Picky Snout: Huge rosti + chargrilled chicken chop hidden at Kovan coffee shop

The minute I came across photos of Picky Snout’s jumbo rosti on social media, I knew I had to give it a visit. Each plate was loaded with beautifully browned rosti, large slabs of chargrilled chicken chops, and doused with a creamy mushroom sauce that had actual pieces of mushrooms. The best part? Picky Snout isn’t a restaurant or bistro— it’s a Western coffee shop stall hidden in Kovan.

Picky Snout is actually quite new to the F&B game, having only opened in Ubi for 6 months before shifting to its current spot in Kovan in late Dec 2022.

Nestled in a nondescript coffee shop along Upper Serangoon Road, Picky Snout is a 9-minute walk away from Kovan MRT. For those familiar with the area, it’s slightly further down from Lola’s Cafe and Punggol Nasi Lemak.

My nose told me that we had arrived at the correct location. I could smell the delicious scent of roasted potatoes and chargrilled Western food, and before I knew it, my stomach rumbled loudly.

Apart from selling well-loved Western chargrilled classics, Picky Snout also serves up Vietnamese-inspired dishes, such as Signature Saigon Pork with Rosti (S$11.90), Baguettes (aka banh mi) with your choice of meat, and rice dishes too.

What I tried at Picky Snout

I was most excited to try Picky Snout’s Creamy Mushroom Chicken Rosti (S$10.90).

A giant piece of chargrilled chicken chop sat on a large, circular slab of rosti, and slathered all over was a homemade creamy mushroom sauce. Accompanying the entire dish was some pickled vegetables on the side.

Interestingly, parts of the chicken chop had been sliced into thick wedges, which made it easier to eat.

These were great, thick chunks of juicy chicken chop that were so delicious I literally couldn’t stop eating. Each piece was succulent, and I could clearly taste the char from the grill, which added wispy smoky elements to every bite. More importantly, the chicken skin was perfectly cooked, and had a good amount of fat for that luscious touch.

If I wasn’t already bowled over by how amazing the chargrilled chicken chop was, the homemade creamy mushroom sauce would’ve converted me into an instant fan.

This was a creamy, rich and earthy mushroom sauce that paired incredibly well with both the chargrilled chicken chop and rosti. Filled with umami notes, I could tell instantly that it had been made from actual mushrooms— and plus points that it actually came with chunks of mushrooms too!

And finally, onto the rosti. It was admittedly a little wetter than I’d have liked— as if the excess liquid from the strips of potatoes hadn’t been squeezed out— but flavours wise, it was really decent. The top layer of rosti was deliciously crispy, with hints of sprinkled salt granules here and there. 

Picky Snout certainly did this plate justice. You’ve got that charred goodness and meaty bites from the chicken chop, the sauciness from the creamy mushroom gravy, and the roasted bits of potato from the rosti, making every bite from this plate an absolute success.

In fact, as my colleague Rachel and I continued eating, the moist rosti (which originally threw me off) grew on us. We found that mixing it with the umami-filled mushroom sauce was the best combination, as it created this earthy mashed potato-like mix that was filled with roasted and salty flavours. Super yummy!

Admittedly, S$10.90 is slightly pricier than most dishes at your average Western coffee shop stall, but the portion size and delicious flavours made it so worth it.

Out of curiosity, we decided to order Picky Snout’s Vietnamese-inspired Signature Saigon Pork Chop with Rice (S$8.90). It came with 2 pieces of pork chop, butter rice, a sunny side-up, and pickled vegetables.

First things first— for S$8.90, this was an absolute steal. I only expected one piece of pork chop, but to be given two felt like it was Christmas Day all over again!

The pork chops were on the leaner side, making the meat tougher due to the little fat it had, but it was marinated really well. I could taste garlic, fish sauce and hints of lemongrass, which made each bite aromatic.

Picky Snout also offers a Vietnamese-inspired chilli sauce, so if you’re ordering its Signature Saigon Pork with Rosti (S$11.90), Rice (S$8.90) or in a Baguette (S$7.90), be sure to grab some of this!

I loved how piquant it was. It packed more of a sour, salty twang as opposed to heat or spice, and it reminded me of those clear sour chilli sauces that’d usually accompany fresh Vietnamese spring rolls.

I must say, it would’ve been super easy to have provided plain white rice, especially considering the amount of labour that goes into the rosti and chargrilled dishes, but Picky Snout impressed me by using buttered rice instead. It’s really the small things that make a big difference. 

Final thoughts

A+ for effort and taste, Picky Snout, and you can consider us official fans. Even though its dishes mostly average out to cost around S$9 or S$10, with the most expensive dish being the ribeye steak with rosti at S$15.90, I’d most definitely return again. 

Not only are you given generous portions of handmade rosti, chargrilled chicken chops and zesty pork chops, everything was also delicious. This is one of those instances where you can truly taste the effort that has gone into each element of the dish.

Thank you, Picky Snout, for a great meal. I’ll be back to try everything else on your menu!

Expected damage: S$6.90 – S$15.90 per pax

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