Paper Crane is one of those cafés you might miss if you weren’t looking for it. Nestled within the premises of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations, the joint can only seat a maximum of five indoors, while the rest will have to settle for tables in the corridor that, knowing our national aversion to heat and humidity, is lined with a more-than-adequate number of fans.
Founded by a former magazine editor and a Canadian chef trained at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Paper Crane isn’t fussed about pigeonholing its food into a cuisine as much as serving up honest, homely fare like Southern-style deep fried chicken with fries and slaw ($15). Because the chicken thighs languish in buttermilk and spices for 24 hours, the meat stays juicy while the crust crackles and pops – no greasy aftertaste here. And what beverage would Paper Crane serve to accompany fried chicken other than craft beer? You can order a bottle to a bucket ($15/bottle, $40/bucket of five bottles).
The other must-tries include the Thai pan-fried seabass burger ($20) – the fish is delivered fresh every day from Ah Hua Kelong – and kimchi fries with grilled steak ($15). Pastas and salads go for an affordable $10 all day and here’s another bonus: the café doesn’t charge for GST or service.