there to exchange.
So far I've only tried the above 2 desserts and the quality was quite good but not mind-blowing so i think it's way over-priced for a small dessert. The prices of their beverages are another killer as well... But.... i think everyone should visit this place at least once or twice to have an experience. I will visit again just to try their sliced cakes to see if it will make me go back the 3rd time!
