Yardbird Southern Table & Bar / The Bird Southern Table & Bar

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar / The Bird Southern Table & Bar
10 Bayfront Avenue
#B1-07 The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands

https://www.runchickenrun.com/

Salted Caramel Bread Pudding

Down Home Southern Style

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 9
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $70 per person.

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Hailing from the United States Of America where it's known as Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, this mid-range restaurant specialising in the comfort flavours of the American South was originally established in September 2011 by the 50 Eggs Inc group, in Miami, Florida, United States Of America. Opening its 1st international outlet in Singapore in July 2017, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar has branded this outlet as The Bird Southern Table & Bar, to avoid confusion with another similarly-named restaurant. Since December 2018, they've reverted to their original name.

Ambience at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar is warm, casual, and welcoming. Part rough industrial, part lounge, part barnyard design, all coalesce into an iconic look that feels familiar, yet is still memorable. Warm lights and white brick walls frame sturdy wooden and metal tables, with olive green cushioned booths and wooden high chairs. Faux doors and glass panels create a sense of space, while the bar beckons with rows upon rows of bottles.

Service at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar is friendly, attentive, and efficient, befitting of fine dining standards. Staff quickly greet and seat guests, and display good product knowledge on the menu, listing daily specials or promotions, and offering suggestions. I note they clean and clear up tables quickly when diners leave. They introduce dishes when it's served, and describe how best to consume it. Staff will also check on your dining experience, and ask for feedback.

Food at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar is American cuisine, with a focus on Southern style comfort cooking. This itself is a fusion of African, English, French, Spanish, and Native American cuisines. There is a good variety of dishes, and you can, and should, expect that each component is well executed and tasty. Portions are medium to large for individuals, and can be shared. As an upper mid-range restaurant in a premium location, budget about SGD $70 per person for a meal with drinks here.

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The Bird Southern Table & Bar Exterior

The Bird Southern Table & Bar Interior

Seating Outdoors

Seating Indoors

Decorative Pipes

Bar

Open Kitchen & Booths

The Bourbon Woodford Reserve Applewood Smokehouse (SGD $22) features a base of Woodford Reserve premium small batch straight bourbon whisky, brewed by the Brown - Forman Corporation in Woodford county, Kentucky, United States Of America. It has a brilliant amber brown colour, with aromas of orange, mint, vanilla, and tobacco. The body is smooth, well rounded, and almost creamy, with tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, and walnut. Has a rich sweet spice flavour. Infused with apple wood smoke, giving it a depth of smoky flavour.

Bourbon Woodford Reserve Applewood Smokehouse (SGD $22)

Bourbon Woodford Reserve Applewood Smokehouse

The Bourbon Tennessee Whiskey Banana Infused (SGD $22) features a base of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, which differs from typical bourbon due to the additional step of filtering through charcoal of sugar maple trees, brewed by the Brown - Forman Corporation in Moore county, Tennessee, United States Of America. It has a deep amber brown colour, with aromas of oak, cloves, toffee, and corn. The body is full, well rounded, and deep, with tastes of cereal, anise / aniseed, smoke, and nutmeg. Has a robust nutty sweet spice flavour. Infused with fresh green tip bananas, giving it a layer of fruity sweet flavour.

Bourbon Tennessee Whiskey Banana Infused (SGD $22)

Bourbon Tennessee Whiskey Banana Infused

The Cocktail Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade (SGD $19) features a base of Wild Turkey bourbon whisky, blended with blackberry puree, fresh lemon juice, cardamom, soda water, and Angostura bitters, garnished with a candied lemon slice and a blackberry. With a refreshing, fruity sweet sour flavour, and a summer feel, this is an excellent thirst-quencher.

Cocktail Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade (SGD $19)

Cocktail Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade

Straightforward Glass Of Water (SGD $Complimentary), quite amused that they've used a glass that's shaped like a jar for this.

Glass Of Water (SGD $Complimentary)

Loved the refreshing Lemonade Original (SGD $10). The version here is a traditional, classic uncarbonated American style; featuring a blend of fresh lemon juice, water, and cane sugar syrup, served chilled. A perfect summer thirst quencher.

Lemonade Original (SGD $10)

Lemonade Original

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The Set Lunch Executive Special (SGD $40++) serves as a good introductory sampler to the dishes on offer here, as well as makes for a good mid-range, value for money meal during weekday afternoons. It includes 2 fixed appetizer samplers, a choice of 1 main course, a choice of 1 dessert, finished with a serving of either coffee or tea. During a visit, I chose the following below.

