I’m really excited that Chinese New Year is just less than two weeks away. It is the time where we get to catch up with our relatives and friends. And of course, the part that I’m looking forward to is eating lots of yummy food.

In recent years, more and more families are choosing to eat out because of convenience and ambience. There are also some that order Chinese New Year Takeaways from restaurants and hotels, to eat at the comfort of their homes. No matter where you are having your reunion dinner, I hope you will have a good time with your loved ones!

If you are still looking for a restaurant to celebrate the occasion, let me help you with some suggestions for Chinese New Year Dinner 2012.

Chin Huat Live Seafood

For a scrumptious seafood feast, go to Chin Huat at Sunset Way for their Chinese New Year Promotion. At $398++ for 10 persons, the set menu comes with Salmon Yu Sheng, Braised Shark’s Fin, Deep-fried Goby, Poached Live Prawns and Steamed Chicken.

105 Clementi Street 12
#01-30 Sunset Way Singapore
Tel: +65 6775 7348

Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant

This Lunar New Year, Executive Chinese Chef Sunny Kong of Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant has put together 10 different signature menus ranging from the $98++ per person menu (minimum 2 persons) – which features Salmon Yusheng, Braised Shark’s Fin, Steamed Sea Perch, and Braised Baby Abalone; to an extravagant $1,888++ meal for 10 persons, from 13 January to 6 February 2012.

From their Chinese New Year Takeaway menu, the prosperity Salmon Yusheng for 8-10 persons is available for $108, while the Pen Cai for 5-8 persons is $368.

333 Orchard Road Level 35
Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6262

Man Fu Yuan

Over at Man Fu Yuan Intercontinental Hotel, there are 12 different options to cater to everyone’s tastes. The 6 course menu ($108++/pax) – with Yu Sheng, Shark’s Fin, Baby Abalone, Deep-Fried Sea Perch – is ideal for a family of 4.

Should you choose to celebrate your Chinese New Year Dinner Party at home, Man Fu Yuan also presents an attractive takeaway package which includes Pen Cai and Yu Sheng at $358 (DBS Credit Card promotion at $320).

80 Middle Road
2F Intercontinental Hotel
Tel: +65 6825 1062

Chinese New Year Eve, also known as Chu Xi: the day where families gather for reunion dinner.

Imperial treasure steamboat

What’s Chinese New Year’s Eve without steamboat?

On 22th Jan 2012, Imperial Treasure Steamboat at TripleOne Somerset has created special Chinese New Year set menus. For a family of 4, you can have the $328++ menu which comes with Lo Hei, Seafood, Prawns, Abalones, Scallops, Clams, and Desserts.

For those of you who are having an early reunion dinner celebration, the normal set menu for 4 persons is $168++.

111 Somerset Road, #02-21 TripleOne Somerset
Tel: +65 6732 8231

Keng Eng Kee Seafood

For a simple reunion dinner, head over to Keng Eng Kee Seafood Restaurant. There are two Chinese New Year Set Menus at $399 and $499 (for 10 pax). For smaller families, you can order from their Cze Char ala carte menu.

The last I checked, they are fully booked during Chinese New Year’s Eve.

Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1
#01-136 Alexandra Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6272 1038

Paradise Inn

With 11 branches in Singapore, Paradise Inn is the ideal choice for your family reunion dinner. The casual dining restaurant serves good Chinese food at affordable prices.

23 Serangoon Central
#03-15 NEX Mall
Tel: +65 6634 4228

What’s there not to like about Chinese New Year when you get to eat traditional goodies like kueh bangkit, loveletters, pinapple tarts, peanut cookies, and bak kwa?

Yan Ting

One of my favourite Chinese restaurants in Singapore, Yan Ting at the St Regis is the place to go if money is no object.

Yan Ting presents several sumptuous set menus for Chinese New Year 2012. You can choose from the 8 course ($1088++/10pax) which has Salmon Yusheng, Braised Shark’s Fin Soup, Steamed Soon Hock, and Crispy Roasted Chicken; and the 9 course which has Double-boiled Shark’s Fin Soup, Pan-roasted Rack of Lamb, Crispy Peking Duck as the highlights.

There’s also the 6 course set menu at $98++/pax (min 2 persons) for smaller families. The Lunar New Year Dinner menus are available from 12th January to 6th February 2012.

29 Tanglin Road
The St Regis Singapore
Tel: +65 6506 6888

To most people, soup is comfort food. And lucky for me, I am fortunate to have home-cooked soup prepared lovingly by my mom all the time. This probably explains why it has never crossed my mind to step into the hugely popular Soup Restaurant. Until today.

Soup Restaurant probably needs no further introduction; it is a household name for double-boiled soup and homely Chinese fare.

The menu has quite a variety of dishes, which range from meats ($8.9-13.9), fish ($10.9-12.9), seafood ($14.9-18.9), tofu and eggs ($7.5-8.9), vegetables ($7.9-12.9) and boiled soups ($6.9-8.9).

Most customers, though, go for the popular Chinatown heritage dishes, such as Hometown Tofu, and their Traditional Boiled Soups.

A trip to Soup Restaurant would not be complete without sampling their signature Samsui Ginger Chicken ($15.9 for small).

Like any eatery serving home-cooked dishes, Soup Kitchen is a good option anytime you want a light and simple meal. It’s really not difficult to see why they are so popular: decent Chinese food at affordable prices, with many outlets.

I wouldn’t mind eating at soup kitchen, but only if I don’t have to queue for half an hour just to get a table.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Soup Restaurant
1 HarbourFront Walk
VivoCity #02-141
Tel: +65 6376 9969
16 outlets in Singapore

I am sure you know that I am on a quest to try all the dim sum places in Singapore. My latest adventure brings me to Imperial Treasure Nan Bai at Ngee Ann City.

I have been wanting to go there for a while, but never had the chance until recently. Judging from the crowd on the weekend, Imperial Treasure Nan Bei seems to be extremely popular, especially with families.

Even though I am quite adventurous with food, I like to keep it safe when it comes to dim sum. I will always order the standard items like Har Gau, Siew Mai, as well as my favourite Custard Bun, Char Siew Sou and Egg Tart.

That’s exactly what we had at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei.

We started with the Char Siew Sou ($3.6), Steamed Rice Roll with Shrimp ($5.5), Steamed Prawn Dumpling ($4.8), Steamed Pork Dumpling ($4.4), and Xiao Long Bao ($4.4). Most of them were not too bad, but definitely not life-changing. I did however, think that the Char Siew Sou, was the best tasting among the five items.

