The exquisite flavours of Switzerland can be found in Singapore’s charming Duxton Hill at Coucou.
Lodged in the eclectic streets of Duxton and Tanjong Pagar lies a getaway to Switzerland, anticipating your presence with the delicate chirps of ‘coucou’ from the cuckoo clocks. It might be a more delicate way of saying ‘bonjour’ in French, but the Swiss restaurant, aptly named Coucou, does so by serving a taste of Switzerland with their 64-seater establishment.
If you have never been to the Swiss Alps to stay in their reclaimed ski chalets, Coucou’s cosy alpine cabin of a restaurant gives you an authentic semblance of that, combining traditional Swiss recipes with a modern twist. Its founders Chef Sebastien and Yves have collaborated closely to ensure that their food finds roots to their culture and heritage.
Paying homage to Swiss culinary traditions, the Salade Coucou, a recipe handed down by the Yves’ grandfather, is a curly chopped salad served with homemade ‘Grand Père’ dressing, a clean and zesty accompaniment to the other dishes on the menu. The co-founder used to watch his grandfather in wonderment making this dish in the kitchen, very often as a child.
If the mountains are what Switzerland is best known for, then its cheese can easily take second place. It is only a true Swiss culinary experience if one indulges in the restaurant’s signature delicacy: Malakoff. The irresistable fried cheese ball oozes out the rich and creamy gruyére that melts in the mouth with one bite, leaving customers gushing over it. However, this golden spherical dome was not always a delicacy to be enjoyed in an atmospheric space like Coucou — it food ration during the Crimean War. Soldiers who were finding shelter from Russian artillery would fry cheese on a pan under Fort Malakoff — where the dish got its name from. History geeks would be thrilled to find out that what seems like just a cheeseball, deserves a badge of honour for going through the turmoils of the Russian war, and is only now commonly found in three villages in Western Switzerland.
The ‘dip’ dive into cheese continues with Coucou’s Fondue Moitié-Moitié. While everyone loves a chocolate fondue, a cheese fondue is sure to garner the same amount of attention. Dip cubes of crispy bread or boiled baby potatoes into the delicious bubbling pot of melted Swiss Cheese, where the original recipe comes from one of the most picturesque and medieval cities in Switzerland, Fribourg. It is customisable to suit one’s preference, for instance toppings like spicy chilli padi accommodates to our obsession with spice or the ever-popular truffles that is unlikely to go wrong.
Coucou is all about foods rich in flavour, with steaks like the tender 55-days premium aged, grass-fed beef steak, Tagliata de Boeuf or the Filet Mignon de Porc aux Morilles, a juicy pork tenderloin with morel mushroom sauce. To balance the flavours out, steak’s partner-in-crime wine comes in with in the form of a medium bodied, peppery Merlot. If you’re going cheese-heavy, begin with the Chasselas Wine or Petite Arvine, a popular aperitif that is smooth and slightly acidic. The latter goes well with fish too such as the Tartare de Filet de Truite or Filet de Bar, Sauce Vierge. The restaurant also serves speciality cocktails like Williamine Mojito, a Swiss version of a Mojito made with a pear brandy called Morand Williamine. If you are in need of caffeine boost and an alcoholic kick, opt for the Espresso Martigny, a frothy cold brew twist using Morand Pear gin in place of vodka.
The best strategy when dining at Coucou is to share the indulgent and rich food so there is still room for dessert. Pick between berries or chocolate for dessert such as the Meringues à la Double Créme or the vegetarian-friendly Fondue au Chocolat, served sharing-style with fruits, marshmallows and assorted toppings. Even if you have to unbutton your pants after, anyone with a sweet tooth will undoubtedly be satiated.
The founders have come up with an expertly crafted menu that is ideal for food enthusiasts, friends and families alike. It adds to the list of plethora of foods to enjoy in Singapore, and the flavours of this novel Swiss restaurant warrants the expansion of one’s palette.
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