Kilo Kitchen @ Duxton Road - Moved To Its New Location After 8 Years At Kallang

Kilo Kitchen which has been at Kampong Bugis Road for the last 8 years has relocated to its new home at Duxton Road. Retaining the same laidback vibe of its original Kilo Kitchen in Kallang, the new place stops an open-format natural kitchen and a Turkish marble and brass bar with a raw, minimalist decor, greenery and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Kilo's Seafood Ceviche 4/5

The Kilo's Seafood Ceviche ($23) hits the spot with its citrusy and spiciness amid the fresh seafood. Besides the usually tuna and snapper, I enjoyed the addition of the fresh octopus and crispy wanton skin for the extra textural bite.

Beef Tongue Taco 3/5

The Beef Tongue Taco (2 for $18 / 4 for $35) comes with tender black pepper flavoured beef tongue paired with miso, apple and jalapeno-garlic tallow wrapped in tortilla shell. The flavours are beautiful but I felt somehow not satisfy with the thin slices of beef tongue, it is not substantial enough.

Atas Lentils 3.8/5

I like the idea of the egg yolk, giving the Atas Lentils ($26) a coat of creaminess. The smokiness of the bacon gives it a nice contrast but I am not sure about the necessity of the truffle. If it comes with some some pita bread to mop up the lentils, that would be perfect. It felt a bit weird having it alone without any bread.

Squid Ink Rice 3.5/5

The Squid Ink Rice ($29) serves in claypot is defintiely eye catching but its only for plating purposes only. It was missing that smokey flavour and burnt rice grains, one would expect in claypot rice. The finishing was also on the salty side too. Apart from that, I enjoy the crispy baby squid that comes with the claypot rice.

Ricotta Gnocchi 2.5/5

I was really disappointed with the Ricotta Gnocchi ($26). The gnocchi was too doughy and bland. Even the delicious mushroom and miso butter sauce did not manage to lift the taste profile.

Grilled Whole Rainbow Trout 3.5/5

Simply cooked to showcase the flavour the ingredient is the Grilled Whole Rainbow Trout ($46). Grilled to an exterior char, the fish remained moist inside. This is paired with confit tomatoes, basil and olive oil to complement the subtle flavour of the trout.

Chocolate Terrine 4.2/5

Surprisingly my dinner ended on a high with the Chocolate Terrine ($14). The richness of the chocolate terrine, tuile and smoked salted caramel works harmoniously striking the perfect note to wrap up the dinner.

I was not impressed with the food at Kilo Kitchen. Maybe its raving reviews when it was at Kallang has set my expectation high. To be frank, checking with my dining group that has visited Kilo at Kallang, they also find the food was subpar. Not sure whether it is due to the change of chef but I hope they can pull up their socks and reach the same standard and quality they are known to be.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Kilo Kitchen
97 Duxton Road
Singapore 089541
Tel: +65 64673987
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 530pm - 12midnight
Sat: 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun-Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. At Orchid Hotel turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road to the opposite side of Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk along Tanjong Pagar Road to Duxton Hill. Turn left onto Duxton Hill and then turn right on Duxton Road. Journey time about 15 mins. [Map]

Pasta Supremo @ Suntec City Mall - The Sides and Drinks Are More Alluring Than The Pastas

Pasta Supremo at Suntec City is a pop-up restaurant (till late 2020) that serves up handmade pasta bowls. Conceptualised by Shawn Kishore, the same mastermind behind popular Taiwanese zi char restaurant The Salted Plum. Pasta Supremo embraces the same idea of making food affordable, accessible and fun to the masses. First in Singapore, you can build-your-own your pasta bowl if you wish, like how a salad's order list works. If that's too much of a hassle for you, simply order from the menu of la carte items such as ‘haus’ pasta, sides, ‘Stuff on Bread’ monthly specials and desserts.