The Custard Bun at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei was decent, but in no way comparable to the really good ones that I’ve had before.

Without a doubt, the far and away winner for that day was the Baked Egg Tarts ($3). It was just damn good! I’d come back to Imperial Treasure just for this.

While everything that arrived at our table was well-executed, they didn’t have the wow factor to make it memorable for me. I wouldn’t mind coming back if my friends want to try, but I wouldn’t suggest it on my own.

That said, Imperial Treasure Nan Bei at Ngee Ann City is always full on the weekends, so they must be doing something right. It is impossible to get a table without reservations, so make sure you call well in advance to book a date.

After trying Imperial Treasure Noodle and Congee House, and Imperial Treasure Nan Bei, my next stop will be Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck at Paragon!

Singapore Food Blog Review
Imperial Treasure Nan Bai
391 Orchard Road
#05-12 Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6738 1238
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm

10 Tampines Central 1
#02-04 Tampines 1
Tel: +65 6484 3323
Daily: 11am – 10pm

For more recommendations, please read my list of Dim Sum Places in Singapore

You know a marketing campaign is successful when people still remember the slogan after a long time. When you mention Chin Huat Live Seafood, chances are, people will think of the slogan “lobster bigger than little girl” used in their television advertisement years ago.

Chin Huat Live Seafood at Sunset Way, is of course, more than just lobsters. Besides the typical Sri Lanka crabs, they offer a huge variety of seafood and popular zichar dishes.

The restaurant was pretty full when we went on a weekday for dinner. As it was just a casual family dinner, we decided to play safe and order the usual stuff like chilli crabs, deep-fried chicken, and sambal kangkong.

Everyone knows that Chilli Crab is one of the must-eats in Singapore. But to be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with it.

On one hand, I really love dipping the deep-fried mantou into the savoury-sweet chilli gravy. On the other, the amount of work – from cracking a shell that’s as hard as a bulletproof tank; to trying to coax the meat out from the deep end of the shell – doesn’t justify all the work for so little flesh.

More than anything, I am a lazy person who doesn’t like to dirty his hands just for crabs. But fine, I did it anyway. Who can resist the temptation of Chilli crab with deep-fried mantou?

As much as I’d love to try Chin Huat’s signature Golden Sauce Crab, we only had room for another crab and we went for the Salted Egg Yolk Crab ($43 per kg). It was okay. I felt that the salted egg yolk crab would be better if there was more gravy.

I was trying very hard to concentrate when the Dong Po Rou ($16) arrived. They were magnificent – just look at the picture above!

The others commented that the sauce was a little too sweet, but I thought that it was just nice. Then again, I have a really sweet tooth, so don’t take my word for it.

The Deep-fried Crispy Chicken ($12 for half) was equally good-looking. It’s really difficult to breathe when you have Chilli Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Dong Po Meat, and Crispy Chicken on the table. I felt as though I was in a room surrounded by gorgeous babes.

Chin Huat Live Seafood at Sunset Way serves competent food at reasonable prices. Besides the usual zi char, they also have other unique dishes like Wagyu Beef on the menu. It is a great place to have live seafood if you are staying in the west of Singapore.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Chin Huat Live Seafood
105 Clementi Street 12
#01-30 Sunset Way Singapore
Tel: +65 6775 7348

For more recommendations, read my Guide to Sunset Way Restaurants

Man Fu Yuan at Intercontinental Hotel – one of Singapore’s top Cantonese restaurants – has undergone a refurbishment earlier this year and it has since returned with a stunning decor and a new emphasis on Chinese tea.

While I liked their dim sum, I didn’t frequent the old Man Fu Yuan because the decoration was kind of boring. Boy was I impressed when I went there for lunch recently. The restaurant now has a nice contemporary look with classy butterfly chandeliers, exquisite hand-painted wall coverings, and natural timber floors.

With new Chinese executive chef Chan Siu Kong helming the kitchen, Man Fu Yuan has a new focus on tea pairing. Some of the chef specialty dishes with premium Chinese tea include: Wok-fried Garoupa with White Peony Tea Leaf ($30 per portion), Stir-fried Scallops with Long Jin Tea Leaf ($38 per portion) and the beautiful Pork Ribs with Pu Erh Tea Leaf ($10 per piece) which you see in the photo above.

The dim sum at Man Fu Yuan is good, but the prices are slightly higher than most dim sum restaurants. Besides the typical offerings like Prawn Dumpling ($6.8), Pork Dumpling ($6.8) and Honey Glazed Pork Bun ($5.2), they also have some interesting items like the Baked Lobster with cheese ($6.8), Pan-fried Black Pepper Venison Dumping ($5.2) and Chilli Crabmeat Bun ($6.8). Most of the dim sum are priced between $5.2 to $6.8 per basket.

If you are at Man Fu Yuan for dim sum, remember to check out the custard buns ($12 for 6). They are one of the better custard buns that I’ve had. It is also one of the few Chinese restaurants in Singapore that serves the Deep-fried Glutinous Rice Dumpling traditional style, also known as Ham Sui Kok.

Among the dishes that we tried, I liked the Wok-fried Pork Ribs ($10 per piece) infused with Pu-erh tea leaf in lemon sauce. While it was a shame that the overwhelming lemon sauce completely covered the Pu-erh flavour, the fork-tender pork ribs were heavenly.

By the time we had the Stewed Noodles with Lobster ($12 per 100g lobster), our stomachs were already almost filled to the brim. Nonetheless, we slurped down the lobster noodles and ended the meal with two desserts – Cream of Pumpkin with ice cream ($8) and Chilled Mango Pudding with Pomelo Sago ($8).

Man Fu Yuan at Intercontinental Hotel is a nice place to have a quiet lunch near the town area. Prices are what you’d expect for a fine dining Cantonese restaurant. I like the new interior, so I can see myself going back for dim sum.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Man Fu Yuan
80 Middle Road
2F Intercontinental Hotel
Tel: +65 6825 1062
Daily: 11am – 2.15pm, 6pm – 10.30pm

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

For more recommendations, please read my list of best dim sum restaurants in Singapore

When I was younger, the de facto meeting place for gatherings was definitely at least a cafe, or a nicer restaurant for a special occasion. While I enjoy going out to fancy restaurants, I also like having a simple dinner at a Zhu Chao stall with my friends.

