SPRMRKT After Hours x ENJOY Eating House and Bar [MEDIA INVITE]

From Jalan Besar to Dempsey Hill, SPRMRKT teams up with Enjoy Eating House and Bar to Bring Authentic Singapore Cuisine to Dempsey. Known as a lifestyle destination, SPRMRKT united its loves for food, retail and art during the day. These “after-hours” collaborations will celebrate Modern Singapore cuisine and leave diners with nostalgic happy memories and “SHIOK” feeling.

SPRMRKT

The Window to
SPRMRKT After Hours x Enjoy Eating House and Bar

We kick off the meal this evening with Kueh Pie Tee [$18]. A traditional Peranakan appetiser, the “atas” version. Jicama braised in prawn and conpoy stock, handmade pastry shells and fresh prawns Paired with shredded egg, sweet soy and house garlic chilli. For me, this crispy mini cup is always a welcome starter. It is a “flavour bomb” that delivers exciting flavours and textures, especially when the ingredients are upgraded, especially the fresh prawns and the thick cut of jicama. I like mine without chilli, opposite to LD.

Kueh Pie Tee

My Creation

Chonky Chicken Satay [$20]. Juicy and succulent spice marinated jumbo size chicken thigh, served with homemade ketupat (rice cake). A restaurant standard of satay, each bite of the satay is bursting with spices marinates, accompanied by ketupat dip in coconut milk for that umami richness. Though the satay is already very nice on its own, the creamy peanut sauce increases the “Shiokness” to this dish and the pineapple puree balances the rich creamy flavour nicely.

Chonky Chicken Satay

Enjoy Hokkien Mee [$34]. Masterfully created by Chef Joel, infused with Wok Hei (Breath of Wok). Lots of ingredients such as Wild-caught “Ang Kar” prawns, pork belly, squid, pork lard and secret rich prawn broth. For those who like things spicy, don’t forget their housemade chilli. Yummy!

Enjoy Hokkien Mee

Crispy Local Barramundi in Chef Joel’s Red Curry [$29]. A thick slice of deep-fried sustainable sea-farmed local barramundi fillet, house coconut curry sauce and sauteed local vegetables. I like the deep-fried fish as it has crispy exterior, followed by soft and flaky flesh. The red curry is rich, fragrant and spicy, however, due to the plating style, the red curry and the fish seem distant. You have to scoop the red curry sauce to the fish, to ensure you get the right taste, unlike the traditional curry dish.

Crispy Local Barramundi in Chef Joel’s Red Curry

The Flesh

To accompany the meal, we had Pandan Negroni Cocktail [$14] and Milo Dinosaur Mocktail [$14]. The cocktail is refreshing with a twist of local flavour, while the Milo Dinosaur is enhanced with Vanilla infused syrup.

Pandan Negroni Cocktail

Milo Dinosaur Mocktail

Overall, it is an exciting project for SPRMRKT After Hours, where the diners can enjoy Modern Singapore cuisine with Chef Joel’s signatures. The Enjoy Hokkien Mee is a die die must try!! Cheers!!

The Bar

Outdoor Dining Area

SPRMRKT After Hours x Enjoy Eating House and Bar

When: Every Thursday – Sunday

Time: 17.00 – 22.00

Location: SPRMRKT Dempsey

Thank you very much Chef Joel & SPRMRKT Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Media Invite)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26-$50; $51 – 80

SPRMRKT x ENJOY

8 Dempsey Road

#01-15a

Singapore 247696

T: +65 8129 8166 (WA for Orders & Reservations)

W: https://sprmrkt.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/SPRMRKTdempseyhill/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sprmrkt

OH:

SPRMRKT After Hours:

Thu – Sun: 17.00 – 22.00

Menu available online

Po – Signature Singapore Favourites

Po is a concept by Lo & Behold Group, known for its bold, edgy and innovative concepts. Po is the flagship restaurant of The Warehouse Hotel, which is also the inaugural boutique hotel by the group. The name Po is shortened from Popo, meaning grandmother, paying tribute to her contributions to Singaporean favourite home cuisine. You will get to know her when you open the menu in the restaurant.

The Warehouse Hotel Lobby

Entering The Warehouse Hotel, you will be welcomed by the enormous lobby, with an industrial look and high ceiling, decorated with different sizes and motifs of wheels. You won’t miss the huge bar in the lobby, complete with an extensive seating area for the patrons to chill and enjoy their drinks. On the right side after the entrance, you will find Po restaurant.

The Bar at The Lobby

The décor at Po provided a more intimate dining experience. Nicely decorated round tables with rattan chairs, a combination of a modern dining experience with a nostalgic feel. A must-order here is the popiah, hinted strongly at the setting on the tables.

