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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