For one of our gatherings, we decided to meet at Tiong Bahru as everyone is working nearby. Since I’ve been to Sin Hoi San Seafood Restaurant, I asked my friend to recommend another eating place in the area, and she immediately suggested Por Kee Eating House – a very popular Zhu Chao Stall at Seng Poh road opposite Tiong Bahru Market.

Like what I’ve mentioned in my Singapore Must-Eats post, Zi Char (also known as Zhi Char/Cze Char/Tze Char/Zhu Chao) is a Chinese stall (in a coffee shop) that serves a variety of ala carte dishes at affordable prices.

The signature Home-made tofu braised with mushrooms is also highly recommended, and this is coming from a guy who only likes hotplate tofu. We also had the famous Champagne Pork Ribs ($16 for small), and it was really good.

As you all know, I’m on a quest to find the best sweet and sour pork in Singapore. Even though I have been disappointed each time, I still continued to try them. Unfortunately, Por Kee’s Sweet and Sour Pork ($12) was only mediocre. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing either.

The food at Por Kee Eating House is good, but not great. Furthermore, the prices at Por Kee are slightly higher than the typical Zhu Chao stalls; vegetable dishes start from $9 (small), and the meat dishes are around $12-16 (small).

I wouldn’t go all the way to Tiong Bahru just to eat this, and even if I am in the area, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Where do you usually eat in Tiong Bahru?

Singapore Food Blog Review
Por Kee Eating House
69 Seng Poh Lane #01-02
Tel: +65 6221 0582

It’s no secret that I love dim sum. I’ve been on a quest to find the best dim sum in Singapore and I’m happy to introduce you to my new favourite dim sum restaurant – Paradise Pavilion at Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC).

If Taste Paradise is a gorgeous fine dining Chinese restaurant with oriental decorations, Paradise Pavilion would be its westernised sibling, with a stunning French-inspired neoclassical ambience.

The restaurant on level 2 of the Marina Bay Link Mall also has an excellent view of the Marina Bay area, making it a great place to watch fireworks.

When you ask around which restaurants serve the best Beijing Roast Duck in Singapore, chances are, people will reply either Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck or Paradise Pavilion. It comes as no surprise as the latter actually constructed the wood fired ovens using apple wood from China. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try the famous Peking duck as there was only two of us during both visits, so I can’t tell you whether Paradise Pavilion indeed has the best Peking duck in Singapore.

What I can tell you is that they have good dim sum, and the lovely interior makes the food even better. You’d think that I’m an expert judging from all the dim sum places that I’ve been to, but no, I’m actually quite ‘safe’ when it comes to dim sum. When I like something, I’ll keep eating it. It’s quite clear by now that there are certain items that I’d always order when I eat dim sum – custard bun, char siew sou, egg tart, custard bun, char siew sou, egg tart…

But I am getting better at trying new things. I figured that it’s probably quite weird if I go into a restaurant and just order baskets of char siew sou, egg tart, custard bun and nothing else.

Under the dim sum menu, there are eight items under “recommended dishes” section, which I believe is a list of dim sum items that are exclusive to Paradise Pavilion. Unless I am mistaken, most of the other dim sum dishes are also available at Taste Paradise.

Among them, I’ve tried the Pan-Fried Bun with Sliced Peking Duck, Bacon & Pineapple ($5.6), Siew Mai Skewers ($5.8), Black Truffle Chicken Pie ($6), Sesame Pastry with Sauteed Peking Duck ($6) and Crystal Dumpling with Peking Duck ($4.8). I’d highly recommend the Pan-Fried Bun with Sliced Peking Duck and Siew Mai Skewers.

There was silence when the Siew Mai Skewers arrived at the table. Siew Mai on a stick looked mightily impressive. Wow. It tasted even better. The Pan-Fried Bun with Sliced Peking Duck, Pineapple and Bacon was also very good! It was simple, yet very satisfying.

My dining companion was quite taken with the Crystal Dumping with Peking Duck ($4.8), but I thought it was a tad too salty. In any case, it is one of the three dim sum dishes that has Peking Duck.

From the recommended dishes, the Dragon Beard Flaky Roll with Eggplant ($5.6) sounds really interesting, but we had too much food on both visits, so we skipped that.

I like Cheong Fun. Really, I do. But I find it a little disturbing to stuff Cheong Fun with deep-fried veg spring roll ($5.8), so we skipped that and went for the normal Steamed Cheong Fun with scallop filling ($6.3).

I know I shouldn’t judge a dim sum by its name, but I thought it was puzzling to list the Original Steamed Carrot Cake ($4.8) as one of the recommended dishes. Maybe the chefs at Paradise Pavilion have found a way to master steamed carrot cake. In that case, shouldn’t they name it as the ‘Best‘ Steamed Carrot Cake instead of ‘Original‘ Steamed Carrot Cake?

Another dim sum that came with Peking Duck was the Sesame Pastry with Sauteed Peking Duck ($6). Even though I love duck meat, we couldn’t finish the dish.

We were intrigued by the name of the Black Truffle Chicken Pie ($6). I know, we are such superficial creatures. Put anything-black-truffle on the menu and you can get our attention. Sadly, the chicken pie filling wasn’t exactly out-of-this-world good. The puff pastry, on the other hand, was amazing – it felt as though we were in pastry heaven.

The Baked BBQ Pork Pastry was good, as expected. I’ve said it before, and I shall say it again – Paradise restaurant has the best char siew sou in Singapore.

Only the Steamed Custard Bun ($5.5) from Taste Paradise can make my heart go pitter-patter, so boy am I glad that I can now get it at Paradise Pavilion MBFC too. Best Custard Bun in Singapore? Definitely!

It seems somewhat ironical that Paradise Pavilion at Marina Bay Financial Centre has replaced Taste Paradise as one of my top three dim sum restaurants in Singapore. But at the same time, I’m glad that Paradise Pavilion is the one as I’m a fan of the Paradise group of restaurants. It will be interesting to see how much further they can push the culinary boundaries of Chinese cuisine.

For more recommendations, please read my list of best dim sum in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Paradise Pavilion
8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6509 9308

I’ll be honest. The only reason why I went to Old Hong Kong Legend at Raffles City Shopping Mall was because Royal China was fully booked that day. Surprisingly, they have pretty good dim sum at reasonable prices.

If you have not heard about the Old Hong Kong Group, they currently have four restaurants: Old Hong Kong Kitchen at Novena Square 2, Old Hong Kong TasteMyVillage at Serangoon Gardens, Old Hong Kong Teahouse at Katong Village and of course, Old Hong Kong Legend at Raffles City Shopping Mall.

