Fook Kin (福劲) @ Killiney Road - Heavenly Char Siew Brought To You By Roast Paradise

Nestled along the shophouses at Killiney Road, Fook Kin is all about damn good Char Siew. With its brightly lit with neon lights and retro-Chinese furnishings juxtaposed with edgy graffiti murals, it is not difficult to spot. Conceptualised by The Muttons DJs, this restaurant serves up dishes centred around Cantonese-style roasts in a modern setting, and partnering with the famed Roast Paradise hawker stall means Fook Kin is not just about the ambience, it is about the food too.

While most of such modern concepts and even Chinese restaurants have switched to using automated equipment for their roasts, the team here still uses the labour-intensive traditional Apollo Drum roast oven. What resulted is a plate of their signature Caramelised Char Siew ($6.80), that I find unbeatable. It had a sweet, smokey charred exterior that behaved almost like the caramelised sugar crust of a creme brulee. A very subtle crack as I took a bite and the meat encased within was delicious with its fats nicely broken down. Its texture was impressive, like a perfectly seared Waygu beef steak. Even when picking up the thicker cuts, they were just as good.

As for the Golden Crackling Siew Yoke ($6.50), the cracking was excellent, and the meat was tender, but a fattier cut would have made it even more satisfying.

Side dishes are available for sharing as well. One of the popular appetisers here is the Triple Happiness Tofu ($9.80), featuring cold tofu topped with floss, roe and century egg. The amount of century egg was disappointing, and its much-anticipated flavours didn't come through as well.

Two Way Kai Lan ($9.80) is delightful with a portion of fried finely chopped Kai Lan. It tasted a lot like kale, and I find it really moreish with the floss topping.

With its roasts and this bowl of Golden Lotus Roots Crisps ($7.80), Fook Kin has a great potential of being a themed bar. After all, they do have a private dining room behind, like where a speakeasy bar will be situated. Tossed with salted egg yolk, these thick cuts of lotus roots chips are finger-licking tasty bar bites to have along with your beers. The beer selection is limited but good enough for an affording drinking session with yourself or your buddies.

Fook Kin offers hearty rice and noodle dishes too.  A light version of Maggie Choo in Bangkok, I would say.

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.


Fook Kin 福劲
111 Killiney Road
Singapore 239550
Tel: +65 67373488
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Cut through Comcentre to Killiney Road. Turn right onto Killiney Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Izy Fook (一起福) @ Club Street - Izy-ly A Match In Paradise

Izy Dining & Bar at Club Street has been renamed as Izy Fook (一起福) with its new collaboration with Roast Paradise, bringing their famed char siu and roasted pork to the new izakaya centric menu.

White Bait 3.5/5

We started our dinner with some snack and small plates. The White Bait ($8) with XO chilli dip is an addictive snack that goes well with the drinks.

Amber Jack Ceviche 4.2/5

You will get a burst of flavours from the fresh Amber Jack Ceviche ($18) in a spicy kampong dressing and calamansi.

Karaage 4.5/5

I wasn't expecting much for the Karaage ($12 for 3pc), but this has to be one of the best I have eaten. It is plump, juicy and crispy on the exterior.

Cereal Soft Shell Prawns 4.8/5

A must-order is the Cereal Soft Shell Prawns ($24 for 4pc). I can smell the aroma from the cereal and curry leaf from a mile away. This is complemented by the chilli aioli dressing. The huge prawn is succulent and so crispy that you can eat it together with the shell.

Steamed Clams in Dashi 4.5/5

Still on seafood is the Steamed Clams in Dashi ($34 Large). Plump, sweet and juicy were the clams, perked up by the flavoursome dashi broth.

Char Siu 4.5/5, Roasted Pork 4.2/5

Of course, the highlight on the menu is Roast Paradise's Char Siu ($40 Large) and Roasted Pork ($40 Large). I have heard so many good words about their char siu and roasted pork. Hence I am really looking forward to trying it. The char siu is not overly sweet and has the right amount of fat and lean ratio. The roasted pork, on the other hand, is fat, juicy and crispy on the skin.

Wagyu 2GR Oyster Blade 4.5/5

izy didn't make it for roast paradise either, it has its own triumph card in the Wagyu 2GR Oyster Blade ($135 per 500g). Cooked to perfection, there is no need for any seasoning or sauce. The beautiful pink cuts were flavourful on its own and tender in texture.

