birds of a feather

With a name inspired by the Chinese legend of the golden sunbird, Birds Of A Feather’s design revolves around a nature theme and has the feel of a modern teahouse. After all, restaurant owners Mr Liu Bin and Madam He Ning hail from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province that is known for its tea culture, cuisine and natural scenery.

birds of a feather

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.

birds of a feather

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 his industrial design background — but even though he went to Japan to learn industrial design, he came back with expertise in coffee instead. As a result, the couple run the popular cafe chain Good Wood Coffee in Chengdu.

birds of a feather

An all-day dining cafe by day and restaurant and bar by night, the contemporary western dishes with Sichuan influence served here will definitely appeal to those who love their food spicy and flavourful. Fortune skewers in Szechuan pepper broth (left, $19) lets you randomly select skewered vegetables from the tasty spicy chicken soup, and Spicy oriental angelhair Bolognaise with onsen tamago ($22) is an interesting twist on Chinese dish zhajiangmian, or noodles in soybean paste.

The food is made with lots of spices brought specially from Sichuan, and there is a wide variety of non-spicy dishes for everyone to enjoy too. Fried calamari with yuzu tartar sauce ($19) is a sure crowd-pleaser, while hot and sour chazuke (right, $28) is a comforting choice, with Niigata rice, charcoal-grilled barramundi and mentaiko in a pickled mustard broth.

birds of a feather

There is also an extensive range of beverages, from specialty coffee – a must-try – to creative award-winning cocktails. 113 Amoy Street, tel: 6221-7449. 

 

This story first appeared in www.homeanddecor.com.sg on Jan 23, 2017.

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