H&C Cafe Tasting Session

H&C Cafe Tasting Session
290 Orchard Road
#03-09 Paragon Shopping Centre

Opening Hours:
Sun - Thu: 9am - 8:30pm
Fri - Sat: 9am - 10pm

https://linktr.ee/halcyonandcrane

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Her Pen And Fork, msginginly, Epicurious Caniggia, Chubby Botak Koala, and Purple Taste.

Tomato Beef Stew With Sourdough (SGD $19.50)

East Meets West In Surprising Plates

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $67 per person.

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Opened in September 2018 by the same folks behind the popular fusion cafe Birds Of A Feather, Halcyon & Crane is named for the Greek myth of the Kingfisher, associated with serenity and happiness, and the Chinese myth of the Crane, associated with longevity and peace. They've since re-branded to the much simpler H&C Cafe, with a fusion East meets West menu that is firmly healthy and wholesome, yet big on taste.

H&C Cafe Signage

Ambience at H&C Cafe has changed slightly from our prior visits. The warmly lit area is still neatly and tightly packed with comfortable cushioned furniture, but the high tables are gone. Partitions of shiny golden mesh wires are interspersed with spherical pavilion roofs and supporting wooden poles. There are more Oriental inspired touches now. The place remains family-friendly, and well suited for lingering and people watching.

H&C Cafe Facade

Bar

Service at H&C Cafe is improved from before. Staff are much more friendly and engaging, demonstrating good product knowledge and being able to offer recommendations. They still work and clean up efficiently, and introduce dishes as they serve. They're also happy to engage in light banter, greeting and seating guests quickly, and aid customers with requests.

Seating

Seating

Seating

Food at H&C Cafe is still modern fusion, as before. Dishes are well executed, each ingredient well prepared and presented beautifully. The overall feel is wholesome and healthy, yet each plate is delicious. Portions are large for individuals, and can be shared. Prices are almost comparable to before, budget about SGD $67 per person.

Teaware

Glass Of Water

The Cold Brewed Orchid Pu'Erh Tea (SGD $10.90) has a blend of orchid flowers with pu'erh tea leaves harvested from Jingmai Mountain in Huimin, Lancang Lahu, Pu'er, Yunnan, China. This tea blend is thick and velvety smooth on the palate, resembling the texture of whisky, with a strong earthy smoky flavour tempered by a floral sweet flavour. Served on the rocks, this was a punchy delight. Good!

Cold Brewed Orchid Pu'Erh Tea (SGD $10.90)

Cold Brewed Orchid Pu'Erh Tea

Cold Brewed Orchid Pu'Erh Tea

The Tea-rrifically Healthy (SGD $14) has a blend of buckwheat tea infused with chrysanthemum flowers and osmanthus flowers. This tea blend is light and mellow, with a gentle earthy floral bitter sweet flavour. Good!

Brewing Tea

Tea-rrifically Healthy (SGD $14)

Tea-rrifically Healthy

Tea-rrifically Healthy

The Beau-tea-ful You (SGD $14) has a blend of dried cranberries, rose flowers, strawberries, and dragonfruit. With a lovely vibrant hue, this fruit tea blend is light and pleasant, with an appetizing fruity sour sweet floral flavour. Highly recommended!

Beau-tea-ful You (SGD $14)

Beau-tea-ful You

The Crispy Squid (SGD $18) features medium sized chunks of bouncy squid, coated in a crisp thin batter, spiced with barbecue powder, paprika powder, and pepper fish sauce. Yields with a light crispy crunch to texture, with enticing salty savoury spice sweet flavour, yum. The soft crunchy pickled green chili lends a zesty sour tangy spicy kick. Highly recommended!

Crispy Squid (SGD $18)

Crispy Squid

Crispy Squid

Despite its name, the Hot And Sour Gyoza (SGD $14) actually isn't that hot at all. Rather, the warm soup / broth, infused with wispy preserved mustard greens, is strongly sour savoury in taste, piquing the palate. The chicken gyoza dumplings are crisp outside, juicy inside, the minced chicken filling carrying lovely sweet savoury salty flavour. Completed with slices of juicy cherry tomato for a tart vegetal sour sweet flavour. Worth ordering!

