Birds Of A Feather 2022
115 Amoy Street #01-01
https://www.birdsofafeather.com.sg/
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| Pork Dumplings (SGD $17) |
Excellent Modern Sichuan Dishes, Always
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 9
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 9
Value for Money: 9
Spent about SGD $54 per person.
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Established since April 2016, Birds Of A Feather has garnered acclaim for their unique modern contemporary take on Chinese Sichuan cuisine. No in-your-face fiery burning sensations here, instead, their dishes elevate the bold flavours of the cuisine to an elegant art form. Coupled with the refined service and comfortable ambience, Birds Of A Feather is great for long lingering meals throughout the day.
Ambience at Birds Of A Feather is comfortable, eclectic, and plush. The warmly spotlit place has a black tiled floor, offset by ample natural light from the sun roofs, and faux greenery lending a lush feel. Wide and sturdy wooden tables along the walls are flanked by large sofas, great for groups. Hand-crafted art and copper pipes exude an industrial chic vibe, while a wall of decorative light bulbs next to the glass-walled kitchen emits a soft attractive glow. A long bar, stocked with all manner of bottles, completes the look.
Service at Birds Of A Feather befits a fine dining establishment (though it's not). Staff are immaculately dressed, according guests personalised attention when speaking. They demonstrate good product knowledge, able to describe components of dishes. I note they clean up tables quickly when diners leave, and also offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal. While you may have to sometimes request for a change of plates / cutlery, requests are fulfilled expeditiously. Staff also have a professional bearing, and make you feel welcome. I recall at one point we dropped cutlery on the floor; staff immediately and proactively came over with replacements.
Food at Birds Of A Feather is Modern Chinese Sichuan cuisine. Think elements of that familiar spicy flavours, but elevated and refined for the discerning. Never too punchy or painful on the palate, each dish is masterfully crafted with fresh ingredients by Chef Eugene See and his kitchen team. Bold yet balanced in flavour, each plate is also a visual work of art, carefully plated to showcase the ingredients. Portions are medium to large size for individuals, but can also be shared. Prices naturally reflect the excellent standards, budget about SGD $54 per person.
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This was a return visit to Birds Of A Feather, and the 2022 menu is vastly different from their prior offerings. The majority of dishes we tried on this visit as regular paying customers, are new; we didn't have these the last few times we visited.
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| Us With Chefs Eugene See & Denise Ang |
A riff on that iconic Mandopop rock song "One Night In Beijing" by Xin Yue Tuan (Shin), the Cocktail One Night In Chengdu (SGD $59) is equal parts punchy and flowery, just like the song. A blend of either Lang Jiu baijiu or Mou Tai baijiu, with tanqueray gin, egg white, yuzu, peppermint, and lemon, this has a distinctive sea green blue colour, with strong boozy floral tangy sour sweet fruity flavour. Pleasant yet robust, I loved this tipple. Highly recommended!
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| Cocktail One Night In Chengdu (SGD $59) |
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| Cocktail One Night In Chengdu |
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| Cocktail One Night In Chengdu |
A riff on the mellow love ballard of the same name by Adele, the Cocktail Someone Like You (SGD $23) is a refreshing and endearing tipple. A blend of tanqueray gin, white wine, blue pea flower, cucumber, peach, and lime, this has an attractive ice sky blue colour, with floral fruity tangy sour sweet flavour. Nice, and also great for photos. Highly recommended!
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| Cocktail Someone Like You (SGD $23) |
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| Cocktail Someone Like You |
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| Cocktail Someone Like You |
Given its profile, I was unsure why the Cocktail Irish (Apple) Tea (SGD $25) is so named, but nevertheless, it's a pretty good cocktail. A blend of Irish whisky, aomori apple, cinnamon, and moonshine apple pie, this beverage was served warm, with a golden colour that resembles apple juice. Naturally, it has an enticing fruity sweet spice earthy boozy flavour, feels like an apple pie dessert for adults. Good!
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| Cocktail Irish (Apple) Tea (SGD $25) |
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| Cocktail Irish (Apple) Tea |
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| Cocktail Irish (Apple) Tea |
Exactly like a coffee as expected, the Cocktail Espresso Martini (SGD $25) is a great perk-me-up. A blend of spiced rum, coffee liqueur, and espresso, with a deep brown colour like coffee, this has pronounced smoky boozy bitter earthy flavours. Simple, but has a good kick. Good!