Superior Prawn Mee Pok 4.8/5

A luxurious take of the local mee pok is the Superior Prawn Mee Pok ($19). It comes with ingredients such as tiger prawn, pork, lap cheung, sakura ebi and egg. What I really enjoy is not the luxe ingredients but the robust broth that holds the bowl together, complementing the al dente noodle.

Wagyu Truffle Don 3/5

The Wagyu Truffle Don ($58 Large) may smell good with the shaved truffle crowning the nanatsuboshi rice bowl, but it paled in comparison to the other dishes. It is mediocre with the cut of wagyu beef used.

Spices Chocolate 3.5/5, Houjicha Catalana 3.5/5

Wrapping up the dinner, we have the Spices Chocolate ($10) and Houjicha Catalana ($19). They are decent dessert, but I probably will skip these and all more of the savouries which really impressed me. Izy Fook is definitely one of those places that I will be going back again.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Izy Fook (一起福) 
27 Club Street
Singapore 069413
Tel: +65 96780027
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Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 2pm, 5pm - 10pm
Sat: 12pm  - 2pm, 5pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street. Turn left onto Club Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to the junction of Cross Street and South Bridge Street. Continue down Cross Street. Turn right onto Club Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

You Kee XO Restaurant (有记XO烧腊之家) @ Joo Chiat Place - Lip Smacking Crystal BBQ Pork Belly Char Siu From Johor Bahru Opens First Outlet In Singapore

For foodie that frequent Johor Bahru, you will probably heard of You Kee XO Restaurant (有记XO烧腊之家) known for its tonic soup and roasted meats. I have visited You Kee XO twice during my trip across the causeway. I am glad to announce that they have recently opened a new outlet and their first outside Johor Bahru in Singapore, Joo Chiat Place.

The first thing you will notice when you step into the restaurant is the two giant earthen urns. This is their signature earthen urns that is used to boil the tonic soup under constant charcoal fire for more than 10 hours.

Tonic Soup 4.5/5

Everyday there is 1 to 2 type of Tonic Soup ($12) on the menu and limited to around 100 portions. One can taste the depth of the soup from the extraction of the ingredients through the long hours of slow cooking the soup. I can still remember the slogan of their tonic soup - 男人的加油站， 女人的美容院.

XO Signature Roasted Duck 3.8/5

Traditional Roasted Pork Belly 4/5

Crystal BBQ Pork Belly Char Siu 4.2/5

Another signature at You Kee XO is their roasted meats. We tried the XO Signature Roasted Duck ($8/$13.80/$15.80), Traditional Roasted Pork Belly ($6.80) and Crystal BBQ Pork Belly Char Siu ($9.80). My favourite is still their char siu for the glittering exterior sweetness and the crystal fatness. You can't hardly find this type of standard in Singapore. For the roasted duck and roasted pork belly, they are noteworthy but better ones elsewhere. Other roasted items available at the restaurant are suckling pig, roasted chicken, Pei Pa duck, as well as pork sausage Hong Kong style.

Ginger Onion with Slice Fish 3/5

Besides the tonic soup and roasted meat, You Kee XO also offers a selection of cooked dishes. We managed to try a couple of them such as the Ginger Onion with Slice Fish ($6.80) and Handmade Signature Bean Curd ($8.80).

Handmade Signature Bean Curd 4/5

I remembered having the Handmade Signature Bean Curd back in my trip across the causeway. Great to see that the dish is available on the menu. The dish is also known as volcano beancurd because it is served sizzling hot with the sauce bubbling like volcano eruption. The homemade beancurd is smooth and silky with additional textures from the greens and pork floss.

Steamed Fish Tail with Green Ginger Paste

You Kee XO also offers steamed fish on the menu. I didn't try it this time but I have a look at the menu and the same dish I tried last time, Steamed Fish Tail with Green Ginger Paste ($21.80) is available on the menu too. The remember the special green ginger paste together with the soy sauce complements the fish meat excellently.

In fact, the menu at the Singapore branch is exactly the same as in Malaysia. I secretly hope that they can sell their almond bak kwa next Chinese New Year. Finger crossed.