The dim sum menu at Old Hong Kong Legend has around 20 items, with prices ranging from $3.2 to $5.5 per basket. From the steamed items like Steamed Shrimp Dumping, Steamed Beef Balls, and Steamed Glutinous rice; to deep fried items like Deep Fried Prawn Dumpling, Deep Fried Spring Roll and Deep Fried Chives Dumpling; and baked items like Mini Egg Tarts, Baked Bo Lo Bun and Barbecued Pork Puff Pastry – there are options for every one.

Ever since I tried the Chicken Feet from Tim Ho Wan (One Michelin-Star restaurant in Hong Kong), my opinion about the dish has changed. For me, it used to represent one of those gruesome punishments in Fear Factor, but now, it is more like a yummy dim sum treat. Old Hong Kong Legend’s Steamed Chicken Claws with Black Bean Sauce ($3.2) was the perfect way to start one’s meal.

The Steamed Egg Yolk Custard Bun ($3.2) was good, but not life changing (read: not the best custard bun in Singapore). That said, I’ve paid $3 for one custard bun before, so the ones here are worth a try. Imagine: taste of happiness for merely a dollar each.

Three dim sum items arrived in quick succession: Steamed Glutinous Rice ($4.5), Pan Fried Radish Cake ($3.2), and Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun ($3.2). Except for the Glutinous rice in lotus leaf, the other two items were run-of-the-mill and nothing worth mentioning.

When I was scanning through the menu, the baked items like Char Siew Sou, Egg Tarts and Baked Bo Lo Bun were screaming ‘EAT ME’. Unfortunately, the oven was spoilt that day and we couldn’t order any of them. I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced this, but it is not a nice feeling to see something, and not being able to eat it.

Thankfully, the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling ($5.5) and Steamed Pork Dumpling ($5.5) were decent and we quickly forgot about the baked dim sum.

All in all, Old Hong Kong Legend at Raffles City Shopping Mall (City Hall) is a competent restaurant to have dim sum. If not for the fact that there are so many good dim sum restaurants like Royal China, Man Fu Yuan and Wah Lok in the area, I’d come back more often for lunch.

For more recommendations, read my list of dim sum restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Old Hong Kong Legend
252 North Bridge Road
#02-18 Raffles City Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6336 3038

Like many others, I love to find nice restaurants that serve good food at affordable prices. Paradise Inn is a casual dining concept by the Paradise Group, with 11 branches in Singapore.

The food is generally good, and most of the items are priced below $15 (for small portion).

Stand-out dishes include the Braised Vermicelli with Pork Trotters ($12 for small) and the Stewed Pork Belly with Lotus Bun ($2.2 per piece), otherwise known as Kong Ba Bao. We also tried Paradise Inn’s Sweet & Sour Pork with lychee ($10 for small) – decent but not life-changing; and Hot Plate Tofu ($10 for small) which came with preserved caixin and minced pork.

Paradise Inn is a nice and affordable Chinese restaurant to have a simple family dinner. Given that Paradise Inn is a restaurant chain in shopping malls, prices are naturally higher than zi char places. That said, I can see myself going back with my family when we are dining out, especially if we are in a shopping mall.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Paradise Inn Restaurant
(11 Branches in Singapore)
23 Serangoon Central
#03-15 NEX Mall
Tel: +65 6634 4228

313 Orchard Road
#B3-39/40 313 @ Somerset
Tel: +65 6733 0348

For more recommendations, read Paradise Dynasty | Seafood Paradise | Taste Paradise

Tucked at the back of a run-down coffee shop along Upper Bukit Timah Road, Ga Hock Seafood Restaurant is a popular zhi char stall in the west of Singapore.

Despite its hidden location, Ga Hock has a huge following; many people flock here for a good and satisfying dinner. I only knew about Ga Hock when I asked on twitter for recommendations of the best zi char places in Singapore.

We dived straight into the chilli crabs – which is one of the things you must eat in Singapore.

Ga Hock’s Chilli Crab ($42/kg) was decent, but the gravy was too watery for my liking. That said, it would be a shame to waste the spicy-sweet sauce. The deep-fried buns were the perfect vehicle to soak up the chilli gravy, and we finished everything.

When we eat at zi char stalls, we will always order Har Cheong Kai (prawn paste chicken). I know it is a little boring to order it all the time, but who can resist the gorgeous deep-fried chicken wings?

The Pork Ribs ($10) was equally good. With a lethal combination of the sweet sauce and the irresistibly-tender pork ribs, this is a must-order dish at Ga Hock.

Another popular zi char dish that we would always order is the Hotplate Beancurd ($8). There are no fanciful ingredients; just eggs, mushrooms, beans, carrots, minced meat, and shrimp on a sizzling hotplate. This is simplicity at its best.

Ga Hock Seafood Restaurant is opposite Mindef along Upper Bukit Timah road (near the Shell petrol station).

Singapore Food Blog Review
Ga-Hock Seafood Restaurant
794 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Hup Choon Eating House
Tel: +65 6314 5725
Daily: 4pm – 11pm

I’ll be honest. My visit to Ximending Taiwanese Restaurant at Vivocity was a disappointment. The food that we had was pretty good, but the service from the manager was atrocious.

If you have been reading my blog, I’m sure you’d know that I only blog about restaurants that give a positive dining experience.  I always believe that bloggers must be responsible, and not publish any accusations which might potentially hurt somebody. Restaurants are running a business afterall, and it is difficult to please everyone since we all have different likings.

That said, I decided to blog about this because we enjoyed the food, though, it was a shame that we didn’t exactly had a great time overall.

Right from the start when we first took the menu, the manager persistently persuaded us to go for the pricier items though we had politely refused and specified we only wanted those that we ordered. After placing our order, we asked for ice water and he told us that they only serve it upon request. And again, he tried to convince us to order from the drinks menu. He reluctantly served us ice water after we told him repeatedly and firmly that we didn’t want any drinks from the menu.

Anyway, back to the food. Ximending restaurant’s menu (most dishes are under $20) has quite a few options, and it took us a while before deciding on what to order.

We tried the Taiwanese Salt & Pepper Chicken – a popular Taiwanese street food; Radish & Egg Pancake ($10) – a must-try dish to go along with Taiwanese porridge; and the signature Taiwanese Three Cup (san bei) Chicken ($17.9). We also ordered the Stewed Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables ($9.9), but they only informed us that it was sold-out after we’ve almost finished all our food.

