Review: Petit Fangko’s delightful drinks steal the show, but its fusion flavours bring both hits and misses

Petit Fangko review 

Singapore’s growing cafe culture and its offerings are a reflection of our nation’s diversity and love of food. 

Nothing exemplifies this better than cafes that weave together the comforting Asian flavours, celebrating the joy of good food and great company over a well-brewed cup of coffee. 

Petit Fangko is one of these cafes — a cafe that has great brews to pair with its many uniquely combined fusion dishes, such as its signature smash chicken (or known as Chimken at Petit Fangko) Indomie, with 21 levels of spiciness.

The backstory

Petit Fangko sits within the newly revamped Margaret Market space.

Margaret Market is located where the old Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market and Food Centre once stood. One of Singapore’s first sheltered markets, it opened in 1960 and closed in 2005. In 2013, it was gazetted for conservation. 

The new Margaret Market combines historical preservation with modern upgrades to better serve the community, maintaining elements of its iconic old-school facade such as its green mosaic tiles. 

It almost feels like the only thing missing is the dragon playground most of us grew up playing at.

You can enter the cafe through the main entrance or via Petit Fangko’s own side entrance, where the mantra “No Indomie, no life” greets you. 

The cafe was surprisingly uncrowded when I visited during Sunday brunch hours, which made for an inviting spot to unwind and relax, soaking in the weekend vibes. 

Our verdict

The overall dining experience at Petit Fangko was a bit of a mix of hits and misses.

The cafe’s charming, retro vibes is incredibly soothing and makes it conducive for heartfelt conversations over the great drinks served. There are plenty of green elements — from the potted plants to the mosaic tiles, and comfortable cushioned chairs which are great for relaxing on.

However, there is some room for improvement for Petit Fangko’s menu. While some might welcome a more extensive menu, our sense was that the sheer number of items may have resulted in a less-than-ideal execution in some items.

In some cases, less is more and in Petit Fangko’s case, the cafe could benefit from streamlining its current menu and focusing on a select range where it truly shines, such as in its drinks.

What it’s good for

When it comes to its drink selection, Petit Fangko impresses with an extensive array of choices that run the gamut from kombucha to Jamaican rum cream Americano. In fact, nearly half of its menu is dedicated to beverages.

I couldn’t resist trying the earthy colourful matcha (S$8.50), which boasted a vibrant blue-green hue thanks to the addition of blue pea flowers. It was delightfully creamy and had none of the bitterness that one might sometimes experience with matcha drinks. It veers on the sweeter side so do let the barista know of your preference if you prefer it to be less sweet.

The avocado coffee (S$8.80) was a mark of true indulgence, with its thick and creamy texture enhanced by its house espresso. The fangko melaka (S$6), which is served in an adorable glass bottle, combines fragrant palm sugar and a robust shot of coffee — truly a match made in beverage heaven. 

There is something about the colour of blue pea rice of the nasi lemak ayam berempah (S$14), which makes it appealing not just for the camera but is also extremely inviting to one’s taste buds. The satisfying plate comes with a whole ayam berempah leg (which means spiced chicken), accompanied by a fried egg, anchovies, peanuts and cucumber.

Do note that the power packed sambal is Indonesian-style, and uses both ripe and unripe bird’s eye chillies and lime. It is typically stronger and spicier compared to the sweet and slightly spicy sambal tumis that you find in our local version of nasi lemak.

We also tried its signature smash Chimken with Indomie (S$9.50 for regular, S$10 for extra large), which allows you to customise your spice level up to a level 21 or LV21 in Petit’s terms. 

We picked LV 3 ‘hot’ and it already packed a punch. As someone who loves spice, I found it satisfying, though I’m not entirely certain I will be able to handle the higher spice levels. One thing’s for sure, anything level three and above is certainly not for the faint-hearted. 

Wanting to give the different spice levels a go, we also opted for the smash Chimken with Indomie and fries (S$15), opting for the more manageable LV 1 ‘can try’ spice level for my dining companions. 

The portion of fries was decent, although I wasn’t sure if the addition of fries to its original smash Chimken with Indomie dish at an additional cost of S$5 provided much value.

It is worth mentioning that different people have their preferences when it comes to the firmness of instant noodles. Petit Fangko uses the actual Indomie instant noodles, and the noodles it served were more on the softer side, which might not sit well with all diners. 

My companion disagreed with the texture, but it felt just right for me. If you feel strongly about the doneness of your noodles, it might be wise to inform the staff ahead when placing your order. 

When I spotted the chicken and waffles (S$17.50) on the menu, I knew it was a must-try. It seemed like the ideal combination of savoury and sweet flavours — you’ve got the richness of butter and maple syrup on the waffles perfectly complementing the savoury flavours of fried chicken. 

Petit Fangko’s version comes with two sunny side up eggs and a generous piece of buttermilk chicken cutlet. 

However, my main qualm was that the chicken seemed a tad over-fried. Perhaps it was the restaurant’s choice of cut, but the chicken tasted stringy and dry, similar to the one found in the smashed Chimken dish. 

Dry protein aside, the waffles were a fluffy delight, a great balance of richness and lightness. Eaten with maple syrup and the flavourful sambal that it was served with, you wonder to yourself, why haven’t you thought of trying this combination sooner? 

What it could improve on

The most significant letdown of the meal was the grilled cheese sandwich (S$14). 

Unfortunately, the sandwich fell short of the mark of any cafe serving up sandwiches and baked goods. 

The whole sandwich was not grilled adequately, so the cheese on the sandwich was partially unmelted. The bread, too, seemed under-toasted, and lacked the usual crisp finish that you’d expect in a grilled cheese sandwich. 

While it was clear that Petit Fangko used high-quality ingredients in this dish, such as its fragrant butter, its incorporation within the dish felt uneven — some bites tasted overly buttery while others lacked it altogether.

Our quick takes  

Is it conducive to conversation? Definitely, perfect for a slow afternoon catch up over coffee given its cosy set up and location in a quieter corner of the market.

Is a reservation necessary? No, you can just walk right in. Seats are allocated on a first come first serve.

How to get there? It is a 5-minute walk from Queenstown MRT station

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review. 

Still hungry? Check out our reviews of the new Casa Vostra pop-up, open till the end of December, and our take on Saizeriya versus Milan Shokudo.   

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.  

Petit Fangko is available on the GrabFood delivery service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited. Alternatively, you can book a ride to Petit Fangko at Margaret Market.