Birdfolks @ NEWest - American-inspired Fried Chicken With A Hint of Japanese Influence, Local Flavours And Casual Street Concept

Located within NEWest West Coast Drive, the inconspicuous cafe - Birdfolks serves up delicious American-inspired fried chicken with an Asian twist. You can now have your Nanyang kopi with fried chicken burgers or big breakfast platter. If you're craving for Japanese, they also offer mentaiko salmon bowl and tamago bowl.

Crispy Bun & Condensed Milk 3.8/5

To start the meal, we had their Crispy Bun & Condensed Milk ($4). While the brioche buns were soft and fluffy, they were barely toasted and lacked the crispiness that we had anticipated. However, we still enjoyed the pillowy soft brioche buns, with ample condensed milk to sweeten up the deal.

BF Eggs Benny 3.5/5

From the brunch menu, which is available only from 11am to 5pm, we had their BF Eggs Benny ($13), which features turkey ham, ikura and hollandaise sauce and eggs on soft brioche buns. We found that the eggs are cooked soft-boiled rather than poached, which is likely an interesting Asian twist to the classic egg bens. The combination of turkey ham and ikura also made the dish lean towards the salty side. We wished there were other elements to help balance the dish's flavours.

Classic Buttermilk Pancakes 4/5

When you're at Birdfolks, a must-try is their signature fried chicken. The Classic Buttermilk Pancakes ($11) features fluffy buttermilk pancakes with fried chicken, crushed pistachios, cranberries and served with maple and butter. The chicken pieces were well-marinated, prepared and fried upon order, making it even juicier and tender while being perfectly crispy and crunchy on the outside.

Potato Wonderland 4/5

The Potato Wonderland ($15) is an ultimate platter of oregano fries, sweet potato fries, curly fries, tater tots and croquette, paired with mayo. The perfect side to share with your friends, as the huge platter has a bit of everything fried, so there is simply no lack of choices. We recommend sharing it with at least 4 friends or more.

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Birdfolks
NEWest
1 West Coast Drive
#01-75
Singapore 128020
Tel: +65 69240876
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 9pm
Fri-Sun: 11am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus number 201 or 154. Alight 3 stops later. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Wang Dae Bak Charcoal Grill BBQ @ China Square Central - Authentic Charcoal Grilled Korean Barbecue

Wang Dae Bak Charcoal Grill BBQ established in 2011 is famed for its authentic charcoal-grilled barbecue, signature seafood and kimchi pancake, and bibimbap. Currently, it has a Soulmeat Festive Set ($118) for the festive seasons. The set comes with two prime cuts, spicy marinated chicken, half half pancake, japchae and soup.

Truffle Boneless Prime Ribs (200gram) 4.5/5

Marinated Pork Belly 4.2/5

Truffle Duroc Pork Collar 4.2/5 and Spicy Marinated Chicken 4/5

Diner at Wang Dae Bak definitely cannot do without the premium and quality meats. Slow grill them over charcoal fire to get a nice char on the exterior while the meats remain tender and juicy. Have it on its own or wrap it with cabbage to appreciate the beautiful meats.

Japchae 4/5

While waiting for meats to be grilled, diners can start on some ala carte cooked dishes too. Though look simple and plain, each strand of the Japchae is infused with the savoury soy sauce flavour with a delightfully chewy texture.

Spicy Seafood Tofu Soup 4.5/5

The Soulmeat Festive Set comes with a choice of soups. Besides the Spicy Seafood Tofu Soup which I ordered, the other options are Kimchi Soup with Pork Belly and Seafood Beanpaste Soup. The soup is an excellent complement for the grilled meats. Not only does it help to wash down the greasiness, but it also whets the appetite for more grilled meats.

Half Hal Pancake 4.2/5

A signature and popular item on the menu is the Half Half Pancake. I notice almost every table in the restaurant ordered this. The portion is huge! Half seafood pancake, half kimchi pancake. It is crispy and yet not too doughy. 

