The Tras Street eatery once known as Pulsii Woodfire Restaurant & Bar is now a French bistro. Now serving up affordable twists on fancy fare, the reinvention comes by way of chef-owner Daisuke Yoshikawa, who cut his teeth in Michelin-starred restaurants before opening Pulsii in late 2024.
Though only French is reflected in its name, there’s a distinctly Japanese flavour here — literally. Yoshikawa applies his experience in French restaurants to quintessentially Japanese ingredients like yuzu, yellowtail and chrysanthemum leaves.
The name Pulsii, odd as it may sound, mirrors this mishmash, combining the English word “pulse” with “ii”, Japanese for “good”. “The name reflects our desire to create an atmosphere that’s energised yet comfortable, refined yet approachable, with a menu designed for sharing and discovery,” Yoshikawa explains.
To begin, Pulsii has a number of “chef’s selection” canapes with a minimum order of two pieces each.
Croquettes topped with brandade ($4++) — an emulsion of salt cod and potato — starts us off mild and slightly underwhelming, but the chicken liver mousse on brioche ($8++) picks up the pace with a punchy whisky-soaked apple-raisin jam. The intensely savoury uni-topped version ($15++) is less inventive, but enjoyable nonetheless.
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Among the sharing courses, we have the yuzu cervelle de canut ($29++), where the classic French cheese dip is reworked with yuzu, then served with tuna, caviar and unsurprisingly addictive crispy potato gaufrettes on the side.
There’s also the grilled yellowtail ($26++) with a puree of chrysanthemum leaves, more commonly known as tang-oh in our neck of the woods; the dish is finished with bits of orange and watermelon radish for something that’s sweet, smoky and altogether quite unique.
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For mains, the duck breast ($55++) is served with maitake mushrooms on the side. Crispy skin and a deep savoury note, buoyed by a tangy miso-balsamic sauce, make this feel at once homey and elevated.
The food at Pulsii is by no means simple, but it’s certainly subtle. There won’t be any zingers here, but that mildness also leaves room to look a little closer at Yoshikawa’s sometimes surprising techniques and applications. For those who fear the cloyingness often felt in French outfits, here’s a good place to go.
Pulsii French Bistro & Bar
55 Tras Street
Singapore 078994
Tel: +65 9689 8407
Email: hello@pulsii.com.sg
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 12am
