Everything about bistro Bien-etre, a delightful morsel of a French restaurant, is precious. The impeccable plating, intimate surroundings, sequestered location, symphonic flavors and reasonable pricing (at 57,000 won (S$68,000) for a prix fixe dinner) make this particular epicurean adventure a memorable one; one to be revisited whenever a craving for owner chef Park Min-jae's culinary artistry arises.

The key to Park's ability to consistently turn out exquisite fare seems to reside in limited opening hours and limited seating. Dinner is the only meal that can be enjoyed at Bien-etre and only by eight diners at a time.

This allows Park to invest an entire day, from the moment he hits the markets in the morning up until the moment he puts the finishing touches on the final dessert, into preparing an intricate, beautifully presented meal for a specific number of diners (reservations are a must).

His wife invites diners in and orchestrates the parade of dishes to table with a gentle grace that adds a hospitable glow to the whole experience.

Amid a backdrop of pastel blue walls, soft mustard curtains, framed photos of Paris and French chansons, diners are treated to a slow procession of dishes, from dainty amuse-bouches to foie gras, steak or fish, and a glorious souffle before ending with a creme anglaise-based dessert, a plate of Thimbelina-esque petit fours and a steaming cup of coffee.

Each creation highlights Park's talent - the fruitful outcome of his studies at Le Cordon Bleu Paris - for broadening the gustatory experience with a judicious use of spices, color and varied textures.

His approach is faithful and straightforward: a small space, one meal and one menu. But what a menu it is. Park knows how to use spices artfully and it's his use of them that makes each dish an aromatic delight.

"Pair nutmeg with starch, it will amplify the fragrance a bit," Park, who opened Bien-etre in August, discussed his approach to seasoning. "If you use spices appropriately they stimulate the palate."

And that is exactly what Park does.

A trio of amuse-bouches initiates the diner into his world. A Parmesan croustillant and a tomato jelly over a crepe filled with fennel- and curry-scented cream cheese blend crisp and soft textures with nutty, juicy and spiced flavors. A thin matchstick of bread baked with cheddar cheese and then layered with spiced foie gras cream and colorful dots of chive, olive tuile, and mushroom relays an explosion of flavors as colorful as the amuse-bouche itself.

A mushroom veloute hides nuggets of smoked salmon within. Hazelnut foam brings out the toasty flavors of the veloute. Dot fingertips with crumbled pain d'epices (spiced bread baked, in this case, with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey) at the foot of the cup for an aromatic finish.

Enter Park's foie gras, perfectly pan-seared fattened duck liver. The bitter silkiness of spinach harmonizes with the silken richness of the foie gras. The foie gras itself betrays no hint of gaminess. Each forkful unleashes a crisp shell of pure heat followed by a release of super soft, near liquid, creamy goodness. An almond veloute doubles the nutty flavors of the liver, while the fruity sweetness of port wine and mango sauces and apple compote complement it.

The filet mignon, robed in a port wine demi-glace of reduced veal stock, is lush, juicy and tender. A faint hint of spices lays low on the tongue, lingering, leaving a ghost trail of the coriander, nutmeg and pink pepper Park marinated the steak in.

Then, voila, pouf! A towering souffle, bouffant in its eggy, airy glory, arrives. The color of eggshell, speckled with vanilla, and encrusted with that caramel-like sugary crust on top, it is almost a sin to take a spoon to this confection, but it would be a sin not to.

From the creme brulee-like crust down to the ethereal innards, Park's vanilla souffle is, for lack of a better word, heavenly.

Creme anglaise, redolent of spices and bearing a dainty tart, follows soon after. Surprisingly enough, there is still room for his adorable petit fours and a cup of coffee.

The end of the meal confirms Park's dedication and talent, showing how he is able to orchestrate each creation, from the homemade bread set out at the beginning of the meal down to the very last delicate petit four left on the diner's plate, with the same amount of exquisite care and skill, nary an iota less, but perhaps, an iota more.