[Tasting] A Refreshing Look at Contemporary Cuisine with Sichuan Influences @ Birds of A Feather

Birds of a Feather is located at 115 Amoy Street and has been around for years. I like the place for its classy, cosy vibes. Plus, of course a place to enjoy a bowl of freshly fried "辣子鸡" or as they called it there, "Find the chicken in the chilies" with a glass of bubbly prosecco.

Was invited back for a taste of new inclusions in its menu, as well as new presentation of existing favourites. Thank you Kris for the invite and Chef Eugene for your hospitality.

table art

Beginning

Ceviche

Ceviche @$21

It was a pleasant surprise to see ceviche served in an oriental setting. Imported European seabass, and celtuce both cutely diced, topped with chopped chili salsa, oriental "Tigers Milk" and citrus pops (that light translucent golden boba). "Tigers Milk" is a Peruvian sauce/liquid for marinate made of lime juice, sliced onion, chillies, salt, and pepper. The Oriental version had subtle taste of ginger, while maintaining the lovely sharp acidity of the lime. The fish had a slight firm, texture. A fun, fresh and zesty dish to wake-up the taste buds.

like a beautiful painting

Ume Tomato (V)

Ume Tomato @$14

Ume is a type of plum, and one could still distinguish its flavours infused into the skinless tomatoes. Served with ume granitas, sour jelly and Salicornia. Okay, I admit I had to Google what is Salicornia. Well, good to learn more about the ingredients in the food that we eat, yes? Also known as asparagus of the sea, this succulent had a crunchy texture with a slight salty taste.

topped with ume granitas

The ume tomato has an addictive quality which appeals to the older folks for its familiar taste that's more mellow and leaning towards sweet-tangy.

Yu Xiang Eggplant Soba (V)

Yu Xiang Eggplant Soba @$18

pickled eggplant, julienned vegetables, puffed buckwheat, soba

This dish changed my mind after tasting. I had tried some of the previous renditions of Yu Xiang Eggplant at Birds before, but this version has to be one the tastiest renditions by far. Mix well, the small portion of soba with the julienned vegetables (bell pepper, celtuce, carrots) and get those lovely oil coated onto each strands of the noodles. Crunchy texture, tangy flavours and topped with well-braised eggplant by its side. Yums.

mix well for a tasty slurp-up

Spinach & Mushroom (V)

Spinach & Mushroom @$17

If I looked at the menu and saw "Spinach & Mushroom", I'd probably be picturing that dish from wedding dinners... But of course, why imagine when one could try it for ourselves at Birds of A Feather. This dish sure looked fancy with the Ferment Soy Bean Sabayon on top.

packed with earthy-smokey flavours

I left this dish out for quite a while before trying it but man, it was packed with that lovely smokey flavours. There's crunchy bits from the pine nuts and rye croutons as well. If vegetables tasted like this, then give me more please!

Pork Dumpling

Pork Dumpling @$18

Flavourful meaty pork dumplings pan seared, served with sichuan dressing with a hint of heat, dollops of buttersquash puree for that sweet and creamy accompaniment and now comes with crunchy lavosh. I do like the lavosh crackers.

lavosh crackers

Ongoing

Roast Duck Consommé

Roast Duck Consommé @$28

This dish exuded elegance in its presentation. The consommé was comforting in its mild herbal flavours, and not gamey at all. The daikon was clean tasting and the ravioli was packed with the duck meaty flavours.

duck ravioli

Chow Chow Prawn

Chow Chow Prawn (5 pieces) @$43

Wok-fried spiced tiger prawns, served with chow chow relish and corriander puree. Prawn was firm and easy to eat since the shell at its body had been thoughtfully removed.

closer view

Barramundi Chazuke

pan seared barramundi fillet, Japanese rice topped with sauté romaine, kale, mustard green

 Classic Sichuan Sour Vegetable Fish Broth

Liked the new presentation as one could see the components clearly before the staff pours the broth.

Barramundi Chazuke @$36

Taste-wise, it has a balanced quotient of spicy and sour. But man, the spice is real! Best shared with a partner/friend. Loved all the greens in there too.

Apportion

Loup De Mer (600g - 700g) 

Loup De Mer (600g - 700g) @$98

Imported European seabass, spiced with scales on and pan-seared till golden. Served with deliciously baked ratte potatoes, vine pepper beurre blanc, asparagus, kale and chopped chilies salsa.

apportioned for sharing

Balanced well-seasoned flavours in every bite. Loved the crunchy texture of the scales/skin and the firm flesh of the seabass.

delicious

Finale

Citrus Block 

Citrus Block @$16

Fruity flavours from the grapefruit and orange terrine, eaten with the spiced Earl Gray and sabayon sauce and a change-up in texture with the crispy yoghurt/milk chips/popping candy.

closer view

Jujube & Strawberry

Jujube & Strawberry @$17

The component that drew me to this dessert was the "Jujube Mascarpone Cremeux". Cheese in dessert is a good idea. And, surprisingly, I quite liked the jujube cake for its spongey-bready texture. Lovely end, with a cup of hot mocha.

