QĪN Restaurant & Bar, located in the heart of Telok Ayer at The Clan Hotel, combines European methods with Asian influences. They recently launched a new lunch and dinner set menu, emphasising on minimal food waste by creatively utilising each ingredient.
Rustic Modern Interior
The restaurant is spread across the fourth and fifth floors of the hotel. It features a modern design mixed with Chinese rustic touches, combining granite and wood to create a contemporary look.
On the fifth floor, the bar includes unique Chinese elements, such as a traditional Chinese medical hall-inspired cabinet.
QĪN Restaurant & Bar Menu
Their dinner menu offers two options: a 4-course and a 6-course set, starting from $148++, featuring dishes like Kagoshima Yellow Tail and Aged Quail. In addition to the dinner menu, they also offer a Lunch Set Menu starting at $58++, which includes options like Bawang Goreng and Beef Short Rib.
Additionally, the bar offers a lounge menu with specially curated items such as Wagyu Beef Skewer ($38), Pork Croquette ($32), and vegetarian-friendly options like Whipped Tofu ($15) and Milk Bread ($6), perfect to accompany drinks!
Appetisers
Our meal began with a complimentary pillowy Milk Bread glazed with gula melaka. It tasted even better with the side of whipped brown butter!
Next, we enjoyed a light appetizer of White Asparagus, Chervil, Yuzu. The crunch of the asparagus complemented the refreshing zest of the yuzu, serving as a palate cleanser before the main course.
Taking a unique spin on the classic Kueh Pie Tee, their version was filled with tender, melt-in-your-mouth smoked petuna trout topped with grated horseradish for a satisfying crunch.
Main Course
The first main was Kagoshima Yellowtail, Kohlrabi, Cucumber Ponzu. The Yellowtail was tender, contrasted by the crunchy radish slices on top. It was drizzled with cucumber juice and had a slight tanginess from the ponzu sauce, which brightened the overall dish! It was quite appetizing.
The next dish was ‘Xing Ren Dou Fu’, White Asparagus, Nomad Caviar, Almond. This dish gave a savoury twist inspired by the traditional Chinese dessert! We enjoyed the richness of the tofu, with an umami heightened by the caviar.
Third course was the Tom Yum, Danish Langoustine, Calamansi. The tom yum-inspired broth was served in a glass adorned with edible flowers stuck with calamansi gel, offered a subtle floral taste. While enjoyable, we felt that the dish could have been elevated with a more balanced flavour as it leaned towards the saltier side.
But the Danish Langoustine caught our attention. Grilled over charcoal, it had a slight char on the exterior while the interior remained soft and tender. It paired really well with the broth!
The next course featured Aged Quail, Spring Alliums, Scallions ‘Hua Juan’, Szechuan Pepper. The highlight was the quail, which are aged for one week! Despite being breast meat, the aging process resulted in surprisingly tender flesh.
Accompanied by a subtle numbing sensation from the Szechuan pepper sauce, this dish offered an enjoyable combination of textures and flavours.
They also served the deboned quail leg in a different preparation – coated with rich Kecap Manis and puffed quinoa. We liked the contrasting flavours and textures, from the sweet Kecap Manis and the crunchy exterior!
We also got to try their homemade steamed bao. Though soft and fluffy, it felt a bit bland when eaten on its own. However, pairing it with the numbing Szechuan pepper sauce made it better.
Dessert
We got to try three desserts. First was Ice Kachang, Rhubarb, and Mascarpone, which was icy and refreshing with a tart kick from the rhubarb jam. A cool thing about this dessert is it’s served tableside – freshly shaved in the traditional ice kachang machine!
Next, we had the Japanese Strawberry, Hokkaido Milk, Soy Sauce, which was a hit! It surprised us with how well the soy sauce complemented the Hokkaido milk sorbet. We loved how each component had distinct layers, starting with a lingering hint of sweetness followed by a slight saltiness from the Japanese shoyu.
Lastly, we tried the Pineapple Tart ‘Cloud,‘ exclusive to the six-course menu. Every bite is made from pineapple puree and frozen using liquid nitrogen. The pineapple flavour was subtle but fragrant enough to leave a lingering aftertaste, which was quite nice.
Asian Fusion Cuisine in Telok Ayer
If you’re seeking a spot in Telok Ayer for a memorable dining experience with friends or a partner, or simply a place to grab a drink, we highly recommend this spot!
@middleclass.sg Now THIS is Asian-Fusion cuisine! The Aged Quail was 🤌🏻 #sgfoodie #fypsg #sgtiktok #tiktoksg ♬ How Sweet – NewJeans
Qin Restaurant & Bar
Level 4 & 5, The Clan Hotel, 10 Cross Street, Singapore 048417
Restaurant:
Lunch (Daily): 12pm – 3pm (Last order at 2.30pm)
Dinner (Daily): 6.30pm to 10.30pm (Last order at 9.30pm)
Bar Hours:
Daily: 12pm to 11.59pm (Last order at 11.30pm)
A lounge menu of small plates is also available from 12pm to 9.30pm.
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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