Hidden Find: Chums at 833 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 279887

I was kindly invited to do a review of a very very new restaurant called Chums along the Bukit Timah stretch. The restaurant's only been open for a month now and have yet to do their official launch, so you're in for a treat as I had been.

Have you heard of beer chicken?
What about a Tiger in a chicken? Usually it would be a chicken in a tiger.

Well, my dear readers, I am going to show you how it is possible to get a tiger in a chicken in a bit.

Chums is just further down the road from Guthrie House at 6th Avenue, along the restaurants that face Bukit Timah. Just go a little further down and you will see another smaller block of restaurants.

It was a very cosy little restaurant and I was pleasantly surprised by the decor. Chums, a place like home. Apparently it was named that because it is where friends aka chums (or buds) can gather.


We were also introduced to head Chef, Mr. David Ang who was the one that conceptualized the restaurant. He used to be a personal chef and spent 18 years abroad, mostly in Europe. 

He has cooked for Roman Abramovich, whom I heard is Chelsea football club's owner, and a Russian tycoon no less.

He then returned back to Singapore, and what apt place to be cooking for than a restaurant that has a tagline of "no place like home".

The interior was also very nicely designed. Love the huge Par Avion envelope behind the counter!

His philosophy is "cuisine with no boundaries", when questioned about the menu, because it had a very international mix of food there when you see Bouillabaisse, a very South of France dish, mixed among a Warm Sashimi salad with wasabi (Japanese/NY), Pork Knuckle (german) and Buffalo Wings (US). 


Well on to the food!

We had the Warm Sashimi salad ($16.90) out of curiosity because we've never heard of sashimi served warm before. When questioned why, Chef Ang replied that it is actually a method pioneered by Nobu from New York when they introduced Japanese cuisine to the Americans. Since the americans back then were squeamish about raw and cold food, Nobu came up with the idea to pour hot olive oil all over the raw fish, which makes it sort of cooked (in people's minds) and therefore a more palatable appetizer.


Trying it for ourselves, it was indeed quite different with the olive oil, which made the thinly sliced sashimi even more 'slimy'! I think I prefer good old thick cuts of salmon sashimi. The dressing on it was quite good though.

The waiter also recommended us the Mussels ($15.90). I don't really eat shellfish, but my dining companions do so we ordered it too! In the end, I couldn't resist and tried one, which was quite good! But what I really liked, and the table concurred, was the broth that came along with the mussels. They were freaking delicious and could be had with a loaf of bread, if there was. The 2 pieces of garlic bread were used to soak up all the goodness!

Lastly, the most disappointing dish would be the beef salad ($15.90). It was too strong for my taste as the appetizer and even though the ingredients was very fresh, I did not expect the warm beef on top of crispy lettuce (it was written, I know). Felt a little like a chinese dish that needs to be eaten with rice.

The highlight for me among the appetizers was a bowl of unassuming mushroom soup ($9)! It looked simple, but man it was such a comfort food of real mushrooms without too much cream or salt. It was fresh and very fragrant. Super yummy, and I would definitely say it is a must-try.

You know what else is a must try? A Tiger can opened with beer inside, stuffed up a chicken's arse. Yup you heard it right. That's what a Beer Chicken ($40 for 2) is about. Originating from US and Australia, the chicken is normally served overseas in quarters or halves because they liked the drier breast meat, but Chef Ang decided to serve up the whole spring chicken because Asians prefer the thigh meat most times!


I could rave so much about this! It was really delicious because the beer evaporated into the chicken and gave it a really 'herbal chicken' type of taste, but just with the goodness of the beer. The can also served to distribute heat evenly within the chicken so that all parts are cooked. The skin was perfection.

We took the chicken apart, and in fact you can pour out the beer (which by now its more like chicken soup) all over the chicken as extra gravy!

It is also how you can have a Tiger in a Chicken. Tadah.


We also tried other dishes like the Pork Knuckle and Halibut, but those 2 were alright only. 

Pork Knuckle - quite a standard dish.
Halibut - a bit too fishy for me.
To end of the night we had a surprise dessert that was not in the menu! Chef Ang specially prepared this Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberry puree and sago for us. It was such a lovely touch and I adore surprises like these.


Here's me and a good chum, @spoiltbytes! All photos were taken by her with the Panasonic GX1.



Go for their mushroom soup and beer chicken and enjoy the atmosphere in this lovely little restaurant. I had a really great time with the food and the company, and would highly recommend this place for small groups to hang out over great dishes.



Chums
Royal Ville 833 Bukit Timah Road #01-06, Singapore 279887
+65 64671939
Monday and Tuesday: 9am-5pm, Wednesday to Sunday: 9am-10pm

This is an invited food tasting but all opinions are personal and unbiased.

4 comments
  1. I have seen the same beer chicken dish in Batam before. The resort I was staying served the dish.

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  2. hi! U mentioned the chicken is $40 for two? Meaning two chicken?

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  3. Hi Anon, it is $40 for a whole chicken, but 2 can share it. Yes, it is slightly on the pricey side!

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  4. I just had lunch there, the chicken is really nice!

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