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| Cocktail Espresso Martini (SGD $25) |
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| Cocktail Espresso Martini |
Named for the distinct knocking sound when you eat this, the Bang Bang (SGD $14) features a base of crisp vinegared cucumber strips, crunchy pickled mustard greens, and tender cold chicken marinated with Sichuan spices. A firm crushed peanut coaster sits on top; crack through it with several knocks to reveal the ingredients beneath. When eaten together, the ingredients have a layered vegetal tangy sour salty sweet savoury spicy nutty flavour, without much chili heat. A playful, whimsical appetizer to jog the appetite and open the palate. Highly recommended!
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| Bang Bang (SGD $14) |
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| Bang Bang |
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| Bang Bang |
Much like before, the Find The Chicken In The Chillies (SGD $19), also known as Laziji / Spicy Firecracker Chicken / Mala Chicken, features marinated then deep-fried pieces of chicken, tossed with dried Sichuan chilli pepper, spicy bean paste, Sichuan mala peppercorn, garlic, ginger, leeks, spring onions, and white sesame seeds. Each satisfying bite of the moist tender chicken releases a bold savoury salty spicy flavour, tingling the palate and piquing the appetite. A garnish of crisp fried kale with vegetal sweet flavour lends a twist to complete. Highly recommended!
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| Find The Chicken In The Chillies (SGD $19) |
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| Find The Chicken In The Chillies |
The Yu Xiang sauce / gravy is among the 7 key sauces in Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan cuisine, and the Yu Xiang Eggplant (SGD $17) is Chef Eugene See interpretation of that classic dish. The sauce / gravy is made with a blend of pickled red pepper, garlic, ginger, scallions, salt, light soy sauce, and white vinegar, which is then used to marinade the tender soft Japanese eggplant / aubergine / brinjal. Garnished with juicy sun-dried cherry tomatoes, crumbly panko breadcrumbs, and springy bocconcini mozzarella cheese balls. Mix everything together, and you get a burst of tangy sour salty spice vegetal bready milky sweet earthy flavours. Interesting and novel taste profile. Worth ordering!
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| Yu Xiang Eggplant (SGD $17) |
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| Yu Xiang Eggplant |
The visually pleasing and delicious Pork Dumplings (SGD $17) feature juicy pan-seared dumplings filled with minced pork, on a bed of creamy smooth butternut squash puree, surrounded by sage foam and fried sage leaves, dressed with almonds and Sichuan chili oil and spices. The pork dumplings yield gently to a bite, releasing a beautiful meaty savoury salty spice flavour. Then you get the layered taste profile of the other ingredients, being vegetal earthy sweet herbal spice nutty in flavour. Yum. Highly recommended!
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| Pork Dumplings (SGD $17) |
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| Pork Dumplings |
What makes the Burratine & Tomato (SGD $26) version here stand out, is the use of marinated kumquat and crushed peanuts, which lends a fruity tangy sour nutty flavour. This surprisingly complements the mellow milky sweet notes of the soft burratine cheese, and the juicy cherry tomatoes with vegetal sweet flavour. A spring of crisp rocket leaves / argula lends a visual contrast, and a vegetal bitter herbal flavour. The base of Sichuan / Szechuan dressing with black sesame seeds carries sweet sour earthy spice nutty flavour, its creamy texture blending well with the other ingredients. Served with crisp toasted brioche bread on the side, having smoky buttery bready sweet flavour. Highly recommended!
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| Burratine & Tomato (SGD $26) |
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| Burratine & Tomato |
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| Burratine & Tomato |
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| Burratine & Tomato |
The mysteriously named Strange Flavour Prawns (SGD $42) features large juicy shell-on grilled tiger prawns, over a bed of spongy dried tofu puffs and sticky Sichuan / Szechuan strange flavour sauce / gravy, with crunchy crushed peanuts and juicy shaved green papaya. The prawns are succulent and meaty sweet savoury smoky, while the other ingredients lend a fruity sour tangy sweet nutty grainy flavour. The strange flavour sauce / gravy is designed to taste similar to the Singaporean rojak sauce, bold and shrimpy sweet savoury sour tangy in flavour. Good!
