Poisson @ Bukit Pasoh Road - Newest Seafood Restaurant Taking Guests Around The Globe With Premium Seafood

Opened in March 2022, Poisson is the newest seafood restaurant located in a restored heritage shophouse on the ground floor of Bukit Pasoh Road. The marine-inspired restaurant features an innovative menu inspired by the world's coastal cities with a distinct Poisson twist.

The menu at Poisson is mainly made up of two sections - Cold Stream and Hot Stream. There are referring to small plates and big plates for sharing. There is even an Omakase Platter priced at $360++ per couple.

Smoke Uno 5/5

Making an impressive entry in a smoked jar is the Smoke Uno ($62). Not only is it pretty, but it is deliciously good too. It features a prized assembly of bafun uni, caviar, negitoro, salmon roe, tamago, and seaweed on top of a housemade crispy cereal crunch. Though there are many flavours and textures at play, they complemented one another harmoniously.

Rainbow 4.2/5

The Rainbow ($26) is a refreshing starter whereby cured salmon trout is served with baby beetroot, basil-infused ricotta with the crunch of red radish and pickled fennel.

The Game 4.5/5

A favourite dish is The Game ($24) which features grilled squid marinated in garlic and finishes with a tangy onion and tomato puree. The excellent pairing brightens the enjoyment of the squid.

John 4.2/5

The next seafood dish we had was John ($48). The John Dory is perfectly grilled to showcase the firm-textured fish's moist fine flakes. The white fish is lightly seasoned and paired with basil & tomato vinaigrette to appreciate the buttery fish.

Good Catch Toff 4.5/5

The Good Catch Toff ($35) is a vegetarian dish and the only carbo dish on the menu. The creamy housemade toffee pasta is tossed with luscious hand-peeled mangrove crab and salted bottarga. Both comforting and hearty, this is a must-order dish at Poisson.

Choco De Coco 4.2/5

There are only three choices for dessert on the menu, and we decided to go for the Choco De Coco ($15), comprising 70% warm chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can even find bits of chestnut in the chocolate for that extra textural enjoyment and sweetness.

Besides the food, Poisson also has an extensive wine list hand-pick from the finest French vintages from Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cote des Blancs, Loire Valley and Provence with a careful focus on organic, sustainable wines from independent boutique wineries. It also offers an impressive sake selection, offering diners an alternative to wines.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Poisson
48 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089859
Tel: +65 62232131
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Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW, NE,TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sat: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun & Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park. Take Exit 4. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

IKO @ Neil Road - Transform Into Restaurant And Bar Dripping With Style And Seasonality

Hit by Phase 2 Heightened Alert and the various COVID restrictions in its initial opening, IKO at Neil Road has recently reopened with a brand new kitchen team and menu. The restaurant has even gotten Dylan Ong, chef-owner of Franco-Asian restaurant The Masses, as consultant chef in its transformation.

Fresh Oyster 4/5

We started with the Fresh Oyster from Japan. You can give the oyster a shot of sake (+$5) to perk up the enjoyment. It is my first time having oyster and sake pairing. It is a refreshing way of enjoying the oyster with the sake, giving it a subtle sweetness.

Charred Edamame 3.5/5

Great to go with a few cups of sake is the Charred Edamame ($12) paired with oyster leaf, wasabi powder and wasabi rice,

Tempura Jalapeno 4.2/5

A delightful snack I enjoyed a lot is the Tempura Jalapeno ($9) coated in a light and crispy tempura batter. Be careful when you bite into the crunchy jalapeno, as it is stuffed with hot, oozing cheese.

Salmon 3.5/5

We tried the Salmon ($19) and Scallop ($18) under the sashimi section. The presentation of the salmon sashimi is pretty with the orange and green colour combination from the kiwi ravigote, dill oil and chive. However, I felt it lacked a bit of zest to elevate the freshness.

Scallop 3.8/5

I preferred the scallop sashimi more as it carries more punches in flavour. We have mixed opinions on the gin compressed watermelon though. I felt the gin infusion of the watermelon gives the scallop a bitter finishing. But, on the other hand, if it is without the alcohol, the watermelon's sweetness may give it a more refreshing touch instead.

Tempura Soft Shell Crab 4/5

The Tempura Soft Shell Crab ($14) is usually enjoyed with mayonnaise. Still, IKO has given it an elevated twist, pairing it with avocado puree and soy cured egg yolk.

A5 Wagyu Sukiyaki 4.5/5

The A5 Wagyu Sukiyaki ($26) is a beautiful dish on the menu. There is shiitake mushroom, leek, scallion, egg yolk, and perilla in the bowl. However, the highlight has to be the fatty and tender A5 Wagyu beef.

IKO Roll 4.2/5

The IKO Roll ($24) is a delicious work of art whereby foie gras, maitake, and fig are rolled a la sushi to showcase the balance of flavours. It is finished with a shower of truffle shaving to top the enjoyment.