Once again, thank you Chef Eugene for opportunity to learn more about the ingredients in each of the dishes that we tried and also thanks to the staff at Birds of A Feather for your care during the day of our visit. Take care and see you again!

Birds of A Feather

Address: 115 Amoy St, #01-01, Singapore 069935

Website: https://www.birdsofafeather.com.sg/

Contact: 97557115

Business Hours:

Mon-Sat: 12–3 pm, 6 pm–12 am

Sun: 12–3 pm, 6–10 pm

[Tasting] 6ixty 7even Restaurant & Bar (67 Restaurant) @ 67 Neil Road

Do you love venturing out, looking for cool new places to hang-out? 6ixty 7even Restaurant & Bar offers contemporary (modern) European cuisine with a touch of fusion.

6ixty 7even Restaurant & Bar

menu

Level 1 has a bar-atmospheric vibe with dark tones and high chairs. Plus a chiller full of alcoholic selection. One couldn't help but to order a drink here.

high chairs and tables

Level 2 dining area offers a more intimate and cosy setup for tete-a-tete with friends and loved ones.

Level 2

cosy vibes

If you're one who is curious about all the actions happening in the kitchen, then go ahead and grab a counter seat, or as some calls it, the Chef's Table. Say hi to Chef Ramesh and Vince. They are super friendly! Or simply watch when they are prepping your dinner.

guess where I'm seated

Vince prepping our first course

67 Signature Menu

Chilled Truffle Angel Hair Pasta (@$20 ala-carte)

The first course was beautifully plated and one could feel the care that went into prepping. Chilled Truffle Angel Hair Pasta is a familiar item at various places, and the version at 6ixty 7even has a balanced flavour with a refreshing feel. Noodles prepared al-dente, with lovely crispy sakura ebi. Subtle yet adequate.

Next course, soup.

I liked the idea of the plate with ingredients being presented first, but without the soup. No lah, not for us to get ready for the pour shot (but it works that way too, if you want), but more for us to appreciate the ingredients inside before soup is poured over. Visual treat, if you may.

ingredients appreciation

Truffle Scented Forest Mushroom Soup (@$15 ala-carte)

Again, the flavours are adequately balanced and the chunky mushrooms added 'bite' to the soupy experience. Noticeably, the portion of soup was rather generous! For me, I loved the distinctive charred smokey taste of the brioche crouton. Yummy!

Chef Ramesh plating our main course

For the 67 Signature Menu, one could choose between the Chicken or Fish for the main course.

Pan Seared Tiberias Harvest locally sourced Barramundi (@$28 ala-carte)

A feast for the eye. Loved the vibrant colours! The sauce tasted creamy, with a touch of acidity that nuances perfectly with the freshness of the barramundi. Violet quinoa are so pretty!

Violet Quinoa with Edamame beans, Braised Baby Cabbage, Iranian Saffron Emulsion

Vince was slicing a small portion of the chicken dish and we could hear the crispiness of it! That certainly amped up some expectations!

Crispy Roulade of Farmed Chicken (@$28 ala-carte)

Where shall I begin? 

Visuals are on-point. Kabocha pumpkin puree was so naturally sweet. The tarragon chicken jus coating the roulade, was of a genteel flavour and kept the chicken moist. Tasted wholesome and this crispy chicken roulade, is now one of my favourite food.

favourite dish

Final course, the dessert. Chef Ramesh told us there is a 'surprise' element in the dessert and he will quiz us on it later. Wah... stressed!

67 Chocolate Dome (@$17 ala-carte)

The raspberry sorbet was done well and it wasn't too sour nor too sweet. The chocolate dome itself was of a mousse-like texture, with some bitterness (in a good way) from the cocoa and I thought it tasted of hazelnuts somewhere inside there. Loved the berries and the soil. And yes, happy to report that we 'passed' the test! The surprise is not revealed here although someone else had mentioned it in their blog.

The 67 Signature Set is priced at $67++ and offers good value to diners. The portions were good, and enjoyable flavours.

Signature Classics

Clover Club @$17

Pegu Club @$17

There are only 2 cocktails available currently under the Signature Classic section. Both drinks were pretty sweet, and I prefers the Pegu Club. Tasted of gin, cointreu and lime juice.

