Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Rice Bowls and Pastas

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch – Labrador, Singapore

As working adults, it is inevitable to have to eat out at least once each day. And if you have an office bound job, you get bored from having the same lunch options day in day out. Understanding your woes, Atmosphere Bistro at Alexandra Retail Centre introduced a new Weekday Set Lunch Menu so as to bring more choices to those working nearby.

 

On top of the existing western lunch selections, the new Set Lunch Menu will offer another 8 Asian Rice Bowls and 4 Asian Pastas in Thai, Japanese, Korean and Chinese flavors, so you can have something different each time you dine here. The new lunch sets are priced affordably (from S$11.80++ to S$15.80++) and even comes with a complimentary beverage! Look out for them from Mondays to Fridays, 11am to 3pm!

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Full Set Lunch Menu (Photo by Atmosphere Bistro)

 

 

Rice Bowl

 

I was initially skeptical about the Asian rice bowls because Atmosphere Bistro has placed itself as a Western Bistro specializing in pastas, pizzas and burgers. Fortunately, my worries were unfounded and I am happy to inform you that all the rice bowls (the ones I have tasted) are pretty well done. Apart from the taste, I also like that each rice bowl is a hearty balanced meal consisting of grains, vegetables, meat and a half boiled egg. While brown rice/quinoa is not used and the vegetables are even cooked in a little butter, these tasty rice bowls are probably still healthier than some meals out there. So you can indulge without feeling too guilty.

 

I tried five out of the eight rice bowls available- Japanese Curry Fish Cutlet Rice Bowl, Teriyaki Roasted Pork Rice Bowl, Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowl, Sweet & Sour Chicken Rice Bowl and Tom Yum Pao Fan with Roasted Pork. And little did I expect that my favorites will be the Sweet & Sour Chicken Rice Bowl and Tom Yum Pao Fan with Roasted Pork because I don’t like my meats to be sweet and I prefer my rice to be dry rather than being drenched in sauces or soups.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Tom Yum Pao Fan with Roasted Pork (S$13.80++)

 

If you like your rice with gravy, the Tom Yum Pao Fan with Roasted Pork (S$13.80++) is perfect for you. Like the Mui Fan (rice with gravy) we get at Zi Char stalls, this rice bowl is half submerged in a broth then topped with roasted pork and vegetables. It is worth noting that despite being immersed in a soup, the rice did not turn soggy. Thai food fans will be happy to know that the broth used is a delightful spicy, sweet and tangy Tom Yum clear soup. For me, the roast pork in this rice bowl is not impressive but I am ready to accept this average meat topping because the broth more than makes up for it.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Sweet & Sour Chicken Rice Bowl (S$13.80++)

 

Although the Sweet & Sour Chicken Rice Bowl (S$13.80++) didn’t really excite me when I saw it on the menu, I took a strong interest in it when it first arrived on my table; because the aroma coming from it was so good, I was so tempted to skip the pictures and just grab a bite! I am glad I resisted so I can show you what it looks like. Because the taste is as good as the smell, it will be a pity if I don’t have pictures of it! In fact, I think this is way better than our usual sweet and sour pork; first, chicken is more tender and juicy than pork and second, the batter used for this dish is thinner. But the star in this bowl is the addictive sweet and sour marinate, which manages to be flavorful without being overly sweet or tangy.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Japanese Curry Fish Cutlet Rice Bowl (S$13.80++)

 

I like the taste of the Japanese Curry in the Japanese Curry Fish Cutlet Rice Bowl (S$13.80++) since it is not too sweet. The fried fish is crispy and delicious but I wish that the fish cutlet can be thicker so that I can taste more of the fish meat. For this rice bowl, the curry gravy is only served on top of the fish, which I don’t mind. However, most of my dining partners felt that there should be enough gravy for both rice and fish. If you feel the same, request for more gravy when ordering. By the way, I really like the super crunchy pickled carrots in this rice bowl.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowl (S$15.80++)

 

I am normally not a bulgogi fan because I don’t like my meats to be sweet. But this Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowl (S$15.80++) tastes good; rather than sweetness, the beef slices were serenaded by spicy pepper instead! But although the beef pieces are tender, there are many tendons on them, making them hard to chew. If you don’t like tendons or too much chewing, avoid this. One of my fellow diners loves tendons though and she specifically buys the cut of beef with tendons if she’s cooking at home.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Teriyaki Roasted Pork Rice Bowl (S$13.80++)

 

Teriyaki Roasted Pork Rice Bowl (S$13.80++) is the one that I thought will be my favorite when I saw the menu. But it became my least favorite after I tasted all the rice bowls. The reason is that I don’t like the teriyaki sauce, which tastes one dimensional. In addition, I find the roast pork average because the pork crackling is not crispy enough. The meat is also slightly dry. Unlike the Tom Yum Pao Fan, which has a very nice broth that can make me overlook the shortcoming of the roast pork, this rice bowl has nothing else interesting going for it, except the vegetables. With that said, do note that one of my fellow diners actually like the roast pork, so much so that he asked if the roast pork is for sale separately.

 

 

Pasta

 

Just in case you prefer pasta to rice, Atmosphere Bistro also has 4 Asian pastas for you to choose from. I tried two pastas- Mentaiko Aglio Olio and Kimchi Aglio Olio. Personally, I think that Atmosphere Bistro is better at rice bowls than pastas.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Mentaiko Aglio Olio (S$13.80++, Usual Price: $17.80++)

 

The Mentaiko Aglio Olio (S$13.80++ for lunch set, usual S$17.80++) is one of the crowd favorites here. According to my fellow diner, he likes this for the ample mentaiko, which coats every strand of the spaghetti. For me, this is a little too salty. Also, I dislike this dish because there are no meats or vegetables.

 

Atmosphere Bistro At Alexandra Retail Centre Launches Asian Rice Bowls for Lunch, Labrador Singapore - Kimchi Aglio Olio (S$11.80++)

 

The Kimchi Aglio Olio (S$11.80++) fared better for me as it has both kimchi and some minced meat. However, it is still lackluster compared to the rice bowls. I think pastas are best left to be Italian, unless it is chili crab pasta we are talking about!

 

 

NAHMJ Verdict

 

Despite being a western bistro, I am surprised that Atmosphere Bistro does very good Asian rice bowls; the Asian pastas didn’t really impress me enough though.

 

 

 

Atmosphere Bistro @ Alexandra Retail Centre

460 Alexandra Road, Alexandra Retail Centre #02-20, Singapore 119963
Tel: +65 6352 7725

Website: http://atmosphere-bistro.com.sg/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/pg/atmospherebistro/

 

Opening Hours

 

Monday – Friday: 1100 to 2200 | Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays: 1100 to 2100

[Set Lunch is only available on Mondays – Fridays: 1100 to 1500]

 

Getting There

 

By MRT:

  • Circle line – Labrador Park station

 

By Bus:

  • NOL building   51, 57, 61, 93, 97, 97e, 100, 120, 166, 175, 963, 963e
  • PSA Building   10, 30, 30e, 51, 143, 175, 176, 188, 188e

 

Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

*Disclaimer: This was a media invite.

 

Written by Denise Chua myfoodstory.sg.