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wang Dae Bak Charcoal Grill BBQ
China Square Central
22 Cross Street
#01-64
Singapore 048421
Tel: +65 62252646
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 2pm, 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit F. Turn right and walk to the traffic junction of Cross Street and South Bridge Road. Cross the road, turn left and walk down South Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Reunion Imperial High Tea Set At Tian Fu Tea Room at PARKROYAL Beach Road

Tian Fu Tea Room at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is a fully dedicated tearoom serving premium Chinese tea, with a wide selection of over 30 varieties of fine tea which you can enjoy with handcrafted dim sum. Each Lunar New Year, a specially crafted high tea set menu is offered for you to celebrate the new year in a different manner. Reunion Imperial High Tea (团圆宫廷下午茶) for this year is available from 13 January to 9 February 2020.

The Reunion Imperial High Tea Set comprising 8 handcrafted dim sum items and a tea of your choice A Yusheng is included as well, customised to the party size.

Other than emphasizing the colours of each exquisite dimsum, 'cuteness' level is equally important to pipued your appetite. Steamed Pumpkin with Yam Cake was vibrant with a layer of pumpkin sandwiched between yam and sweet potato, and every bite was a combination of sweet and savouriness. The Deep-fried Spring Roll with Minced Prawns and Mushrooms are made skinny to resemble 上上签, the divinatory sticks. That was rather creative I thought. Steamed Dumpling with Diced Abalone and Minced Meat was cute but letdown by its unpleasant thick and doughy skin.

Steamed Siew Mai with Scallop was a luxurious interpretation of our common siew mai. Encased within the emerald skin is prawns, topped with a whole scallop that was sweet and succulent. The Ebiko provides the right jab of saltiness to the siew mai.

Deep-fried Crispy Dumpling with Foie Gras was quite delectable with its flaky pastry crust, but the filling made with diced lotus didn't quite gel with the crust. While I was expecting something creamy or buttery since the menu stated foie gras, the filling was rather chunky and the foie gras was more like an afternote which tasted slightly odd to me.

Homemade Rainbow Noodles with Fresh Prawn was beautiful with noodles that are naturally coloured with ingredients such as beetroot, spinach etc.

The highlight for me is the sweets - Deep-fried Dumpling with Sticky Rice Pancake. I love the mochi-like sweet potato crust and the sticky rice pancake encased within was soft with just the right amount of sweetness, definitely one of the best Niao Gao delights I have tasted so far. Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Ginger Soup was comforting, and the red bean filling wasn't too sweet either. Despite all the items above, I felt I could stomach a few more of these sweets!

I like the privacy of the Tea Room. The cosiness of the Tea Room is also one of the reasons for you to visit with your loved ones and sip the afternoon away with quality catch-up over the Dim Sum and premium teas. The Reunion Imperial High Tea is priced at $40 per person, available from 230pm to 5pm.

Written and photography 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.


Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 65055724
Website
Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
High Tea: 230pm - 5pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Follow the overhead walkway all the way to The Concourse building. Take the exit down to Nicoll Highway and walk towards Parkroyal Serviced Residences. Cut through towards The Plaza at Parkroyal Hotel. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Thanying @ Amara Singapore - Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine Fit For Royalties

Little did I know that there is a Thai restaurant on level 2 of Amara Singapore. In fact, Thanying has been around since 1988. It has recently reopened again after a refurbishment. The interior is brighter now with a seating capacity for 128 people and 2 brand new private rooms.

Thanying Thai Style Salmon Yusheng with Chicken Curls 4.5/5

In conjunction with the upcoming Lunar New Year, Thanying has also introduced their own Thai Style Salmon Yusheng with Chicken Curls. The yusheng comprises of yam strips, green mango, a mix of fresh vegetables tossed in a special sauce that includes fish sauce, lime juice and chilli padi. It is refreshing with a hint of spiciness, with a lot of textures and flavours. This is one of the better yusheng I have eaten this year.

Miang Khum 4/5

Next, we had the Miang Khum, a light appetiser that is eaten like a wrap. Take a piece of the leaf and then wrapped it with the different condiments such as tasty bits of herbs, peanut, dried shrimp and ginger. Last but not least, add a few dollops of honeyed tamarind sauce and rolled it up. What you get is a firework of flavours with each bite.

