Birds of A Feather opens its door offering an unique cuisine of contemporary Western with Sichuan influence back in 2016. It has then spread its wing and expanded its menu in April 2017. Coming to its 2nd anniversary in a couple of months time, Chef Eugene See has made several trips to Chengdu in the past 12 months to understand more about Sichuan cuisine. With the new found knowledge, the bird is ready to soar to new height with a new menu.
Birds Not Stinky Tofu 4/5
What a name to call the dish - Birds Not Stinky Tofu ($16). I don't eat stinky tofu as I can't stand the smell. However I will gladly eat this version which is made from blending tofu with vieux lille cheese. The mixture is then piped into the pockets of aburaage tofu and then oven-baked. These oven-baked parcels are then served on top a bed of fried soy beans. I find this a really interesting creation and re-interpretation of the stinky tofu.
Baked Eggplant 4/5
The Baked Eggplant ($14) is inspired from the classic Sichuan dish of stir-fired eggplant with Yu Xiang (fragrant fish sauce). To create the dish, the kitchen house-made their own fragrant fish sauce (red oil, doubanjiang, fried ginger, garlic, pickled chilli, black vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper). The eggplant is marinated with the fragrant fish sauce. Instead of stir frying, it is topped with mozzarella cheese and oven-baked. The robustness and depth of the fragrant fish sauce is the highlight for me. You can even wipe it clean with the fried mantou blocks in the dish.
Charcoal Grilled Pork Bits 4.2/5
I have to warn you that the Charcoal Grilled Pork Bits ($15) is super addictive. The pork belly has been marinated overnight in cumin, garlic, chilli, Sichuan pepper, soya sauce, salt and pepper. It is then deep fried and charcoal grilled. These crispy bite sized pork belly unknowing will get you hooked. Best to go along with a couple of drinks. In it,you can also find Japanese sweet potato and green chilli.
Cold Black 4.2/5
Cold Black ($25) is a noodle dish that comes with a dipping spicy soya sauce. The fern root noodle used is gluten free. Diner is supposed to eat it like soba, pick up the fern root noodle and dip it into the dipping sauce. It also comes with lightly seared tuna tataki and avocado.
Good Slime Shine 4.5/5
Another noodle dish on the menu is the Good Slime Shine ($24). The noodle used is the chewy Chinese yam noodle that has been cooked in a sour vegetable sauce. It has both non-spicy and spicy version. I prefer the spicy version for that garlicky and spicy kick.
Sweating Mussel 4/5
Looks like all the noodle dishes have quirky names. After trying cold black and good slime shine, we moved on to Sweating Mussel ($29). Blue mussels with Chinese yam noodles, Japanese leeks, baby Bak Choy and bell peppers in a spicy-sour nage. The dish is so spicy that you will breakout in sweat.
Sichuan Oxtail Soup 4/5
The Sichuan Oxtail Soup ($24) is a twist of the classic Sichuan pork trotter soup. The oxtail is rather tender with a delightful fats to lean meat ratio. The daikon is also cooked to an enjoyable soft texture, soaking up the essence of the broth. The dish even comes with spring onion arlette, made with laminated puff pastry and seasoned with scallion oil. An western take on the Chinese spring onion pancake.
Forbidden Risotto 4.5/5
Some call it the oriental take of the risotto but I would like to call it the western influences of the Chinese Mui Fan. Whichever you want to call it, the Forbidden Risotto ($35) is black rice cooked in parmesan cheese, cream and butter. A sourish broth consisted of sour vegetables and pickled ginger are then added to it and finished with some soya sauce, mirin and sesame oil. The firework of flavours worked beautiful on the palate.
Ice2 Baby 3.5/5
Completing the meal, we have the Ice2 Bay ($15). The beautiful and refreshing dessert consists of ice jelly paired with assorted seasonal fruits, crushed peanuts, burnt cucumber, lao zhao granite (rice wine granite) and red sugar caramel. It has a subtle alcohol kick from the rice wine granite, while the fruity black berries, strawberries and figs provided the balance.
Most of us probably thinks that Sichuan cuisine is all about spiciness but this is not truth. The new menu at Birds of A Feather introduces a wider spectrum of flavours in Sichuan cuisine to the diners. The menu has been overhauled with only a couple of its signature items remained. There is even more reasons for a re-visit to try the new dishes if you have enjoyed the food at Birds of A Feather.
Note: This is an invited tasting.
Birds Of A Feather
115 Amoy Street
Singapore 069935
Tel: +65 62217449
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line). Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon-Wed: 10am - 11pm
Thu-Sat: 10am - 12midnight
Sun: 10am - 10pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street towards Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]
2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Follow the covered walkway to the junction of Mccallum Street, Telok Ayer and Amoy Street. Turn left at the junction onto Amoy Street. Continue on Amoy Street to the end of the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]
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