P. Bistro @ Palais Renaissance

Taking a big leap from the quiet street of Owen Road where P. Bistro started its flagship restaurant in 2013, P. Bistro opens its second outlet at the posh Palais Renaissance offering French bistro style dining and an array of French, Italian as well as Asian fusion dishes.

Tangy Pomelo Salad 4.5/5

Beginning our dinner is an unique Tangy Pomelo Salad ($12) that is refreshing with chunks of pomelo, cherry tomatoes, shallots, coriander, sliced red chilli and mesclun. The different combination is binded beautifully together with the chef's special tamarind dressing.

Fugu Japanese Grilled Puffer Fish with Flying Fish Roe 4/5

A good beer snack is the Fugu Japanese Grilled Puffer Fish ($12). I have eaten this before and it felt like having bak kwa or cuttlefish. At P. Bistro, it added flying fish roe for a lift in enjoyment.

Fresh Kuhlbarra Barramundi White Fish Fillet 4.2/5

From the Mains, the Fresh Kuhlbarra Barramundi White Fish Fillet ($26) will be a good selection. The pan seared barramundi fillet is quite a generous serving dressed in a lemon butter sauce, that is subtle but not stealing the show from the moist barramundi.

Duck Confit 4/5

A French classic is the Duck Confit ($28). The oven roasted French Castaing Duck Leg Confit is served with red berry gastrique, roasted potatoes and mesclun. The duck leg is crispy in the exterior and tender inside. The saltiness of the duck confit needed a bit more of the red berry gastrique to balance it off.

Asian Red Curry Seafood Pasta 3.8/5

I am told that the Asian Red Curry Seafood Pasta ($24) is the spiciest dish on the menu. To be frank, I was quite disappointed. It doesn't even manage to make me break into a sweat. However I can understand that they still need to cater to majority of the diner's tolerance level. Nevertheless, this is still a delicious plate of linguini, brimming with seafood.

Nonya Dory 4.8/5

A must try at P. Bistro is the Nonya Dory ($18). It is a meal on its own with brown rice, a sunny side up, achar and premium dory fish fillet. The highlight has to be the Chef's special Peranakan sauce. It simply blown the house down, getting the thumbs up from everyone at the table. This is one dish that will make me go back again.

Mont Blanc 3.5/5, Passionfruit Tart 4.2/5, Coconut Pandan Chiffon Cake 4.2/5

Besides the mains, P. Bistro offers a limited but excellent selection of desserts to end the meal on a sweet note or just to rest the leg after a long day shopping at Orchard Road. We tried the Mont Blanc ($8.50), Passionfruit Tart ($4) and Coconut Pandan Chiffon Cake ($6.50). My favourite is the passionfruit tart for its tartness and pandan chiffon cake for its light and fluffiness.

Palmier 4.5/5

A must try at P. Bistro is the Palmier ($1 each). I understand there is limited bake each day, so do go early to grab it before it runs out. I called it elephant ears because of its shape. Love how the puff pastry is baked to a nice crispiness with bites of the crystal sugar.

Last but not least, how about finishing off the pastries and bakes with a cup of aromatic coffee from Dutch Colony.

P. Bistro may look like any other bistro but you will be surprised with the food they served. I was really impressed with the food I tried during my visit. My most memorable dishes are Tangy Pomelo Salad and Nonya Dory. I also like the fact that the restaurant is located at the quiet end of Orchard Road. It is definitely a good option for a meal away from the crowd.


[CLOSED]
P. Bistro
Palais Renaissance
390 Orchard Road
#B1-06
Singapore 238871
Tel: +65 67349268
Facebook
Website
Nearest: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheellock Place via ION. Exit Wheellock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Royal Thai Embassy. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Royal Thai Embassy direction. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Siang Yuen Traditional Roasts @ East Coast Road (Jago Close)

I was actually at a lost when I heard that Cross Way Bay Hong Kong Roasted Meat has decided to pull down its shutter and moved to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. However the spark was re-ignited when Tony Tee posted on his facebook that he has discovered Siang Yuen Traditional Roasts along East Coast Road that sells pretty good roasted duck.

So it was a weekend afternoon meetup with Jacob and Chloe who has returned from Melbourne with the rest of the foodies (Maureen, Chuan Kai, Shi Ting, Leroy and Karen). After a unsatisfying brunch, we made a detour to Siang Yuen Traditional Roasts to check out the stall.

Char Siew 3/5

We decided to order a bit of everything from the stall. Starting with the Char Siew, we all felt that it was the weakest link. It was on the dry side and was too sweet.

