Kizuna X Niubi (牛b館)

Had to pop by Kizuna for dinner. They did a National Day weekend special collab menu between Kizuna X Niubi. We haven't had the chance to go down to Amoy Street to check out Niubi's food, so this was a great opportunity to taste their bowls! 

We were greedy and ordered everything on the collab menu. The bowl of OG 牛B dry beef noodles (using kway teow) was ridiculously tasty. I like this version of beef noodles very much, including the chilli. Had to have the cold buckwheat noodles with achar granita that came with seared XO ox-tongue; that was so refreshing! They didn't sell the ox-tongue as a single dish, so we ordered a second serving just for the beef tongue, and I tried to eat as much as of the second bowl of noodles as my stomach allowed. 

Had extra protein in the form of ribeye beef cubes with burnt sprouts and kopi-o bacon jam. The husband was too curious and had to have the 'Niu Rou Fun'. Teheheheeh. Okay, a very Singaporean name that we all know as '牛肉飯' (braised beef rice) instead of the usual Taiwan-style '滷肉飯' (braised pork rice). 

Kizuna also had special 'local flavors' done up for their weekly cocktails list. I had a regular and dependable highball to start, and the husband decided that he would do a Singapore Sling. Now, most Singapore Slings are terrible. It's something in the whole concoction that tasted like those vile cough mixtures we were forced to take as kids. That taste, that smell. Eiooowww. Tonight, Kizuna's version lent more pineapple notes, making it extremely palatable, for a change. 

Had to get one order of its 'Niu Shot'. It was Kizuna's take of a Bull Shot. It's something I haven't had for ages. It's served piping hot, which makes it great to sip in winter — it holds brandy, Niubi's beef broth, lemon juice and shoyu. You don't down this huge cup at one go. Sip it along with the meal. Sip it for the whole afternoon on a cold day while reading a book. Tonight's tasted like a super satisfying alcoholic Bovril, maybe less salty. Mmmm.

The bartenders asked me to try a shot of Clarified Rojak Milk Punch. I was so hesitant but I sipped it, and promptly ordered a full glass. That was my dessert. It was DELICIOUS. It totally tasted like rojak, with a distinct hae-ko flavor. I loved it! Its ingredients were gin, cucumber, green mango, pineapple, peanut, shrimp paste, tamarind and ginger flower. The bartenders said that they probably couldn't re-create it again. They kinda stirred and mixed the ingredients till they got this flavor, with no recipes. LOL I almost wished for a piece of grilled tau pok as a garnish to go with this drink. Heh.