Monday 28 December 2015

KPO Cafe Bar – Gastronomic Cafe Bar Experience [MEDIA INVITE]

KPO Cafe Bar

KPO Cafe Bar is a landmark Cafe Bar located in the middle of Orchard Road which intersect with Killeney Road. KPO is a abbreviation of Killiney Post Office, the Cafe Bar located beside a full functioning Singapore Post Office. Owned by Imaginings Pte Ltd, the group behind the concept of Balaclava and Nassim Hill, you can expect Gastronomic Cafe Bar experience like no other.

There are three dining areas in KPO, outdoor dining on the ground floor surrounded by the greeneries, two floors of indoor dining and a mini patio on the second floor facing the Orchard Central. Although positioning itself as Cafe Bar, I believe Gastrobar will be the more appropriate definition. Between 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm, you will be entertain by live bands playing the latest hits. Afterwards, the daily DJ will be spinning their own take on 'cool'. On Monday night when we were there, the DJ was going Retro which really bring back memories of our teenage years. The music was pretty loud, so if you are looking for place to have a good chit chat with your friends, it might not be the place to go.

KPO Bar - 1st Floor

A must-try dish here is KPO Hokkien Mee ($16). Cooked in traditional way, KPO Hokkien Mee distinguish itself by using premium ingredients. The stock are robust and well absorbed by the springy yellow noodle and thick bee hoon. The wok hei (breath of the wok) brought out the aroma in this dish, that made you salivate when it reach the table. The prawns, cuttlefish and pork lard are fresh, crunchy and light. I did not try the chilli, but the other bloggers gave it a thumbs-up so it must be good.

KPO Hokkien Mee


Combining the bakery expertise from their sister restaurant, Nassim Hill, Wagyu Capsule ($25) made everyone go gaga during in the evening. Who can say NO to crispy Fresh baguette, stuffed with “melt in your mouth” grilled Wagyu Beef Cubes. To bind the wagyu beef and baguette, KPO combine dijon mustard, mayo, roasted garlic and jalapeños. All the ingredients work harmoniously and you will be in sandwich heaven when you bit into this Wagyu capsule.

Wagyu Capsule

Wagyu Capsule (check out the fillings)

If beef not your thing, you can choose the sliders of Fat Mini Chicken Burger ($12). Succulent chicken patties, with lettuce and Sriracha aioli. Mini, juicy and tender. Good bite size to go with your cocktails. There is also Not-A-Ramlee-Burger ($17), made from Yorkshire pork patties, fried overeasy egg and a touch of Sriracha with mayo. The patties are juicy and succulent and definitely going to be a messy affair when you tackle this burger. Though it is good, it does not deliver the same excitement as the Wagyu Capsule.

Fat Mini Chicken Burger

Not-A-Ramlee-Burger

For a good tapas size version of protein, you can choose between Wagyu Beef Cubes ($32) or Pork Cubes ($16).Wagyu Beef Cubes was simply grilled to perfection and served with sea salt. It allow the quality Wagyu to speak for itself, where you can enjoy the marbling of the beef as it melts away in your mouth. I just wish if there are some lemon wedges, where a bit of acidity will elevate this dish further.

Wagyu Beef Cubes

Pork cubes comes in a deep fried version. Thinly coated, the batter sealed in the juice of the pork. The spicy, dark garlic soya sauce, give an Asian twist to the dish. Remind me of the combination between chilli and kecap manis (sweet soya sauce) in the BBQ dishes in Indonesia.

Pork Cubes

However, my pick for the pork dish here will be Sliced Yorkshire Pork ($18). It was charbroiled to perfection, simple seasoning and allow the quality of the ingredient to shine. My encounter with high quality pork chops this past few years made me realise, good quality pork has been under appreciated in Singapore. The sliced pork has a good balance between marbling and meat, resulting in a succulent sliced pork. I called it a Porkgasm!!!

Sliced Yorkshire Pork

I also tried their KPO Pork Ribs ($24). At first sight, it looks pretty dark like something left on the stove for too long. Bit into it, there was a hint of crispiness on the outer part, while it retain the juiciness in the middle of the meat. Though it was supposed to be marinated with their secret sauce, I find the sauce slightly ordinary.

KPO Pork Ribs 

For carbo option, we tried Pizza Bruschetta ($24) and Kimchi Fried Rice ($16). The 10-inch pizza is very good for sharing. It has a crispy crust and loaded with a unique combination of toppings. I personally like the fragrant basil leaves and intense flavour of sun-dried tomatoes. Meanwhile the Kimchi Fried Rice might be something that I will give a miss. The fried rice is lacklustre and can do more with more kimchi in it. Though the chicken skin is definitely a plus, it was just a garnish and the fried rice was the main attraction.

Pizza Bruschetta

Kimchi Fried Rice

For the sweet ending, I suggest that we tried Chips 'n' Cream ($14). The chips are fresh house made, topped with Vanilla Bean ice cream and salted caramel sauce. The sweet and salty combination was simply yummy. The chips was crispy and remain crispy till the end, the salted caramel and ice cream was just so addictive, you can't really stop. I did consider asking for second serving, but I decided otherwise, so I have something to look forward to when I return in the future. Definitely a must have dessert here, apparently it is also Sam's Favourite (the owner).

Chips 'n' Cream

Overall, the food in KPO is definitely good, most of the food items we tried are a hit, my personal choices are the Wagyu Capsule, KPO Hokkien Mee, Wagyu Beef Cubes, Sliced Yorkshire Pork and Chips 'n' Cream. Considering the quality of the food, I think the price is reasonable. Though I will not suggest you come here for romantic dinner, however it is definitely a place to chill out during the night. I sure look forward to my next visit here. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to HungryGoWhere and KPO team for the tasting invitation. For reservation and instant confirmation, you can do it through HungryGoWhere website or click on this link.

Food & Drink: 8/10
Value: 7.5/10
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80

KPO Cafe Bar
1 Killiney Road
Killiney Post Office
Singapore 239518

T: +65 6733 3648 (+65 6884 6884 for Reservation)
IG: @kposg
OH:
Mon – Thu: 15.00 – 01.00
Fri: 15.00 – 02.00
Sat: 18.00 – 02.00
Closed on Sunday


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