Full of Luck Club - Contemporary, Bold and Progressive Cantonese Cuisine in Holland Village
Slightly over a month old, the Full of Luck Club (福乐) opened by the same team behind the award-winning Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant from the Sheraton Towers Singapore, is one of the hottest dining venues to check out in Singapore. The restaurant has integrated the best elements of authentic Cantonese cuisine into a progressive and contemporary take on this highly-acclaimed cuisine.
The Full of Luck Club is located just a stone's throw away from the Holland Village MRT station so if you are thinking about taking public transport, there's no drama finding this place at all. The restaurant aims to reach out to a younger generation of food lovers who will enjoy delicious Cantonese cuisine in a modern and fun contemporary setting. The first thing you will definitely notice (and fall in love with) is the decor of this space - I love the use of space and a selfie with the fortune cat on level two is obligatory.
The staircase that leads up to level two of the Full of Luck Club has adorable lights that resemble Chinese bullion coins and yes, it does glow in gold!
The sitting space is a lot larger upstairs on level two and there is also a semi-private area for dining if you want to host a small party or simply a gathering. What I was more excited to see however was a carefully tucked away bar that is located between the main dining area (on level two) and the bathrooms at the back.
The cosy bar interiors are partially illuminated by four Chinese words written on the ceiling - '借酒消愁' (Jie Jiu Xiao Chou). The four Chinese words literally translates into using alcohol to treat depression - an idea I am personally supportive of. The Full of Luck Club has a number of pretty interesting cocktails, Chinese craft beers, wines and even sparkling sake.
If you'd prefer to have a private area cordoned off for your party or event, check with the restaurant as they have a semi-private space at the back for such purposes.
The first dish that I sampled from Full of Luck Club was actually really good. While it wasn't overly complicated, the Stir-fried Radish Cake with X.O Sauce (S$6.80++) was delicious and I would highly recommend getting this! The bite-sized carrot cake pieces had the right amount of charred-ness on them and seriously, how do you go wrong with X.O Sauce?
The second dish I sampled was also really good! Even though I have never quite understood the whole salted egg yolk craze in Singapore, this dish actually makes perfect sense! Contrasting the natural sweetness from the corn with the saltiness of the salted egg yolk sauce is brilliant. Be sure to give the Golden Sand Corn with Salted Egg Yolk (S$4.80++) a try if you head down the Full of Luck Club!
If the Full of Luck Club had to pick one defining dish, it would probably have to be the Braised Pork Belly Bao (2 for S$9.80++) - these are also available in different flavours if you do not enjoy pork. If you have been to Hong Kong, you will probably see some resemblances between Little Bao and the Full of Luck Club. White the braised pork belly itself was good, I did not really enjoy the dish as much as the buns (or rather, baos) were rather ordinary in my opinion.
The Chilli Glazed Fried Fermented Bean Paste Chicken Wings (S$8++) is a different take on the ever-popular Har Cheong Gai (Prawn Paste Chicken) that is commonly found in Zhi Chars and restaurants. The prawn paste is an acquired taste that most locals are accustomed to and the Full of Luck Club's version is a little more westernised to accommodate a foreign palate.
If I had to pick one dish that I loved the most from Full of Luck Club, it would definitely have to be the Braised Spinach Beancurd (S$16++). Firstly, the beancurd on its own is perfect - it's bite-sized, crispy on the outside and most importantly, not at all oily. Secondly that dried scallop braised sauce at the bottom is absolutely delicious! If you had to pick one thing to eat from Full of Luck Club, let it be this!
The Spicy Stuffed Yong Tau Foo (S$16++) is one of the most talked about dish that is apparently a really authentic render of a Hakka favourite - the braised sauce is a little heavy but definitely satisfying to eat with a bowl of rice. On the other hand, the Sweet Mint and Lime Cod (S$24++) was light enough to be a bar snack (even though some might actually argue, who eats fish as a bar snack).
Think about that famous crispy fried duck from Bebek Tepi Sawah and try to imagine it as a Peking Duck. Essentially, what the Crispy Aromatic Duck (S$35++) feels like to me is exactly what I have just described. Paried with hoisin sauce, cucumber, shredded spring onions and steam Chinese pancakes, the Crispy Aromatic Duck (available in full portion for S$70++) is flavourful, moderately juicy but most importantly, extremely crispy and satisfying on the outside.
If you are looking for a carbohydrate to end your meal on, give the Moonlight Truffle Beef Hor Fun (S$20++) a try. If you are not a fan of the truffle smell or taste, I would probably advise against this dish but if you look past that, I thought that the dish was executed pretty nicely and that onsen egg made all the difference - just probably hold back on the truffle as it masks too much of the 'wok-hei' that this dish has.
As mentioned earlier, you will be able to sample a variety of inspired cocktails at the Full of Luck Club and let's be honest, how do you come to this place and not try the drink that is named after the restaurant? Made from Shaoxing Hua Diao and Myer's Dark Rum, the Fuller of Luck (S$16++) is also topped with a grapefruit juice and grenadine for that satisfying citrus flavour. If you are not a cocktail person, the Full of Luck Club also serves up some really interesting Chinese Craft Beers (you don't get that a lot here in Singapore) like the Gambler's Gold Golden Ale.
The Full of Luck Club houses a really cool space and I think it is a great place to kick back a couple of drinks with a few good friends over some light bites. My personal favourites in this restaurant are the Chinese snacks and dishes - the buns and desserts feel a little confusing and out of place for me but obviously YMMV.
Full of Luck Club
243 Holland Ave, Singapore 278977
T: +65 6208 6845
Opening Hours: From 11AM to 11PM (Sun to Thu) | 11AM to 1 AM (Fri to Sat)
Indulge in one of the most highly-prized delicacies in Chinese cuisine - the Hairy Crab - at Yan Ting from 26 October 2020 to 30 November 2020. Available for a very limited time for lunch and dinner, Yan Ting (located within The St. Regis Singapore) is currently offering two separate menus that feature the seasonal hairy crab.