If you are in the Chinatown area hankering for some brunch that is not your usual eggs and sauce, I'd highly recommend that you check out FYR Cycene Onc Drinc at Boon Tat Street. Even though I have no idea how to pronounce the restaurant's name and always think of it as "fire cy-scene onk drink" (and found out later that it's FIRE Kitchen and Drink), that didn't stop me from enjoying what I'd think of as European styled cuisine with Asian, Mediterranean spices. The hearty, charcoal oven cooked dishes are perfect for a long lunch or weekend brunch at their breezy, light and airy restaurant.
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| Source: FYR Cycene Onc Drinc |
Here's the menu. Simple, but plenty to choose from. Prices are all quite reasonable too! All their dishes are cooked in the Josper Wood charcoal oven, as written.
We started off with the thirst-quenching and ever so refreshing Iced Teas - The Hibiscus Mint ($4.50) was to me the best among the trio!
Their Lattes ($4) were also really surprisingly good,for a restaurant because it was made with their premium La Marzocco Espresso machine. Mine was smooth with a hint of sweetness from the milk. Great accompaniment to breakfast.
There's also a new introduction: the Party Detox Basket ($10). Cure a hangover by combating it with some Blood Mary, DIY! There's vodka, grilled fresh tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce at rock salt for our disposal to concoct our own poison. Mine was pretty strong for a Saturday late morning, I'd say!
We then started with some Small Bites. The Skillet-roasted Escargots ($12) were an intense pot of buttery garlic and snails, with some bread to soak everything up. They were good, I won't really recommend ordering them for brunch.
There's also the Grilled Squid ($12), which was quite juicy and tender, even if its too early for seafood. I liked the mix of textures and hint of charcoal on the squid. But I am just not a big fan of squid in general.
I really liked the Yam & Sweet Potato fries ($8) though! Especially with the decadent and tangy cheese sauce and tomato salsa. Perfect for a group of 4 to munch on while waiting for the food to be cooked! They were very addictive, be warned.
Then one of the highlights of the meal in my opinion - the Baked Beef Hash ($18) with ribeye, corned beef and spring onions crepes! Seriously this is just... a flavour explosion of homely spices, tastes and everything. I totally did not see that coming.
Dipping the spring onions crepes into the broken egg was so SHIOK. You can easily share this dish between 2! Or have 3-4 people, order this plus a main and the fries.
The Baked Java Curry Chicken Ragout ($15) on the other hand wasn't as impressive as it sounded. The curry taste was rather overpowering with something like cumin even though it wasn't strong, and I am just not sure whether it's that enjoyable. The chicken was also imperceptible.
We have the "celebrity" dish of the day then - the Grilled Steak & Eggs ($25), comprising of a striploin with a sunny side up, some side salad, and some toast. Before we get to the meat, I must tell you to check out the garlic butter that was served with the toast. I melted and went to heaven with it. How can butter, which is already awesome, be any more awesome? Turns out it can with garlic. Of course the steak itself was a chunk of charcoal-grilled perfection - not too tough, with juices still running amok in the flesh as you sink your teeth in them. Meat lovers, your dream.
What I thought was a strong contender for not-so-carnivorous eaters was the Baked Blinis ($15) which came with an awesome slab of perfectly grilled salmon, some Avruga caviar on a sunny side up as well as grated Bottarga (salted, cured fish roe) that's on the baked blinis (the doughy pancake made with yeast butter underneath the egg). Honestly, the salmon was the real deal for me. It literally melted in my mouth! So fresh! So healthy! Omega-3!
OK, so that was it for the small bites and mains. Then we got to the dessert that rounded the meal off to a great finish with a signature Baked Pistachio Melt & Pandan Ice Cream ($10). There was pistachio cream that flowed out from the cake -- it was like a green lava cake, only with more delicate flavours like pandan and pistachio! Very innovative, and made for great Instagram photos of course.
Some of us from the tasting session! Really enjoyed brunching with these girls.
I'd say despite the fierce competition in Chinatown/Boon Tat/Telok Ayer area, FYR Cycene Onc Drinc managed to hold their own with their brand of charcoal-grilled dishes and innovative dishes to jolt jaded brunchers from their eggs benedicts. Definitely get their fries, the baked beef hash, and either the steak or salmon!
FYR Cycene Onc Drinc
19 Boon Tat Street, Singapore 069619
Mon - Fri: 11:00 - 23:00, Sat: 09:00 - 23:00, Sun: 09:00 - 16:00
+65 62213703
www.facebook.com/FYRBTS
Thanks to Brand Cellar and FYR Cycene Onc Drinc for the invite!
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