Hot And Sour Gyoza (SGD $14)

Hot And Sour Gyoza

Hot And Sour Gyoza

Enjoyed the Sticky Pork Ribs (SGD $15.50), with the tender bone-in pork ribs coated in a sticky vinegar and brown sugar glaze, resulting in a robust smoky meaty sweet savoury flavour. Dressed with white sesame seeds which lend a nutty crunch, and accompanied with juicy longans with fruity sweet flavour. Highly recommended!

Sticky Pork Ribs (SGD $15.50)

Sticky Pork Ribs

Sticky Pork Ribs

The Tomato Beef Stew With Sourdough (SGD $19.50) is hearty and comforting. The house-made stew has chunks of tender beef cheek with meaty savoury flavour, juicy tomato with vegetal sweet sour flavour, chunky potato wedges with starchy sweet flavour, in a thick rich tomato broth / soup garnished with coriander and fried soy beans carrying robust vegetal savoury sweet salty sour flavour, very addictive. Paired with crusty porous sourdough bread with bready sour sweet flavour. Good!

Tomato Beef Stew With Sourdough (SGD $19.50)

Tomato Beef Stew With Sourdough

Tomato Beef Stew With Sourdough

The Hot Sauce Avocado Pasta (SGD $23.50) has a medley of flavours. Featuring silky thin angel hair / capellini pasta with grainy sweet flavour, creamy avocado with vegetal grassy earthy flavour, bouncy sauteed mushrooms (shiitake, shimeji) with vegetal earthy salty savoury flavour, crisp dried nori / seaweed with vegetal salty earthy flavour, juicy cherry tomatoes with vegetal sour sweet flavour, crisp fried shallots with salty savoury flavour, and soft runny egg confit with eggy sweet flavour. The dish is dressed with crunchy white sesame seeds carrying nutty flavour, and a thin hot sauce which isn't too spicy. Mix it all together and enjoy, a wholesome and healthy bite. Worth ordering!

Hot Sauce Avocado Pasta (SGD $23.50)

Hot Sauce Avocado Pasta

Hot Sauce Avocado Pasta

We also sampled the Low Calorie Prawn Capellini (SGD $26.50) during this invited tasting. I have no recollection of eating this, likely missed it.

Low Calorie Prawn Capellini (SGD $26.50)

Low Calorie Prawn Capellini

Low Calorie Prawn Capellini

Absolutely loved the Salmon And Grains (SGD $34). The healthy salad grain bowl is large in portion, with a base of loose mixed grains with earthy grainy sweet flavour, topped with creamy avocado with vegetal grassy earthy flavour, crisp dried nori / seaweed with vegetal salty earthy flavour, juicy cherry tomatoes with vegetal sour sweet flavour, and the surprising crunchy juicy smoked romaine lettuce with addictive smoky vegetal sweet savoury flavour. The star is the large boneless fillet of salmon fish, pan-seared till a medium pink, tender and flaky in texture with crisp crunchy skin, dressed in scallion soy sauce and roasted miso with red dates sauce, resulting in an addictive sweet savoury salty earthy smoky flavour. Yum. Highly recommended!

Salmon And Grains (SGD $34)

Salmon And Grains

Salmon And Grains

The Squid Mixed Grains Rice Stew (SGD $26.50) is inspired by the Chinese pao fan. The base of loose mixed grains with earthy grainy sweet flavour, is immersed in a warm soup / broth, infused with wispy preserved mustard greens, resulting in a strongly sour savoury flavour. There's juicy cherry tomatoes with vegetal sour sweet flavour, crisp rocket leaves / arugula with vegetal bitter herbal sweet flavour, and chunks of bouncy squid with neutral flavour that instead absorb the taste of the soup / broth. A handful of soft chickpeas with earthy grainy sweet flavour lend body. Worth ordering!

Squid Mixed Grains Rice Stew (SGD $26.50)

Squid Mixed Grains Rice Stew

Squid Mixed Grains Rice Stew

The Humble Grains Stone Bowl (SGD 16.50) is served in a heavy stone bowl. The base of loose mixed grains carries earthy grainy sweet flavour, and the garnishing of tender potato, bouncy mushrooms (shiitake, shimeji), crisp fried kale, crunchy shallots, soft chickpeas, and scallion soy sauce, combine for starchy vegetal sour earthy salty sweet herbal savoury flavour. Good!