Set Lunch Executive Special (SGD $40++)

The Fried Green Tomato & Crispy Pork Belly is a popular appetizer, featuring a base of crunchy, bread crumb battered then deep-fried green tomato slice. Garnished with a crisp smoked pork belly, bright curly endive / frisee, tangy pickled lemon vinaigrette, a smoky sweet tomato jam, and pimento cheese. Get a little of everything in a mouthful, and you'll have a bright and lively burst of complex layered flavour on the palate.

Fried Green Tomato & Crispy Pork Belly

Fried Green Tomato & Crispy Pork Belly

The Deviled Eggs, also known as Stuffed Eggs, feature a unique preparation of hard-boiled eggs. The egg yolks are removed, mashed with mayonnaise and American yellow mustard into a creamy grainy paste, then filled back into the egg whites. This gives the appetizer an eggy sweet sour tangy flavour. Garnished with dill, chives, and briny smoked trout roe for added flavour.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

Pretty good rendition of the American Buttermilk Biscuit here, which is similar to an English scone. The biscuit bread has a slight firmness to the exterior, with the interior being slightly soft and crumbly. Good bready milky flavour on its own. While it's not as soft or as fragrant as other versions, it's still above average in quality for me. Served with a fragrant floral sweet Honey Butter, and a sticky compote of Apple Jam, which has a fruity caramelised sweet flavour of red apples. The apple jam is straightforward and tasty, but I preferred the honey infused butter.

Buttermilk Biscuit

Honey Butter & Apple Jam

The Spiced Watermelon is a unique summer appetizer. Cubes of fresh watermelon are coated in powdered cumin, powdered coriander, salt, lime juice, lemon juice, and chili, garnished with mint leaves, then served. Bite in, and you get the savoury spicy kick of the seasonings first, then the refreshing juicy fruity sweet flavour of the watermelon. Nice.

Spiced Watermelon

Spiced Watermelon

The house signature, Lewellyn’s Southern Fried Chicken features all-natural, farm fresh chicken that is hormone-free. The chicken is brined for up to 27 hours, then battered in a house secret recipe blend of flour and spices, and deep-fried to perfection. The result; each part of the chicken has moist, juicy, sweet savoury chicken meat, which comes easily and cleanly off the bone. The battered chicken skin is light, crisp, and not greasy, in fact, it's among the least oily I've tasted, yet the bold savoury herbal flavour still shines through. Served with a sweet spicy Honey Hot Sauce. Excellent.

Lewellyn’s Southern Fried Chicken

Lewellyn’s Southern Fried Chicken

Lewellyn’s Southern Fried Chicken Wing

Lewellyn’s Southern Fried Chicken Breast

Honey Hot Sauce, Wet Napkins

The Salted Caramel Bread Pudding has soft slices of brioche bread pudding in a rich, warm custard sauce. Garnished with gooey salted caramel sauce, crunchy candied dragee pecan nuts, smoky whisky anglaise, and creamy chantilly cream. Get a little of everything in a bite; the crunchy sweet nutty flavour of the pecans, the soft bready sweet flavour of the bread pudding, the thick salty sweet notes of the salted caramel, and the boozy creamy flavours of the whisky anglaise and chantilly cream. Very filling, but delicious.

Salted Caramel Bread Pudding

Salted Caramel Bread Pudding

The Coffee is straightforward brewed decaffeinated coffee, but underwhelming in quality.

Coffee

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The Set Dinner Chef's Tasting Special (SGD $68++) serves as a good introductory sampler to the dishes on offer here, as well as makes for an indulgent high-end, value for money meal during weekday evenings. It includes a choice of 1 each from the appetizers, salads, main courses, and desserts, finished with a serving of either coffee or tea. During a visit, I chose the following below.

Set Dinner Chef's Tasting Special (SGD $68++)

The Southern BBQ Shrimp features several classic American Southern touches; from creamy smooth sauteed polenta cake with a delicate earthy sweet flavour; bouncy meaty deshelled pan-seared barbecued shrimp with bold smoky savoury sweet flavour; to tangy sweet sour barbecue sauce and herbal earthy basil oil sauce dressing the plate. Would have liked to see bigger shrimp used, but that aside, this remains a well-executed and tasty appetizer.

