Parsley & Thyme

According to its website, Parsley & Thyme has a new chef-​owner Daryl Cheong helming the restaurant. Apparently he has kept all the existing favorite dishes which has made Parsley & Thyme a popular dining place. Having never dined there when Dennis Kool was the chef, I cannot tell if there is any difference.
What I had from the Restaurant Week dinner menu was excellent.
The service was very warm and dare I say it, impeccable and top-​notch. From the moment I stepped in (heavy downpour, with only 2 tables occupied then), the uncle (I call him uncle as he is much older than me and seemed to own the place, or maybe he is the chef’s father) came over with a clipboard. Once he got my reservation details, I was promptly seated and asked if he can get me iced or warm water. Then he asked if I require Wi-​Fi while waiting (my dining companion has yet to arrive). I was pretty much blown away by that.
I was given the a la carte menu and warm water, and he said he will be back to explain the set menu once my friend arrived.
Food:
French onion soup — a hearty beefy broth (with bits of beef in it) with a thick layer or cheese melted over the small slice of bread and entire bowl. Onions were soft and sweet. Despite the cheesy layer, it was not overly rich.
Lobster bisque — a very plain presentation but the soup was full of seafood-​y flavor.
Duck Confit — the crispy skin was the best part! Meat was also quite tender.
Lamb shank — slow cooked for 6 hours, the meat was so soft it could be cut through with a fork. And there was no strong gamey taste at all which was fantastic for a non-​lamb lover like me.
Nutella chocolate mousse — you could really taste the nutella in this and was such a decadent treat with toasted whole hazelnuts and crushed hazelnut praline.
Caramel panna cotta — it was liberally topped with apple compote and cinnamon crumbles. The smooth caramel Italian custard was just so good too.
The menu did not include coffee or tea (choice of tea), but they decided to throw that in for all diners under the Restaurant Week menu. Kudos to them.
I really enjoyed the whole dining experience and there were only two people bussing the tables or taking the orders, but every course was paced very well.
I will want to go back again as they also do pretty affordable set lunches and dinners.

Decided on short notice to go here for dinner NY’s Eve. Lugubrious neighbors are unfortunate but there’s litle not to like about this place.
1. Small menu. I dont’ want to spend all night chosing and I want a kitchen that’s focusing on doing a few things exceptionally well.
2. Attentive, thoughtful, unobtrusive service.
The owner was helpful (even recommending the least expensive wine on the menu — which was an outstanding Chilean CS).
3. Quality ingredients simply presented.
I had the NZ beef with Delft bleu cheese. The piece of beef was easily as good as any I’ve had at Mortons and absolutely perfectly prepared. I didn’t even specify doneness (I forgot) and it was perfect.
They are a bit off the beaten path and while we were there only one other table was occupied. That’s sad. This sort of thoughtfulness, attentiveness and quality done as likely a significant financial risk to the enthusiastic owner should be rewarded. Go.

Chef-​owner Dennis Kool serves up a truly hearty meal at the hidden gem of Parsley & Thyme. Located opposite Singapore General Hospital, its great value set lunches have quickly gained popularity and I’d encourage calling ahead to reserve your table.
If ordering from the ala carte menu, the char-​grilled squid, french onion soup (thick blanket of gruyère cheese), and goat cheese salad are excellent choices from the list of appetisers. The char-​grilled grass-​fed tenderloin entrée is outstanding and generous, and the almond and herb-​crusted rack of lamb is also highly recommended.
Chef Kool develops his own recipes for desserts and work closely with his pasty chef to produce them, maintaining a broad range of choices for his loyal customers, many who eat there 2 – 3 times a week. Amaretto parfait with almond nougatine or the tiramisu is a good conclusion to a very filling meal.