Executive Chef Fung is the brainchild of this Canto style duck-centric concept, made possible by Kai Garden. Kai Duck is relatively new and offers a pretty comprehensive menu; selections of a la carte dishes, dim sum, duck specialties & desserts are good enough for a single diner up to a communion of 10pax, or more.
Located on the 5th level of Ngee Ann City, away from the shopping & department store offers relief for the senses.
From the onset, the interior & furnishing is like a flash from the past, combination of elements & motifs from traditional Chinese restaurants, lightened up with ceiling fans & woven chairs from Straits Chinese eateries, and service familiar to HK style 茶餐厅.
Panning across the entire floor space, this restaurant can sit 160 diners, comes with 3 private rooms that takes up to 12 pax (reservations required). Service is attentive & swift, while the order is being taken, someone is already pouring the hot Chinese tea in your tea cup.
I wasn’t too sure I caught the name of the tea, but from the color, fragrance & taste, I’d guess its 菊普 – hybrid of 菊花 + 普洱
Chilled Mini Tomatoes – this starter is refreshing and is sure to lift the mood & appetite. The cherry tomatoes are peeled, cradled on a layer of aiyu jelly, and drizzled with Japanese Sesame Sauce. Nicely done, and unanimously liked.
Pan fried Carrot Cake – this rendition is very different from any other versions I’ve tasted so far. Crispy on the outside, soft like水粿chwee kueh on the inside, so u get the occasional crunchy bits of 腊肠 lupcheong and 虾米 dried shrimps, as well as strips of 白萝卜radish. Drizzled with tiny bit of HK style sweet chili sauce and sprinkled with a dash of chopped parsley. Unfamiliar initially, but appreciation grows as you munch along.
Lovers of Peking Duck skin in egg skin wraps & variants, will probably find this casual dining a favorite haunt from here-on forth. At Kai Duck, no more woes of having to order an entire duck, just to be able to enjoy the skin.
Some of the Signatures that raised our brows and set my heart racing, i.e.: Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers, Mini Burger with Peking Duck Salad, Crispy Bun with Sliced Peking Duck and Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll.
My personal best pick of the 4 listed, Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers and Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll.
Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers – nicely cut square sheets of crispy duck skin, blanketing sliced cucumber with a tangy sauce, on a crunchy corn cracker. Forget about the chopsticks, just use your hands. The deconstructed assembly breaks into a mix of taste & textures, as you chew along.
Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll – combination of Peking Duck served with cucumber, lettuce, seaweed flakes, doused with sesame seed sauce, wrapped in crispy spring roll wrapper. There’s added dimensions coming from the salads, seaweed flakes & sesame seed sauce.
I have to say that the initiatives & ideas to be present the Peking Duck Skin in ways less typical, is certainly a great novelty. The combination of flavors & texture, each Signature held its own weight. Most importantly, the price point makes it a must try, or as Singaporeans phrase it “die die must try”.
In case you’re a meatarian like me, and prefer your Peking Duck unadulterated, the duck is available in whole, or in half.
Stir-fried Hong Kong Cai Xin with Pork and Preserved Vegetable – thinking out of the box, instead of oyster sauce, the梅菜扣肉served on blanched 菜心 choy-sum. This would go well with some plain rice to moderate the heavier tastes.
Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine – Patin fish are wild & native in the waters of Sarawak, Malaysia; caught & flown frequently each week to ensure currency & freshness. The flesh is smooth & firm like pomfret, and the sweetness of the soup is derived from the Chinese cabbage & the fish broth. Very comforting, ideal for any occasion.
Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot – served piping hot in a stone pot, while were still busy taking pictures & tasting the dishes served earlier, the aroma of truffle & roasted rice pops caught all our attention.
Give it a thorough mix and you’ll uncover below the cloud of crunchy rice pops, magenta pink colored rice derived from beetroot, while the corn & mushroom bits adds contrast to the visuals. It was an instant hit, when the table went silent, and all we heard were slurping of the rice from our bowls.
Crisp-Fried Fish, Prawn and Crab with Black Truffle Sauce – the golden crust that comprises of crisp batter with crunch of cereals is quite a combination, coupled with the combination filling that’s served attached to the crab legs, makes it quite an interesting experience. If you haven’t already tasted the combination of seafood with black truffle sauce, this once will leave a lasting impression.
All in all, I must say that these dishes that we’ve tried were really beyond expectations, hats off to Chef Fung & his crew for curating & putting together such delicious creations. No meal is complete without the ambience & prompt services rendered unto us as well.
Kudos to the kind folks at Kai Garden & Kai Duck for the invaluable experience, and thanks to Kristine for extending the invite with us. I was blessed with the company of Shermaine, Kristine, Ivan, Ailing, Hence & Tiara.
Kai Duck 嘉苑美鸭
391 Orchard Road #05-10/11,
Ngee Ann City,
Singapore 238872
T: +65 6235 5419
W: http://kaiduck.com.sg/
Business Hours:
Monday to Fridays:
11.30am to 4.30pm* (last order at 4.30pm);
5.00pm to 10.30pm (last order at 10.00pm).
Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays:
10.00am to 4.30pm*
5.00pm to 10.30pm
*Dim Sum Available
Epicurious Caniggia 