Koon Signature | Bak Kut Teh & Tze Char Dishes

Media Tasting at Koon Signature

Opened back in 2012, KOON at Bukit Timah has recently undergone a major renovation and has officially reopened as KOON Signatures.

The founder Moses realized the need to adapt and evolve as competition in the food industry grew. While standing by his constant believe of ‘’Amidst innovation, never forget your roots’’, the newly revamped outlet not only serves his traditional Bak Kut Teh and other home-cooked classics, but also innovative dishes with a modern and fusion touch.

The Stir Fried Qing Long Vegetables is probably not a common vegetable dish and I wasn’t expecting myself to enjoy this refreshingly vegetables-type of crunchiness. The light salty-sweet sauce really compliments the vegetables too.

The Classic Bak Kut Tek was slightly peppery with hints of garlic and other spices. It was considered light in terms of taste as compared to ones I had tried before. Suitable for those who would prefer a clearer tasting broth. As for the meat itself, it was tender but not to the extent of being easily fall off the bone.

The Superior Chicken Stew with Fish Maw was light and flavorful in taste with the chicken boiled till tender and the fish maw soften beyond sponge-like. A great comfort dish to go with rice.

The Handmade Mushroom Bun is one of the more innovative dishes which Koon Signatures have on its menu. These buns looked exactly like the shiitake mushroom cap and contain minced mushroom fillings in them.

Japanese style steamed egg with fish roe is another light side dish that I would have gladly ordered to go with my porridge or rice. I just find the load of spring onions too overwhelming.

With a mixture of melt-in-the-mouth braised pork belly, mushrooms, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a perfectly flowy egg, the Modern Braised Meat Rice definitely reminded me of the so-called ‘’poke bowls’’. The cherry tomatoes were probably prickled as they had that tinge of extra sourness.

The Signature Platter consists of the Char Siew Chicken and Deep Fried Pork Cutlet. I love how the Char Siew Chicken was slightly sweetened by the marinate but it could be a little tough. As for the Deep Fried Pork Cutlet, it was marinated using fermented bean, giving it a slightly sourish taste. Great platter for sharing.

Don’t be surprised if you see lava cakes available in a Chinese restaurant menu! With 2 options of lava cakes available, I went for the Black Sesame Lava Cake with Glutinous Rice & Gelato. Unlike some places which their lava cakes had failed to flow, this traditional Chinese restaurant had their done pretty well! The sesame taste was rather fragrant and distinct, sweetness pairing well with the unsweetened glutinous rice. Needless to say, crispy crumbles and ice cream also compliments well.

It is quite uncommon to have modern dishes such as ‘’poke bowl’’ and lava cakes available in a traditional Chinese restaurant. Probably an interesting way to bridge the generation gap when a family of young and old dines together.

*Service charge(10%) and GST(7%) applicable.

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