All in all, Ximending restaurant has pretty good Taiwanese food at decent prices, but the service was a let-down. Given that we do not have many Taiwanese restaurants in Singapore, the only places to satisfy my cravings for Taiwanese food are Shin Yeh restaurant at Liang Court, I love Taimei, 4 Season Taiwanese Cuisine (formerly Peng Lai Ge), and Oasis Taiwan Porridge Restaurant.

I don’t think I will re-visit Ximending restaurant again. How about you? Would you go back to a restaurant (with good food) if the service was bad?

Singapore Food Blog
Ximending Taiwanese Restaurant
1 HarbourFront Walk
#01-51A VivoCity
Tel: +65 6376 8018

It has been two years since my last visit to Royal China Restaurant at Raffles Hotel, and I was glad to finally make a trip there for dim sum during lunch recently.

I’ve said it before and I am happy to say it again. Royal China Chinese Restaurant is definitely one of the best dim sum places in Singapore.

Much has been said about Royal China’s gorgeous interior – it is impossible not to like the Tiffany blue themed restaurant. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of the dim sum, they range from $3.6 to $4.8 for a basket.

We took a quick look at the menu and made our orders: “please give us siew mai, har gau, char siew bao, custard bun, cheong fun, char siew soh, egg tart, and carrot cake.”

Everyone was very excited when the waitress brought the dim sum to our table.

After having the Cheong Fun and Siew Mai, we proceeded with the Baked Pork Bun ($3.6), and it was good enough to make me order it again next time. But if you do not want too many pork items, skip the Char Siew Bao and get the delicious Baked BBQ Pork Puff ($4) instead.

When it comes to Char Siew Sou, I’d rank Royal China’s rendition as my top 3 in Singapore, with the other two being Yan Ting and Taste Paradise.

Having tried the best pan-fried carrot cake from Si Chuan Dou Hua, I felt that the one from Royal China was mediocre.

The few of us were debating on where to find the best custard buns (liu sha bao) in Singapore. Names like Taste Paradise, Si Chuan Dou Hua, Mandarin Court and Peach Garden were mentioned, and after trying Royal China’s version, it is definitely in the same league.

I poked a hole into the liu sha bao to take a peep at the magnificent custard fillings. The bun was too hot to eat, but I put it into my mouth anyway. The golden liquid burnt my tongue, but it felt so good. It was hard to resist ordering a second portion.

Royal China’s Baked Egg Tarts ($3.60) were also very good. Delicious little devils.

If you are planning a visit to Royal China after reading this post, make sure you order their Steamed Prawn Dumplings ($4.8).

They were amongst the best I ever had: the skin of the har gau had the right consistency and thickness, and each dumpling came with a big shrimp which was fresh and crunchy.

Like the other dim sum places in Singapore, Royal China at Raffles Hotel only has dim sum during lunch, and it is a must to make reservations in advance. The must-try dim sum items are custard bun, har gau, char siew sou and egg tart.

For more recommendations, please read my list of dim sum restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Royal China Restaurant
1 Beach Road
#03-09 Raffles Hotel
Tel: +65 6338 3363

Operating Hours:
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 3pm
Sun & PH: 11am – 3pm
Mon to Sun: 6pm – 10.30pm

Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant (formerly known as Pine Court Chinese Restaurant) has undergone a revamp, with Chef Sunny Kong taking over the helm of the kitchen.

Nestled at the top of Mandarin Orchard Singapore (previously Meritus Mandarin) on the 35th level, the Chinese restaurant has a good view of the town area. It is currently one of my new favourite dim sum places in Singapore.

The weekday ala carte dim sum menu has over 20 items, with average prices between $5 to $5.7 per basket. Stand-out dishes include Steamed Pumpkin Dumpling, Crisp-fried Thousand Filo, Steamed Shark’s Fin dumpling, and Chinese Pancake with Bacon & Pork Floss. Since it was our first time to Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant, we proceeded to order the popular (but safe) choices.

The Baked Barbecued Pork Pie ($5.7) was quite different from the ones that I’ve had before, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Anyway, they were not out-of-this-world good, but they were tasty, and that was enough.

At $12 for a basket of four, Mandarin Court’s custard buns are not cheap. I was quite hesitant to pay $3 for a bun, but the waitress convinced me that they are well worth the price.

Looks-wise, I’m very sure that this basket of custard bun would win any dim sum pageant. Taste-wise, I thought that it would be perfect if it had a stronger salted egg yolk flavour.

I thought that the Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumplings ($5.7) were average; the translucent skin was slightly torn before we had it.

Given that most places charge around $5-6 for Steamed Cheong Fun, I thought that Mandarin Court Restaurant’s rendition was overpriced at $8. The rice rolls were slightly too thick, and I would probably skip it next time.

Also on Mandarin Court’s dim sum menu, the Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun ($5.70) – sweet savoury char siew fillings within fluffy buns; Steamed Shanghainese Pork Dumpling ($5.70) – piping hot dumplings that were perfect with shredded ginger and Chinese black vinegar; and Steamed Siew Mai (5.70) – the ever reliable dim sum topped with pretty fish roe.

For those of you who want to indulge in a feast, Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant has a new Weekend Dim Sum Brunch Buffet which comes with 120 items, at $68++/pax.

I feel that Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant is one of the most underrated restaurants in Singapore. I’d definitely recommend coming here if you are looking for a restaurant in Orchard Road to have lunch.

For more recommendations, please read my list of dim sum restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant
333 Orchard Road Level 35
Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6262

Operating Hours:
Weekday Lunch: 12pm – 2.30pm
Daily Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Weekend Dim Sum Brunch: 11am – 12.30pm, 1pm – 3pm

Within the edgy New Majestic Hotel is The Majestic, a modern restaurant with a causal yet classy vibe. The boutique hotel is located in Singapore’s historic Chinatown, a 5-minute walk from Outram Park MRT Station.

Majestic Restaurant is known for their Cantonese cuisine and it has been around since 2006. Chef Yong Bing Ngen (who also runs Jing Restaurant at One Fullerton) is no stranger in the Singapore Food scene. Previously from Doc Cheng’s and Hai Tien Lo, he led Majestic Restaurant to clinch the Asian Restaurant of the Year title during the WGS 2010.

I was at Majestic Restaurant on a Sunday for dim sum brunch. With only 13 items on the Weekend ala carte dim sum menu, there is not much choice. Most of the dim sum are priced at $4.50 for a basket of 3 pieces.