Peek Gai Sod Sai 4/5

Whenever I have Peek Gai Sod Sai, I always tell myself it is a brilliant idea to remove the bone and stuffed it with its own minced meat. It is so convenient to eat. In Thanying's version, herbs are added into the minced chicken stuffing, giving it a subtle aroma on top of the crispy skin.

Tom Yam Goong 4.5/5

I like Thai Cuisine, but many places have reduced the spicy level to cater to those that have a low tolerant. A dish that it is a good benchmark is the Tom Yam Goong. At Thanying, the spicy prawn soup is packed with depth, that will probably make you break out in a sweat.

Goong Krabueng 4.2/5

I am not a big fan of Thai prawn cake, but the version at Thanying is very different. The Goong Krabueng is thin and crispy with delectable prawn paste. The deep-fried prawn pancake will be adored by both young and old.

Phad Pak Kanar 4.2/5

After a couple of light starters, we move on to dinner proper starting with the Phad Pak Kanar. A simple stir-fried Thai Kailan with oyster sauce to go along with the other mains. Though simple, the execution is perfect with the greens still retaining its crunch.

Pla Krapong Nuengmanao 4.5/5

One of my favourite Thai dishes is the Pla Krapong Nuengmanao. I find that the Steamed Seabass with Special Lime and Chilli Sauce, not only showcases the core flavours of Thai cuisine, it also complemented the freshness of the moist fish.

Gaeng Panang Nuer

Cooked to tender is the Gaeng Panang Nuer. The thick red curry is not as spicy as it looks. In fact, it is slightly sweet, which is very appetising with a plate of steamed white rice.  I love it so much that I drenched my rice with the savoury curry.

Khao Ohb Nam-Liaeb 4/5

Usually, most diners will order pineapple fried rice at Thai restaurants, but my preference is black olive rice. The Khao Ohb Nam-Liaeb here comes with minced chicken, and cashew nuts served in claypot. With all the mouth drooling food, this completes the meal.

Thai Dessert Set 4.2/5

End the night on a sweet note with the Thai Dessert Set. It comes with three different tiers of bite-size sweet delights. I have a difficult time picking which is my favourite, as they are all so good. Hence my advice is to save some space for this dainty sweetness.

Though I have not known about Thanying until my recent visit, it is never too late to discover another Thai restaurant that serves excellent and exquisite royal Thai cuisine. Besides the delicious dishes I had, this is just only the iceberg of the extensive menu. On top of that, it also has a vegetarian menu with close to 30 dishes.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Amara Singapore
165 Tanjong Pagar Road
Level 2
Singapore 088539
Tel: +65 62224688
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 3pm, 630pm - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Gopeng Street and turn into Tras Street. Walk to Amara Hotel. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Yan Restaurant (宴) @ National Gallery Singapore - Encapsulates The Heart And Soul Of Cantonese Cuisine With A Refreshed Menu

Yan Restaurant (宴) at National Gallery Singapore welcomes new Head Chef Ng Sen Tio. Under his belt is three decades of experience in the kitchens of Chinese restaurants in Singapore. Staying true to Yan's ethos of offering a convivial feast of Cantonese flavours for the tummy, eyes and soul, Chef Ng curates a new and refreshed menu.

We started with a trio of starters which gives us a glimpse of the refreshed menu. On the plate, we have the Marinated Okra with Homemade Spiced Sauce, House Special Caramelized Barbecued Pork and Fried Minced Duck Meat with Cuttlefish Paste in Egg Pancake. The spiced sauce for the okra is like our local "Hae Bee Hiam" which complements the crunchy green excellently. The barbecued pork uses the "wu hua rou" cut which has a delectable fat to lean ratio. It is also beautifully caramelised and not overly sweet, this is a joy to eat. Lastly, the egg pancake comes with different layers of texture at play. This is a traditional dish taught by his mentor in the 1970s. While it is good, I can't really taste the duck meat in it.

Golden Pumpkin Broth with Seafood and Chicken Paste Beancurd 4.2/5

The Golden Pumpkin Broth with Seafood and Chicken Paste Beancurd ($18 per serving) is a dish that can be enjoyed by both young and old. The paste beancurd ball is so soft that it is easy for the old to indulge in. The young can have it with the ease of mind that they will not find fish bones in it. As for me, the sweet pumpkin broth packed with essence from the pork and chicken consomme goes really well with the pillowy paste beancurd ball. Each spoonful feels like floating on cloud nine.

