Food Review: Fern & Kiwi Revamps Menu to Give You More Food Choices

Mention New Zealand to most people and they would automatically associate it with the movie, Lord of the Rings. Let them think some more and they would probably mention the majestic landscape, lush greenery, and the sheep. That’s about it. Only a few people know about the exceptional food this beautiful country has to offer. We mean, how many of you can really tell us what New Zealand food is like? If you’re not too sure, then you can find out the answer at Fern & Kiwi. The restaurant has brought to Singapore authentic New Zealand cuisine. Translation: it only uses local NZ ingredients to come up with mains and desserts. Now that it’s been in Singapore for more than a year, its goal is to introduce more authentic items to the local palate by revamping the menu. The wine selection has also been updated to give diners more choices to pair with their food items. What’s new on the menu?

The Kumara Salad is made with grilled sweet potato and tossed with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radish, and feta cheese

New Zealand is more than just a “meat” country – it’s also got massive lands which grow vegetables and other produce. Since it’s also made up of islands, seafood is quite abundant. With Fern & Kiwi’s new menu, it has incorporated these factors to come up with new items. A refreshing start is the Kumara Salad ($22), which is made with grilled sweet potato, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radish, and feta cheese. We quite liked how the Balsamic vinegar dressing provided a stronger taste to the overall dish.

New Zealand King Salmon Fillet and Pan Seared Scallops

Other notable mentions are the Southern Ocean Chowder ($22), Pan Seared Scallops ($28), and the New Zealand King Salmon Fillet ($42). While all these dishes are worth trying, the first two dishes captured our palate’s attention because of the chowder’s richness and the scallops’ chunkiness. Bring on the meat!

The lamb is popular in New Zealand as a Rugby dish

For the meal lovers, there are now more choices with the menu. Not to be missed is Fern and Kiwi’s “Canterburry Plains” Rack of Lamb ($52) – the hearty rack of lamb doesn’t have that gamy taste, and it’s coated with a trio of peppercorns and grilled garlic. Served on the side are generous portions of mashed potatoes and sautéed haricot beans.

The Grilled Pork Chop packs a punch with the medley of flavours from the baby potatoes, broccollini, and caramelised apple in garlic jus

Fern & Kiwi also introduces us to the Grilled Pork Royal Pork Chop ($48). The Chef grills it in such a way that it doesn’t have that burnt taste. It’s very tender and has that slight hint of smokiness. To complement these mains, the restaurant has a couple of side dishes which very much tastes like New Zealand; the newest being the cheesy and creamy Cauliflower Gratin ($11.50). Treats for the sweet tooth

Molten chocolate cake is served on a plate with cinnamon crumble and fresh summer berries

Fern & Kiwi also makes pretty good desserts. Inspired from the motherland, it has come up with the Hot Chocolate Pudding ($14) made with molten chocolate and summer berries, Kiwi Eton Pavlovas ($14) which is stacked with a medley of passion fruits and kiwis; and Yuzu ($15) which consists of sweet and savoury lemon yuzu bar. You know what will go well with these? The signature cocktails are The Fern ($19) or The Kiwi ($19). If you’re looking for something else, choose from the restaurant’s wine list which has over 33 to 70 labels. When you have a meal at Fern & Kiwi, your hunger will be satiated and your thirst will be quenched. That’s two birds with one stone… --- Address: Clarke Quay, Singapore 179024 Tel. No.: +65 6336 2271 Operation Hours: Downstairs bar and dining Sun & Mon: 5pm to 12am Tue & Thu: 5pm to 2am Wed: 5pm to 3am Fri & Sat: 5pm to 5am Upstairs restaurant dining Tue to Sat: 6pm to 11pm Closed from Sun to Mon See Also: Enjoy more variety of western food here Check out here for the best dining offers