It was an enjoyable dining experience for both Ivan and myself. Thank you Sherman for the invite, and  Chef Ramesh and Vince for feeding us. Thank you 6ixty 7even Restaurant & Bar for hosting us.

6ixty 7even Restaurant & Bar (67 Restaurant)

Address: 67 Neil Rd, Singapore 088898

Website: https://6ixty7even.com.sg/

Contact:

Business Hours:

Closed on Sundays.

Mon - Sat: 3pm – 10:30pm

Salted and Hung @ 12 Purvis Street

Was in the area looking for a place to dine on a Friday evening. Went around a few before settling on Salted and Hung at 12 Purvis Street. The place was spacious, dark and cosy. Without reservation, one could only dine in a hurried manner before the next seating arrives. Fortunately, we were given an option for counter seats where we could enjoy our dinner in a more leisurely manner, maybe strike up a conversation or two with the Chef Drew and watch the bustling activities of the kitchen.

interior

okay

No worries for first timers. The friendly staff offered recommendations and asked if we had any dietary requirements. We heard that the popular dishes are the Charchuterie, Fremantle Octopus, Scallops, Wagyu Tri-Tip, Lamb Neck Char Siew, the Black Mash and Roasted Cabbage.

We made our choice based on our preferences and since it was just for two pax, we opted for two Small Plates, a main from the Josper and another from the Farm section. We were going for the Scallops, Octopus, Hamachi Collar and Roasted Cabbage. Oooh, didn't realize we ordered mostly seafood!

Chef Drew Nocente assembling the scallops

Scallops with Handcut Noodles and Prawn Floss @$28

There was a tiny hint of spice in that pile of prawn floss and handcut noodles. This scallop dish seemed to be a favourite amongst the staff!

decided on Mi Terruño Reserve Malbec 2014 (Mendoza, Argentina)

At Salted and Hung, even for an order of wine by the glass, I was pleasantly surprised when a first taste was offered to the guest. The pour continues if one likes it, otherwise, they are happy to change it to the next option. Must say that am liking the people of Salted and Hung for their service and warm hospitality.

Thus far, the first taste by the guest was usually practiced if the guest had ordered a bottle. Initially, it crossed my mind that perhaps the staff might have misunderstood that I was getting a bottle! Ooops! Found an interesting read on whether restaurants should offer guests that first taste of wine.

Mi Terruño Reserve Malbec 2014 (@$22 per glass)

Tried the Pitchfork Cabernet Merlot 2015 from Margaret River and this may be the one for you if you prefer a youthful drink with a soft profile. Tried the Mi Terruño Reserve Malbec 2014 and thought that this too tasted pretty young. Nevertheless, a bit paiseh to revert and continued with the Malbec. The taste improved after some time. Balanced, and with aromas of plums and cherries with a hint of spice. Lovely violet hues and goes well with the food that we ordered that night.

The next item was the Fremantle Octopus. One of the benefits of counter seats, was that Chef would be personally explaining the components of your dish. My attention was all on the delicious looking octopus tentacle. Anything from the Josper would be magic. That is the belief.

Fremantle Octopus - squid ink and charcoal @$28

Happy faces on first bite of the tender octopus. Enjoyable meaty chew, exceptional softness and a heavy dose of smokeyness. Yums. The red blob was salami paste and we were cautioned that it would be slightly spicy. Turned out to be rather mild. I'd smeared it generously along with the butter.

Liked that the food was served in accordance to the pace of the diner. Marlee, our lovely service staff for the night, came by every now and then to check on us on how we are doing. Chef too, would come by and asked about the food.

Our final two dishes came together. I never had my cabbages slow-roasted before so this would be a first for me. The leaves turned out to be soft as though it was boiled but with much more intense flavours. Very buttery and rich.

Roasted Cabbage  with Bonito Butter @$12

The Hamachi Collar looked very much blackened. If I could rate a maximum char, this would be it. Peel away the top to reveal sweet luscious meat with good mouthfeel. That's Hamachi, ladies and gentlemen.

Hamachi Collar

Hamachi Collar with soy, dashi and greens @$36

Took the last sip of wine and was ready to go when we were presented with a wooden box that contained housemade cookies with salted caramel. Love the texture and the familiar taste of the cookies. Very good and satisfying sweet end to our meal at Salted and Hung.

finale of cookies

Thank you for the good company and kudos to the lovely crew at Salted and Hung. An enjoyable experience.

Salted and Hung

Address: 2 Purvis St, Singapore 188591
Website: https://saltedandhung.com.sg
Contact: 6358 3130
Business Hours:
Tuesdays to Fridays - 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:00pm to 10:30pm
Saturdays - 11:30am to 4:00pm. 6:00pm to 10:30pm
Sundays - 11:30am to 4:00pm
Closed on Mondays