Many have been lamenting the loss of Iced Edge Cafe at Kovan when it has ceased operations not too long ago, but new things only come by when the the doors of the previous chapter closes. Taking over the former premises of Ice Edge Cafe at Simon Plaza along Kovan Road is the new Alkove Bistro; for those who are unfamiliar with the locality around the area, Alkove Bistro is just a short walk away from Kovan MRT Station — located diagonally across FATCAT Ice Cream & Coffee Boutique and Lola’s Cafe at Simon Road. The space has since a total revamp; gone are the somewhat dated looks when Ice Edge Cafe had occupied the space — the shop unit now features geometrical elements for its facade with the most obvious parts being the window arches facing Kovan Road, while the interior features a really clean, modern and welcoming look considering the use of both white and yellow as its main colour scheme, accompanied with cushioned seatings, furniture and fittings sporting wooden accents. The geometrical theme runs through the interior of the bistro; arches can be found around the walls at the back of the bistro. Offering a menu that is designed by Chef Haikal Johari of one Michelin-starred Alma within the grounds of Goodwood Park Hotel, the menu at Alkove Bistro takes on a French-inspired approach — the menu contains sections dedicated to Tartines and Brunch (both available from 9:30am onwards), as well as Entrees, Salade, Soup, Plat Principal (i.e. main course) and Le Dessert from 11:30am onwards. Alkove Bistro also serves up a good variety of cakes, bite-sized desserts, sables, French Boulangerie and loaf breads for takeaway and dine-in all-day as well. The list of beverages at Alkove Bistro includes specialty coffee (brewed using beans roasted by Cata Coffee — yes; the same Cata Coffee that previously co-shared a space with Woodlands Sourdough when they were at Serene Centre), iced chocolate, teas by ETTE TEA COMPANY, cold-presses juices and sodas; there is also a short list of alcoholic beverages being served up here.

Having visited Alkove Bistro during lunch hour, we decided to go for something more substantial — of the items being listed in the Plat Principal section of the menu, we found ourselves drawn to the Chicken Vin Blanc; the dish being described with elements such as free range chicken, chicken leg with bone, tarragon, maitake mushroom and egg pasta. Essentially a chicken and pasta dish at heart, the Chicken Vin Blanc is a pretty well-portioned dish; apart from the listed ingredients on the menu, we also found chopped carrots, short strips of bacon and caramalised onions in the dish as well. Going straight for the chicken, there are two pieces of chicken here — both are as tender and juicy; the flesh coming off the bones without much effort required. Mopping up the sauce beneath the chicken, the sauce provides a creamy and slightly tangy note that we found to match up both the chicken and the egg pasta really well; the egg pasta done till al-dente to give it a good bite without being brittle. Given how the creamy sauce beneath does get a little jelat after a while, we liked how the inclusion of caramalised onions add a slight hint of sweetness that helps to neutralise the heaviness of the sauce and the protein — the root vegetables giving a soft bite and being an element that is “filling”, while the mushroom helped enhance the flavours of the mushroom-infused cream with its earthiness and provided a bouncy bite to the entire dish. The short strips of bacon were pretty surprising considering the lightness of its flavours — providing just that slight hint of saltish-ness that gels all the elements up together. All in all, a dish that attempts to hit a contrast of textures and flavours with its various elements at play.

Alkove Bistro does really give the Simon Road neighbourhood a breath of fresh air; there has been several establishments such as Fanteasy and FATCAT Ice Cream & Coffee Boutique that have moved into the area fairly recently; this is also not forgetting the revamp of Lola’s Cafe which has given the cafe a slightly more upscale look. That being said, Alkove Bistro does seem to be able to give the neighbourhood a somewhat more “atas” vibe — its interpretation of French-inspired fare possibly being able to match against more formal French bistros around town with prices that are more tuned towards that of the neighbourhood; no doubt the prices are comparable to that of brunch dishes offered by some cafes which are part of third-wave coffee movement, but definitely still considered value-for-money against the French bistros in town. Service from the staff is also worth commending — the host especially being very sincere and friendly, ready to engage into small talk and to gather feedback on the food; checking in regularly with the patrons to ensure that they are enjoying their experience at Alkove Bistro, while the service crew were particularly apologetic when informing us about the waiting time for the Gula Melaka Canele on the day of our visit, which was taking slightly longer than expected. Overall, Alkove Bistro does feel like that friendly neighbourhood bistro that serves up really good French-inspired fare which works for dates and family gatherings alike — one that would likely also be popular with cafe-hoppers; though we got a feeling Alkove Bistro is probably a popular haunt for expats in the area given its vibes and fare that they serve.