Pasta 4.5/5

A pasta dish on the menu is the Bucatini with charred firefly squid, ikura, tobiko and bottarga. It is a bowl of slurping goodness that is worthy of your calories.

Not Your Ordinary Rice Bowl 4.5/5

A signature at IKO is the Not Your Ordinary Rice Bowl. There are five different bowls - Classic, Simple, Fun, Sexy and Luxury. I had the tasting portion of the Luxury Bowl ($42). It comes brimming with luxe and premium seafood such as otoro, maguro, salmon, ikura, tobiko, snow crab and uni on top of the seaweed rice

Lamb Loin 4.5/5

We had the Lamb Loin ($29) from the grill, which is incredibly tender and juicy, stewed in a delicious broth made from 10 different kinds of mushrooms.

Matchamisu 4.5/5

Wrapping up our dinner at IKO is the Matchamisu ($13). It may look sort of messy, but this is one yummy dessert to save some space for.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


IKO
65 Neil Road 
Singapore 088897
Tel: +65 88665218
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Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW, NE, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12 - 3pm, 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1. Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to Duxton Plain Park. Walk along the park to Neil Road. Cross the tunnel and take the staircase to Neil Road. Walk to junction of Neil Road and Craig Road. Cross the road and walk down Neil Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Tien Court Restaurant @ Copthorne King's Hotel - A Roaring Lunar New Year Celebration

Head into the New Year with a roaring start at Tien Court. Master Chef Lui Wing Keung has put together a collection of Lunar New Year specials to usher in the Year of the Tiger. Diners can look forward to Lunar New Year Set Menus for dine-in from $68++ per pax. Value-for-money Auspicious Family Set is also available for takeaway at just $168 Nett.

Prosperity Teochew Yusheng 3.5/5

Unlike the usual Yu Sheng offers at most restaurants, Tien Court offers Prosperity Teochew Yusheng with octopus, salmon or abalone options. It is a classic Teochew style yu sheng with leafy greens tossed in addictively zesty passion fruit and plum sauce that bond everything together.

Kung Fu Pot 4/5

New this year is the Kung Fu Pot available both for dine-in ($268++) and takeaway ($268 Nett with claypot/ $218 Nett in vacuum-sealed pack only). Each bountiful claypot is a labour of love and limited to just 50 pots this year. It is brimming with handmade sotong balls, individually wrapped cabbage parcels stuffed with chunks of crabmeat, scallops and carrot, fish maw with prawn paste, deep-fried prawn roll and more. Unlike the usual pen cai, this version is lighter.

Sauteed Prawn with Pineapple with Sweet and Sour Sauce 4.2/5

An interesting take of the sweet and sour pork dish is the Sauteed Prawn with Pineapple with Sweet and Sour Sauce. It is an auspicious dish that is common on every reunion dinner.

Fortune Spring Chicken 4.2/5

Another dish on the menu which I enjoyed was the Fortune Spring Chicken. It has an aromatic herbal flavour on top of the tender steamed chicken.

Braised Fish Cake with Napa Cabbage 4.2/5

Probably a signature at Tien Court is the handmade fish cake by Chef Lui. The Braised Fish Cake with Napa Cabbage is soft and pillowy, sitting on a bed of soft and sweet Napa Cabbage.

The adorable Tiger Buns are specially made for the year of the Tiger. It is limited to 20 pieces per day at $8,80 (2pc) with a secret dining code. You have to recite to the staff, 你家老虎太可爱 (The Tiger in your house is so cute). 

Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat 3.5/5

Like every Chinese dinner, it will end with a carb dish. We had the Steam Glutinous Rice with Chinese Waxed Meat. It is fluffy and sticky, flavoured by the delicious Chinese waxed meat.

Steamed Nian Gao 4/5

We have the Steamed Nian Gao coated in peanut and coconut for dessert. The extra coating elevates the fragrant and textural enjoyment.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tien Court Restaurant
Copthorne King's Hotel
403 Havelock Road
Level 2
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 63183193/ 63183198
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Havelock (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Havelock MRT station. Take Exit 5. Walk straight down Havelock Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 mintues. [Map]

Meshiya @ Everton Park - Quaint Japanese Restaurant In HDB Estate With Affordable Prices

Meshiya is a quaint little Japanese establishment that sits on the ground floor of a HDB block at Everton Park. Meshiya has also recently launched three different sushi and sashimi sets for this upcoming end-of-year gatherings, serving up Japanese food at highly affordable prices.

Pork Belly Don 3.5/5

We tried a few of their popular dishes, including this Pork Belly Don ($7.80). The combination of the belly fats, the tare and the creamy egg yolk brought the best out of the rice sitting underneath, quietly sopping up the flavours and juice. The onions provided some sweetness to the dish and helped offset the richness of the meat.

Bara Salad Don 4/5

Bara Salad Don ($14.80) - sashimi accompanied by a myriad of colourful vegetables of various crunch and colours. It is an ideal summer dish that brightens up any palate that the warm climate has dulled.