Claypot Work-fried Prawns with Fish Maw, Vermicelli and Homemade XO Sauce 4.5/5

A dish that I will definitely order in my re-visit is the Claypot Work-fried Prawns with Fish Maw, Vermicelli and Homemade XO Sauce ($38/$57/$76). The ingredients are braised separately and cooked with the XO sauce, melding everything the flavours together. It is then garnished with fresh buds of night-blooming jasmine, emitting a sweet scent as the lid is lifted.

Wok-fried Crab with Homemade Pumpkin Sauce 4.5/5

For those that have gotten tired of chilli, salted egg or black pepper crab, the Wok-fried Crab with Homemade Pumpkin Sauce will be a delightful substitute. The sauce is creamy and sweet. The addition of curry leaves perks it with aromas. It is one finger-licking tasty dish that you probably doesn't want to miss. Not to forget ordering some fried mantou to wipe clean the sauce.

House Special Local Lobster Porridge with Clams and Puffed Rice 4.2/5

For something comforting, there is the House Special Local Lobster Porridge with Clams and Puffed Rice. The robust broth is made from chicken stock, lobster and prawn shells. Then steamed rice and seafood are added, allowing the rice grains to absorbed the flavours. Before serving, deep-fried crispy purple rice is added for that extra textural enjoyment.

Chilled Peach Resin with Osmanthus and Aloe Vera Jelly 4/5

Finishing off the dinner, I have the Chilled Peach Resin with Osmanthus and Aloe Vera Jelly. It is light and refreshing, yet not overly sweet with crunchy peach resin.

Noted: This is an invited tasting.


Yan Restaurant (宴)
National Gallery Singapore
1 St Andrew's Road
#05-02
Singapore 178958
Tel: +65 63845585
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D. Turn left and walk down North Bridge Road. Turn left onto Coleman Street. Walk down Coleman Street. Walk to destination. Journey time around 5 minutes. [Map]

Baker & Cook and Plank Sourdough Pizza @ Loewen Road (Dempsey) - Bringing The Spark To The Quiet Neighbourhood

Just off Loewen Road sits Baker & Cook and Plank Sourdough Pizza. Founder and CEO Dean Brettschneider took much effort to ideate the entire space, from the floor-to-ceiling glass facade, the 12-metre elevated deli and bakery counter that exhibits their artisanal bakes, to the outdoor dining and play area. These 2 concepts seem to have brought life to this space, which was once rather neglected. While the sourdough is still the star of Baker & Cook, after all, all these won't have happened without the starter named Little Johnny (which is already 32-year-old!!!). Beyond that is a full menu that offers brunch items and mains crafted with Asian and Antipodean influences.

Smorrebrod Salmon 4.5/5

Deli highlights exhibited at the counter include pies, sausage rolls, quiche and Smorrebrod ($9.80 - $11.50). What we had was Smorrebrod Salmon ($11.50) with smoked salmon, capers, beetroot and cream cheese on Baker & Cook’s 6 Grains and Seeds Bread. This elevated version of Danish style open-faced sandwich is probably one of the heartiest I had. I love the mouth-filling texture given by the thick slices of smoked salmon, and its savouriness was countered by the poached pear and a slather of cream cheese. The richness of it was well managed by the pickled beetroots.

Peter Gordon’s Turkish Eggs 4/5

Breakfast starts daily from 8am to 3pm. One of the must-order is Peter Gordon’s Turkish Eggs ($20). Permission obtained from Dean’s friend, New Zealander Peter Gordon, a pioneer of fusion food and co-owner of The Providores and Tapa Room in London among others, and here we have in Singapore, a rare treat made with whipped yogurt, poached eggs, Aleppo chilli butter, accompanied with outlet exclusive Dempsey Sprouted Wheat Sourdough ($12 a loaf). I couldn't quite imagine the taste at first look, especially with yoghurt and poached eggs submerged in the beurre noisette (brown butter)-Aleppo chilli oil mix. Once every element fused together, its warm and creamy texture was somehow addictive, in a non-conventional way. I was expecting it to leave a greasy feel, but it didn't. There was no better way to eat it than dipping the slices of sourdough into it, with their extra crispy crusts.

