Spotted! Crocodile in the residential area of Bukit Timah!

Don't worry – Chef Philip Chua has the situation under control. As head chef of the only restaurant in Singapore to serve crocodile using western cooking methods, Chef Philip – nicknamed "Pip" and the restaurant's namesake – is not shy when it comes to introducing creative and unusual concoctions on his menu, which is filled with twists on Modern European fare.

For instance, the crocodile cocotte reflects elements of French cuisine (like flaky puff pastry, emmental and guyere cheese), but nestled in the cream sauce are chunks of tender crocodile meat. And the crocodile-loving doesn't stop here. The crocodile ribs are fair game (no pun intended) when compared with traditional winners in the ribs genre, such as pork and beef. Juicy and tender, these ribs are steamed with ginger for four hours, then coated in barbeque sauce and oven roasted, a process that makes for incredibly flavourful meat.

By no means is crocodile the focal point of menu. After working in the kitchens of multiple five-star restaurants, Philip now channels his culinary creativity in dishes like "escargot bourguignon" and "fruity fish fillet". At Table @ Pip's, escargot doesn't just come resting in bowls of parsley butter. Rather, Phllip's "escargot bourguignon" is served on a plate, with a half dozen oven-baked mushrooms each stuffed with escargot and garlic butter. The fruity fish fillet is another example of Philip's creativity: pan-fried dory fish comes served with warm apples, which taste a bit caramelized, along with lemon zest, blueberries, and butter sauce.

Although the creative dishes at Table @ Pip's isn't exactly home-cooking, the ambience of the restaurant is incredibly cosy, offering the local neighborhood vibe, with Philip greeting regulars and personally serving guests. After a meal at Pip's, you may find yourself running back to the crocodiles in Bukit Timah! (Dec 2011)

"When you dine at Table @ Pip's, you have privilege of sharing Philip Chua's passion for good food. As he's a former chef, you can be assured that the food coming out of his kitchen will not fall short of any discerning gourmet's mark." -The Newpaper

"This casual neighbourhood eatery serves mostly Euro dishes such as Escargot Bourguignon, an appetiser of snails slathered in herb garlic butter, and stuffed into button mushrooms." -8 Days

We love the creativity of the menu at Table @ Pip's. An added bonus – the portions are quite generous, allowing for a fair amount of sharing! For mains, consider ordering the lamb shank stew. Literally fall-of-the-bone tender (no knife necessary), this large portion of lamb comes served with mashed potatoes. We'd also suggest ordering the duck confit. Chef Philip succeeds in delivering the ideal combination of tender meat with a layer of delicious, crisp skin.

And of course, if you make your way to Table @ Pip's, then you should seriously consider ordering the crocodile, especially the ribs. The meat is so flavourful and tender that we were surprised to see that there was so little sauce covering the ribs. This is surely a testament to the labourious cooking method: four hours of steaming then some time in the oven (see "About" for more details on the cooking process).

Finally, dessert offers another chance to try another one of Chef Philip's creations: durian mousse. One member of Team Chope has long proclaimed himself a foe of the pungent fruit, but he couldn't deny that this mousse was delicious. With a layer of dark chocolate offering some balance to the durian aroma, this sweet mousse is also topped with orange zest. For who think trying crocodile is enough adventure and would rather shy away from the durian mousse, we'd suggest ordering the bread and butter pudding (warm and buttery with chocolate layers) and the chocolate lava pudding (a crispy outer-layer rather than thick spongy cake means even more molten chocolate than usual). (Dec 2011)

"This cozy and unpretentious restaurant along Bukit Timah serves modern European dishes that includes the standout BBQ crocodile spare ribs." -Time Out Singapore

DBS Indulge: 10% off food bill.

Enjoy an exclusive Seafood Wine Pairing Set Menu for $118+ (No GST) on 16 May 2013 and receive 20% off for wine purchased under this menu. This is limited to the first 20 pax and on a first come, first serve basis.