You Kee XO Restaurant (有记XO烧腊之家)
43 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427767
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1030am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 1030am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at block 99 (Stop ID 81181). Take bus number 33. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit B or C. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 33. Alight 11 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

The Wine & Gourmet Friends @ Bukit Pasoh - The Restaurant Allows You To Bring Your Own Food On Sunday

Opened in September 2018, The Wine & Gourmet Friends is an Asian tapas wine bistro located on the ground floor of a conservation shophouse on Bukit Pasoh Road. Albeit a narrow space that sits only 56 pax, it boasts a walk-in wine cellar which holds over 300 different styles of wine from over 80 old and new world wine producers, in which eighty percent are exclusive to the bistro. As the name suggests, The Wine & Gourmet Friends is all about wine over food, or vice versa, but what really lies within its core is the celebration of friendships over good wines and heart-warming food within a casual and welcoming environment. Afterall, the bistro is brought together by a group of friends with years of F&B experience under their belts.

Wines start from $6 a glass and bottles range from $25 to over $1,888, with option to drink in or takeaway. I can't read wines with my untrained palate, so if you are like me, owner William will be more than happy to help you with your purchase. To ensure that you get the most out of your purchase, an Aerating Decanter is used to efficiently and rapidly ‘open’ a bottle’s aromas and flavours. This process of decanting comprises two-steps: pouring wine into the decanter and when the wine has had sufficient time to breath, reversing the bottle to return the contents into the original bottle. This not only saves space on your table for more food, it will also prevent the mistake of accidentally mixing wines which often happens when an unmarked decanter is passed around.

Prawn & Seafood Bite 3/5

Helming the kitchen are Chef Wilson and Chef Gus, and the menu created features dishes inspired by the many that they have grown up with. The first Asian-style bite that we tried was one that we couldn't be more familiar with - Prawn & Seafood Bite (Hei Zou) ($12). This is an elevated version of Chef Wilson’s Mum’s Hei Zou, prepared with minced pork belly (hormone and antibiotic free), diced sea prawns, turnip and cuttlefish paste for bite and as a binder. I like the crunchy bits of the turnip, and appreciate the light seasoning, unlike some that filled my mouth with pepper and salt. The accompanying sweet and sour homemade achar (Peranakan spicy pickled vegetables) was addictive! I wish I had a full bowl of it to myself.

Foie Gras Lotus Leaf Rice 3.8/5

If you like Foie Gras, do order the Foie Gras Lotus Rice ($18).  Foie Gras and rice to me is an unusual combination but the chemistry between these two ingredients was better than expected. Perhaps the idea came from replacing liver with foie gras (just guessing), the role of foie gras in the rice was like that of a stir-fried pork liver but with an additional creamy texture. It was seared to attain a slight crisp on its surface, which released a layer of sweet gaminess into the savoury rice.  Being the centerpiece of a dish usually, it did not steal any limelight from the lotus leaf rice, which was just as outstanding on its own. Fragrant with oriental seasoning and condiments, Calrose rice is used instead of glutinous rice to lighten the load from your stomach.  Glutinous rice would certainly be too soft and sweet for this dish to succeed.  I love the chopped porcini and shiitake mushrooms, and the Chinese X.O. sausage which added another dimension of flavours and texture. The fried  lotus chips were not necessary, as they turned greasy towards the end.

Roast Pork Belly 3.8/5

Roast Pork Belly ($24) was a straightforward dish but deeply satisfying. The roasted Australian Bangalow sweet pork delivered what we had imagined it to be - crisp crackling with a layer of tender pork fat with no unpleasant porky taste. Like how a good piece of beef should be treated with minimum seasoning, the roast pork belly is served with a dollop of mustard and honey balsamic reduction just to kick your taste buds a bit of a kick.

Lamb Trio 3/5

This plate of Lamb Trio ($30) consists of lamb kofta, lamb rendang and rosemary grilled lamb rack, served with chilled quinoa salad and cucumber raita. Out of these 3 variations, my favourite would be the lamb rendang.  The rendang had a sweetness that helped to sooth out the gaminess of the meat. Second to that would be the lamb rack, in which I believe many would consider the fats lining the bone a delicacy.

Black Pepper Crab Noodle 3.8/5

When I first saw Black Pepper Crab Noodle ($18) on the menu, I thought it was going to be again a rendition of a prawn pasta.  But very much adhering to the characteristic of a zichar dish, chef kept the use of noodles. Wholegrain noodle us used and because it had a firmer texture than normal yellow noodles, the black pepper sauce was able to coat them without weighing them down. The soft shell crab was quite meaty and the blue swimmer crab meat pieces tasted even sweeter against the savoury blackpepper seafood broth.