Supremo Pory Marinara 3.8/5

So just how affordable your handmade pasta bowl can be - $8 can get you a basic bowl of Haus Marinara pasta, and a few bucks more can get you a Supremo Porky Marinara ($15), blackened by activated charcoal, the long pasta is tossed with a classic tomato base, Haus Bacon and a home-made Pork Meatball, spiked with crunchy pork croutons and freshly grated 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Among the variations I tried, this fares the best. The pasta itself was light. By that I meant it tastes like those handmade pastas out of an Italian restaurant's kitchen. The pork meatball was juicy and not too over seasoned. The haus bacons were generous in portion and they were more like pork belly than bacon - fatty and tender, they were satisfying to bite on, albeit the slight porky taste towards the end. The well rounded Marinara sauce is a winner, with hints of herbs lingering on every bite.

Prawn Olio Olio 2.8/5

The rest of the pasta didn't sit well with me. Prawn Olio Olio ($20) is pretty to look at but somehow it turned out rather flat. Tossed with Sichuan garlic oil made with green peppercorns and rendered duck fat, all I could taste was the heat and saltiness, which was reinforced by the lap cheong crumble and tobiko. The garlic tiger prawns also didn't quite catch on the flavour.

Carbonara, But Not Really 3/5

Carbonara, But Not Really ($18) tasted quite heavenly at the beginning, as the al Fungi sauce is a puree of shimeiji, shiitake and seasonal mushroom, made creamy with heavy cream. But after a while the combination of the heavy sauce and the fatty Huas Bacon became too much for me. The 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano would have been a star should the dish be lighter and less salty.

Vege Wege Pasta 2.8/5

Vege Wege Pasta ($18) is with Asian pesto, burnt miso corn and an assortment of mushrooms such as shimeiji, button and shiitake with a sprinkling of seasoned breadcrumbs and 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. I like the pesto but again, the beetroot pasta was underwhelming.

Fried Chicken Skin 3.5/5

Grain Fed Fatty Wagyu 4/5

On the other hand, I find the Sides here much more alluring. Spiced Supremo Chicken Skins ($6) will get your appetite going with its slightly chewy texture. I really like the 300 Day Grain Fed Fatty Wagyu ($15) that is served chilled with a dash of Thai chilli sauce and pickles. Sous vide for 16 hours, I appreciate the extra step of charring it before serving which definitely adds a dimension to both flavour and texture. The pickles and piquant dressing help to cut the richness of the beef. I could just drop by and order a plate of this for a meal.

Stuff on Bread 3.5/5

Stuff on Bread are toasted sourdough that come with 4 choices of toppings - Mushroom & Black Truffle Cream ($4), Avocado & Feta ($4.50), Cheesy Cheese AF ($5) and Pasta Supremo’s coveted Bak Kwa Jam ($5). The most popular is probably the truffle variation - it was slightly too salty for me but the sourdough was dense enough to balance it out. But it is nothing compared to the highly anticipated Bak Kwa Jam, which to me was a salt bomb when I was expecting something sweet and savoury from the concoction of house-made bacon and bak kwa. An airier sourdough may work better, to allow some spaces for the toppings to seep into.

Pistachio Creme 3.5/5

You Thirst -Tea 3.8/5

Given the ambiance, Pasta Supremo is a pleasant place to drop by for a drink and dessert too. Their Pistachio Creme ($6) was decadent, and best paired with a cup of Socked Americano ($3), or even You Thirst-Tea ($4) Thai milk tea. A traditional cup of Thai milk tea would have kill my appetite but theirs was light and smooth with their very own fresh milk concoction.

The concept is great for pasta lovers but the issue I have with Pasta Supremo's handmade pastas is that they are not fresh egg pastas, which is how I would associate handmade pasta with. They are alot less doughy than pastas made with just flour and water, akin to eating fresh la mian that is very light and flavourful vesus the dense commercial yellow noodles. Other than that, the portions are good for hearty meals, not to mention the delicious sides and drinks.

Words and photos 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.


Pasta Supremo
Suntec City Mall
3 Temasek Boulevard
#01-365/344/373/374
Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 69098138
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line, DT Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am - 9pm

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

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]