Salmon Mentai Don 3/5

If you love everything with mentaiko sauce, you will like the Salmon Mentai Don ($9.80). Drizzled with a thick layer of torched mentaiko sauce, I like the touch of smokey flavour that permeated the dish, but the salmon was a tad dry despite the creamy sauce.

Festive Set

Meshiya has also launched three different sushi and sashimi sets for this upcoming festive season, including this Festive Set ($23.80) that offers Unagi Roll, Mentai Roll, and Cheese Roll.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Meshiya
6 Everton Park
Singapore 080006
Tel: +65 86907837
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW, NE, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sun: 11am-9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 5. Walk to junction of Neil Road and Cantonment Road. Cross the road and walk towards the housing estate. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Three Point Two @ Kampong Bahru - Introducing New Durian Delights, Gelato Bun And Craqueline Puffs

Three Point Two at Kampong Bahru is a gelato cafe that offers a range of specially crafted durian delights for durian aficionados. This cafe is the founders' second outlet, following their successful venture Pang Zi Durian at Jurong West. As durian sellers themselves, one can be assured of the quality of durians used in their ice cream and sweet treats.

First-timers visiting Three Point Two may go for Four Heavenly Kings ($16.80), showcasing two D24 Durian Puffs, two MSW Craquelin Puff, two Durian Mochi and one Durian Mousse. Their Durian Mousse ($5.50, additional D24 shot +$1) made quite an impression during my very first visit to Pang Zi Durian. I love the bittersweet dollop of D24 shot atop the mousse, and its sweetness level was quite on point.

The Durian Puffs are like choux pastry. The lightly crisp exterior that comes with an elevated buttery taste complemented the durian mousse. However, for the durian filling, I would prefer more flesh in it for better textural contrast.

The Mochi was all right. The highlight goes to the MSW Craquelin Puff that has a very indulgent buttery, sugary crust.

Waffle is also on the menu to pair with your gelatos. However, for a more interesting experience, or even a more delicious one, in my opinion, go for its Gelato Bun ($4). It is like a blown-up version of the Craquelin Puff that gives twice the pleasure of eating it. We had ours with Pistachio gelato, seemingly quite popular among its regulars.

Words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Three Point Two
85 Kampong Bahru Road
Singapore 169380
Tel: +65 83669952
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (NE Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun: 12pm - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 2am

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 5. Walk to New Bridge Road. Left turn and walk down New Bridge Road. Continue onto Kampong Bahru Road. Walk to the row of shophouses along Kampong Bahru Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant @ Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium - New Signature Dishes Crafted By Chef Chan Kung Lai

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium presents 4 new signature dishes crafted by their Head Chef Chan Kung Lai. Hoping to bring a taste of his hometown, Hong Kong, to Singapore, he has infused his speciality in seafood in his new launch.

Combination Platter 4/5

We started with an appetiser that showcases some of Xin Cuisine's signature bestsellers - Home-style Roast Duck with Tea Leaves, Deep Fried Prawn coated with Yuzu Sauce and Stir-fried Assorted Mushroom with White Truffle Oil. My favourite would be the prawn which held a very light crispy batter that gave it a slight crunch, brightened with a fruity and citrusy yuzu sauce.

Stir-fried Lobster with Egg White and Crab Roe 4/5

Stir-fried Lobster with Egg White and Crab Roe holds a piece of succulent lobster atop a cloud of egg white. The crab roe acts as the perfect seasoning for the subtlety of their flavours.

Poached Sea Perch with Chinese Rice Wine 4.5/5

The Poached Sea Perch with Chinese Rice Wine displayed an even richer texture and flavour to a seared or baked version, taking another approach to their usual sea perch dish. The Chinese Rice Wine broth was a key to this dish, too - savoury sweet, and the smell of it was so comforting that it brought this dish to another level.

Seafood Poached Rice in Superior Broth served with Crispy Rice 3/5

A mainstay of their menu is this Seafood Poached Rice in Superior Broth served with Crispy Rice. While the flavour of the Seafood Poached Rice and its texture were great, I feel a much richer broth would have made this dish even more enjoyable.

Deep-fried Sesame Ball with Red Bean and Chocolate Liqueur Filling 3/5

Our dessert was a modern version of a deep-fried sesame ball - Deep-fried Sesame Ball with Red Bean and Chocolate Liqueur Filling. Akin to having a liqueur filled chocolate, a bite into it and outflow the hot chocolate liqueur lava. I like the mochi-like dough that was very chewy but wasn't heavy and dense at all. The alcohol element was a pleasant surprise, but I wish for more red bean filling with the mochi dough.

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant also serves a la carte dim sum. It offers delivery for orders made through its eShop, Foodpanda, GrabFood and Deliveroo. Follow its Facebook page or newly launched Instagram account @xincuisine for new launches and promotions.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
Level 4
317 Outram Road
Singapore 169075
Contact: +65 31382531
Facebook
Website 
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed-Sun: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10169). Take bus number 123. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]