Hej Kitchen & Bar will make for a choice spot if you’re looking to fuel up before or after your “shop-till-you-drop” workout. A relatively new bistro to open up along Orchard Road, this al fresco dining spot presents affordable lunch and dinner set menus at $15++ and $28++, respectively.
Calling Peranakan Place home, Hej Kitchen & Bar is located at a prime spot for those eager to people watch, as it faces the busy junction of Emerald Hill Road and Orchard Road. It’s a really pretty joint for a lazy lunch before your shopping spree ahead.
Available from 12pm to 3pm, the $15++ lunch special includes a main and drink. There are eight mains to choose from including Smoked Chicken Salad, Aglio Olio, Peranakan Fried Rice, and Buttermilk Chicken Burger.
A crowd favourite is the Buttermilk Chicken Burger which comes with a side of fries.
Fried to crispy perfection, the seasoned chicken and crunchy coleslaw provides a nice textural contrast to the soft, buttery glazed buns sandwiching it all. It’s a really hearty dish and totes value-for-money, especially since the fast food option at McDees already costs $9.50.
Another recommended dish is the Aglio Olio with Prawns. Tossed in chilli padi and white wine, each mouthful of the al dente spaghetti delivered a spicy kick.
They were really generous with the fresh prawns add-on too, making it worth my buck.
Drinks-wise, you get to choose either a soft drink, San Pellegrino sparkling water, Fiji water, or fruit juice, such as grapefruit or pineapple.
There are not many places in Orchard Road where you can find a dinner set menu under $30, let alone with booze included.
So it’s no surprise that Hej Kitchen & Bar’s $28++ dinner special had me shooketh by its affordability, as it comes with a main, a dessert and a martini or draught beer.
Running from 5pm to 9pm, their dinner set menu accommodates early diners and late-eaters alike.
There are the six mains to choose from, and a must-try is their Shrooms & Eggs On Toast.
Here, a thick slice of country bread comes decked with sauteed mixed mushroom and a generous layer of melted mozzarella cheese.
Topping it off is the runny onsen egg that provides a creamy touch when broken into.
The Crab Cake with Zesty Remoulade won our hearts too, with its crispy panko breading and sweet crab meat filling.
The taste of this moreish delight is further uplifted by the remoulade – a Southern-style sauce that’s tangy and spicy. The only complaint we have for this dish was that it only came with one crabby patty – we would rather have two, please!
If you’ve got a big appetite and are afraid the previous two dishes won’t fill you up, order the Mushroom & Bacon Carbonara.
Hearty and extremely filling, the bowl of linguine comes packed with streaky bacon and mushroom and is tossed in white wine and cream.
I love that it’s covered with freshly grated parmesan too, for an added richness.
The portions are big, but you will want to leave space for their desserts. Choose between the Seriously Fudgy Chocolate Mess and Belgian Waffles.
Chocolate lovers can rejoice with a moist brownie accompanied by fresh berries and creamy vanilla ice-cream.
I’m not a huge fan of waffles and ice-cream, but the Belgian Waffles impressed. It was so good, I finished it up within seconds.
Toothsome mixed berry coulis is spooned over the buttery waffles and vanilla ice-cream.
Get your night rolling and order a Heineken draught beer, or a peach or lychee martini to go with dinner. Alternatively, you can opt for lime juice, soft drinks, San Pellegrino sparkling water or FIJI water.
Hej Kitchen & Bar will be also throwing Christmas and NYE parties, and you may find out more here!
Hej Kitchen & Bar
Address: 180 Orchard Road, Singapore 238846
Opening hours: Sun-Thur 12PM-1AM, Fri-Sat and Eve of PH 12PM-2AM
Happy Hour: 5PM-9PM
Last Orders: 11PM for mains, 1AM on Sun-Thur and 2AM on Fri-Sat for snacks
Telephone: 6738 8828
Photography by Pepita Hope Wauran.
This post was brought to you by Hej Kitchen & Bar.
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