Po

Part of the Dining Area at Po

The Table Setting

Dinner started with Belinjo Crackers ($9) served with belachan and kecap manis dip. Po served the sweet version of the belinjo crackers. It is crispy and crunchy, followed by a mix of sweet and bitter flavours. The belachan is spicy, fragrant and got POWER, according to the group.

Belinjo Crackers

Since everyone liked the Belinjo Crackers, we also ordered Indonesian Prawn Crackers ($9), also served with belachan, kecap manis dip. However, the prawn crackers were isappointing. There is almost no prawn flavour in the crackers and it tasted a bit dense. Stick with the Belinjo Crackers.

Prawn Crackers

Soft-Shell Crab ($22). It can easily be mistaken for har cheong gai. The batter is covered the soft-shell crab to the point you can’t see the crab shape. However, the batter delivers a super crispy texture, followed by the juicy flesh of the crab. The batter is very tasty on its own, you can eat it without the lime mayo.

Soft-Shell Crab

Otah ($18). My first impression when I bit into it was SOLID. The otah is dense, packed with mackerel, prawn paste, jumbo crab meat and homemade heritage spices. I can taste the fish, the crab meat and I am comfortable with the spiciness level. Yumz!

Otah

Charcoal-Grilled Iberico Satay ($24). Thick, plump and succulent pork skewers grilled to perfection. The meat is well seasoned and I can taste the lovely charred on the edges of the satay. The satay sauce with the pineapple is not rustic enough, I find it missing the OMPH. It will be nice to have the ketupat as well.

Charcoal-Grilled Iberico Satay

Popiah Classic ($32 for 1 – 2 persons, 4 skins). Since we have 6 people, we decided to order 2 sets of the Popiah Classic. The set is nicely presented. The popiah skin is served warm. It has the right thickness, soft yet bouncy at the same time.

Popiah Set Classic 

The key ingredient is the fillings, made with pork, shrimp, bamboo shoot, bangkuang (jicama), carrots and holland peas. Stewed over a long period, the ingredients get caramelised and create a unique umami flavour. Wrapped together with sprinkles of eggs, crushed peanuts, crispy flatfish, crispy shallots, coriander sprigs, beansprouts and sweet sauce. Housemade chilli sauce and freshly ground garlic are available, but they are not getting into my popiah.

The Fillings

The fillings and sprinkles provided are very generous, we have a lot of leftovers. Luckily, you can order extra servings of the yummy popiah skin, to finish off the ingredients. Yum Yum.

How to Make Popiah Like Popo

My Popiah

Kurobuta Char Siew ($20). The pork collar has a nice balance of meat and fats ratio. It is cooked to the point the middle part of the pork is still pink. It has a sweet, juicy, crispy exterior and melts in your mouth. Awesome.

Kurobuta Char Siew

Paper Spring Chicken ($68). It took 45 minutes of preparation time, so it arrived when we almost finish our popiah. The whole spring chicken is stuffed with glutinous rice, conpoy, dried shrimp, chinese sausage and mushroom. During the baking process, the essence of the chicken is infused into the stuffings, while the stuffings also flavoured the chicken and help the chicken to retain its moisture. The chicken is well seasoned, juicy and succulent, however, without a doubt, the start of the dish is the rice.

Paper Spring Chicken

Paper Spring Chicken - Unwrapped

Paper Spring Chicken - My 2nd Portion

We conclude our meal with Giant River Prawns Konbu Mee ($38). Po version of Hokkien Mee. The noodle is cooked with fresh river prawns, prawn stock, pork belly, pork lard and Sakura ebi. When you slurp the noodle, it was just exploding with flavours. The river prawns are sweet and fresh; however, the pork lard is too crispy for my liking.

Giant River Prawns Konbu Mee

The drink menu at Po is very extensive as it combines with the bar menu as well. It has 12 signature cocktails on the Po menu and it will be rotated regularly. I ordered mocktails Spritzerlati ($17) Melati Distilled Botanicals, citrus syrup, soda. It is refreshing, yet I can taste the depth of flavours in it.

Mocktail - Spritzerlati

The service is professional, attentive and helpful. The service staff knows the majority of the cocktails & mocktails plus they also help us to get extra services of belachan.

Cocktail - B.B King

Overall, it was a great experience dining at Po. While the food might seem familiar, the team at Po elevated those using better ingredients and modern cooking techniques. The menu might be slim; however, they try to produce the best version of each dish. I recommend Po’s Otah, Softshell Crab, Popiah Classic, Char Siew and Paper Spring Chicken. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 6/10

Service: 8.5/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and Above

Po

320 Havelock Road

The Warehouse Hotel

Singapore 169628

T: +65 6828 0007

W: https://www.po.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/PoRestaurant/

IG: @Porestaurant

OH: Daily 12.00 – 14.30; 18.00 – 22.30

Fu Lin – A Modern Chinese Local Street Bar [MEDIA INVITE]

Fu Lin Bar and Kitchen (‘Fu Lin’) is a unique dining concept. By day, it serves their ever-popular Fried Yong Tofu since 1995, when the sunset, Fu Lin transforms into a modern Chinese local street bar. Accompanying the extensive list of alcohol, are the menu filled with delectable Asia cuisine and Sichuan creations, on top of their signature Fried Yong Tofu.

