SIN: 8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro

Nice five spices cheese fries and rose milk tea!

Known to be a good place for supper within walking distance from Serangoon MRT station, 8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro has been offering authentic Taiwanese street food, classic dishes and bubble tea since 2001. Fans of Jay Chou should be able to immediately identify with the name of the bistro, especially the Chinese version: 八度空間.

Five Spices Fries with Cheese S$4.80

Taste: 8/10

It was my virgin experience with fries that were dusted with five spices, topped with nacho cheese and chopped spring onions. Needless to say, for someone who loves fries, I really enjoyed it. The fries could be crispier though, even though they weren't soggy at all.

Fried Prawn Balls with Hawthorn Sauce S$12.80

Taste: 7.5/10

Hawthorn sauce truly sounded intriguing when I spotted the name of the dish. It did have its characteristic aroma, but it turned out to be too sweet for my liking. Nevertheless, the prawns were executed well, being crispy on the outside, while retaining their moisture inside.

Stewed Pork Belly Rice S$3.80

Taste: 8/10

The highly acclaimed Taiwanese pork belly rice was quite worth it for its price. It was no doubt small, but the pork belly was beautifully braised, even though I'd actually prefer it not to be minced so finely. The interplay between sweetness and saltiness met the slightly sticky steamed rice well.

Braised Beef Noodle S$9.80

Taste: 7.5/10

The braised beef noodle might look oily, but it wasn't to the point of glossing the lips. While the noodle was adequately chewy, I felt that the soup could be more robust. I enjoyed the delectably flavoured beef, even though it could be slightly tenderer to be even more lipsmackingly good.

Honey Butter Toast S$4.80

Taste: 6.5/10

I was really looking forward to the sinful dessert, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The toast itself wasn't as thick as those I've tried elsewhere, and it was only one or two degrees above room temperature. There was an adequate amount of honey though.

Rose Milk Tea S$4.80

Taste: 8.5/10

Far from being artificial and cloyingly sweet like the ubiquitous bandung (Malay drink of rose syrup with condensed milk), the bistro's rose milk tea exuded a nice fragrance. Its mild sweetness was certainly balanced by the full cream, not condensed (or perhaps just a bit of it), milk.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 7/10

Ambience: 8.5/10

Service: 4/10

Overall: 6.5/10

If not for the fact that it's pretty far from where I live, I think I should be dropping by this place frequently to try out many things that they offer. Pika's advice: Do try their wide selections of bubble tea.

8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro

37 Teck Chye Terrace

Singapore

(Daily: 12 noon - 11.00pm)

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)