FRENCH, BUT NOT TOO FANCY

Nestled in the leafy neighbourhood of Yen Akat, Workshop is a distinctly French eatery that appears high-profile at first sight. Upon closer inspection, however, one will see that it has an atmospheric dining space, where diners would want to linger and be entertained by chef Clement Hernandez’s comforting bites.

Boasting experience at J’aime by JeanMichel Lorain and being the former head chef of Brasserie Cordonnier (now closed), chef Hernandez is all about straightforward French classics.

At Workshop, the lengthy à la carte menu offers plenty of options, from snacks and soups to hearty pasta dishes and meaty main courses. There is also a tasting menu of four courses that is available only for dinner.

The two standout dishes are the Braised

beef cheek (B590) and the Duck rillettes (B100). The former is beef cheeks that have been slow-cooked in red wine, plated with crisp deep-fried polenta, onion confit and roasted spring onions. The latter is a wonderfully rich, sharing starter of duck rillettes that are formed into thin disks eaten with sweet longan chutney and warm toast.

The four-course tasting menu (B990), which chef Hernandez has named “Sincere Dining”, is made up of recognisable French recipes with Hernandez’s inventive ethos. It consists of Garlic espuma (a coin-sized confit potato with its surface encrusted neatly in a crispy parsley mixture), Stuffed squid with ratatouille and basil-vegetables reduction sauce and Barbary duck breast that’s served with pan-seared foie gras, homemade spaetzle (egg noodle), chanterelle and eryngii mushrooms. For dessert, it’s a non-traditional Floating island, which sees a generous dollop of meringue floating on crème anglaise. What is exciting about this dish is the cream, which has been lightly spiced with coriander seeds that helps lend a nice citrusy and refreshing aroma to the custard.

Complimenting the meal well is the cosy, dimly lit dining room that is a cross between bistro and cafe. The fit-out gives off an industrial vibe — rustic and rough around the edges, yet homely. Diners will be delighted by the art pieces made by resident artists that are rotated regularly. I found the entire experience nothing short of comforting, both in terms of the food and ambience.

Workshop, Yen Akat Road /

Call 062-519-0055, visit workshop.co.th.