In the beginning, there was fire. Well, not the very beginning, but that element has become so useful in our evolution since then, some places like FYR Cycene Ond Drinc – pronounced ‘fire kitchen and drink’ – have continued the tradition of using an open fire to cook. Using lychee wood in their Josper charcoal oven, most dishes have a sweet, smoky flavour.
Sitting along Telok Ayer’s busy Boon Tat Street, FYR has a warm vibe suited to those needing post-work fuel. The modern European kitchen that insists on not being called ‘fusion’ is instead influenced by Asian spices. With earthy colours and a mural paying tribute to the birth of fire, most of the dishes found here have a spicy, carnivorous feel to them. Dishes are served on thin charcoal-coloured stone slabs, the edges stylishly chipped.
To begin, baked shucked oysters ($15) sitting with an orange coat of chilli and garlic – making an easier dish for those afraid of the smell of the sea that sometimes comes with oysters.
Served in half a bone, the baked bone marrow ($15) with veal sweetbreads comes with a spicy coating, and a side of toasted bread to offer more texture. Marrow on its own can be off-putting for some, so treating it like pâté can work a treat.
FYR’s grain-fed ribeye ($32) didn’t need the java curry sauce offered on the side, being properly cooked at a tender medium-rare. The small pot of buttery mashed potato is always a welcomed extra.
The grilled fresh fruit juice ($4.50) is grilled before juicing. The pineapple juice had a noticeable sweetness considering its roasting beforehand.
The restaurant’s pride and joy, the baked pistachio melt and pandan ice cream ($10), was a sweet finish. The warmth of the lava cake, sitting in a moat of green lava, goes great with the homemade pandan ice-cream – that takes 24 hours to make.
Nights get busy with their all-day happy hour deal, and the neighbourhood offers more to continue the night if there’s still fire in your eyes for more.
FYR Cycene Ond Drinc
19 Boon Tat Street
facebook.com/FYRBTS
