Singaporean brand and seven-time Michelin-star awardee, PUTIEN, recently opened its doors at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), further showcasing the roster of its authentic Fujian cuisine made with only with the finest ingredients sourced from all over Southeast Asia. Putien’s second branch is located at the 2nd level of Mitsukoshi Mall and can seat up to 110 guests with discerning appetites for comforting, heartwarming, and light, clean to the taste dishes inspired by the traditional cooking methods of Putian City (from where the restaurant’s name was derived), Fujian province, in China. With the opening of this second branch in Metro Manila, families, businessmen and entrepreneurs, and even foodies with adventurous but discerning palates looking for Chinese food that is unlike any other, can now enjoy hearty meals at Putien in BGC.
Putien first opened its doors at the Kitchener Road in Singapore in 2000. The brand’s Founder, Uncle Fong, who migrated from Putian to Singapore, envisioned it to be the restaurant of choice for delicious, quality and homestyle Fujian dishes while feeling comfortably at home. That original outlet in Kitchener Road has already been conferred with the much-coveted one Michelin Star in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, among other recognitions such as Singapore’ Prestige Brand and Singapore Service Star Awards in 2009, Epicurean Star Award in 2016, and Tasty Singapore Awards in 2010. These citations are testaments to the skills of Putien’s chefs led by Master Chef Li, as they create dishes that are high quality, and truly authentic Fujian.
Streamlined interiors and the warmest welcome
This newly opened branch sports a sleek interior, with shades of light earthy brown wood on the wall panels, complimented by the champagne-hued tables accentuated with bright blue couches. A loaded bar at the heart of the restaurant balances the entire dining area, making it a truly delightful sight to behold. The walls are covered with flowing wave-like patterns, as if paying homage to the fisherfolks of the beautiful coastal suburb that is Putian, located southeast of Fujian Province.
While it is evident that the colors and the exciting vibe speaks volumes of its being a modern aesthetic and contemporary Chinese restaurant, Putien still retains the traditional Chinese heritage, like having a private family or function rooms that could seat up to 10 people.
Guests are greeted with a cheery and energetic “Polen Polen!”, a traditional expression among Putianese which translates to “You are from Putian, I am, too!”, as if welcoming them into their own homes and culture, just the way Uncle Fong designed the greeting to be from Putien’s inception some 24 years ago. It underscores the way he would welcome guests in his own home, afford them generous hospitality and give them a taste of his culture through food.
Fujian cuisine at its finest
Being one of the major cuisines in China, Fujian cuisine (which traces its roots from the province of Fujian), is well loved because of its light but flavorful, fresh, mellow, and never greasy in general. It has always been celebrated because it takes ingredients and cooking methods seriously, underscoring the use of woodland delicacies, and seafoods, fresh produce, and delicacies grown within the quaint village. Putien always chooses Grade-A ingredients, cost notwithstanding, as not to compromise the superior taste and quality of every dish. Unrelenting when it comes to the use of only the best, the creative chefs of Putien make sure to hero the star ingredients, resulting in delightful, light yet filling food. The unpretentious dishes retain the original flavor of the meat, seafood, and vegetables. Respect for the cuisine and the accompanying ingredients is non-negotiable in Putien’s kitchen.
Putien takes pride in closely working with their source for the freshest ingredients—from farmers who ensure the best conditioned spaces to grow and harvests, to the fisherfolks who supply them with their prized seaweeds, Yellow Croaker fish or fresh oysters, and even with the Putian mountain residents for their Da Hong Pao tea, seasonal longan or lychee fruits, and the rare Red Mushroom. The creative and clever chefs of Putien then put their fine skills to good use, making sure that the star ingredient shines, resulting to an enjoyable, consistent, and homestyle Fujian cuisine with every dining experience.
Every dish tells a story
PUTIEN’s Fujian dishes aims to retain the original flavors of the meats, seafoods, and vegetables without the need to mask any ingredient—but all with a story in between—making it a heartening and memorable dining experience every single time.
Guests with discerning palates will find perusing the menu and picking their preferred dish a pleasant task, starting with the Three Treasures of Fujian. First is the Fujian Red Mushroom Seafood Lor Mee, the restaurant’s flagship dish and the reason why it still exists and thriving after 24 years. A Fujian classic with a twist, this 14-ingredient braised noodle dish in a rich chicken and pork stock that is boiled for six hours, is packed with flavor. Combined with the nutritious essence of red mushroom, a rare ingredient found only on the slopes of China’s Wuyi Mountains, gives the dish its signature red hue. The ‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker, meanwhile, is another Putien classic. The fish is carefully boiled to precision for exactly100 seconds. It allows one to taste the true freshness of the yellow croaker, imported from Ningde Fujian, accentuating its original taste. It is then cooked in light seasoning using onions, ginger, Fujian aged wine and Puning bean sauce. The Bian Rou Soup, on the other hand, is yet another Fujian bestseller. It is essentially a slightly sour soup with dumpling filled with juicy meat. What makes this extra special is the wrapper, which is pounded 1,200 times to make it silky soft and paper-thin.
If you are a Putien newbie, here are the restaurant’s top 10 signature dishes you should try:
• Seaweed & Mini Shrimps Dressed in Sauce. What makes this unique is the use of only the first-harvest, top-grade Fujian seaweed, harvested annually, and is touted to be the crème dela crème of seaweeds.
• Stir-Fried Yam. Only the center part of the Ping Nang Yu yam variety from Thailand is used, and undergoes three different cooking style—steaming, frying, and sautéing—making every bite a tad fluffier.
• Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychee. A staple at Chinese meals, Putien takes this dish to a whole new level by adding something surprising yet delicious lychee, making this dish a whole different kind of hit, as the fruit provides the right balance of tanginess and sweetness. It uses only lean meat fried in a consistent oil temperature to ensure that it is tender and juicy on the inside.
• Crispy Oyster. Savory. The oysters (a famous variety in Putian) are cooked in leeks and butter while the breading is handmade from few kinds of tapioca powder to guarantee a thin coating.
• Mazu Mee Sua. This is said to symbolize longevity and is always present during Holiday meals and special celebrations.
• Braised Pig Intestine. This is made of meticulously prepared intestines tirelessly washed in water and wine for three hours, and artistically folded using one piece of chopstick (Putien’s way of continually celebrating and practicing a ‘lost art’), then braised in 12 traditional herbs and spices.
• Deep Fried Pork Trotters with Salt & Pepper. Braised for three hours and fried for 50 seconds in 250 degrees of hot oil, this results in perfectly cooked trotters with a tasty, almost melt-in-your-mouth collagen goodness.
• Deep-Fried Prawns with Cereal. Popular among young diners for its crunchy breading (made from imported cereal mixed with milk powder that gives off a slightly sweet kick) and particularly plump prawns.
• Braised Bean Curd with Chinese Cabbage. A special treat for veggie lovers, this dish is savory and flavorful, as it is made with yellow core Chinese cabbage and Putien’s homemade silky tofu that are simmered for 8 hours, then mixed with dried shrimps, clams, ginger, and fried garlic. These flavors are absorbed by the spongey tofu and guarantee to give off an explosion of flavors when you sink your teeth into it.
• Chilled Loquat in Herbal Jelly. provides the sweet ending, as this famous Putian loquat fruit is mixed with mint and herbal jelly to create a light and refreshing dessert.
Putien also offers set meals consisting of appetizers, soups, entrée, rice dishes, beverage, and desserts, all steeped in Fujian culture and core values as seen in the way the restaurant cooks and prepares every dish.
ADVT.