Bistro Kai (Hotel Kai)

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Bistro Kai (Hotel Kai)...

21^st March 2016 is the date that will be ingrained in my memory for years to come. After one gruesome year of frantically searching for relevant sources, compiling them and writing it into a paper, I finally submitted my Final Year Project on this day. The week before the submission was unbearable, I almost spent the entire week burning midnight oil, probably slept for like 3-4 hours each day, and of course constantly worrying for my project. I was definitely looking forward to this day because it would be a huge load off my shoulders. This also calls for a celebration and I’m fortunate enough to be invited to Bistro Kai for a food tasting on the same day itself.

Housed in the lobby of Hotel Kai, Bistro Kai offers a wide range of really delicious Western staples. From mouth-watering steaks, flavoursome pastas, ribs and desserts, customers are not only guaranteed to be spoilt for choices but also experience phenomenal pleasure to their tastebuds. The best part, perhaps, will be their intricate bar whereby guests are able to enjoy different beers, wines and cocktails with their friends in a cosy and relaxing environment. There are also 2 big TV screens for people to huddle around over drinks. It is definitely the perfect place for people to hang out with their families and friends. Someone was also throwing a birthday party at the restaurant when I was there at night.

A Dozen Oysters // $30

The food tasting started off with these big and juicy oysters. I'm usually not a fan of raw seafood, would very much prefer to skip it because I dislike the smell, taste and texture associated to any kind of raw seafood. Up till today, I think I have probably only eaten sashimi or oysters for about 4-5 times. Initially, I was very sceptical about the oysters and was hesitant to try it but after seeing all the influencers enjoying and complimenting the oysters, I've decided to give it a try. The oysters were really fresh and sweet, and I believe it will go very well with an ice cold beer. You have to order a minimum of 6 pieces in order to enjoy these succulent oysters and it is only $2.50 per piece. So damn cheap!

Crispy Baby Squid (Baby squid deep fried to crispness, side with sweet dipping sauce) // $12

The baby squid was well-marinated and crispy. I think I could easily finish all these by myself. This is what I called a good bar snack - small and easy to consume, and it goes very well with a pint of beer. For the price of $12, you get quite a generous portion of fried baby squid. A must order if you are here for a drink!

Buffalo Wings (Crispy fried wings coated in hot pepper sauce) // $12

The sauce was too spicy for me even though it was tasty and flavoursome. Perhaps the chef might want to cut down on the amount of hot pepper sauce drizzled onto the wings because I couldn't even finish one as my tongue was burning. If you can take spicy, then go ahead and order this dish but don't say I never warn you first ah!

Look at how alluring the wing is but why is it so spicy?

Broccoli with 63 Degree Egg (Deep fried brocoli with 63 degree egg) // $10

I was very impressed with this dish. How did they use something that is so simple and make it so delicious? What sorcery is this? I didn't know broccoli could taste this good! The broccoli was very well-marinated and so good with the egg yolk. I'm drooling just by looking at the egg yolk!

Sorry, I just had to video the egg porn down. Doesn't it look amazing?

Brussels Sprout with Pickled Beetroot (Deep fried brussels sprouts with midwestern classic pickled beetroot) // $14

I apologised for the lousy photo but this is the best I could do. Not a big fan of pickled beetroot but I gotta admit the brussels sprout was addictive. It doesn't look very attractive but weirdly and surprisingly, it is not bad. I guess it really depends on whether you like the unique tastes of both the brussels sprout as well as the pickled beetroot. I guess it will be fine if you pair it with an ice cold beer.

Spicy Tom Yum Risotto (Thai style spicy tom yum based risotto with tiger prawns) // $22

This Thai-inspired risotto is so addicted. I couldn't stop myself from finishing the entire thing. You know this is really good when it is still good even though it was cold. We spent quite a fair bit of time taking photos of it and by the time we ate it, it turned cold already. But the risotto was still tasty and flavoursome. The spicy tom yum sauce was used appropriately, not too overwhelming and it is so addictive. The tiger prawns were also huge, sweet and well-marinated.

