Best boeuf bourguignon in Singapore

AU CHOCOLAT [CLOSED]

What we really liked about this boeuf bourguignon was the distinct red wine note coming from its dark and dense stew. Though the meaty beef chunks were not quite as tender as the other beef cheek renditions found on this list, their flavour was faultless. The stew, topped with mashed potatoes, bacon strips, mushrooms and baby carrots, was sided by garden greens and a slice of toast. Bay Level L1-03, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue. Tel: 6688 7227

L’ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON

Robuchon’s interpretation of this classic is as delicate and balanced as a well composed tune. The refined dish features fork-tender beef cheeks coated with rich and plummy Burgundy wine sauce that gives off hints of Morello cherries. We alternated between bites of meat and onion pearls resting on the stew. The dish is also served with Robuchon’s famous mashed potatoes—another reason to order it. 8 Sentosa Gateway. Hotel Michael, Resorts World Sentosa. Tel: 6577 7888

VERRE WINE BAR

Known more for its excellent, extensive wine list than food, Verre surprised us with its Beef Bourguignon, a soft and juicy chunk of fatty beef and crisp bacon coated in a rich red wine sauce peppered with bay leaves. Pair the mouth-watering dish with a Burgundy from Côte de Beaune. #01-05/06, 8 Rodyk Street. Tel: 6509 1917. Book a table at Verre Wine Bar with Chope. 

COCOTTE

The thing that hits you first when they set down the boeuf bourguignon is the delectable perfume of fried lardons mixed with freshly chopped herbs. With all the heartiness of French countryside Provençal cooking, the braised beef is served bonein with chunky carrots on a bed of creamy mashed spuds and rich red wine sauce that you can’t get enough of. We love how the texture of the meat still retains that chewiness. Do call to check if the dish is available as the it is not on Cocotte’s regular menu. 2 Dickson Road. Tel: 6298 1188. Book a table at Cocotte with Chope. 

BISTRO DU VIN

The moment we sunk our teeth into the Beef Cheeks Braised in Red Wine, we wondered what took us so long to discover this gem in this cosy bistro (in previous visits, we had always ordered the escargots and coq au vin). Cradled in a casserole filled with sweet carrots, juicy pearl onions and earthy mushrooms, the generous chunks of beef—braised for three hours—are forktender and pillowy. #02-12 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road. Tel: 6733 7763

LE BISTROT DU SOMMELIER

When the server at Le Bistrot du Sommelier removed the clay pot lid to our red wine braised beef cheek with carrots and mushrooms, the dish’s strong aroma of red wine and rosemary was enough to fill the small dining room. The meat was so tender you could cut it with a spoon, and it carried the robust flavours of its stew with each bite. This marvellously hearty dish is served with a little cocotte of boiled potatoes, sprinkled over with sea salt and parsley, on the side. 53 Armenian Street. Tel: 6333 1982. Book a table at Le Bistrot Du Sommelier with Chope. 

PIDGIN [CLOSED]

This is a generous hunk of short rib painstakingly marinated in red wine, herbs and aromatics for 24 hours before being cooked sous-vide for another 36. The rich, deeply flavourful sauce is made with a touch of savoury-sweet kecap manis, giving it an appealing glaze and tempering the acidity of the red wine. Complete with velvety pomme purée, melt-in-your-mouth pearl onions and malty Guinness foam on top, this is one exceptional dish that should stay on the restaurant’s menu. 7 Dempsey Road #01-04. Tel: 6475 0080

SAVEUR

We are glad that the chefs at Saveur choose to serve this classic French dish with short ribs for a more succulent, tender result. Unlike other boeuf bourguignons in which the meat is stewed over low heat on the stove, the beef here is painstakingly cooked sous-vide for over 12 hoursin a vacuum bag with herbs, red wine and a mirepoix. The result: flavourful, evenly-cooked pieces that meld luxuriously with the sweetness of the red wine glaze.We also like the earthy mushrooms and the addition of peppery rocket leaf in the accompanying mesclun salad, which cuts the fattiness of the rich short ribs. 5 Purvis Street, #01-04. Tel: 6333 3121. Book a table at Saveur with Chope. 

SHELTER IN THE WOODS

We were told that chef David Thien only serves this dish when he is able to get a suitable cut of beef, and currently that means using beef cheeks, as they develop a beautifully gelatinous texture when slow cooked. Tender and juicy, the beef cheeks were doused in rich red wine sauce and served atop a generous bed of smooth mashed potato. For a satisfying spoonful, mix the beef, mash, and sauce together with bits of the accompanying pearl onions, mushrooms and bacon strips. 22 Greenwood Avenue. Tel: 6466 6225 Availabe seasonaly. Call to inquire. Book a table at Shelter in the Woods with Chope. 

TARATATA BISTROT

When our waiter recommended the Boeuf Bourguignon for our main course, we had a feeling we’d be in good hands. What we really liked about the dish here was the sauce: it was one of the richer and more aromatic ones we have tasted so far. It also had a piquant sweetness, thanks to chef Bertrand Raguin’s generous use of sliced carrots. We paired the tender, irresistible beef with a glass of Côtes du Rhône red from Chapoutier, and our lunch was nudged to perfection. 35A Keong Siak Road. Tel: 6221 4506. Book a table at Taratata Bistrot with Chope.