Sio Bak 3.5/5

Moving on to the Sio Bak, it was much better. Although it was not just out from the oven, the skin still retained the crackling crispy. The meat itself was still moist and succulent too. For those that has a more picky tongue will find that this is only above average. There is still rooms for improvement.

Roasted Duck 4.5/5

The star at Siang Yuen has to be their Roasted Duck.The duck skin was roasted to a thin crispy somewhat like having suckling pig's skin with a nice lay of fats underneath. The meat it was really moist and succulent. It is one of the best roasted ducks I have eaten so far. Worth to note is also the nonya achar which is also very good. It helps to cut all that fatness from the roasts.

The stall is run by a couple (Uncle Joe and Pauline) who is very friendly. The chef is from Penang, Malaysia. That used to have a stall in Tamn Century Johor before moving to Toa Payoh and finally relocated to the current location at Jago Close coffeeshop. All the roasts are done at the stall using charcoal fire. You can order rice, noodles and kway teow to go with your roasts too.


[MOVED]
Siang Yuen Traditional Roasts
228 East Coast Road (junction of Jago Close)
Singapore 428925
Tel: +6597210505 or +6591556826
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
TBA

Direction:
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take exit A. Walk to bus stop at Blk 99 Old Airport Road (Stop ID 81181). Take Bus 10 or 32. Alight 7 stops later opposite Holy Family Church. Cross the traffic light at traffic juntion and walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

The Restaurant @ Dover Road

Not known to many even for myself, there is actually a Chinese restaurant in Singapore Polytechnic Graduates' Guild (SPGG) that is open to the public. The Restaurant, ironically that is the name of the restaurant offers zi char dishes in a air conditioned restaurant setting.

Upon being seated, we are served complimentary Achar and Papadum. I thought it was quite a interesting combination. I have never seen such combination being served elsewhere especially the papadum since it is a Chinese restaurant.

Stir Fried Four Seasons Vegetables 4/5

Stir Fried to fragrant is the Four Seasons Vegetables ($8.50) consisting of the long beans, lady fingers, winged beans and egg plants. A very homely dish with the spicy dried shrimp (hae bee) and garlic playing their role in the dish excellently and enhancing the flavours.

Deep Fried Beancurd with Chye Poh and Yellow Bean Crumb 4/5

The Deep Fried Beancurd with Chye Poh and Yellow Bean Crumb ($9.50) did impress me with its silky texture. My wife especially likes the thin crispy layer on the outside. Beancurd is usually quite bland so I actually applauded the idea of using chye poh and the light soy sauce to boast the flavour. A hearty dish that I enjoyed a lot.

Assam Curry Fish Head 4.5/5

I am a big fan for fish head curry and so when I saw the Assam Curry Fish Head ($31.80) on the menu, I knew I need to order it. Lucky I was not disappointed. The spices packed aromatic gravy was a winner for me with chunky cuts of lady fingers and egg plants. Definitely one of the better assam curry fish head I have eaten.

Assam Curry Fish Head 4.5/5

During my dinner time visit on a Sunday evening, I noticed the restaurant was quite packed and busy with families. I would probably come back again to try the other dishes on the menu. Meanwhile if you plan to check out the place, I would recommend the assam curry fish head and deep fried beancurd with chye poh and yellow bean crumb.


The Restaurant
Singapore Polytechnic Graduates' Guild (SPGG)
1010 Dover Road (Singapore Poly gate 4)
Singapore 139658
Tel: +65 67969961
Website: http://www.spgg.org.sg/dining/the-restaurant
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line), Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 10pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 1130am - 3pm, 630pm - 10pm

Direction: 
Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clementi Bus Interchange (Stop ID 17009). Take bus number 196. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to bus stop opposite Buona Vista MRT station (Stop ID 11369). Take bus number 196. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

Fix Cafe @ HomeTeamNS - JOM Clubhouse

The folks behind Grub at Bishan Park has opened Fix Cafe at HomeTeamNS - JOM Clubhouse. The open concept cafe comes with a workshop look with furniture made from stained wooden plank,  paint buckets and metal pipes. The halal cafe offers a selection of starters, mains and pastries that will delight your taste buds.

3 Cheese Penne Gratin 4/5

As there was quite a big group of us, we managed to try quite a variety of items offered at Fix Cafe. Starting with the 3 Cheese Penne Gratin ($10), we thought this was well executed and balanced. The cheese was not overpowering but instead complemented the penne.

Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets 3.8/5

The Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets ($7) will be a delightful snack bite with it's flavourful marination on top of the crumby skin.

