Rice & Fries @ Changi Road

Located within walking distance from Kembangan MRT station, Rice and Fries is a new resto-cafe among the row of eateries along Changi Road. Stepping into the resto-cafe, the chalkboard drawings captured my attention giving the place a friendly can casual vibe.

The family run resto-cafe is headed by Chef-Owner Ken Chia who has honed his culinary skills at the Ritz Carlton, Fullerton and Crowne Plaza Hotel. There is even a cute family drawing of the crew at Rice & Fries on the chalkboard.

Forest Mushroom Cappuccino 4/5

The Forest Mushroom Cappuccino Soup ($4.80) was creamy and velvety. The comfort and hearty soup definitely whetted up the appetite and I was looking forward to the rest of the dinner.

R&F Salad 3.5/5

The R&F Salad ($5.80) comes with garden greens with R&F dressing, tomato confit, olives and egg. If I am not wrong, the dressing is balsamic vinaigrette. I enjoyed the salad with the tangy taste of the dressing which worked harmoniously with the rest of the ingredients.

Soft Shell Crab Salad 3/5

The Soft Shell Crab Salad ($7.8) comes with unique and interesting curry mayonnaise sauce that complement the soft shell crab. While the soft shell crab and curry mayonnaise sauce was beautiful, I didn't find the whole dish came together as a salad dish.

Chicken & Mushroom Fricassee 3.5/5

Not only is the Chicken & Mushroom Fricassees ($11.80) served with garden veggies and butter rice a crowd pleaser, it is also easy for kids to consume with the chicken being cut into pieces. The dish also comes with peas, carrot and mushroom in a delectable creamy sauce so that the kids get their greens too.

Filet Mignon 4.5/5

The heart stopper at Rice & Fries is the Filet Mignon ($42.80) which has a luxurious plate of prime cut, foie gras and bone marrow risotto. While the plate lacked of colour it did not lack in flavour. The short loin was cooked beautifully, pinkish, tender and simply melted in the mouth.

R&F Pork Chop 4.2/5

The R&F Pork Chop ($13.80) was beautifully cooked and it tasted wonderfully in the garlic bbq gravy. The succulent pork is also served with tomato confit and thick cut fries on the side.

Trio Mushroom 4/5

A vegetarian dish on the menu is the Trio Mushroom pasta ($9.80). The pasta was cooked al dente in a delectable tomato based sauce. Loved how the tangy tomato and earthy mushroom flavours all came together as a dish.

Lamb Shank 4.5/5

Probably no one can cook lamb shank as good as Chef Ken. It is the exact dish Ken Chef wooed his accountant wife when he was a restaurant chef and she was a student waitress. During staff meals, all the staff had fried rice but Chef Ken painstaking take hours of preparation and cooked lamb shank for his wife. This is no ordinary lamb shank at Rice & Fries. The Lamb Shank ($24.80) is made of love. Love for his wife, love for the food and love for the customers.

Creme Brulee 4/5

The dessert menu is not extensive but they were delish. The first thing to do with the Creme Brulee ($8.80) is to crack the caramelized sugar and it did not disappoint with the crackling sound. The custard was smooth and silky while not eggy.

Waffle with ice cream & maple syrup 4/5

While the group preferred the Waffle with ice cream & maple syrup ($5.80) to be more fluffy, I actually like the version which allowed me to enjoy the crispiness of the waffle. Topped with New Zealand Natural ice cream, a classic combination of waffle and ice cream brought a smile to everyone's face.

I am actually quite surprise that I can find such good quality food at a suburban establishment. I applauded the love Chef Ken and team put into the food. Rice & Fries has also recently launched their Weekday Lunch and Weekend Brunch. Most exciting is the all new Asian/Singapore inspired brunch menu such as the All Star Nasi Lemak, Double Boiled Chicken Congee and Dim Sum Dollies.


Rice & Fries
484 Changi Road
Singapore 419896
Tel: +65 97386648
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rice.Fries.Steak
Nearest MRT: Kembangan (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Kembangan MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road at Sims Ave East. Walk along the canal to Changi Road. Cross the road and turn left. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes.

GRUB @ Bishan Park 1

Opened by the folks from Cookyn, GRUB is their latest venture at the tranquil Bishan Park. The fun bistro concept uses ingredients sourced from an ethnic group of farmers, fishermen and artisanal producers with good responsible practices. No MSG, artificial preservatives, additives or flavourings are used in their cooking keeping the ingredients fresh and natural.

Truffled Egg Cocotte 3/5

The Truffled Egg Cocotte ($7) is served with crispy parma ham and toasted focaccia. Dunking the focaccia into the runny egg enhanced by the truffle flavour was simply heavenly and addictive.

Tasmanian Mussels & Chorizo Stew 2/5

The Tasmanian Mussels & Chorizo Stew ($19) was rather a disappointment. The stew was watered down and bland. I would have preferred a bowl of thick velvety stew. While the mussels were fresh and fat, I did not enjoy the chorizo. The pairing was kind of odd for me.

GRUB Cheeseburger 4/5

Comes with 100% freshly minced beef patty with melted Monterey Jack cheese, the GRUB Cheeseburger ($11) was nicely executed. The size is just nice and easy to handle. The beef patty was also juicy and tender.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly 4.2/5

The Slow Roasted Pork Belly ($15) sitting on a bed of mashed potato is another worthy dish to try at GRUB. Cooked perfectly until fork tender and melted in the mouth, the meat surprisingly worked harmoniously with the mango sauce and cherry tomato salsa.

Surrounded by the beautiful greenery of Bishan Park, GRUB worthy of a visit with its casual and friendly bistro ambience. GRUB is also a nice place to chill out with its selection of crafted beer from New Zealand and Belgium, or a cup of coffee locally roasted by Liberty Coffee. If you are a brunch person, you can check out the weekend brunch too. By the way, the 70 seater bistro adopts a no reservation policy so be prepared to wait up for a while on a business day.


GRUB
Bishan Park 1
510 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
Singapore 569983
Tel: +65 64595743
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grub.com.sg
Website: http://grub.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio (MRT station)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 530pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 9am - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Mon and last Tue of every month)

Direction:
1) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT Station. Take Exit C. Walk to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange (Stop ID 54009). Take bus number 166 or 169. Alight 4 stops later opposite Mayflower Secondary School. Walk to the traffic junction of Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 and Ang Mo Kio Ave 1. Cross the road and walk to the restaurant at Bishan Park 1. Journey time about 15 minutes.

2) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange (Stop ID 54009). Take bus number 262. Alight 8 stops later opposite block 223 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1. Walk to the restaurant at Bishan Park 1. Journey time about 15 minutes.