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| Strange Flavour Prawns (SGD $42) |
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| Strange Flavour Prawns |
The Barramundi Chazuke (SGD $34) is now on its 3rd revision. This latest version features a classic hearty Sichuan / Szechuan stew of pickled mustard greens, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, spring onions, and Japanese white rice, in a warm fish soup / broth. The ingredients are soft and tender while the soup / broth carries robust grainy sweet savoury sour salty earthy spice flavours. The medium large slab of pan-fried barramundi fish fillet sits on top, with a garnish of juicy ikura / salmon fish roe that bursts with briny salty flavour. The barramundi fish is tender flaky moist, with a smoky sweet savoury flavour that is nicely enticing. The bubbling stew looks so appetizing when served, and the crisp rice wafer gradually dissolves within. Highly recommended!
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| Barramundi Chazuke (SGD $34) |
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| Barramundi Chazuke |
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| Barramundi Chazuke |
The Loup De Mer (SGD $89 for 700g) features a nice medium sized whole European sea bass fish, expertly filleted and butterflied down the middle, the bones completely removed to expose the delicate, moist, succulent fish meat with clean sweet savoury flavours. Sliced celtuce, crunchy with vegetal sweet herbal notes, is overlaid like a blanket. The juicy Joyn tomatoes, dressed in a sweet vinegar and garnished with shaved almonds, burst with a sharp vegetal sweet sour nutty flavour. Completed with Denise pesto, a house-made special pesto sauce courtesy of Chef Denise Ang, where instead of basil leaves, she uses carrot tops as the primary ingredient, giving the sauce a more pleasant mild vegetal sweet herbal flavour. Goes great with the sea bass fish. Highly recommended!
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| Loup De Mer (SGD $89 for 700g) |
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| Loup De Mer |
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| Loup De Mer |
The Homestyle Braised Pork Belly With Shaved Truffle (SGD $58) is a luxurious claypot bowl akin to a lu rou fan / Taiwanese braised pork rice bowl. A base of fragrant fluffy garlic fried rice with bits of wispy egg, tender shiitake mushrooms, bouncy beech mushrooms, and crisp fried kale, carries a fragrant aroma and bold grainy savoury sweet salty earthy flavours. The soft and nearly gelatinous soy braised pork belly holds deep meaty salty savoury notes, while the runny confit of egg lends a silky smooth texture to the dish and bright eggy sweet flavour. Chef Eugene See was generous with the shaved black truffle for us, luscious morsels with fragrant earthy savoury notes that perfume without overwhelming. A hearty yet comforting dish. Good!
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| Homestyle Braised Pork Belly With Shaved Truffle (SGD $58) |
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| Homestyle Braised Pork Belly With Shaved Truffle |
The Slow Roasted Sichuan Beef Short Ribs (SGD $88) features beef short ribs, carved from the bone and marinated with a house-blend Sichuan spice rub. Slow roasted till medium rare doneness, the beef has a tender juicy succulent texture and big meaty savoury salty spice flavours. Served with pan-roasted broccolini, crunchy with big vegetal sweet savoury smoky flavour. A fricassée of bouncy morel mushrooms and tender ratte potatoes lend vegetal earthy starchy sweet salty flavours. Has a lovely gravy, yum. Good!
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| Slow Roasted Sichuan Beef Short Ribs (SGD $88) |
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| Slow Roasted Sichuan Beef Short Ribs |
The Pear & Jelly (SGD $18) looks like a delicate and refreshing dessert. And with good reason, the blend of gelatinous ice jelly / aiyu jelly, juicy osmanthus flower poached pear, juicy marinated kumquat, wobbly white fungus, crisp marinated cucumber, and crumbly pistachio soil, is delicious. You get a complex but soulful layer of fruity vegetal floral sweet tangy sour earthy herbal nutty flavours, yum. A treat for the senses, so delightful. Highly recommended!
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| Pear & Jelly (SGD $18) |
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| Pear & Jelly |
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| Pear & Jelly |
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| Pear & Jelly |
Chef Eugene See wanted us to sample his latest creation, the Glutinous Rice Cake Rock (SGD $17) dessert. Visually, the sticky glutinous rice cake coated in crumbly crushed black sesame seeds soil certainly resembles a black rock, but cut into the soft moist rice cake and you get bold grainy sweet earthy nutty flavours. A parfait of fragile red sugar caramel twigs, grainy soy bean powder, grainy peanut crumbs, crisp meringue, and crunchy pomegranate seeds, complete the dessert, lending bright fruity sweet earthy nutty flavours. Good!
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| Glutinous Rice Cake Rock (SGD $17) |
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| Glutinous Rice Cake Rock |
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| Glutinous Rice Cake Rock |
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CONVERSATION