Restaurant Review: Picnic, The Urban Food Park at Wisma Atria, Singapore

PUBLISHED January 5th, 2017 06:00 am | UPDATED July 31st, 2017 10:06 pm

If you’ve ever felt that indoor ‘al fresco’ experiences in Singapore don’t quite cut it, you may want to check out Picnic, the new 10,000-square feet immersive food hall at Wisma Atria along Orchard Road with a menu inspired by flavours around the world, for brunch, dinner, and beyond.

Replicating the vitality and vibrant energy of urban food truck parks, Picnic encompasses three unique dining zones: the intimate Flower Garden that mimics an evergreen flower conservatory; the grass-turf carpeted Picnic Park that holds state-of-the-art performance facilities; and the industrial decor Beer Garden, designed to capture the dynamism of metropolitan back-alley bars.

For a country with only a singular seasonality (hot and hotter), it’s fascinating that the space – from the ambience and foliage to the menu – emulates the rotating months and days. Picnic debuted with a rich Autumn look, but has now changed to reflect Winter. Better still, even the morning, afternoon, and night sees different lighting moods.

With a total of 13 food trucks and stalls, the international lineup – including Korean, French, and Indian – at Picnic means that there’s something for every diner. There’s a good mix of both heritage and contemporary iterations too. Ezo serves up a delicious bowl of Butadon ($14 lunch; $19 dinner), a signature dish from the Tokachi region of Hokkaido comprising three cuts of pork – belly, collar, and loin – all marinated in a umami tare sauce and grilled to order.

Similarly at Taiwan Treasures, go for a bowl of traditional Lu Rou Fan ($10 lunch; $14 dinner), a traditional rice dish that comes with tender braised pork and minced salted vegetables, or a comforting bowl Beef Brisket Egg Noodles ($11 lunch; $15 dinner).

Picnic debuts an exciting fusion Mexican-Indian concept in the form of Tikka Taco, blending crispy yet soft and chewy taco-pratas to create dishes like Pork Belly Taco ($12 lunch; $16 dinner). With fatty pork crackling and honey-chipotle mayo, it doesn’t get much more sinful that this, but boy was it worth it.

For the fowl lovers, the cheekily-named Winner Winner Chicken Dinner specialises in global interpretations of fried chicken, including the classic Southern Fried Chicken ( marinated in buttermilk brine, ever-popular Korean Fried Chicken, and a local signature – Har Cheong Gai paired with housemade chinchalok.

Our other favourites at Picnic include the classic Italian-American Vodka Rigatoni($12 lunch; $16 dinner) from Flour & Water – flambéed in vodka right in front of us, and topped with spicy Italian sausage and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano; the buttery Japanese Rosti ($13 lunch; $17 dinner) made with Idaho potatoes from Rosti Haus; and the juicy, hormone and antibiotic-free Half Chicken ($23 lunch; $26 dinner) from Coq Roti – sourced from France and raised solely on natural Breizh Algae.

If you still aren’t full after all that, you’ll want to polish the meal off with a homely Homemade Apple Pie ($8) from Pi – warm, cinnamon-filled, and baked fresh daily. Otherwise, the Seasonal Gelato Lollipops ($8) from Sundae Fundae should serve to impress with their attractive colours and variety of flavours – think seasonal options like coconut and coffee.

Get your drinks fix at the third-wave coffee, wine, and cocktail bar, offering up espresso-based coffees in the morning and glasses of affordable wine and beer come night. Try to score a seat at the only high bench, and you’ll get to enjoy the unique of having a communal ice trough that keeps your drinks within grasping distance and well-chilled at the same time.

Would we come here again? Most probably. More than just the wide array of delicious food options and large space for big groups, the fluid ambience and seasonal menus ensure that customers get a new experience each time they return. Now, all we need is longer opening hours to spend at the beer garden, and we’re all set.

Picnic is located at 435 Orchard Road #03-15 Wisma Atria Singapore 238877, p. +65 6734 8352. Open daily 10am – 10pm (certain trucks only start trading at 11am).