Dutch Baby Pancake 3/5

Dutch Baby Pancake ($22) may be pretty with edible flowers sprinkled over, but I feel it lacks excitement, like what a fluffy-looking Dutch Baby Pancake sitting warm and snug in a saucepan would evoke.

Corn Fritters 3/5

A typical Aussie-style breakfast food, the Corn Fritters ($16) here has far more bites and textures than any other I had tried in Australia.

Miso Glazed Eggplant 3/5

Miso Glazed Eggplant ($16) had a pronounced toffee flavour from the Wakame brown butter, and this elusive sweetness complemented the heightened savouriness of the eggplant. The crushed cashew nuts added tons of crunch to the dish, which otherwise may be too mushy for some diners. I find there were too many salty elements piling on top of one another, with the feta cheese being yet another savoury topping, and it got too overwhelming after a while.

Kuhlbarra Barramundi En Papillote 3/5

Moving on to Large Plates for dinner, Kuhlbarra Barramundi En Papillote ($28) is a Thai inspired dish featuring barramundi and prawns baked in hot and sour broth. Concocted with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, fish sauce and lime, the piquant broth with open up your palate for sure. I find it a tad too saltish having it on its own, so the ideal way of enjoying it is to sop it the accompanying slices of Dempsey Sprouted Wheat Sourdough. The fish was moist and tender, but the prawns were slightly overcooked.

Herb Roasted Chicken 3/5

Herb Roasted Chicken ($27) is served with tomato and butter bean stew, topped with a dollop of herb labneh (a hung yoghurt which has been drained of water). The hearty tomato-based butter bean stew plays a huge role in making it a comforting dish with its rich, tangy, tomatoey flavours and herbaceous notes. The chicken thigh was moist and tender but what would work better for the dish I feel is a half chicken instead of a large chicken thigh.

Blackened Corn Barley Risotto 3.8/5

This Blackened Corn Barley Risotto ($25) is a dish that deserves a bit more attention. Using blackened corn, corn and barley together, the texture in every spoonful was indeed satisfying, and dangerously moreish given that the portion is meant for sharing.

Plank Sourdough Pizza is all about its sourdough base and topping it with quality ingredients to bring out the beauty of it. At Dempsey, it serves up its all-time favourites made fresh from an authentic Italian Valoriani Igloo Pizza Oven and available in two sizes – Round (12 inches) and Plank (foot long, outlet-exclusive). Plank size is ideal for a single portion. It is interesting to note that Plank names its pizza variants by numbers, starting from 0.

Number 6 - 4/5

We had Number 6, a classic combination of tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parma ham, rocket ($26, $13). The Parma ham was luscious, and the sharp, peppery rocket leaves cut the richness of it. This was my first time trying a sourdough base, and the airiness of it amazed me. It is not about having a thin crust, which many turned too crispy when baked, but its the airy core encased in a crisp outer layer makes it a lot tastier than the rest.

Cheese Plank Pizza 4.5/5

My favourite of the night was the Cheese Plank Pizza ($14.50), topped with blue cheese, fig jam, caramelised garlic, crème fraiche, balsamic glaze, caramelised walnuts, maple syrup, thyme and lemon zest. Conceptualised as a cheese platter, the savoury-sweet combination blew me away.

Written and photography 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.


Baker & Cook / Plank Sourdough Pizza
30C Loewen Road
Singapore 248839
Tel: +65 62511098
Baker & Cook Facebook / Plank Facebook
Baker & Cook Website / Plank Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Farrer Road (CC Line), Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard (Stop ID 09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to Harding Road. At Harding Road turn right and walk towards Loewen Road. Turn left onto Loewen Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to the bus stop at Block 12 (Stop ID 11401). Take bus 106. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk to Harding Road. Turn left onto Harding Road and walk to Loewen Road. Walk to destination. Journey time 22 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Farrer Road MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Farrer Road MRT station (Stop ID 11119). Take bus number 174 or 564. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk to Harding Road. Turn left onto Harding Road and walk to Loewen Road. Walk to destination. Journey time 22 minutes. [Map]