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]

Gake @ Carpenter Street - 7-Course Omakase For $88

I got to know Chef Angus Chow when he was the Head Chef of Boruto. After bagging the Chef of the Year award at the 18th Word Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence in 2018, Chef Angus Chow embarked on a new venture to open his own restaurant, Gake at Carpenter Street, offering contemporary Japanese cuisine.

Seasonal Otoshi 3.5/5

We had the new $88 omakase menu which started with Seasonal Otoshi. Like an amuse-bouche, the Japanese nibble comes in the form of a Smoke Quail Egg with Caviar and Potato Mille-fuille with Truffle Rugout. I preferred the potato mille-fuille as there are more textures at play.

Sashimi Mori 3 Kinds 4/5

Next, we have Sashimi Mori 3 Kinds. From the day's fresh selection, we have the sea brim, bluefin tuna and hamachi.

Kulhbarra Barramundi 4/5

From the local farm is the Kulhbarra Barramundi. The fish is grilled to a nice char on the exterior while the meat remains moist. It is paired with butter ponzu and orange marmalade sauce, which complemented the fish excellently.

USDA Beef Hayashi 4/5

Hidden under the espuma of potato and seasonal vegetables is the USDA Beef Hayashi. The beef must have been cooked for hours, with melted in the mouth texture that is packed with lovely flavour.

Uni & Ikura Donburi 4.2/5

Asari Miso 3/5

The highlight of the omakase dinner probably lies in the Uni & Ikura Donburi. The sushi rice uses 6 different kinds of grain and crowned with bafun uni, caviar and ajtisuke ikura, A luxurious bowl of sushi rice indeed. A bowl of Asari Miso is also served which comes with plump and juicy clams in a miso bonito broth.

Dessert of the day 3.5/5

Wrapping up the omakase meal is the Spong Cake drenched in a chocolate cream cheese sauce and gula melaka. A decent dessert of the day to wrap up the meal on a sweet note. However, I was craving for something for Japanese instead.

Charcoal Chicken Karaage 4.2/5

Beside offering omakase on the menu, Gake also has an ala carte menu with some signature items. One of them is the Charcoal Chicken Karaage ($12.80). The juicy morsels of spiced chicken are coated in their famous charcoal-infused batter, served with a side of tobiko mayonnaise. They are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside.

Truffle Hiyashi Somen 4/5

A crowd favourite is the Truffle Hiyashi Somen (With Uni $38.80, Without Uni $18.80). The cold rice noodles are drenched in an addictive creamy truffle emulsion. It is then topped with sakura ebi, Avruga caviar, tobiko and shaved truffle. We opted for the uni, which gives it an unami finishing on top of all the complex but robust flavours.

I find that the new omakase menu at $88 for seven courses is really value for money. Of course, you won't get the traditional Japanese cuisine which is focused on showcasing the freshness of the seafood and seasonal ingredients. Over at Gake, European cooking techniques and local flavours are infused into Japanese cuisine.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Gake
36 Carpenter Street
#01-01
Singapore 059915
Tel: +65 67813603
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm - 11pm
Sat: 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Carpenter Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]