Even though I’ve eaten at many dim sum restaurants in Singapore, I have yet to taste a 10/10 Siew Mai. Nonetheless, I am happy to say that Majestic Restaurant’s Steamed Pork Dumpling is better than the average ones that I’ve had.

The Custard Bun ($6 for 3) at Majestic Restaurant comes in two options: steamed or deep-fried. Evidently, we had the steamed ones, and it was quite a moment as the molten custard flowed out. Majestic Restaurant’s Custard buns were good, but not great.

Next up, we had the fluffy and soft Steamed Barbecue Pork Buns ($3 for 2).

We also had the ubiquitous Steamed Prawn Dumpling ($4.50 for 3 pcs). As much as I think that Har Gow is boring, there’s something profoundly reassuring to see a basket on the table. The mere presence of it makes you feel that you are really having dim sum.

I had just one Char Siew Sou with buttery flaky crust and savoury Char Siew fillings. They were so good! Maybe I should have gone for a basket of four Baked Honey Pork Puff ($4.50 for 3) instead. Hmm…

I have a soft spot for Roast Duck ($20), and the one I had at Majestic was good. I think the picture of the Roast Duck tells you everything.

It was impossible to stop at one cube of Roast Pork ($12), but thank God the portion was tiny so it made us less guilty of having more.

The Deep-fried Baby Squid ($12) was a great appetiser. It was strangely addictive and we couldn’t stop eating it.

All in all, Majestic Restaurant is a stylish Chinese Restaurant and it is an ideal place for a quiet business lunch. Most of the dim sum items that we had were decent, nothing particularly outstanding. If you are thinking of visiting Majestic Restaurant for dim sum, do note that they only have 5-6 selections on the weekday menu. I’d probably come back again and order their signature dishes from the Majestic Restaurant’s main menu.

Read my list of Dim sum Restaurants | Brunch Places in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Majestic Restaurant
31-37 Bukit Pasoh Road
New Majestic Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6511 4718

Sin Hoi Sai (also known as Sin Hoi San) Eating House has been around for ages and they hold a special place in my heart. When I was a kid, my uncle used to bring me there for dinner every month.

As the years went by, we stopped going there for zi char, but I am really happy to see that Sin Hoi Sai has been doing well. Ask any foodie where you can find a popular Zi Char Restaurant for supper and invariably, the name Sin Hoi Sai at Tiong Bahru will prop up.

Back in the days, we used to eat in the alley under the open sky. They have since expanded to the shop house opposite, increasing their seating capacity.

Even though the standard of the food is still decent, the prices have gone up by quite a bit. It really depends on your perspective though. If you see Sin Hoi San as a Chinese Seafood Restaurant, then their prices are probably quite acceptable.

But for me, Sin Hoi San will always be that place where I had my steamed fish at the “al fresco” area. I feel that their current prices are rather steep for a Zi Char Stall.

Considering the fact that Sin Hoi Sai used to be a no-frills Zi Char place and it now provides air-conditioning in the shop house, I can understand the increase in price. We are also paying more as they are operating throughout the night.

Will I go back to Sin Hoi San Seafood Restaurant? Yes, but only if I am looking for a late night supper place. Given that there are plenty of good cze char places that I have yet to explore, I am not in a hurry to come back.

I am sorry Sin Hoi Sai, you’ve changed. It’s not me, it’s you.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Sin Hoi Sai Eating House
55 Tiong Bahru Road (Opposite Link Hotel)
#01-59 Singapore
Tel: +65 6223 0810
Daily: 5pm – 5am

187 East Coast Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6440 6956
Daily: 5pm – 4am

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I am sure all of you are making plans to celebrate with your family.

For Mother’s Day this year, I have decided to do something different. In this post, I will be suggesting a variety of restaurants serving different cuisines to give dearest mummy a little treat. Here is a list of Restaurants Recommendations for Mother’s Day 2011.

Where to go for Mother’s Day? Where to go for Mother’s Day? Where to go for Mother’s Day?

Chinese/Seafood Restaurants in Singapore

Formerly known as Pine Court, Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant has undergone a revamp and they have a new Weekend Dim Sum Brunch Buffet at $78++for Mother’s Day Special (usual price $68++). With 120 items including dim sum and ala carte selections, your mother will be spoiled for choices.

If buffet is not your thing, why not go for a scrumptious Seafood Feast?

A few weeks ago, I went to Master Crab at Ghim Moh Road to celebrate my Mother’s birthday. The Salted Egg Yolk Crab was very impressive and the Zi Char dishes were pretty good too.

Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant
333 Orchard Road Level 35
Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6262

Master Crab
Blk 19 Ghim Moh Road #01-229 Singapore
Tel: +65 6314 1868

French Restaurants in Singapore

Initially, I wanted to suggest Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel. But after hearing mixed reviews about the French restaurant, I decided to recommend La Petite Cuisine instead.

Located at Serene centre beside the popular Island Creamery, La Petite Cuisine is a no-frills French cafe where the food is above average but the main draw is definitely the affordable prices. For a slightly upmarket option, go to Au Petit Salut at Dempsey. They have one of the best set lunches in Singapore.

Au Petite Salut
40c Harding road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey)
Tel: +65 6475 1976

La Petite Cusine
10 Jalan Serene
#01-05 Serene centre
Tel: +65 6314 3173

German Restaurants in Singapore

Magma German Wine Bistro serves their Fruehschoppen Buffet Brunch on every second Sunday of the month. Guess what? Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May, so it is the perfect excuse for you to enjoy a luxurious German brunch. Choose from sausages, hot dishes, soup, fresh baked bread rolls, cold cuts & ham, eggs, assortment of cheese, fruits, cakes for just $29++/pax.

Otherwise, go to Paulaner Brahaus at Millenia Walk for some German Beer, and Pork Knuckles!

Magma German Wine Bistro
2 Bukit Pasoh Road
Tel: +65 6221 0634

Paulaner Brauhaus Singapore
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-01 Millenia Walk
Tel: +65 6883 2572

Italian Restaurants in Singapore

If you have been reading my food blog for a while, I’m sure you know that my favourite Italian Restaurant is Ristorante Da Valentino at Rifle Range road. Recently, I visited La Cantina in venezia at Changi Village Hotel and I had the best Crabmeat Linguine there. Is your mother a fan of Italian cuisine? Just remember: Valentino and La Cantina.

La Cantina in venezia
1 Netheravon Road
#08/09-02 Changi Village Hotel
Tel: +65 6546 9190

Ristorante Da Valentino
11 Jalan Bingka
Mayfair Park
Tel: +65 6462 0555

Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

“My mom loves Japanese food, where can I bring her for Mother’s Day Celebration?”

