5dot7 Review: Chicken Cordon Bleu And Risotto Under $10 At This Hougang Western Stall

5dot7 has chicken cordon bleu and seafood risotto in Hougang

It’s not every day you come across a Western hawker stall selling dishes such as chicken cordon bleu and seafood risotto. So imagine my surprise when I discovered 5dot7, a stall in Hougang’s KPT Kopitiam that offers these very same dishes and more.

5dot7 offers its Western fare till 1:30am each day, and keeps prices generally below $10. Curious to see if the stall could do justice to the aforementioned dishes, I dragged a colleague to with me to give them a shot.

Food at 5dot7

We started with the Seafood Risotto ($9), the stall’s take on the classic Italian rice dish. While all those prawns, clams, and baby octopus sitting on a pile of orangey rice looked great, it was the dish’s rich aroma that first caught my attention.

After taking a bite of the rice, it was clear where the aroma was coming from—the rich broth, which had the umami and sweetness of seafood, the acidic brightness of white wine, and the richness of the parmesan cheese flakes sprinkled over the dish. And while Italian culinary tradition frowns upon mixing cheese and seafood, there’s no denying that this plate of risotto was more flavourful because of it.

I liked that 5dot7 was quite generous with the seafood ingredients in the dish, most of which were quite fresh. However, I felt that they were the opposite of generous with the amount of rice provided in the dish. I don’t think my appetite is that large, and yet I thought I could eat two, maybe three plates of this risotto before I would be full enough. So if you’re just ordering this risotto as a main dish, you may not be sated by the time you’re done with it.

Up next was the Chicken Cordon Bleu ($9), which arrived atop some mashed potatoes and corn kernels. A side of mushroom sauce was also served with it.

Despite my hype for “cordon bleu in a kopitiam”, the dish was not very good. Its insides, consisting of chicken ham and cheese, were much too dry, and its breaded exterior was a little tough. Dipping some of it in the mushroom sauce helped alleviate this a little, as did the soft mashed potatoes and sweet, juicy corn. But overall, this dish had textural issues that prevented me from enjoying it.

On the other hand, I had no complaints about the Signature Chicken Chop ($8.50). This was just a well-executed plate of grilled chicken paired with corn, coleslaw, black pepper sauce, and crinkle-cut fries.

The meat was nicely marinated and was cooked till succulent and smoky, exactly how I like my chicken chops. Dipping it into the black peppery sauce gave it some spicy kick and an extra savoury dimension, but I thought the meat was good enough to eat on its own. Meanwhile, the crispy fries and crunchy coleslaw, while not amazing on their own, added some textural variety to this dish.

Ambience at 5dot7

As mentioned earlier, 5dot7 is located within KPT Kopitiam, a coffeeshop in Hougang known for being open 24 hours every day. Although they’ve undergone a makeover in recent years, ventilation and general cleanliness are still not the best.

5dot7 is a 16-minute walk from Hougang MRT Station.

The verdict

I would say that, compared to most Western hawker stalls around, 5dot7’s fare is of a good standard. Dishes such as the Seafood Risotto and Signature Chicken Chop are certainly delicious despite some flaws, so if you’re in the Hougang area, I would recommend giving this stall a shot.

For rosti with XL pork chops by a Kovan hawker stall, read our Picky Snout review. For old-school chicken chop and fish & chips with big portions in Kallang, read our $5 Western review.

Address: 401 Hougang Avenue 10, #01-1158, KPT Kopitiam, Singapore 530401
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 1:30am
Website
5dot7 is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Maisie Chong.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.