You would think that Tiong Bahru couldn’t get cooler than it already is, but et voila, it does. French café and concept store Merci Marcel recently opened for business and has imparted a refreshing dose of joie de vivre to the creative enclave.
By day, folks can stream in for an espresso or a leisurely brunch; by night, it turns into a brasserie serving a tapas-style dinner menu of French plates created for sharing, such as their marinated crab rillettes ($18), tarte flambee ($24) and pork tenderloin ($24).
Pictured: The Mix of 5 cheese platter ($36) serves an assortment of farm cheeses with baguette slices.
As a concept store, Merci Marcel retails a hand-selected range of artisanal gourmet food, fine drinks, art and lifestyle products. They specially champion small, independent brands from Singapore and Europe – coffee is locally roasted by Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee, adorably illustrated sweets from Les chocolat des Francais, and chic eyewear from Parisian brand Izipizi.
Owned by French couple Marie-Charlotte Ley and Antoine Rouland of Frog’ys Pte Ltd, the F&B company that opened the French bars O Batignolles and O Comptoir, the enterprising pair felt that a French concept store would be a nice addition to the neighbourhood.
Motifs of the brand – the straw boater in their logo and menu artwork – were inspired by the impressionist paintings Boating by Edouard Manet (1874) and Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1881). Merci Marcel also wants to emulate the spirit evoked by the famous paintings, a modern personality who enjoys the good life, and also supports independent brands.
Merci Marcel’s interior design was conceptualised by Lim Siew Hui of Hui Designs, a seasoned consultant specializing in design for F&B projects. Drawing inspiration from Parisian restaurants in the districts of Le Marais and Monmartre, she wanted to infuse their cosy vibe with the local and tropical.
The place is French through and through. Prints of the pendant lights hanging over the bar counter are by Parisian atelier Antoinette Poisson, and the fresh flowers on each table are prepared by Aude Giraud from Ask a French Flowers, a Paris-trained Singapore-based floral designer.
If you, like me, find yourself pining for a taste of Paris every now and again, and a holiday there is far from sight, you will find Merci Marcel beckoning from its quaint venue in Tiong Bahru.
Visit Merci Marcel at #01-68 56 Eng Hoon Street.