Unlike the loud and cheeky persona that radiates off Pò Noodle Bar’s three outlets, its older sibling, Pò SupperKlab, carries a more sleek and mature charisma. Don’t assume its muted look for being any less fun-loving though, as the new hideout in Cikini is not one to pass on a good time.
Stretching beyond the chewy noodles signature to the former, at Pò SupperKlab, it’s all about house twists on Chinese classics while still prioritising values true of the cuisine, where food is meant to be shared and repeatedly passed around the table as the meal progresses.
Flavours remain familiar yet modern, with classics like mapo tofu and dumplings seeing fresh interpretations. For one, soft cubed bean curds and snow mushrooms are dressed in Sichuan broth and truffle oil with garlic chips and furikake on top, while the dumplings feature premium ingredients, from sautéed fresh lobster to sliced wagyu karubi, both enveloped in a chewy skin.
The seafood is the winner though. The fish in particular can be enjoyed steamed, fried, or grilled and cooked in a selection of sauces (Madam Curry, Black Indica, and HK Style), of which the last is favoured; the spice and aromatic sauce is tempered with fried ginger and coriander, leaving the meat soft and smacked with a crisp balance of sweet and sour.
Other dishes are similarly rich or spicy, which means reaching for a glass of water, or cocktails, is the norm throughout the meal. With concoctions by Bandung-based bar Gloomy Sunday, drinks here are designed to complement the at times complex, other times direct, layers of flavours and spice.
Take the Second Pass (gin infused with house blend tea and topped with lavender syrup), a refreshingly sour antidote to the lingering savoury flavour notes. As for the Jai Guru Deva, Om (a hot cocktail that mixes bourbon, herbs spice, and house blend tea), they come in a clay teapot to share and the warming blend seals off the meal in a soothing tone.
Although the name appears to suggest an evening visit, Pò SupperKlab welcomes visitors from 11am daily to enjoy a steaming bowl of congee and coffee for breakfast, or an early lunch with cocktails. But the magic hits differently in the evening; be it through the dimly-lit cocoons of their deep red walls or dishes and cocktails that fuse traditions and twists, Pò SupperKlab invites patrons to enter and have a smashing ‘feel good’ time.