For the best of everything, try the Japanese Buffet at Senki Restaurant. It is $30++ for lunch, and $33++ for dinner. Prices are the same for weekday and weekend. For eve/public holidays, it is $39++ for the buffet dinner.

If you are not a fan of buffet, check out Izakaya Nijumaru at Cuppage Plaza. It is a great hidden gem with good Japanese food at very affordable prices.

Izakaya Nijumaru
5 Koek Road #02-10
Cuppage Plaza Singapore
Tel: +65 6235 6693

Senki Japanese Restaurant
109 Killiney Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 5565

Korean Restaurants in Singapore

Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that before starting my food blog). Naturally, I can understand that most people prefer to go to somewhere reliable, and Crystal Jade is evidently one of them.

Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is surprisingly good and affordable. Be sure to try the fantastic Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup.

For Korean BBQ Buffet, go to Blue Garden Korean Restaurant at Link Hotel. The Korean BBQ buffet is priced at $19.90 for lunch and $26.90 for dinner.

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700

Spanish Restaurants in Singapore

I am not sure about you, but I think it is a cool experience for the whole family try something new. So how about having Spanish Food for Mother’s Day?

Bilbao Restaurant & Tapas Bar is conveniently located in town, at the second level of TripleOne Somerset. Bring your Mom to shop in Orchard and have a good Spanish dinner after that.

Another good place to have Spanish food is Don Quijote Spanish restaurant. They have been getting good reviews in the Singapore food scene, and if you do not want to go all the way West to Lorong Kilat, they have a new outlet at Dempsey.

Bilbao Restaurant & Tapas Bar
111 Somerset Road #02-16
TripleOne Somerset Singapore

Don Quijote Spanish restaurant
Blk 7 Dempsey Road #01-02
Dempsey Hill Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 2811

Thai Restaurants in Singapore

It is a shame that not many people have heard of Sweet Salty Spicy as they have good Thai food. Not that I am complaining since I’d prefer them to stay under the radar.

But I guess the location makes a difference since Railmall at Bukit Timah is not exactly accessible. Let me suggest another Thai Restaurant for Mother’s Day if Railmall is too far.

Previously located at Hort Park, KHA (above picture) has recently shifted to Martin Road near Robertson Quay. Prices are not cheap, but this is an upmarket Thai establishment and you are paying for the ambiance after all. They have a kick-ass Tom Yam Soup and I am absolutely in love with the Red Curry Rubbed Wagyu Beef.

KHA Thai Restaurant
38 Martin Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 9000

Sweet Salty Spicy
394 Upper Bukit timah road
The Railmall
Tel: +65 6877 2544

Exotic Cuisines in Singapore

For mothers who have an adventurous palate, there is a new Russian restaurant in town. Buyan Russian Restaurant at Duxton Hill promises you the full experience of Haute cuisine. In a quiet corner of Shaw Towers is Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant. I think Mother’s Day is a good opportunity for us to venture out of our comfort zone and try new things. Turkish food for Mother’s Day, anyone?

I’m sure most of you are familiar with Peranakan food, but it is definitely an ‘exotic cuisine’ to those who are not living in this part of the World. Candlenut Kitchen at Neil Road has been getting raved reviews since opening last year. Be sure to try their delicious Kueh Pie Tee, Ngoh Hiang and the signature Ayam Buak Keluak.

Buyan Russian Restaurant Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar
9/10 Duxton Hill Singapore
Tel: +65 6223 7008

Candlenut Kitchen
25 Neil Road
Tel: +65 6226 2506
(Closed on Sunday)

Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant
100 Beach Road #02-42
Shaw Towers Singapore
Tel: +65 6291 1433

Where are you planning to celebrate Mother’s Day 2011?

I have been wanting to try the other Tung Lok restaurants after my previous visit to Tung Lok Classics. When my friend asked me to suggest a place to have Dim Sum for lunch, I immediately thought of Tung Lok Signatures at Vivocity.

Like what I’ve previously mentioned, Tung Lok Signatures serves all the signature dishes from the various Tung Lok Restaurants  – it is like the best of Tung Lok under one roof.

Tung Lok Signature currently has two branches at The Central and Vivocity. Most of the items on the Dim Sum menu are reasonably priced around $4-$5 per basket.

My friend was quite disappointed that the Mini Egg Tart was really ‘mini’. But for what it lacks in size, it makes up for with taste. Oh boy, it was good!

I am more of a Siew Mai person than a Har Gau person. I love shrimp, but Har Gau can be quite bland sometimes. I often find myself staring in disbelief when my friends eat the Steamed Prawn Dumplings with chilli. I know many Singaporeans cannot live without spicy food, but it just feels wrong to have dim sum with chilli.

In any case, Tung Lok Signature’s Har Gau had fresh and crunchy shrimp, but the translucent skin could be better. It seems really hard to find a good Har Gau nowadays.

There are two options when it comes to the Carrot Cake, choose either the Pan-Fried or Steamed version. We had the Pan-Fried one and it was decent.

I was quite puzzled when I read that Tung Lok Signature has Fried Custard Buns on the dim sum menu. I mean, Steamed Custard Buns are very popular, but a fried one?

Apparently, they ‘pan-fried’ the Custard Buns until they get a slightly golden-brown surface. It was pretty satisfying, but definitely not the best Custard Buns that I’ve had.

As much as I love my Egg Tart, Char Siew Sou, and Custard Bun, I will always order Char Siew Bao when I am having dim sum.

The joy of having Xiaolongbao is to put the whole thing into your mouth. Never mind about getting scalded, this is the best way to enjoy it!

I used to have a poor impression of Tung Lok Restaurants. After going to Tung Lok Classics and Tung Lok Signatures, I must say that they have good Chinese food.

Tung Lok Signatures is definitely worth a try if you are looking for a Chinese restaurant in The Central/Vivocity area.

On a side-note, there are many new restaurants in Vivocity and you will probably be seeing my food reviews on them soon. If you’re still feeling hungry after dim sum at Tung Lok Signatures, pop in to neighbouring Max Brenner for desserts.

For more recommendations, read my list of Dim Sum Restaurants in Singapore.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Tung Lok Signatures
1 Harbourfront Walk #01-57
VivoCity Singapore
Tel: +65 6376 9555

Keng Eng Kee Seafood restaurant at Alexandra Village used to be my family’s favourite Cze Char place. It has been a while since our last visit here so we decided to drop by for dinner last week.