Chicken Tikka and Achar Naanwich 3/5

Beef & Kimchi Naanwich 3/5

Giving the tradition naan a new refreshing spin is the Chicken Tikka & Achar Naanwich ($10) and Beef & Kimchi Naanwich ($10). I really like the concept and how well the unique combinations of flavours worked together in harmony. Unfortunately the dish was lacked down by the lackluster naan. If the cafe has the space and equipment to freshly made these naan, I am sure it will get a high score of approval from my humble palate.

Brunch FIX 3.5/5

If you are the all day breakfast person, then the Brunch FIX ($12) would be a welcoming dish for you. On the plate, there are toasted brioche, scrambled eggs, turkey ham, sauteed mushroom and greens. The scrambled eggs were a bit runny for me but I am not too fussy about it. However the highlight on the plate has to be the toasted brioche. The bread was extremely soft and fluffy. It is too good to be missed.

Latte 4/5

Actually this is quite new to me, I have never known there is such thing as Halal coffee beans until my visit to Fix Cafe. The Latte ($4.5) was pretty good with a nice aroma and not too acidic.

Donuts 3.5/5

If you not too hungry and just want a small bite, the mini Donuts ($7) with a choice of Salted Egg or Lemon Custard dip is quite interesting. I thought the salted egg dip was a bit of gimmick lacking in the salted egg flavour I was expecting. The lemon custard dip will be a better choice.

Twice Baked Sourcream Cheesecake 3.8/5

Cacao Barry Chocolate Truffle Cake 4/5

Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart 4/5

Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake 4.5/5

I am not sure it is a good thing or not but the cakes and pastries at Fix Cafe fares better than the mains and starters. Among the various cakes and pastries I tried, my favourite has to be the Butterscotch Arabica Choux and Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake. Starting with the Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake ($7) which is a light and soft. Cut through the different layers of chiffon cake to have a bit of everything. It was like magical with all the different subtle flavours coming together delighting every sense of the taste buds.

Butterscotch Arabica Choux 4.5/5

For those that prefers something richer and more robust, the Butterscotch Arabica Choux ($6) is not to be missed. Cut right through the choux to reveal the surprise salted caramel filling inside. This is da bomb if you are into sweet pastry.

Although the location can be a bit out of the way, the cafe seems to have found the winning formuale attracting crowds from around the island. I have seen been back to Fix cafe on several occasions and the cafe has been packed. The folks from Grub has also recently opened another outlet, Grub Noodle Bar which is also receiving great reviews from many foodies.


Fix Cafe
HomeTeamNS - JOM Clubhouse
31 Ah Hood Road
Singapore 329979
Tel: +65 62561484
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FIXsg
Website: http://fix-cafe.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 930am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to HDB Hub. Continue walking to Orange Tee building. Cross the road at the overhead bridge further down the road. Turn right at Toa Payoh Swimming Complex. Cut across the park and take across the expressway using the overhead bridge. Cross the canal and walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 139. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Toa Payoh MRT station along Toa Payoh Lorong 2 (Stop ID 52189). Take bus 56, 105 or 153. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the canal. Cut through the cluster of HDB flats and carpark towards block 103 onto Ah Hood Road. Continue walking until the end of Ah Hood Road. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Zen Fut Sai Kai Vegetarian Restaurant (正佛世界) @ Kitchener Road

Couple of months back, Luke brought Nat and me to one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in Singapore along Kitchener Road. Stepping into the nostalgic Zen Fut Sai Kai Vegetarian Restaurant is like being transformed into the early 60s. The restaurant is quite a museum itself with antique items being hung or placed around varies section of the restaurant.

Achar 4/5

Interestingly Achar was served upon being seated. I am not too sure whether this is complimentary but I suspect not just as any other Chinese restaurant. Nevertheless, they were quite appetizing whetting up the appetite.

Sap Kum Sugar Cane Flower Soup 4/5

We started with the Sap Kum Sugar Cane Flower Soup ($8). Actually I am not sure what it is. The soup is not overly salted, light and with the subtle sweetness of the vegetable coming through.

Stir Fried Kai Lan with Beancurd Ball 4.5/5

Next we tried the Stir Fried Kai Lan with Beancurd Ball ($9). While I like the crunchy greens, the star in the dish has to be the delectable beancurd skin that is rolled up into a ball shape. A homely and comforting dish that is well executed. Thumbs up.

Fried Dumpling 4/5

For a more crispy bite, the Fried Dumpling will delight you. These delightful bites are paired with a sweet and sour sauce giving it an additional lift in flavour.