Southern BBQ Shrimp

Southern BBQ Shrimp

A house signature, the Butter Lettuce & Grilled Mango Salad features crisp butter lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy red onions, firm smoked pecan nuts, and tender grilled mango cubes, all drizzled with benne sesame seed dressing. Bright, refreshing vegetal sweet flavours, nicely contrasted by the smoky nutty pecans, the fruity sweet juicy mango, and the earthy nutty aroma of the dressing. I enjoyed this.

Butter Lettuce & Grilled Mango Salad

Butter Lettuce & Grilled Mango Salad

The Green Apple Coleslaw is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onions, coated with a light mayonnaise, sugar, milk, buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper gravy. Topped with green apple slices, this has a light sour sweet milky flavour, with a bright crunch to texture. Decent enough. Served alongside every order of St. Louis Style Pork Ribs.

Green Apple Coleslaw

Green Apple Coleslaw

The St. Louis Style Pork Ribs are marinated overnight in barbecue sauce, done in the style of St. Louis, Missouri, United States Of America. Slow smoked and finished with an apple cider glaze, the pork ribs have a super tender texture, sliding easily off the bone, yielding with a slight chew when bit. Bold tangy sweet sour flavours here. The serving size is a standard half-rack of pork ribs, rather substantial.

St. Louis Style Pork Ribs

St. Louis Style Pork Ribs

The Peach Cobbler & Florentine Almond Cookie Bowl With French Vanilla Ice Cream features a warm pot of Peach Cobbler, made with layered slices of tender juicy, fruity sweet, caramelised peach slices, stacked high and baked with a fragile marzipan crumble crust. A crisp Cinnamon Twist Stick, extends over the top, reaching to the other end of the dessert plate, where a Florentine Almond Cookie Bowl With French Vanilla Ice Cream sits. The florentine almond cookie bowl has an intense sweet nutty flavour with a sticky crisp texture, while the French vanilla ice cream is rich and creamy smooth, with a floral sweet flavour.

Peach Cobbler & Florentine Almond Cookie Bowl With French Vanilla Ice Cream

Peach Cobbler

Florentine Almond Cookie Bowl With French Vanilla Ice Cream

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The Skillet Cornbread (SGD $10) has that traditional taste and texture, enhanced with the addition of premium ingredients. Made with a mix of cornmeal, eggs, milk, and buttermilk, flavoured with raisins, corn kernels, bacon, jalapeno, and cheddar cheese, then baked. Served in a hot skillet, with a drizzle of buttermilk over it. The cornbread has a fluffy soft, grainy texture, similar to a muffin, with a delicate grainy sweet flavour which is contrasted by the salty flavour of the buttermilk. Easy to eat, and tasty.

Skillet Cornbread (SGD $10)

Skillet Cornbread

Skillet Cornbread

The Crab Cake (SGD $18) is a decent appetizer. Fresh lumps of deshelled crab meat are tightly packed into a crab cake, and have a delicate sweet savoury briny flavour, with a slightly chewy, slightly tender texture. Garnished with a refreshing mound of fresh, juicy crunchy, vegetal sweet cucumber strips. This tasty appetizer is given an Asian touch with sliced red chili, and a rich, thick black pepper gravy that has a smoky spice kick.

Crab Cake (SGD $18)

Crab Cake

Crab Cake

Loved the Sweet Corn Hush Puppies (SGD $14). Essentially a small round ball of mashed cornmeal, coated in a batter of wheat flour, eggs, and buttermilk, then deep-fried, this has a slightly crisp texture outside, with a soft creamy texture inside. Studded with juicy corn kernels, this has a delicate earthy grainy sweet savoury flavour. Served with a creole remoulade, which tastes like ranch sauce to me. Good!

Sweet Corn Hush Puppies (SGD $14)

Sweet Corn Hush Puppies

Sweet Corn Hush Puppies

The Chicken N Watermelon N Waffles (SGD $34) features the same, great tasting Lewellyn’s Southern Fried Chicken, with a half chicken cut into 4 pieces, as well as the delicious Spiced Watermelon, and the same Honey Hot Sauce. The difference is the sharp cheddar cheese waffle, with its fluffy soft texture and light bready sweet savoury cheesy flavour. Served with a floral sweet boozy Bourbon Maple Syrup. Portion size is large, and may be shared. Good!

