Chicken Katsu with Onigiri Despite being located at a spot that is relatively obvious, one place that we hadnโt really seen much talk on social media is Bistro G. For those whom are unaware of the roots of Bistro G, it concept is by the same folks behind Patisserie G โ these folks have been around in the local F&B scene for quite a while, with their very first Patisserie G location being situated at Millenia Walk; they now do have two other locations with one being at Thomson Plaza, and another being at OUE Downtown Gallery. Bistro G had recently went through a phase of renovation; they are still located within the same premises that was once home to the now-defunct Plentyfull โ that being said, they had given up the space that was once Patisserie G within the mall (that space is now taken up by Nozomi). With the renovation, both the operations of Patisserie G and Bistro G are all under one roof โ there has also been significant changes made to Bistro Gโs space that sees a better usage of the space whilst achieving a brighter and more welcoming look; the layout seemingly recognisable from the days that Plentyfull had occupied the area, with a clear distinction of a more casual dining space against one that is more intimate with tables that cater to larger groups as well. With the renovation, Bistro G has also revamped its hot food menu offerings to align to how it is currently positioned โ the menu is segmented into sections dedicated to Breakfast (from opening till 3pm), Pizza (from 11:30am onwards), Pasta (from 11:30am onwards), Kidโs Corner, Appetisers & Tapas (from 11:30am onwards), and Mains (from 11:30am onwards). Patisserie Gโs line-up of cakes, pastries and bread are all prominently displayed in the display cases near the entrance, while beverages include an entire list of alcoholic selections as well as espresso-based specialty coffee and tea.
Having been folks whom have visited Patisserie G and Bistro G in the past, we must say that we werenโt expecting too much out of our visit to Bistro G this time. In fact, we werenโt really thinking much about visiting the revamped Bistro G โ that was until we found out that they were serving up dishes like the Chicken Katsu with Onigiri on their menu here; a rather significant switch-up from their French-orientated menu in the past. The menu at Bistro G describes the Chicken Katsu with Onigiri to come with elements such as deep fried chicken cutlet, Japanese pearl rice and sweet onion dressing โ the way that it was plated does suggest that the deep fried chicken cutlet is being placed atop the Japanese pearl rice, while the sweet onion dressing came above the shredded cabbage salad. We did think that there is some element of thought by the folks at Bistro G to serve the Goma dressing for the salad on the side; just in case patrons prefer it to be separate anyway. If anything, it did feel like the Chicken Katsu with Onigiri was a little over-glorified considering how things have been executed โ whilst being shaped like an Onigiri, the texture of the rice felt more typical to usual Japanese pearl rice that one can find in a Donburi; wasnโt as tightly packed and sticky that we had expected out of an Onigiri. That being said, we did notice that the rice did come with a slight sweetness typical of sushi rice, though some parts does hint of a umami note seemingly from Furikake. The portion of deep fried chicken cutlet does seem to be pretty generous here; a rather sizeable slab with each slice is the chicken cutlet being pretty thick โ deep-fried to golden brown perfection. We liked how the batter was free from grease; does not reek of any undesirable hint of overused oil; the chicken also being juicy and moist โ the batter does hint of a slight note of garlicky flavours.
The shredded cabbage does provide the refreshing crunch that is needed amidst the fried items and the carbs; the bits of sweet caramalised onions acted much like a relish to the entire deal, adding a hint of sweetness to the salad โ adding the Goma dressing adds a roasty note and a creamy texture that helps bring the cabbage and the tomatoes together. During our visit, we had also spotted the Formosa; this would be an entremet that features elements such as Tie Guan Yin mousse with yuzu curd, Tie Guan Yin ganache, Tie Guan Yin sponge, Tie Guan Yin sable and Tie Guan Yin glaze. Despite the consistent use of Tie Guan Yin tea in all of the elements for the cake, the aroma of tea in the Formosa can be considered to be quite light overall; the Yuzu does bring a light citrus-y note to brighten things up a little from the bitter undertones of the tea โ that being said, we did wish that the aroma of the tea could be stronger especially considering how the Tie Guan Yin sable could easily overpower most of the tea aroma that the other elements carried. During our visit, we had also went for the Gibraltar; this turn out to be really well-executed considering how smooth and creamy the cuppa was; the cuppa being one with a medium body and also one with a nutty flavour profile and a fruity finish โ quite the perk-me-up cuppa that we would enjoy at the start of the day. One thing to note during our visit to Bistro G despite some of the misses we have had with the food would be its level of service โ the quality of the service rendered by the service staff was most certainly impeccable; they were not only helpful and approachable, but also attentive to their surroundings, with the timing of which they come by serve water, clear tables etc. were really on point. Bistro G definitely would need some time tweaking their recipes to refine what they have to offer, but it does seem that this revamp might be what Bistro G needed โ a more approachable and casual set-up without the pretentiousness that Patisserie G has been all these while.