Yong Chow Fried Rice 4/5

For a more substantial meal, the Yong Chow Fried Rice ($6) is a good option at Zen Fut Sai Kai. The rice was fried to a nice wok hei fragrant with lovely grainy bites.

I am quite surprise by the quality and standard of the food serve by Zen Fut Sai Kai. I have to thank Luke for introducing and bringing me to the restaurant. Indeed a guru of the vegetarian scene in Singapore.


Zen Fut Sai Kai Vegetarian Restaurant
147 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208524
Tel: +65 62912350
Facebook:
Website:
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 10am - 930pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit I. Cut across City Square Mall to the exit to Kitchener Road. Cross the traffic junction and turn left onto Kitchener Road. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Two Wings @ Bukit Merah

Once upon a time there was a grand master who taught his three disciples all his skills and each went their separate way after mastering his skills, making a name for themselves. Like the scene of some martial arts story, a similar story unfold at the newly opened Two Wings at block 119 Bukit Merah. Stall owner Jeremy has learnt the secret family recipe from the same grand uncle that has taught the original owner of Carona Chicken and an extended family member which owns Victor Fried Chicken Rice. Of course the family member that started off Carona Chicken eventually sold the business which later became a franchise chains and now defunct.

Chicken Wings 4.2/5

If you love chicken wings and especially those deep fried type from Carona Chicken, this is a must try here. The Chicken Wings ($8.50/4pc, $12.50/6pc, $24/12pc) are super crispy and almost not greasy at all. I was told that to cook a good fried chicken wing, the temperature and timing are very important. At Two Wings, the wings are deep fried for nine minutes which will give them that moist and juiciness inside while crispy on the outside. Worth mentioning is the special homemade chilli sauce that is pretty potent. If you can't take spicy stuff, I advice you to skip it as it probably will numb your taste buds deterring you to enjoy the delicious wings.

Finger Food Platter 3/5

Cheese French Fries 3/5

While the main focus of the stall is chicken, Two Wings also sells some finger food and snacks that are suitable to go along with the mains as a side or over a few bottle of beers. The Finger Food Platter ($19.90) ideal for sharing comes with 3 pieces of chicken wings, 9 pieces of chicken strips, 6 pieces of spring rolls, french fries/potato wedges, onion rings, cucumber and carrot with dip. If the finger food platter is too much, the Cheese French Fries ($4.50) drizzled with cheese and mayonnaise is as satisfying.

Chicken Cutlet Main 4.5/5

My first impression of the Chicken Cutlet ($8) which comes with a choice of 2 sides, looked dry. I was not harvesting too much hope until I cut into the piece of chicken which totally changed my opinion. Using chicken thigh, the chicken cutlet was extremely juicy and succulent inside with the signature super crisp exterior. It was like having a chicken chop disguised as a chicken cutlet, wearing a crispy coat over it.

Achar 4/5

I asked the owner why there was no coleslaw on the menu as I needed some acidity after all the richness in the fried chicken seasoning. Interesting his reply was we have Achar hence we are not selling coleslaw. Achar and western food seem like a misfit but breaking from the tradition, it works fine. The achar itself was really good, getting the thumbs up from all of us.

Spring Chicken 4/5

Chicken Parts 4/5

Besides chicken wings and chicken cutlet, different section of the Chicken Parts ($9/2pc, $12/3pc) and Spring Chicken ($9.90 Half / $15.90 Whole) are sold at the stall too. While I enjoyed the juicy chicken and its crispy skin, I thought it was a tad salty if I am to compare it to KFC, Texas and Popeye. I can easily finished 3 pieces from the other fried chicken brands but I did struggle a bit with this. A pride about Two Wings is that the chicken remains crispy even takeaway and consumed hours later. Catherine who brought some of the chicken parts home, confirmed with us later that they have remained crispy.

I have to thank Uncle Smart who has discovered this stall and organized the trip. Carona Chicken may have disappeared from the food & beverage scene in Singapore but Two Wings which uses the same secret family recipe has revived the nostalgic taste under the close supervision of the grand master, I meant the grand uncle who has spent 6 months teaching Jeremy the skill and still drop by the stall periodically to spot check the standard.


[MOVED]
Two Wings
Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1
#01-40
Singapore 151119
Tel: +65 96670368
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twowingsSG
Website: http://www.twowings.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Queenstown (EW Line), RedHill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Queenstown MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Queenstown MRT station (Stop ID 11149). Take bus number 195. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Redhill MRT station (Stop ID 10201). Take bus number 33 or 120. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time 10 minutes. [Map]