Bistro@Changi

Date of Visit : 12/01/10

Went down to the Bistro@Changi for a company cohesion. The staff at the Bistro has already the place for us with candle lights, balloons and elegant arrangement of the plates and bowls for the semi-buffet.

AMBIENCE : 7/10

The place is rather romantic and the rather strong winds cooled the place down. The place provides a view of Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin, it is very beautiful during the sunset and you get to watch planes taking off or landing at the nearby Changi Airport. The only downside is that the place is rather dark.

FOOD: 7/10

HALAL : NO
Due to the serving of alcohol in both food and the bar. However, the meat used is halal and they did not use pork or lard. You can request for the removal of alcohol from your dish.

According to the manager, the menu is seasonal. So from time to time, they will change the dishes in the menu. Sometimes they have Boston Lobster, sometimes Rosemary Chicken etc.

1. Garden Salad : 4/5
The romaine lettuce used was very fresh and the presentation was quite nice. They also used tomatoes and Japanese cucumber which is small and crunchy.

2. Mushroom Soup : 3/5
The mushroom soup was good during the last visit. The texture wasn't as good as the previous one due to it being kept warm for at least an hour after preparation. Another point to take note was that it was part of the buffet item.

3. Hickory Chicken Chop - $11.90 : 4/5
The chicken chop managed to keep a consistent record of being one of the best dishes in the Bistro. The meat never fails me, it was tender and juicy. I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken chop. So far, it is still the best chicken chops I had in Singapore.

4. Caramel Pudding - $4.90 : 4/5
This dish was not on the ala carte menu, but the manager and chef were kind enough to offer me and my friend this dessert. A caramel pudding with brandy sauce. The pudding was very smooth and not excessively sweet. The accompanying whipped cream and brandy sauce forms a nice combination with the pudding.

5. NZ Tenderloin Steak - $26.90 : 3.5/5
I am not a fan of Beef and I seldom eat beef. The last time I ate beef, I remembered it as a struggle between my teeth and the meat itself. The NZ Tenderloin Steak changed my impression that beef is tough to eat. The tenderloin steak was very tender and the sauce was okay too. The first impression was good but I didn't continue trying the dish because I seldom eat it, so I am not used to the beefy flavour.

SERVICE : 10/10
I will have to give this bistro full marks for their service. Of all restaurants I have been so far, this bistro, tucked away in the ulu shores of Changi has so far showed me what good service really is. The manager of the bistro as well as the staff were very friendly and cooperative.

The manager for example when beyond what was expected by taking the initiative to find a halal caterer (Ah Nam BBQ) for my halal friends, got 2 delicious chocolate cakes by Bun Palace for two birthday boys without any surcharge, will make it a point to inform me of any updates even when its midnight by sms, he also tried to give us the best by helping us to come out with some menus for buffet, semi-buffet and ala carte itself, he arranged with the chef to make a special dessert available for my colleagues and make sure that everything was prepared even on the day itself.

The staff also played a big role in making the cohesion a memorable one, from the simple taking of orders (to prevent confusion to serving of beers and educating some of colleagues on the food.) They also accept requests by my Muslim friends to leave out the alcohol in certain dishes for them.

I am thoroughly impressed by their great service this time round.

VALUE: 8/10
GST: 7%
SERVICE CHARGE: NIL
The food portion is just nice. The place offers promotions now and then. On that night itself. We were offered 15% off for all food items on the ala carte menu. 10% off for stout and beers and 2+1 offers for Erdinger Beers. They also offer lunch and dinner promotions on normal days. With our 1100 SGD budget, we managed to feed 32 people with servings of wine, beer and liquer as well as a halal caterer and 2 chocolate cakes (which were on the house).

OVERALL : 8.5/10
Service is their main strength. The manager, Mr Adrian Koh's service is commendable and the staff has done a great job providing good service. The food is good but could be better (the mushroom soup). The ambience has improved but I hope the place can be brighter maybe it is because of the awning that covered the moonlight. The remaining 1.5 is room for improvement in the area of food and ambience.

The place is suitable for :
- Large Gatherings

- Dinner


- Lunch


- Romantic Dinners


- Chill Out


- Alfresco Dining

Xin Li Felt Like he is in Nirvana at the end of his meal
and will defnitely visit the place again.