Food review: Neon Pigeon

SINGAPORE — Last month, modern izakaya Neon Pigeon joined the new wave of eateries that has opened up along Keong Saik Road, and it’s no surprise that it is yet another small-plates restaurant. (That probably says a lot about the dining zeitgeist in our city right now.) That said, the restaurant does offer the option of both small and large sizes for each dish.

In that respect, this buzzy, industrial-chic space (no surprise there, either) pleases on many fronts. A mural depicting industrial-hip pigeons in the dining room sets a convivial tone, while the list of cocktails (S$16 to S$22) offers Japanese-inflected concoctions made with things like jasmine tea-infused sake, shiso leaf, ume honey vinegar and cherry blossom-infused vermouth.

Similarly, the small plates of food are rooted in Japanese ideas loosened up to accommodate South-east Asian ingredients and western persuasions. For instance, a slice of pan-roasted grouper (S$15/S$28) on a bed of smooth sweet potato puree is enlivened by crunchy wakame (a stringy seaweed) dressed in sesame soy. Similarly simple in concept yet complex in flavour is roasted bone marrow (S$18/S$33) flecked with a flurry of furikake (a dry condiment mix of ground fish, chopped seaweed and sesame seeds) that delivers just the right balance of umami and richness.

Interestingly, some of the most striking dishes we sampled were vegetable-based. A saucer of crispy Brussels sprouts (S$12/S$22) fried with mirin-glazed bacon was spiked with punch-packing karashi or Japanese mustard, while slivers of deep-fried lotus root chips made for fantastic edible cutlery to scoop up a puree of cold smoked eggplant (S$9/S$16). Granted, the latter was a tad bland but that was easily remedied by a sprinkling of the restaurant’s “crack salt” that sits in a little bottle on every table.

While not bewildering, the rather extensive list of dishes on the menu can make choosing difficult. Based on our meal, some options to skip include the smoked baby back ribs (S$18) that suffered from what tasted like a heavy hand with miso; and the tuna crudo (S$16/S$29), its crowning slaw of bean sprouts and pickled apple completely overpowering the taste of the fat slices of raw fish.

Vegetarians have a number of good options too, including a pan of creamy risotto-like rice studded with crispy garlic chips, miso-roasted pumpkin and sugar snap peas, and topped with a runny egg (S$15/S$28). While it could have used a bit of acidity to add vibrancy to its flavours, it is a good filler for veggie munchers who have less to choose from. Dessert lovers, on the other hand, don’t get any choices. There is nothing for the sweet-toothed on the menu — unless yuzu liqueur (S$12) counts. ANNETTE TAN

Neon Pigeon

Where: 1 Keong Saik Street, #01-03. Telephone: 6222 3623. Opening hours: Daily 6pm to midnight, closed on Sunday