Goreng Pisang 4.5/5

The dessert that we had was excellent.  Goreng Pisang ($12) with ice cream might sound really rich against the dishes we had but this is not to be missed. Banana and chocolate is a heavenly combination but chefs took this up a notch with their own homemade dark chocolate ice cream and banana fritters, served along with a 'banana kueh' and 'banana leather'.  The batter of the fritters was airy and the banana within had soften under the heat and bursting with sweetness.  The banana kueh had a sticky and dense texture but not too sweet, which acted as a textural support for the dish. The banana leather was paper thin like chips and so moriesh.

What I find interesting here is the Sunday BYOF (Bring Your Own Food!). The kitchen will be closed on Sunday, but The Wine & Gourmet Friends stays open from noon to 9pm and you are invited to Bring Your Own Food – home-cooked or otherwise, for a day out with family and friends. All you need to do is only order a bottle of wine (minimum one bottle for every four guests) to enjoy your meal within the bistro. If you need help with your wine pairing, William and his team will be here as well.

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.


The Wine & Gourmet Friends
48 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089859
Tel: +65 62241982
Facebook
Website 
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (Ew Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 11pm
Sun: 12pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Edge @ Pan Pacific Singapore - Presents An Impressive International Spread With Enhanced Seafood Highlights And Two New Live Stations

Following a revamp in the dinner buffet menu, Edge @ Pan Pacific Singapore presents an enhanced seafood selection, a new Teh Tarik and Cendol "live" station, as well as a daily double-boiled soup counter, alongside an impressive international buffet spread.

Diners can look forward to a line-up of eight nutritious classic double-boiled soups that will be on rotation daily such as the Ginseng Chicken Soup, Black Chicken Herbal Soup, Watercress Red Date Pork Ribs Soup, Traditional ABC Pork Ribs Soup, Lotus Root with Cuttlefish Pork Bone Soup, and more. We had the Double Boiled Old Cucumber Lean Pork Soup which was a welcoming bowl of goodness prior to a night of indulgent feasting.

Available every Wednesday and Thursday from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, Hooked@Edge presents a Neptunian repast with new additions to the seafood on ice selection including Boston Lobsters and Seasonal Oysters alongside the array of International spread that will impress the crustacean lovers with an extensive variety of premium ocean-fresh seafood. Other Highlights include the Knife Shaved Marinated Seafood Raw Bar and finest Crustacean on Ice.

There is also a variety of Sushi and Sashimi for Japanese and seafood lovers to further indulge in.

Enjoy an even more extensive variety of seafood in the hot section, such as the flavourful Tamarind Prawns, Seafood Ragout, Green Curry Flower Crab, Seared Seabass in Onion Thai Plibli sauce and Curry Crayfish Thermidor.

Relish in the local favourites of Chilli Crab with fluffy golden mantous, as well as the Chicken/Beef Satay in fragrant peanut sauce.

Take your pick from the scrumptious range of familiar asian delights such as the Salted Egg Chicken and Sweet Sour Pork.

Make your orders at the live station serving up Singapore-style Hokkien Mee, Prawn Noodle Soup and Nonya Laksa.

Continue to indulge in heartier choices such as the Wood Smoke Roasted Spices Poulet, Herb Confit Salmon Fillet, Crackling Pork Belly and Char Siew.

Not forgetting their new Teh Tarik station, where your cup of aromatic Teh Tarik will be freshly brewed on the spot. Smooth and not overly sweet, the warm cup of Teh Tarik is definiely the perfect drink to go along with the savouries.

The feasting is complete with a magnificent display of desserts including a selection of Nama Chocolate that comes in 3 flavours of matcha, rum and passionfruit, a wide assortment of delicious cakes, Bread & Butter Pudding, Apple & Strawberry Crumble, gelato with flavours including Thai Milk Tea and Matcha Azuki, as well as green tea waffles. Diners can even DIY their own ice cream wafles with an assortment of spread, chocolates, biscuits and sprinkles.

Pricing
Date: Mondays
Time: 630pm to 1030pm
$78 per adult, $39 per child (ages six to 12)

Date: Tuesdays (Surf & Turf)
Time: 630pm to 1030pm
$78 per adult, $39 per child (ages six to 12)

Date: Wednesdays and Thursdays (Hooked@Edge)
Time: 630pm to 1030pm
$88 per adult, $44 per child (ages six to 12)

Date: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Time: 630pm to 1030pm
$88 per adult, $44 per child (ages six to 12)

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Edge
Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore
Level 3
7 Raffles Boulevard
Singapore 039595
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm
Sun: 12pm - 4pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]