SIN: Fern & Kiwi {CLOSED}
Delectable deep-fried squid with sweet soy sauce, but...
UPDATE (02/10/2016): The restaurant has closed down.
For a taste of New Zealand, one may want to head to Clarke Quay to find this cosy restaurant which opened its door in 2012. However, its history dates all the way back to 1988 in the original country; in Christchurch, to be exact. My little bear seemed to be overwhelmed by the huge plate in front of him! :P
UPDATE (02/10/2016): The restaurant has closed down.
For a taste of New Zealand, one may want to head to Clarke Quay to find this cosy restaurant which opened its door in 2012. However, its history dates all the way back to 1988 in the original country; in Christchurch, to be exact. My little bear seemed to be overwhelmed by the huge plate in front of him! :P
To be frank, despite the relaxing ambience, I'm really not sure if I'd want to go back to the restaurant. Read more to find out why.
Sea Salt and Pepper Squid S$18.50
Taste: 8.5/10
Even though it was difficult to catch the servers' attention to place my order, the appetiser came pretty quickly. The juicy, not-at-all-rubbery squid was lovely coated with light, fluffy batter. The sweet soy sauce - fused with lemon juice, chili and coriander - was delightful as well. The dish could definitely use more pepper though.
Braised Beef Cheek S$38.00
Taste: 6.5/10
I admit that the huge slab of beef cheek was tender, but there was something amiss about the sauce made of veal jus. Its sweetness tasted a little bit funny and somewhat unnatural on my palate. Apart from that, the mashed potatoes sitting at the bottom were velvety, and the sautéed vegetables were done right.
New Zealand King Salmon Fillet S$39.50
Taste: 7.5/10
The salmon fillet had delightfully crispy skin, but its flesh wasn't juicy enough. The tangy concoction of fresh cream and dill saved it to a certain extent though. The dish also presented three small pieces of green-lipped mussels which were more succulent than the fish, creamy risotto and beautiful vine tomatoes.
Kiwi Eton Pavlova S$14.00
Taste: 4.5/10
Pika's advice: Order this particular dessert item only when there are more than two of you, unless you really have sweet teeth. It was a mountain of crushed pavlova (NZ meringue-based dessert) mixed with whipped cream, studded with kiwi bits. Hidden underneath was a scoop of Doris plum ice cream that had a unique taste, but I didn't quite like it. Overall, it was way too sweet, save for the passion fruit syrup encircling the dish.
The Kiwi S$19.00
Taste: 8/10
Lastly, one of the signature cocktails managed to save myself from the dessert fiasco. A mixture of 42 Below kiwi vodka, Midori melon liqueur, kiwi purée, lime juice, vanilla and basil, the drink was mildly sweet and not overly alcoholic. The amount of lime juice could be increased though to make it more zesty.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 7/10
Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 4/10
Overall: 6.5/10
It was obvious that there weren't enough servers that night. I was put off by one obnoxious male personnel who didn't seem to be pleased to serve customers, but one young lady was pretty friendly. Besides that, my dessert took more than 15 minutes to come, and payment was handled slowly.
Fern & Kiwi
3C River Valley Road
#01-02/03 The Cannery
Singapore
(Tue-Sat: 6.00pm - 11.00pm)
*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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