Chicken N Watermelon N Waffles (SGD $34)

Chicken N Watermelon N Waffles

Bourbon Maple Syrup

Chicken N Watermelon N Waffles, Bourbon Maple Syrup, Honey Hot Sauce

The Lobster Mac & Cheese (SGD $64) here is the most premium, decadent version of macaroni and cheese I've had. A base of warm, soft, elbow macaroni pasta tubes are tossed in a blend of 5 types of cheese - I detect cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, and gouda, along with butter and milk. Good cheesy savoury salty flavour that is well balanced. Over the top sits a whole, fresh, deshelled lobster, carefully sliced to showcase the lobster meat. The lobster meat has a bouncy succulent texture, with a bright sweet salty briny flavour that is so clean-tasting and fresh. Super filling, it's best shared. While the price is high, it's good value for money. Highly recommended!

Lobster Mac & Cheese (SGD $64)

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Lobster Mac & Cheese

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Update Dec-2021: Finally revisited Yardbird Southern Table & Bar again after 3 years. Glad to see their ambience, service, and food quality remain consistently good like before. If anything, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar still makes for a great dining destination and experience.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar Signage

Table Setting

Cocktail Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade (SGD $19)

Cocktail Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade

The Cocktail Southern Peach (SGD $19) is great for a summer evening. It features a blend of Wild Turkey bourbon whisky, Aperol herbal orange liqueur, lemon juice, sweetened black tea, white peach puree, and thyme. Has a lovely fruity bitter sweet herbal flavour, nicely refreshing.

Cocktail Southern Peach (SGD $19)

Cocktail Southern Peach

The Cocktail Southern Revival (SGD $19) is a lively blend of Wild Turkey bourbon whisky, lemon juice, passion fruit juice, basil, and mint. This results in a balanced sweet sour zesty herbal flavour, pleasant but mild. Wished it was more punchy.

Cocktail Southern Revival (SGD $19)

Cocktail Southern Revival

The Deviled Eggs (SGD $14), also known as Stuffed Eggs, remain as good as before. The creamy mashed egg yolks with mayonnaise, plated back in the wobbly soft hollowed and hard boiled egg white, have delicious eggy sweet sour tangy flavour. Completed with juicy ikura / salmon fish roe, which burst with briny salty sweet flavour. Highly recommended!

Deviled Eggs (SGD $14)

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

The Butter Lettuce & Grilled Mango Salad (SGD $18) is improved from before. Despite the visual lack of a gravy, the combination of ingredients lends big flavour. The fresh crisp butter lettuce has bright vegetal sweet flavour, the crisp red onions have sharp sour spice herbal sweet flavour, the juicy tender char-grilled mango cubes are smoky fruity sweet in flavour, the juicy cherry tomatoes hold light vegetal sweet flavour, and the firm crunchy smoked pecan nuts carry addictive smoky nutty earthy sweet flavour. Toss it all together and enjoy, we certainly loved it. Highly recommended!

Butter Lettuce & Grilled Mango Salad (SGD $18)

Butter Lettuce & Grilled Mango Salad

The 2021 Festive Christmas special, the Truffle & Foie Gras Roasted Whole Young Hen (SGD $58) resembles a traditional turkey dinner, except that a whole young chicken is used instead. Stuffed with mashed butternut squash and crumbled biscuit, the chicken is dressed with soft black truffle slices and a rosemary sprig, and served with creamy mushroom gravy and a slab of foie gras on the side. You get a layering of tastes, first the perfume of earthy savoury salty flavour from the mushroom gravy, black truffle, and rosemary, followed by the tender juicy sweet savoury notes of the roasted chicken, then the lovely vegetal earthy grainy sweet flavour of the mashed butternut squash and biscuit stuffing. Yum. Only available for Christmas 2021 as a special menu item!

Truffle & Foie Gras Roasted Whole Young Hen (SGD $58)

Truffle & Foie Gras Roasted Whole Young Hen

The Chicken N Watermelon N Waffles (SGD $40) serving size has increased since I last had it, now it's sufficiently large for sharing between up to 4 people. It's as good as I remember too. The Cheddar Cheese Waffles retain a fluffy soft texture and light bready sweet savoury cheesy flavour, very appetizing. The Spiced Watermelon carries the savoury spicy kick of the seasonings (powdered cumin, powdered coriander, salt, lime juice, lemon juice, chili, mint leaves) at the front, then the refreshing juicy fruity sweet flavour of the watermelon at the back. The Southern Fried Chicken has 4 pieces of all-natural farm fresh chicken, brined for up to 27 hours, then battered in a house secret recipe blend of flour and spices and deep-fried. The chicken meat is moist with sweet savoury flavour and comes clean off the bone, while the chicken skin is crisp and non-greasy with robust herbal savoury salty flavour. Yum. So good, I wanted more. Highly recommended!