Along the stretch of one of Singapore’s most infamous streets, you can get a scoop of homemade artisanal gelato for $5, purchase pottery starting at $35 or book a cat hotel family suite for $500 a night.
If you’re under 30, you’ll probably find it hard to believe that Desker Road in Little India was once known for transactions of a more seedy nature.
One of the oldest red light districts in Singapore, Desker Road has undergone a facelift of sorts. The shophouses in the area now play host to a variety of Indian restaurants. And if you’re sharp enough, you might also notice a cosy little French eatery called Allo.
Located on the ground floor of a shophouse built in 1903 (the year is proudly emblazoned on the building’s facade), Allo, with its modern chic interior design, is curiously out of place amid the sights and sounds of Little India.
But the offbeat location actually appealed to owner and head chef Andrew Seah, who opened the restaurant in 2021.
“The building played an important part when we (him and his two partners) were searching for a space,” he told tabla! “It coincides with the concept of our restaurant. And the outside seating space also helped.”
Chef Andrew, 36, grinned when I asked him if he knew what Desker Road was known for back in the day.
“Yes, I’m aware. And lots of people also ask me what’s a French restaurant doing in the middle of Little India,” he said.
“But business here has been alright. Singaporeans will travel to eat, so the location isn’t really the most important thing; you just have to have good food.
“Over here, we do get a few Indian customers. They come in a group, sometimes even for business meetings.”
As I dine at Allo on a packed Friday evening, I notice Indian representation right away – not in terms of the patrons, but a chef tossing pasta in a pan through an open-concept hole in the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining area.
I learnt later on that the sous chef in question is Prince Koshinder, a migrant worker from Uttarakhand, who, in a glorious twist of fate, started out as a dishwasher before stepping up to helm the stove.
“My previous head chef from Malaysia quit, and (Prince) showed a lot of interest in wanting to cook. He had the passion for it, and so I trained him and now he can do all the dishes,” said Chef Andrew, who manages the front-of-house.
Prince, 23, started out at Allo shortly after it opened, and was a dishwasher for just five months before making the leap. He had no previous experience in the F&B sector, having worked in the automotive sector back in India.
“I always wanted to learn how to cook, so I volunteered to learn. Chef trained me for about a month,” he said.
“At first it was tough. I made a few mistakes like overcooking the tenderloin, but after a while, I knew how to check for doneness and do everything right.”
Either Prince is a natural or Chef Andrew was a hell of a teacher.
The Lamb Rack with Pomme Puree ($42) was as good as any lamb dish you’ll savour at high-end establishments. What sets it apart are the delicious trimmings that accompany the three chops – lamb fat that they trim from the meat after grilling instead of before.
The menu also includes other classic French-inspired mains such as Duck Confit with Pomme Puree and Orange Balsamic Glaze ($30) and Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise ($38).
For the wallet-conscious, Allo also offers a three-course weekday set lunch at $15.90+.
Chef Andrew, a Shatec graduate who has been a chef since 2009, has worked at various European eateries in Singapore, including Napoleon Restaurant in Telok Ayer and the RedBank Bar & Grill, where he was trained by Chef Nicolas Drouglazet from France.
“It’s hard work, but it pays off when customers enjoy the food. That’s the best part about F&B,” he said.
“The goal for us is to perhaps move to a bigger place someday. Ideally, I would like to open in Ang Mo Kio or Punggol – because we want to bring this cuisine to the heartlands.
“You can see from our menu that the prices are relatively low. We just want more people to know about this cuisine and we want to make it affordable for them.”
Before I bade goodbye after a hearty meal, I asked Chef Andrew the reason for his restaurant’s name, which means “hello” in French.
“The name is friendly. ‘Allo’ is an informal way of saying hello. It’s like us – casual, friendly dining.”
