PUBLISHED October 10th, 2017 05:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:25 pm
As the crowds flock around the ever-changing dining enclaves like Amoy Street and Keong Saik Road in the city, the buzz around Holland Village seems to have quietened down of late in comparison. Even so, contemporary Chinese restaurant Full of Luck Club continues to draw a steady stream of guests during lunch and dinner. And with recent tweaks to its menu, it was no surprise we found time to head down to the first-floor shophouse restaurant with empty stomachs.
Opened back in 2016 as a home for almost “hipster” Chinese cuisine as well as a cocktail bar with baos (Chinese buns) for bar grub, the new menu sees the introduction of classic Chinese fare in addition to the modern picks – fittingly so, as the restaurant is under the same umbrella as the popular Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant in Sheraton Towers. Amidst the quirkily designed wall murals and neon coloured lights, the plush seats within the sun-drenched shophouse were a welcome escape during the day.
And escape we did, with some hearty starters and mains from the Signature Set ($35++ per person for six courses, min. 2 pax). We started with the Flowers of Life – lightly-fried Cordycep flowers with cumin salt and pepper. Along with the curry floss, this appetiser works as a sinfully satisfying bar bite that goes well with a drink or two in hand. It’s extremely addictive – consider yourselves warned.
A favourite of ours was the Crabmeat Eggplant Claypot, a stew of shredded crabmeat in a sauce with braised eggplant. A comforting dish to tuck into while its still warm, the chefs are generous with the crab meat and the eggplant is cooked just right – not too mushy, with a slight crunch. Have yours with white rice so the pearly grains absorb the sauce.
Charsiew is found almost everywhere in Singapore, but the Chef’s Signature Honey Glazed Char Siew at Full of Luck Club is not quite like the others. Instead of a sweet sauce glaze, the meat features a thin shell of ‘candy’ that gives the charsiew a crisp crackling sound – created through torching the honey glaze on the meat.
And how can we not have the baos? The Duck Confit Bao with hoisin sauce and Panko Crusted Mushroom Bao with pineapple, wasabi-mayonnaise and shiitake mushroom are smaller now than when the restaurant first opened. Each a la carte order is served in sets of three, but the restaurant also offers a Happy Bao Hour from 2pm to 6pm, where any bao and a Raspberry Pu-Er Iced Tea or the Classic Cold Brew Coffee costs only $5++.
If you’re up for drinks after the meal, above the restaurant is Lucky Bar, a rooftop watering hole that focuses on stronger drinks with a Chinese twist. But that’s not to say the drinks at Full of Luck Club’s own counter fall short – in fact, the lighter drinks complement the restaurant’s full-flavoured dishes. The Green Tea Macchiato Cocktail feature made of Emperor’s tea-infused gin, tea and milk foam, and while the drink looked like one you would find at any cafe, the notes of gin were subtly noticeable with each sip. Have a Prosperity Shooter – huat ah! – of mint vodka, fermented pineapple soda, basil and Yakult foam served in a Yakult bottle to end off the meal on a tasty note.
A better than average Chinese meal with some innovation and drinks on the side is what you get at Full of Luck Club, all for around $100++ for two. A not-too-scruffy deal if we do say so ourselves – and with the thinner crowds at Holland Village these days, it won’t be too difficult to settle down for a hearty tuck-in.
Full of Luck Club is located at 243 Holland Ave, Singapore 278977, +65 6208 6845. Opens 11am – 11pm daily.