SIFU – Bugis Junction (Rebranded)

(SIFU had since been rebranded as One Canton; One Canton still operates from the same location.)

SIFU is a new dining concept that had been introduced at Bugis Junction which recently just had a revamp of tenants. Claimed to be the “Master Ribs”, Pork Ribs are the specialty here, and the restaurant serves largely Hong Kong fare, though with a bit of twist.

(Prawn Toast Rectangles)

For a side, I decided to have the chef recommended Prawn Toast Rectangles. This is rather addictive as a side, for the toast was fried till crispy and had a succulent prawn sitting atop. It even came with this chili which was mildly spicy yet inducing a sweet-sour flavour, which made it even more appealing.

(Pulled Pork Rib Chinese Style Slider)

I wanted a light meal that day, so I went with the Pulled Pork Rib Chinese Style Slider. The dish seemed like a replica of Kong Bak Pau, with a soft, fluffy bun encasing cabbage leaves and meat pulled from SIFU’s signature Pork Ribs. Marinated with honey, the Pork Ribs were savoury yet sweet; something which I just cannot get enough of.

(SIFU Signature Baked Chicken with Shrimp Dumplings Soup Noodles)

One of my dining partners went for the SIFU Signature Baked Chicken with Shrimp Dumpling Soup Noodles. This dish came with a choice of either Vermicelli or Hor Fun, which he picked the former. Soup base seemed to be similar to our local fish soup, and the baked chicken was succulent despite doused in soup. Shrimp Dumplings were well packed, and the shrimp used were also fresh.

(SIFU Signature Baked Chicken with Shrimp Dumplings Dry Noodles)

The SIFU Signature Baked Chicken with Shrimp Dumplings Dry Noodles were another story though; the same ingredients but tossed dry with Hong Kong Egg Noodles and soup served at the side, my dining partner commented that it was a replica of Wanton Noodles, but the egg noodles were extremely rubbery and seemed undercooked, and even carried a heavy alkaline taste with it.

(Omelette Rice with Pork Chop)

Another dining partner went with the rice option, opting for Omelette Rice with Pork Chop. Despite it being a Hong Kong restaurant, this dish felt really Japanese as it came with runny eggs cooked in broth; similar to the style of Oyako Don. Pork Chop was however seemed to carry shrimp paste marinade; something we found a tad interesting.

(SIFU Signature BBQ Pork Bun)

We also ordered SIFU Signature BBQ Pork Bun. I happened to try those few days ago from the takeaway bunnery beside the main restaurant, which I found them rather stiff and hollow inside. The dine-in ones were way better; the same sugar glaze gave the bun a tinge of sweetness, but it was more well-filled with sweet charsiew filling and the bun was also significantly softer.

(Custard Bun)

Also tried taking away the Custard Buns from the bunnery the other day; these were my favourite as it was pillowy soft and loaded with a generous amount of filling. The bun exploded as my teeth sank into the bread, only to burst with the sweet custard filling inside.

As with other restaurants in shopping centres, SIFU just has as many hits just as it has its misses. We do feel that SIFU did feel slightly disappointing, and much of it had to do with its price. The offerings felt rather limited with many items already struck off the menu, and the quality just does not justify for the price range. We ended up leaving the restaurant feeling rather shortchanged, and went to another place for a small satisfying treat. Hopefully SIFU would be able to learn a thing or two during its opening phase, so that they can improve in the future.

SIFU
Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street
#01-69
Singapore 188021