The Bar

We started the tasting with Crispy Pork Belly ($14). This deep-fried pork belly has a crispy exterior, followed by a juicy and rich blend of fats interior. It is absolutely delicious, #porkgasm. It is served with a mustard dip, to balance the richness of the pork belly. This reminds us of the Bangkok Street food, though a bit pricey.

Crispy Pork Belly

Crispy Pork Belly

Smoked Duck Peking Wrap ($16, 6pcs) - Grilled duck breast slices, spring onion and popiah skin. The duck breast has a nice smoky aroma, followed by a tender and juicy texture. You suppose to eat it with popiah skin, shredded spring onion and sweet sauce. It is similar to eating Peking duck wrap; however, I feel the popiah skin is too dry and the flour taste is very strong.

Smoked Duck Peking Wrap 

Smoked Duck Peking Wrap

Chili Sauce, Duck Sauce & Mustard

Baby Back Ribs ($15, 5 pcs). The ribs are marinated with cumin powder, similar to Xinjiang bbq spices. The meat is tender, with a nice resilient bite in it. Watch out for the spicy kick in the rub, it was a bit too spicy for me, but LD enjoy the pork ribs very much.

Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs

Fulin Sling, the signature cocktail of Fu Lin. The presentation is bright and inviting. LD says it has a rose flavour, which is aromatic and refreshing. Kind of remind you of the famous Singapore Sling.

Fulin Sling

The dishes above are part of the Media Tasting. However, LD and I want to explore their menu further. So, we decided to order more and pay for ourselves.

Fried Yong Tofu ($10, 8 pcs). The signature Fu Lin Fried Yong Tofu. 8 different types of yong tofu, deep-fried and bask in signature minced chicken and mushroom gravy. LD tried the stuffed chilli, she said it is super spicy. While the stuffed lady finger is well executed. I like those with beancurd skins and also the fish cake version. They are very tasty, bouncy and the gravy accentuate the flavour of the fish nicely.

Fried Yong Tofu

Fu Lin Noodles ($4.5). The thick and chewy bee hoon is swimming in the minced chicken and mushroom gravy. The gravy is robust and packed with Umami flavour, however, it feels a bit water down compared to the yong tofu gravy. Plus, if they are more generous with crispy silverfish, it will be awesome.

Fu Lin Noodles

Fu Lin Noodles

Xiao Long Bao ($9). Let’s put aside of familiar texture of Din Tai Fung xiao long bao. The version at Fu Lin has a thicker skin; however, the fillings are juicy, succulent and come with that burst of the meat juice. It reminds me of the version that we usually eat for breakfast in the Northern part of China. It is served with thinly sliced ginger and vinegar dip.

Xiao Long Bao

Fresh Whole Squid ($17) – Chargrilled, garlic breadcrumbs, teriyaki glaze, garlic oil. The texture of the squid is just perfect, tender with a bit of bounciness. The fine texture of garlic breadcrumbs, together with teriyaki glaze and garlic oil, accentuate the squid flavour nicely. Yummy.

Fresh Whole Squid - Chargrilled

Do note that Fu Lin is also popular for their Sichuan and Mala dishes. We did not order them as we are not a big fan of Sichuan and Mala dishes.

Menu P1

Menu P2

The service is friendly and efficient. The décor of the restaurant is industrial mixed with a variety of themes; however, black, dark wooden brown and red are the dominant colours. The tables and chairs are black. The 2 columns of the dining section walls are displaying Mao Ze Dong pins and plagues collections, where red is prominent. The bar has a red tabletop and mural of happy children at the bottom. Fu Lin was packed during our visit on a weekday and we were told they are usually fully booked on the weekend.

Part of Dining Area 1

Part of Dining Area 2

Part of Dining Area 3

Overall, it was a good experience dining at Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen. The fried yong tofu is one of the best that we ever tried and their evening menu is well executed. The crispy pork belly, fresh whole squid and baby back ribs are a must-order. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Protegie PR and Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25; $26 - $50

Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen

127 Telok Ayer Street

Singapore 068596

T: +65 6423 0311

F: https://www.facebook.com/fulinbarandkitchen/

IG: @Fulinkitchen

OH:

Mon – Fri: 11.00 – 22.30

Sat: 16.00 – 22.30

Closed on Sunday