Filo Bistro Review: New Restaurant By Ex-Coexist Coffee Chef With Hokkien Mee Paella And More

Filo Bistro has creative Western-Asian food at Upper Thomson

Filo Bistro is the newest addition to the slew of restaurants along Upper Thomson Road, having just opened slightly more than a week ago. Despite that, the restaurant has already received multiple highly-rated reviews online. Intrigued by the buzz, my colleague and I decided to check it out for ourselves.

Helmed by Chef Brian Yeo, who used to head the kitchen at Coexist Coffee, and also holds a Swiss culinary degree, Filo Bistro offers an impressive range of  Western-Asian fusion delights. Having been trained in fine dining, the chef includes such elements here at Filo Bistro to ensure that customers get the best experience possible. 

Food at Filo Bistro

We started our meal with some appetisers, the Har Cheong Gai ($16++) and Kimchi Arancini ($14 for 3 pieces). The former was served with house-made sambal aioli sauce, which provided a slightly spicy kick. The wings themselves were extremely crispy and flavourful, pairing perfectly with the sauce. 

However, it was the  Kimchi Arancini that stole the show. This is a unique creation consisting of fried Carnaroli rice balls, kimchi, mozzarella cheese, cheddar, and gochujang aioli. The many textural elements—the crunchiness of the kimchi, the creaminess of the cheeses, as well as the crispiness from the fried exterior—made this an exciting dish. 

It had a subtle spicy yet tangy flavour, which made it very appetising. My colleague and I agreed that this is a must-try. 

Moving on to the mains, the Hokkien Mee Paella ($28++) sparked my interest. After all, this is probably the first time such a dish has been created. As the name suggests, this dish incorporates ingredients typically found in hokkien mee, but it is served with saffron Carnaroli rice instead of noodles. Seafood ingredients such as prawns and clams are also added to mimic a traditional paella dish. 

To achieve a moreish broth, the chef shared that they simmer the broth for 8 hours, using ingredients such as prawn heads and pork bones to make it more flavourful. This concoction is then left to reduce, allowing the rice to absorb all the goodness. 

Sadly, this dish looked better than it tasted. My colleague and I found that the rice was somewhat inconsistent, with certain parts being more salty than others, or harder in texture., which made it difficult to enjoy. However, I appreciated the generous amount of fresh seafood provided.

Thankfully, the other mains fared better. I particularly enjoyed the Uni Sabayon Aburi ($26++), which contains various shellfish such as scallops, prawns, and cuttlefish, topped with Japanese uni sabayon that is torched right in front of you. 

The uni sabayon resembled whipped cream and was also airy and light on one’s palate. However, it had a slightly salty flavour, similar to cheese. Regardless, it paired perfectly with the various seafood as its umami added much flavour to the briny seafood. 

Lastly, the star of the show is the Gunpower Lamb Char Siew ($28++), which is also the restaurant’s best-selling item. It comprises thick-cut lamb shoulder, drizzled with char siew sauce and accompanied by deep-fried brussel sprouts and biquinho peppers. 

Although I usually shy away from eating lamb due to its gamey taste, this dish was surprisingly devoid of it. The char siew sauce helped to mask the gaminess, giving it a sweeter flavour profile instead. Compared to regular char siew, this lamb shoulder had a slightly chewier texture too. 

The brussel sprouts were my colleague’s favourite—it had a nutty flavour and a crunchy texture, pairing really well with the lamb slices. The biquinho peppers also added a subtle pinch of spice. 

Ambience at Filo Bistro

Located right outside Upper Thomson MRT Station Exit 4, Filo Bistro boasts an inviting, cosy interior, with a modern, classy look. Whether it’s for solo diners or big groups, Filo Bistro is equipped to handle it all. They also have bar seating for those who are just here for a drink. The staff here are also extremely friendly and helpful, ready to provide recommendations should you need any.

The verdict

It is evident that much effort and dedication has been put into the R&D of each dish, allowing customers to enjoy novel gastronomical experiences. As such, I would highly recommend you give it a shot. 

If you’re looking for more food around the area, check out our guide to the best cafes in Thomson guide. If not, take a look at our Marymount Bakehouse coverage for some hand-made sourdoughs! 

Address: 265 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574392
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 2:30pm, 5-10pm
Tel: 8347 5888
Website
Filo Bistro is not a halal-certified eatery. 

Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas.
This was a media tasting at Filo Bistro.