Kaibonara (A poached egg nestled on a bed of linguine with bacon, prawns. cheese, garlic, chilli topped with parmasan cheese) // $20

This was my favourite dish. The pasta was well-balanced, not too dry or too creamy. It was very addictive, especially with so many good ingredients added into the pasta. Again, I couldn't resist the poached egg. I just love seeing flowing egg yolk on my pasta. I would definitely be back to eat this again.

Sawadee Seafood Pasta (Farfelle with tiger prawns, clams & scallops in spicy Thai green curry cream) // $20

Another thai-inspired dish but this wasn't as good as the spicy tom yum risotto. I couldn't taste much of the thai green curry cream, perhaps adding more sauce would bring out the flavour of the dish. The seafood were fresh. Again, I was very impressed with the tiger prawns. It was really sweet.

Indonesian Style Barceque Pork Rib (Braised bone tender pork ribs glazed with homemade barbeque sauce infused with Indonesian spices, served with seasonal summer vegetables and french fries) // $24

You know it is hard to find delicious ribs in Singapore. This indonesian style barbecue pork rib was so flavoursome and juicy. The sauce was really good. I think I could drizzle this sauce onto a bowl of rice and finish it without any side dishes. The seasoning for the fries were really good! It was so addictive!

Australian Grade Striploin Steak (Seared sirloin steak with brown sauce, served with summer vegetables & roasted potatoes) // $26

The steak was a bit too salty for my liking but I believe some people like their steak to be salty. No doubt the quality of the beef was good also. Pair this with a glass of red wine, and you will have the perfect meal of the day.

Hotel Kai

In the midst of our food tasting, we were also given the opportunity to tour the hotel. The manager introduced to us the different rooms that were available at Hotel Kai. Hotel Kai offers a total of 33 rooms for its guest to choose from and the space for each room is effciently planned in order to achieve "all the luxurious trappings in a compact package." According to Hotel Kai, this hotel is therefore about all the luxury you would expect from a premium hotel without the premium price tag. The services in Hotel Kai include 1) Free ultra fast 4G personal Wifi device with island-wide internet coverage, 2) Remote controlled, ergonomically adjustable bed with lumbar support, 3) Cutting edge Mood-Enhanced LED lighting, and many more. Most of the services provided by Hotel Kai are on par with 5-star hotels. Below are some pictures I took during the tour.

Urban Studio

Urban Cabin Part 1

Urban Cabin Part 2

Urban Cabin Part 3

Urban Skyloft Part 1

Urban Skyloft Part 2

All the rooms are really nice and cosy. The prices of each room are also not too expensive.

We also had our desserts at the exquisite skyloft room. The scenery outside the balcony was astonishing! I could spend the entire day just admiring the scenery.

Homemade Creme Brulee // $8

It was not too sweet and I love the fine crust that is on top of the creme brulee. Damn delicious! What a great way to end the food tasting!

Thai Tea Lava Cake // $10

A pity the lava didn't flow out from the cake, if not, it would have been perfect. I love the subtle taste of the thai tea and also would be good if there's a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Thank you Hotel Kai and Elaine for inviting me and Sophie for the extended invitation. I really enjoyed myself, especially it is after my FYP submission. If I have the chance, I would definitely want to have a staycation at Hotel Kai. Do also quote "ChillatKai to enjoy 10% discount off your total bill on all ala-carte items!

What are you waiting for? Head over to Bistro Kai to have a beer now! They have Happy Hour ($5 at 5pm; $6 at 6pm & $7 at 7pm for beers) Tapas is at $9 from 5pm to 7pm.

Nearest Mrt Station: Bugis, Promenade

Location: 14 Purvis Street, Singapore 188593

Contact Number: 6643 9999

Email Address: rvsn@hotelkai.com or info@hotelkai.com

What To Order: Oysters, Ribs, Baby Squid, Pasta

Cafe Ratings: 4/5

Food Ratings: 8/10

Written by: Yong Wei Kai (Follow me on Instagram @yongweikai or @sgcafehopping)

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Bistro Kai (Hotel Kai)