Taking over the space that Sabio Tapas Bar occupied for years is another eatery by the same restaurant group, Déliciae Hospitality Management. Owner Olivier Bendel's new joint marks a return to his roots – the restaurateur got his start at the Léon de Bruxelles group, which was one of the first moules-frites chains in France. BTM – which stands for Back To Mussels – aims to make mussels and fries as ubiquitous in Singapore by offering pots of the stuff at an affordable price point: $36 for 500g, $48 for 750g and $58 for 1kg.
For the purists, try the Marinières, the classic French sauce prepared with just white wine, butter, parsley and onions. You get to taste the mussels in their purest form – just be warned that these black mussels are much smaller and brinier than the fleshy green-lipped mussels we're used to from New Zealand. If you like your flavours punchier, than opt for the Ardennaise, which has additional mushrooms, fresh cream and bacon for a touch of smokiness. We also recommend the Thailandaises if you're a fan of tom yum goong. It comes packed with chillies, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass as well as coconut milk, which helps temper the heat.
It's not just mussels on the menu. Fill up on other sides including the restaurant's signature Le Croq-Truffle ($18), a skinny albeit satisfying sandwich of black truffles, comté and Serrano ham. And because you can never have too many carbs, try the Tartes Flambées ($28) layered with caramalised onions, escargots and a generous drizzle of parsley butter. If it doesn't make you an escargot convert then nothing will.