SG Pho House @ North Bridge Road - New Vietnamese Restaurant By True-blue Vietnamese Lady Boss

SG Pho House is a newly opened Vietnamese restaurant, nestled in one of the shophouses along North Bridge Road. The lady boss is a true-blue Vietnamese and with her leading the kitchen together with her own team, expect real Vietnamese flavours in your pho as well as other dishes.

Its interior is probably one of the closest to that of those eating places I had been to in Vietnam, perhaps what's missing are the little stools for a morning beer. Shiny mental foldable tables with much sturdier legs that are built to last, these dining tables are actually imported from Vietnam. The menu is fairly simple, offering Beef and Chicken Pho, Vermicelli, Rice varieties and sides.

Mango Salad 4.2/5

Seafood Spring Rolls 3.5/5

For sides, we had Mango Salad ($6.90), Fresh Spring Rolls ($3.90) and Seafood Spring Rolls ($4.90). I'm really pleased with their mango salad which comes with fried shallot, shrimps and sliced pork. The acidity is just right and I could taste the citrusy of the lime juice. What I really appreciate is how the shrimps and pork are being sliced to align with the shredded mango, hence there is a bit of everything in each bite. As for the spring rolls, I thought the fresh ones are kind of flat, while there is definitely a lot more going on with the fried seafood version.

Beef Vermicelli Soup, Hue's Style 3.5/5

I was told that different style of pho uses different bases. The traditional beef noodle soup, Hue style vermicelli soup, chicken noodle soup and even Thailand style (Tom Yum) vermicelli Soup have a different soup base. The sweetness and flavours are not from MSG but a concoction of imported Vietnamese herbs, spices and their solid good broths. For the mains, we had Beef Vermicelli Soup, Hue's Style ($7.90), Rice Spaghetti Soup with Crab Meat ($9.90) and Grilled Pork Vermicelli ($9.50). The broths here are indeed the soul of the dishes. What hit my senses first was the sweetness of the broths, born from hours of simmering bones and marrow. There is depth to it, accented with herbs and spices. Served alongside the beef vermicelli soup is not just your usual plate of basil and beansprouts but with a pile of shredded kang kong to provide an extra crunch and freshness to the overall taste.

Rice Spaghetti Soup with Crab Meat 3/5

Their Rice Spaghetti is similar to our local Mee Tai Mak. The soup is made with pork bones which explains the unexpected level of sweetness. I thought it was just going to be a mediocre soup base. I like the homemade meatballs which reminds me of how a yummy minced meatball make a difference to a bowl of handmade noodle soup. However, the crab meat which is supposed to be the star of the dish was rather dry and bland, hence a better option may be their vermicelli soup with seafood only.

Grilled Pork Vermicelli 3/5

As for the Grilled Pork Vermicelli, although it didn't pack much surprises, it is a crowd pleaser with very well marinated juicy pork chop. And it is not at all boring when a bowl of it comes with a pork spring roll and a grilled fermented pork, akin to a sausage.

Vietnamese Coffee 3/5

One thing I learnt from this lunch is the similar to how a Hong Kong evaporated milk made its mark in a Hong Kong milk tea, Vietnamese have their own version of condensed milk as well, which apparently is less sweet than our local ones. True enough, even though our Avocado milkshake and Strawberry milkshake were made with big spoonfuls of their condensed milk, they turned out creamy and milky without being cloying. My Vietnamese version of 'Piccolo' was fine too, though I wish it could be a lot stronger.

Out of malls and away from the crowd, I quite enjoy the rustic atmosphere of SG Pho House which elevates the experience of tucking into their hearty broths and dishes. The chicken noodle soup is highly recommended by the owner so when you need a alternative chicken soup for your soul one of these days, do drop by!

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.


SG Pho House
774 North Bridge Road
Singapore 198742
Tel: +65 62998774
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk down North Bridge Road towards Ophir Road direction. Continue walking North Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Wine & Chef @ Keong Saik Road - Hearty Italian Fare With Largest Range Of Exclusive Italian Wines

I visited Wine & Chef at Keong Saik Road  back in May 2017 when it first opened its door. It is good to see that the restaurant continues to serve up Italian fare incorporating Asian ingredients to pair with their range of exclusive Italian boutique wine. My re-visit is to checkout their newly revamped menu put together by the new Chef Darence Wee, previously from Les Amis group.

Gorgonzola & Italian Ciabatta 3.5/5

Before starting with the mains, you may want to order some small bites to nibble on such as the Gorgonzola & Italian Ciabatta ($9). I am not a big fan of blue cheese as I find them too sharp for my liking. However the gorgonzola, known as one of Italy's oldest blue cheese, did not turn out that piquant. You can also pair with the honey on the side, the sweetness definitely make it more palatable and enjoyable for me.

Pan Seared Foie Gras 4/5

Pan Seared Foie Gras ($16) is quite a common dish on any restaurants' menu. What stood out is the homemade apple and thyme brandy compote that helps to cut through the richess of the fatty foie gras.

Scallop Capellini 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Scallop Capellini ($28). The pasta tossed in truffle and soy sauce is served chilled so it is very refreshing. It comes with plump and sweet air-flown Hokkaido scallop crowned with ikura. What elevated the whole dish for is the fried shallots, shio kombu and furikake. They added fragrance, sweetness and crunch to complete the dish.

Nduja Pasta 4/5

One of the crowd favourite is the Nduja Pasta ($28) with crayfish. The specially imported Nduja salami from Calabria, South Italy is tossed in tomato sauce for that sweet robust flavour, coating the pasta for the slurping goodness.

Linguine al Granchio 4.2/5

If you prefer your pasta to be more creamy and has that seafood flavour, then go for the Linguine al Granchio ($38). It comes with painstakingly freshly hand-peeled Sri Lankan crabs. The Chef even added crab roe into it, for that extra indulgence.

Pork Roulade 4.5/5

My favourite dish goes to the Pork Roulade ($24). The pork roulade comes with a crispy layer of crackling skin, with tender and juicy meat. It is smartly paired with homemade achar to cut through that richness. Do call to make reservation for this as only limited portions are available each day.

Venere Rice Pudding 4/5

Same same but different is the Venere Rice Pudding ($10). This is the same dessert which I tried during my first visit. It is a modern twist to the traditional pulut hitam served with vanilla bean ice cream and coconut crumble for a cold and crunchy finish. The difference is the popping candies that is mixed into the desert, giving diners the popping reaction as it dissolved in the mouth.

As this is my re-visit, I did notice some changes. Although the food is still as good, the price has increased. It is not a surprise with increasing ingredients cost and inflation. Proud to be serving the lowest house pour at $7 a glass, it used to be $6. The wine collection has also shrunk from the previous 250 to around 140 exclusive Italian wines now.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wine & Chef
7 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089115
Tel: +65 62219279
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat:12pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk straight down New Bridge Road. Turn right onto Kreta Ayer Road. Turn right again onto Keong Saik Road. Walk down Keong Saik Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]