BIRDS OF A FEATHER

AN EAST-MEETS-WEST ALL-DAY DINING RESTAURANT, CAFE AND BAR

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
AN EAST-MEETS-WEST ALL-DAY DINING RESTAURANT, CAFE AND BAR
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The Telok Ayer conservation area has seen an influx of cool and hip F&B establishments lately, and to add to the diversity is Birds Of A Feather. Occupying two shophouse units on Amoy Street, it is a restaurant-cafe-bar, with an East-meets- West concept. With a name inspired by the Chinese legend of the golden sunbird, its design revolves around a nature theme and has the feel of a modern teahouse. After all, restaurant owners Liu Bin and He Ning hail from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province that is known for its tea culture, cuisine and natural scenery. 

Dark textured tile and concrete screed surfaces set the mood of the space, while lots of wood tones, the occasional glimmer of brass, as well as pops of colour and pattern in the furnishings and fixtures add to it. Trendy industrial-style elements, such as metal mesh panels and pipe-inspired decorative lighting, are complemented by the fresh greenery throughout the space, suspended overhead or in planters. 

The restaurant, complete with custom- made furniture from China, was designed by Mr Liu, who even planted the trees in the green feature below the skylight himself. His hands-on approach may have come from the industrial design training he’d received as a student in Japan. However, that was when his passion for coffee was ignited, resulting in the Good Wood Coffee brand – one of the most popular cafe chains in Chengdu. Following this success, the couple began their foray into the restaurant business with Birds Of A Feather. 

A cafe by day and restaurant-bar by night, the contemporary Western dishes with Sichuan influence will definitely appeal to those who love their food spicy and flavourful. The fortune skewer in Szechuan pepper broth ($19) lets you select random skewers from the tasty spicy chicken soup, and the spicy oriental angel-hair bolognese with onsen tamago ($22) is an interesting twist on the Chinese dish zhajiangmian, or noodles in soya bean paste. The food is made with spices brought specially from Sichuan, and there are non-spicy dishes, too – such as the hot and sour chazuke ($28), a comforting choice. There is also an extensive range of beverages, from speciality coffee to award- winning cocktails. 

BIRDS OF A FEATHER IS AT 113 AMOY STREET, TEL: 6221 - 7449, HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BIRDSOFAFEATHERSG

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