Besides the good food, some of the regulars probably go to Keng Eng Kee Seafood because the Zi Char Stall has an air-conditioned dining area just opposite the coffee shop.

It was a tough call between the Chilli Crab and Salted Egg Yolk Crab, but eventually we went for the latter as it was apparently a signature dish of Keng Eng Kee restaurant.

The sauce of the Salted Egg Yolk Crab ($39/kg) was very thick, and had a subtle spicy taste. I probably had better salted egg yolk crabs elsewhere before, but this was pretty decent.

We wanted to have Hot Plate Beancurd but it was not available on Keng Eng Kee’s menu. But it was not so bad since the Claypot Beancurd was a good replacement.

The Sambal Kangkong was well done. It was spicy but not to the extent of being tongue-numbing. The small portion comes at $6.

I was quite disappointed that Sweet and Sour Pork is also not available under the Pork section. But there are interesting options like Golden Pork Ribs, Coffee Pork Ribs and Claypot Pork Liver to choose from. We were intriguied by the Claypot Pork Liver as not many cze char restaurants serve it.

Just look at all the oil used to cook the liver! The Claypot Pork Liver ($8) is definitely not for the faint-hearted. But it sure was tasty.

Prawn Paste Chicken is a very popular zi char dish and there are different variations for it. I’ve had very good Har Cheong Kai before, so I was actually looking forward to the ones at Keng Eng Kee. Unfortunately, the Har Cheong Kai ($8) here was quite disappointing: the chicken was very small, and I felt that the shrimp paste marination was rather weak. I’d probably go for the Crispy Roasted Chicken or the Marmite Chicken next time.

I was quite impressed with the waiting time at Keng Eng Kee Seafood. The Cze Char restaurant was almost packed when we were there for dinner, yet they managed to serve most of the dishes within 10 minutes.

The food at Keng Eng Kee Seafood was pretty good and it was a bonus that everything came quickly. Prices are what you’d expect from a typical zhi char place, but the portions served were slightly smaller.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Keng Eng Kee Seafood
Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1
#01-136 Alexandra Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6272 1038

Operating Hours:
Daily: 11.30am – 2pm, 5pm – 11pm

Amongst the Crystal Jade Fine Dining restaurants, there are Crystal Jade Golden Palace at Paragon (contemporary Cantonese & Teochew cuisine), Crystal Jade Dining In at Vivocity (modern Cantonese cuisine) and the flagship Crystal Jade Palace at Ngee Ann City.

There are 35 items on Crystal Jade Palace’s dim sum menu, with the usual suspects like rice roll cheong fun, deep-fried shrimp dumpling, baked egg tart, siew mai, har gau, and steamed pork ribs. The prices are very reasonable for a Chinese fine dining restaurant, with most of the dim sum ranging from $3.60 to $5 per basket.

The Char Siew Sou ($4) had buttery and flaky pastry, and I love the sweet yet savoury char siew fillings. I’d think that Crystal Jade Palace’s char siew sou is on par with the ones that I’ve had at Taste Paradise and Yanting restaurant.

There were so many different types of steamed dumplings on the dim sum menu and we were spoilt for choices. Since it was our first time to Crystal Jade Palace, we took the safe option and went for the ubiquitous Steamed Prawn Dumplings ($5). It was fairly decent, the translucent skin was not too thick, and came with fresh crunchy shrimp.

Similarly, the Steamed Pork Dumplings with mushroom ($4.8) were not out-of-this-world good, but they were tasty and that was enough.

And what’s dim sum lunch without Steamed Rice Roll cheong fun ($4.8)? We easily finished it and only decided against ordering another portion as we had other dim sum coming.

When broken with a pair of chopsticks, the Xiaolongbao ($3.9) released the tasty stock into the spoon. Paired with vinegar and ginger, it was satisfying to swallow the whole pork dumpling.

My friend was feeling a little health conscious that day so we went for the Steamed Carrot Cake instead of the pan-fried one. It would not win a food photography competition, but the steamed carrot cake definitely tastes good.

* * *

With the fairly good dim sum at reasonable prices and its convenient location at Orchard road, Crystal Jade Palace has joined my ranks of my favourite dim sum restaurants in Singapore. If you don’t feel like having dim sum, there’s always Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant as well as the more affordable Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at level four of Takashimaya.

The fine dining restaurant was packed when we went there on a weekend, reservations are highly recommended.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Crystal Jade Palace Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-19
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6735 2388

Operating Hours: Daily 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

Poon Choi (also known as Pen Cai) is a traditional Chinese New Year dish originating from Hong Kong. It has become a popular Chinese New Year Takeaway dish in Singapore during recent years, with most Chinese restaurants and hotels offering Pen Cai and yusheng in their Chinese New Year Dinner menu.

When the waitress opened the cover of the Poon Choi, there were three reactions from the table: Woah, Wow, and OMG! Our Chinese New Year Dinner started with a bang, and we knew we were in for a treat at Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant.

It is easy to understand why the Pen Cai is a popular option for Chinese New Year Takeaway. The pot is filled with items bearing auspicious meanings, and it has a lot of food to feed the whole family. Furthermore, who can resist the lure of Chinese delicacies braised to perfection?

There is something irresistible about one-pot dishes, I love the idea of cooking everything in a pot. Just imagine all the ingredients mingling inside and the essence of the different flavours being fully absorbed into the food.

Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant’s Peng Cai includes: abalone, sea cucumber, shark’s fin, fish maw, oyster, Chinese Sausage, prawn, goose web, dried oyster,  roasted pork, and scallop. There is only one word to describe it — magnificent!

Other than the Pen Chai, Jia Wei Restaurant’s signature Peking Duck was the other outstanding dish of our meal. It was quite entertaining to watch as the staff carved the duck in front of our table. Dipped with sweet sauce, the crispy skin was wrapped in the paper-thin pancakes, and delivered right into our stomach. Delicious!

We rounded up the dinner with Sauteed Fresh Scallops with X.O Sauce, gigantic King Prawns and Double Boiled Hasma with Ginseng and Lily Bulbs.

At Grand Mercure Hotel, Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant has 7 different Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner set menus to cater for every family. The Chinese New Year Dinner promotion is available from 3rd to 17th Feb 2011, so if you are looking for a Chinese restaurant to lo-hei with your friends or colleagues, Jia Wei is the place to go.

Chinese New Year is just another excuse for me to eat more.

Singapore Food Blog
Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant
50 East Coast Road 2F
Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6340 5678
Note: This is an invited review.