Best Food In China

Location

Right in the middle of bustling Xintiandi, you can’t miss Fountain bistro and wine bar, nor should you in any case. This hip eatery is one of three restaurants in the Xintiandi area created by renowned Singaporean chef, Justin Quek. With its mirrors, marble, and mosaic, it looks modern, fresh and effortlessly chic.

I was told that the Asian menu included authentic Singaporean classics and being a Singaporean away from home for almost a year, I couldn’t wait to see if it was true. We began with the Beef Noodle with Braised Tendon and Poached Waygu Beef (98RMB) The broth was the right balance of herbal and sweet, and the Wagyu beef balls were scrumptious – tender, tasty and not rubbery like beef balls usually are. I am not normally a fan of tendon, but these ones were cooked just right, it melted in my mouth.

Next up was Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice served with traditional condiments (70RMB). The meat was succulent and tasty, with a thin sheen that kept the chicken moist but not oily. The chicken flavoured rice was subtler than expected, but mixed with the traditional thick black soy and special chilli (fresh chillies ground with garlic and ginger) I felt like I might have been back home.

For those who are not big on Asian, there is a good selection of western dishes - Nicoise salad with pan seared tuna steak, 80g (120RMB) Croque Monsieur (80RMB) and Fountain Classic Gourmet Burger made with hand-chopped Sirloin Steak, Cheese, Bacon and Mushroom (120RMB) just to name a few. My dining partner tried the Tagliatelline with Wild Mushrooms, Rocket, Spinach, Cheese and black truffle (148RMB) The portion was generous enough and the pasta was al dente, but sadly it was a little bland.

Anything but bland was the Prawn Laksa (90RMB), which we had last of all. I had high expectations for this dish as it is my all-time favourite local delight. This noodle dish with its fishballs, egg, and big fresh prawns, did not disappoint. The spicy coconut-based gravy was thick, rich and full of flavour; I was in food heaven. One thing that lessened my enthusiasm about the dining experience was the fact that they do not serve ice water, only the extremely pricey bottled VOSS.

For dessert, an assortment of pastries and cakes are made in-house daily. Even though I ate enough for a small village, they looked so precious I couldn’t resist and had a coffee éclair. The pastry was light and the coffee cream not too sweet. Perfect ending to a good meal. All in all, if you’re looking for a nice, relaxing meal with good service and chic surroundings, make your way to Fountain.

by Limay Loo

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