Laurent Bernard started crafting chocolates in his native France over twenty years ago. His culinary pilgrimage took him to London, Bermuda, USA, and Israel before he finally settled in Singapore. In 2006 the master chocolatier, inspired by the fleeting taste of a simple madeline (a story for a different time perhaps?), set up his first cafe. It was an instant sensation. Leaving the details of the business to his loving wife Iveta, Laurent sought a fitting apothecary to further his dessert experiments and finally settled on the perfect location: a rebuilt bungalow on a colonial stretch on Portsdown Road.

Laurent's chocolate perfectionism is legendary. He once spent three whole days working on, refining, and improving a chocolate eclair. The goal is simple: the next time you eat a Laurent Bernard eclair, it will be better than the last time you ate a Laurent Bernard eclair. The Portsdown outlet gave him the space to experiment, and his perfectionism quickly expanded to create a full menu of simple French cuisine of salads, quiches, sandwiches, mains and of course, desserts.

The Portsdown cafe is leafy, tranquil and serene. Couples can either sit on the veranda facing Portsdown, or inside on rustic French furniture, quietly chatting over a smoked salmon croque monsieur or chevre chaud (toasted goat's cheese with Provencal herbs and honey with country bread). On a sunny afternoon, one truly feels the cafe is cosy enough for afternoon coffee or to spend an hour or two reading - transported away from the bustling crowds of Singapore to lush greenery. The four-year-old location may be new to some or a familiar favourite to others, but one thing is sure - the next time you visit, it is sure to be better than the last.

"One of the dreamiest cakes in Singapore, this magnificent creature is made with layers of dark chocolate sponge filled with dark chocolate mousse, kirsch-soaked cherries, whipped cream, and a heap of feather-light chocolate shavings." -Sunday Times

"PCB Pastry Chef Of The Year Finalist" -World Gourmet Summit 2009

"Best Chocolate Award" -Singapore Tatler's The Best of Singapore 2011

The Chope Team has a confession. Forgive us father, for we love chocolate. We don't mean in a lets-share-a-dessert way, more in a nobody-gets-between-me-and-that-torte way. We can't wait to tell you about Laurent's chocolates, but his eye for quality extends to his many savoury dishes too. He prides himself in using ingredients imported from France without any preservatives, and it shows.

The creamy foie gras terrine smacked of quality, and when we bit into a chunk of it sitting on freshly toasted brioche, we knew immediately that we were onto something. The toast was buttery, the pate was smooth and tasty - perfect for a mid-afternoon snack. Another favourite on the menu is the braised lamb shank. The lamb is cooked to a perfect tenderness - falling off the bone, but not too soft, so you get the meaty taste of the lamb as you eat. The broth in which it sits in is subtly flavoured so you almost don't want to call it gravy.

But oh, the desserts! Our hands down fave is Laurent's legendary chocolate soufflé - on the outside, the soufflé is crunchy like your favorite chocolate chip cookie, but then crack it open, dollop in the vanilla bean sauce and enjoy the rich yet wonderfully light centre. Another must-try is the torte, which is two of our favorite things: a chocolate bar melted onto a pie shell. It comes down to the quality of the chocolate - no pre-mixes or cocoa alternatives here!