After pleasing burger afficionados with his affordable chow at Grub at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, chef-owner Mervyn Phan, who also owns culinary school Cookyn Inc, is now well-positioned to conquer even more foodies’ hearts at Fix Cafe, an al fresco set-up that touts the “Naanwich” as its signature draw.
Served like an open-faced sandwich with homemade Indian flatbread as a base, the Naanwich ($10 each) comes with four different toppings – beef and kimchi, chicken tikka, turkey ham and cheese, or mushroom and feta. The chicken tikka, featuring smoky chunks of tender meat moistened with a runny egg, is a delightfully messy meal – our only gripe is that the accompanying achar needed more pickling.
A guaranteed crowd-pleaser lies in the 3-Cheese Penne Gratin ($10), which offers excellent value with tube pasta, chicken and mushroom baked with mozzarella, cheddar and mascarpone. Order that along with a side of the Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets ($7), which conceal juicy flesh under a crunchy coat that tastes peppery, salty and spicy all at once – so addictively good!
What Fix is really laudable for is desserts. Their sweet treats offer something for all taste buds, from the ridiculously rich Cacao Barry Chocolate Truffle Cake ($7), to the crusty, coffee cream-topped Butterscotch Arabica Choux ($6) with a luscious core of butterscotch and chocolate, to the marvellously well-balanced Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart ($6).
Our favourite, though, was the Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake ($7), so refreshing and incredibly light that it had us diving back in again and again despite our full bellies.
We’re keeping an eye on this space – word has it that Mervyn is working on a Western BBQ concept that will open in the unit right behind Fix. Until then, we’ll be right here, enjoying a slice of cake…or two…or three.
Fix Cafe is at #01-06 Home Team NUS-JOM 31 Ah Hood Road, tel: 6256-1484. Open daily, 11am-9pm.