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]

Restaurant Kin @ Straits Clan - A Selection Of New Singaporean Food Classics, Many Cultures, One Singapore Cuisine

Restaurant Kin at Straits Clan is helmed by Head Chef Damian D'Silva, affectionately known as "The Grandfather of Heritage Cuisine". I am a big fan of his ethnic cuisines cooked with heirloom recipes, using time-honoured methods and authentic local ingredients. Though straits clan is a club, the lobby level where the restaurant is located is accessible to public.

Pop/s Easter Beef Murtabak 4.5/5

For the upcoming Easter celebration, Chef Damian re-created one of his favourite childhood dish he craves every Easter - Pop's Easter Beef Murtabak ($22). The grounded beef cooked with aromatics are wrapped in soft egg crepe, served with house-made chilli sauce and a raita of yogurt, lime juice, tomatoes, onions and green chilli. The dish will only be available for a limited period from 26 March to 4 April 2021.

Cuttlefish Kang Kong 4.2/5

The Cuttlefish Kang Kong ($20) is a vanishing hawker dish which comes with a medley of cuttlefish, kang kong, pineapple, and deep-fried dough fritters tossed in fermented shrimp paste, sugar and calamansi. Chef Damian has added pineapple to it, just like how his granddad liked it.

Namgka Rendang 3.8/5

Do you know unripen jackfruit can be cooked into a dish? The unripen jackfruit is slowed cooked for 7 hours in a rich and fragrant 15-spice masala coconut gravy. Nangka Rendang ($28) is a gluten-free and vegetarian dish. While I enjoyed the dish, I feel that its soft texture may not be well received by everyone. Similar to how some people does not like brinjal.

Ayam Kalasan 4.8/5

One of my favourite dishes is the Ayam Kalasan ($38). The very instant I bite into the tender chicken thigh, my eyes brightened up. It reminds me of my favourite KFC original flavoured chicken. There is some similarity in the spices used. The whole chicken thigh is slow-simmered in coconut water, candlenut, lemongrass, blue ginger, and then deep-fried. No wonder the ayam kalasan is so aromatic.

Daging Sambal Hijau 4.2/5

Another beautiful Malay dish of Indonesian heritage is the Daging Sambal Hijau ($42). The thinly-sliced beef striploin is marinated overnight with cumin, coriander and fennel. It is stir-fried in green chilli sambal before servicing. Worry not, it is not a spicy dish. In fact, the green chilli sambal accentuated the enjoyment of the tender beef slices.

Wok Fried Dragon Tooth Cabbage 4.5/5

Always remember to have your vegetable for a balance diet. The Wok Fried Dragon Tooth Cabbage ($12) wok fried with oil, garlic and artisanal soy sauce. Though simple, it showcases the sweetness of the cabbage while retaining a delectable texture.

King Prawn with Dry Sambal 4.8/5

The King Prawn with Dry Sambal ($48) is plump, huge and crunchy. The fresh prawn is cooked in a rich and piquant sambal made entirely from stone-ground dried chillis finished with assam.

Pork Knuckle Debai 4.5/5

A classic dish on the new menu is the Pork Knuckle Debai ($68). It is a festive dish in Chef Damian household during Christmas. The classic Eurasian dish comprises of roasted pork, smoked pork knuckle and potatoes. The homely and hearty dish is definitely one of the crowd's favourite, it is wiped clean to the last drop.

Assortment of Kueh 4.2/5

Wrapping up the meal, we have the Assortment of Kueh ($25) which may change daily. During our visit we have the Apom Berkuah, Serang Semut and Pulat Tai Tai. The Serang Semut is an unique Malaysia cake made with burnt sugar, condensed milk and flour. For the Pulat Tai Tai, freshly made kaya is spread on top of the glutinous rice cake to be eaten together.

Apom Berkuah is a nonya-style pancake that is served with banana or durian sauce. The soft and fluffy Peranakan kueh is made with rice flour, coconut milk, gula melaka and yeast. 

A must have is Chef Damian's Kueh Kasui. It is the best steamed tapioca kueh with gula melaka I ever eaten. The melt in the mouth mochi texture is coated with grated coconut for a lifted enjoyment.

Besides the new dishes, Kin has also launches new cocktails featuring classic ingredients found in local heritage cuisine, elevated with modern bartending techniques by the Straits Clan beverage team.

Note: This is an invited tastng.


[CLOSED]
Restaurant Kin
Straits Clan
31 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089845
Tel: +65 63209180
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (NE Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 4. Turn left onto Teo Hong Road. At the end of Teo Hong Road turn left and continue on Bukit Pasoh Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]