In France, Hediard is a name synonymous with luxury, all thanks to its involvement with the Colbert committee, which unites French luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel together. Although it is not selling your coveted ‘IT' handbags or monogram leather goods, Hediard is renowned worldwide for its lavish restaurant menu and quality dining experience. Think along the lines of foie gras, caviar and champagne – that is Hediard for you everywhere, except Singapore. Housed in the black-and-white Tudor Court, Hediard in Singapore offers you all these tasty finery in an unusually casual setting, café-style.

• The Vibe
  It may be hard to believe that luxury and café-styles can be blended harmoniously, but Hediard in Singapore executes that beautifully. Retaining the flagship colours of black and red, the café takes on a casual vibe by replacing tablecloths with paper placemats and doing away with the frills of candles and flowers. The two-week old premise is small but very cosy – perfect for lazing the afternoon away with cup of aromatic coffee and people-watching by their single, huge window ala French café style!

• The Food
  The chefs in Singapore's outlet are specially trained by the French specialist of Hediard, who flew in from France, in the intricacies of authentic French cuisine – Hediard-style. If you have the luxury of time, have a languorous luncheon at Tudor Court, watching the Tanglin Road crowds rush past your window. Start your lavish afternoon with a soup – a warm Multi-Vegetable Four Seasons Soup ($9) or a chilled Spanish Gazpacho Soup with Vegetable Garnish ($10). The former is a thick stew chock full of vegetables and mushrooms that goes very with the crusty bread served. For something with more punch, the Gazpacho is an ideal choice with its tangy tomato notes and hints of vinegar.

  Salads and tartines are the most well-liked at Hediard where customers are usually popping in for a quick bite. If you are up for something grander, look to their Les Assiettes Gourmandes, which offers the best of Hediard on gourmet platters that are usually meant to be shared. The Special Hediard ($29) combines the ever-popular tartine, Croq' Ferdinand, with choice smoked salmon, duck foie gras and a roquette salad for a truly exquisite platter. The Croq' Ferdinand is a sizeable sandwich featuring grilled bread with Parma Ham, drizzled with plenty of gruyere cheese and mornay sauce. This is a blissful tartine with the abundance of warm, creamy cheese oozing out in your mouth with each bite. The mornay sauce adds an additional cheesy dimension to the sandwich, making it irresistibly good! Savour it with the crunchy roquette salad and excitingly salty smoked salmon for a very filling but certainly pleasing main course.

  Craving for even more smoked salmon? Hediard's Atlantic Discovery ($35) will not disappoint. A selection of Danish, Scottish and Norwegian smoked salmon is served with chive cream and blinis, thin pancake coins, to allow a wondrous moment of salmon appreciation. If you fancy a taste of wild smoked salmon, Hediard is the place to visit and the Atlantic Discovery a must-try. Savouring 3 different kinds of smoked salmon can be a little harsh on the taste buds, so alternate it with the blinis and chive cream to prevent an overwhelming experience with the delicious smoked salmon.

  Slowly cruise into a late-afternoon dessert with Hediard's delightful spread of authentic French Les Gourmandises. The Bourbon Vanilla Mille-Feuille ($8) is an extremely light and fluffy dessert made by layering paper-thin sheets of puff pastry with sweet pastry cream in between. It takes a skilled fork-wielder to dissect this fragile pastry cleanly but every effort devoted to devouring it is worthwhile – the crumbling of pastry sheets in your mouth is heavenly. For the usual chocolate fanatics, Hediard's Moelleux Chocolate with Vanilla Anglaise ($8) will charm with its distinctively rich, bitter cocoa notes. This is such a lovely dessert that not sharing it will make one very selfish, indeed.

• The Service
  Be pleasantly surprised by their few yet well-trained staff members. They are very well-versed with the menu and are fully aware of the kitchen's specialities (or, liabilities) for that day. Do not be embarrassed if you do not know how to pronounce stuff off the menu, like ‘ Orgeat ' and ‘ Moelleux ', because the staff can certainly guide you through the menu without sniggering.

The SD Food Advisor's Take on Hediard Café-Boutique
The Croq' Ferdinand is a must-try. It hardly matters if you don't fancy French cuisine or smoked salmon but the grilled sandwich is truly in a league of its own. Hediard's special lunch promotion on weekdays allows you to savour the Croq' Ferdinand, along with a soup/dessert and a glass of wine for only $25. Need we say more? Head down to Tudor Court to bask in the quaint ambience, pretend you are in Champs Elysee for an afternoon and taste the gloriously good food at Hediard.