Fern & Kiwi – Enjoy a slice of New Zealand

Overlooking the lush greenery of Fort Canning, Fern & Kiwi is the international branch of successful New Zealand restaurant chain, Lone Star, famous for New Zealand food, beers, wines and smooth coffee.

Starting in Christchurch in 1988, Lone Star has become a Kiwi institution, with 20 branches across the North and South Islands serving top-quality meals with friendly service. This Singapore venture is the company’s first step to sharing the best of New Zealand food, beverage and service with Asia, and the world.

Lead by New Zealand celebrity chef Mathew Metcalfe, Fern & Kiwi serves only the freshest beef, lamb, pork and venison straight from the farm and seafood plucked right out of Pacific waters. Metcalfe’s attention-to-detail creates an authentic Kiwi dining experience, from the impressive pork rib stack to Lady Claire potatoes, which were carefully selected to ensure the perfect texture for hand-cut fries.

It is not a typical plate of calamari. The Sea Salt and Pepper Squid ($16.50) comes with lemon, sweet soy, coriandor and chilli dressing.

Cajun Kingfish Sliders ($17.50) are served in toasted garlic petite brioche buns with a homemade tartare sauce. The fish is panfried to nice texture but the tartare sauce kind of covered the sweetness from the fish.

I prefer the NZ Beef and Venison Sliders ($19) comes with onion, rosemary and homemade beetroot radish. The patties were very soft and juicy, with a tad sweetness from beetroot.

The Classic Pork Spare Ribs ($18.50) is a signature of the restaurant. It is marinated with honey, hoisin and orange glaze. The meat are sweet and fell off the bones so easily. The appetizer come with 4 ribs which are so huge that it can be eaten as main course. Good for sharing with 3 to 4 other friends.

280g of grass-fed Pure South New Zealand Beef Sirloin (SGD$35.50) is served with slow roasted herbed tomato and steamed bak choy on red current port wine jus. It is weird to see bak choy appear in my steak. And the meat we had that night was slightly overcooked.

For a taste of New Zealand’s award-winning lamb, try the ‘Canterbury Plains’ rack of lamb ($37) with port wine jus and twice roasted potato mash. The warm buttery potato mash soothe the soul, and is finished with mint paste. The lamb is juicy and doesn’t have the stench.

The boy loves Miniature Pavlovas ($12) which is crunchy meringue filled with diced kiwifruit and passion fruit with chantilly cream inside.

Moro bar and Kahlua Cheesecake ($13) is definitely very light for cheesecake.

Even the drink we had, Lemon & Paeroa, is uniquely New Zealand, tasting like a lighter version of lemonade. And for those looking for their favourite New Zealand beers Fern & Kiwi has Speights, Steinlager, and the popular Mac’s range of naturally brewed ales and cider on tap.

The best accompaniment to good food, good drinks and good company? Music, of course! Enjoy the music by Velvet Switch, Phil Stoodley and DJ Hulio every Thursday to Sunday.

By the way, do you know how to say “Hello” in New Zealand? It is “Kia Ora”!

Fern & Kiwi
Address: 3E River Valley Road (Next to the taxi stand)
Contact: 6336 2271
Opening hours: Mon to Fri – 5pm to 2am, Sat to Sun 5pm to 4am