The Place Gemmill Lane is sizzling up, the once inconspicuous back alley which is now home to four restaurants, Le Binchotan being the latest to join the ranks alongside Burger Joint, Gemmills and Maggie Joan’s. My first impression of Le Binchotan is its underground, tunnel-like design which is probably the one and only in Singapore right now. The long bar seating draws centre stage here, which seats up to 20 people. There are also a few tables tucked away in a more private corner for a more intimate gathering, though the seating capacity is really limited. The Food Chic design aside, the focus here is French-Japanese Tapas food with a full range drinks list. Helmed by Head Chef Jeremmy Chiam, a quick glance at the menu reveals much use of Japanese ingredients married with French culinary techniques. The restaurant’s name is integral to the cooking technique here, as binchō-tan is a type of charcoal from Japan which burns at a lower temperature for a longer period compared to ordinary charcoal. From the small plates selections, my favourite is the Myoban Uni (S$23), a mixture of corn mousse, grilled corn, sudachi and shoyu. The silky pudding texture topped with luscious Uni set a good [...]![]()
