When we talk about Singapore’s culinary landscape, one of the most iconic dishes that has earned itself international acclaim is none other than the famous chilli crab. Having received approval from both locals and tourists alike, most would agree that this is a quintessential Singaporean dish not to be missed. Anyone who argues about its origins is either lying or is terribly misinformed. Period.

While many seafood restaurants in Singapore have their own renditions of this local dish, the gravy is almost always a combination of sweet, spicy and savoury flavours, accented with chilli and tomato sauce. Dig into it with your bare hands to enjoy the full experience—yes, this is a meal that is meant to be messy so don’t be shy about licking the sauce off your fingers!

Hosting your overseas friends for a meal? Here are 12 Best Chilli Crabs In Singapore to introduce to them.

TUNGLOK SEAFOOD

TungLok Seafood’s Chilli Crab is one of the restaurant’s bestsellers. The crabs are cooked to perfection and its plump flesh does not stick to the shell; the outer shell breaks easily hence allowing one to dig into the fresh crabmeat almost effortlessly.

The secret ingredient that lies in the chilli-based tomato sauce is one that gives the viscous gravy an extra oomph, and you would never have guessed that it is freshly squeezed orange juice.

181 Orchard Road #11-05,
Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6834 4888
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sun and PH: 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

BAN HENG

You may have heard of Ban Heng for their ridiculously affordable dim sum buffet but the restaurant’s rendition of Chilli Crab is one you should be taking note of. While other chilli crab recipes outside tend to be sweeter, this one is considerably spicier and it should impress those who enjoy spice.

1 Maritime Square #04-01,
HarbourFront Centre
Singapore 099253
Tel: +65 6278 0288 / +65 6278 1354
Daily: 11.30am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

BLUE LOTUS CHINESE EATING HOUSE

Known for their Signature Chilli Pomelo Crab, Blue Lotus sources for meaty Sri Lankan crabs that are stir-fried with thick tomato-based sauce that mixed with chopped herbs and spices such as lemongrass and curry leaves for that aromatic flavour.

31 Ocean Way #01-13,
Quayside Isle
Singapore 098375
Tel: +65 6339 0880
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Mon to Fri: 6pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 11.30am  – 10pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

SEAFOOD PARADISE

As Paradise Group’s first culinary concept, Seafood Paradise has created a strong branding for itself when it comes to seafood and of course, their Singapore’s Famous Chilli Crab which is on the spicier side—catering more for the local taste buds. If you find the spice too much to handle, have them with deep-fried mantou.

10 Bayfront Avenue #02-03,
Marina Bay Sands (Level 2 Dining)
Singapore 018956
Tel: +65 6688 7051
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront

GINGER

Swimming in a subtly sweet, savoury and spicy gravy, the much-loved Chilli Crabs is a staple and we particularly love Executive Chef Low’s rendition as it is served with lots of egg stirred into the sauce mixture to give it a luscious and decadent texture.

7500 Beach Road
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
Singapore 199591
For reservations: +65 6505 5710 or dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com
Daily: 6am – 12am
Nearest Stations: Bugis / Nicoll Highway

J65

This is undisputedly one of J65’s best dishes and the crabs are stir-fried in garlic, ginger, shallots, tomato paste and chilli sauce. The best part? The succulent and juicy chilli crabs are free-flow at this buffet restaurant!

1A Cuscaden Road Level 1
Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore
Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 6831 4374
Daily: 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

JUMBO SEAFOOD

Before chilli crabs became ubiquitous at all the seafood restaurants in Singapore, JUMBO seafood was one of the first few to perfect this recipe. Their award-winning restaurant used to be one of the most talked about in town and continues to be one of the top choices among tourists who wish to have a taste of the Singapore chilli crab.

Block 1206 East Coast Parkway #01-07/08,
East Coast Seafood Centre
Singapore 449883
Tel: +65 6442 3435
Mon to Fri: 5pm – 11.45pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 11.30am – 12am
Nearest Station: Bedok

Photo Credit: Palm Beach Seafood

PALM BEACH SEAFOOD

Having been around since 1956, you can only expect the best from this established seafood restaurant. Situated within One Fullerton with a fantastic view of the Marina Bay waterfront, their Sri Lankan chilli crab is indeed worth the splurge.

1 Fullerton Road #01-09,
One Fullerton
Singapore 049213
Tel: +65 6336 8118
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place

SPICE BRASSERIE

Spice Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road has one of the most value-for-money seafood buffet spreads in Singapore. We liked that the chefs did their own twist on the chilli crab with a thicker and spicier sauce instead of the traditional and typical Singapore-style chilli crab.

PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Rd
Singapore 208533
Tel: +65 6428 3160
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

ROLAND SEAFOOD

The origins of chilli crab are widely associated with Roland Seafood restaurant as it is said that the owner’s father is the founder of the iconic Singapore Chilli Crab. Continuing on the founder’s legacy, the restaurant still serves the original recipe today and it is slightly sweeter than the ones you will find elsewhere.

Block 89, Marine Parade Central, #06-750
Singapore 440089
Tel: +65 6440 8205
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sun & PH: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Eunos

RED HOUSE SEAFOOD

Satisfying diners since 1976, Red House Seafood pays tribute to Asian cooking techniques by incorporating Chinese, Malay, Peranakan and Indian flavours into their dishes. Opt for the Red House Chilli Crab and you get to choose among varieties such as Sri Lankan Mud Crab, Scottish Brown Crab and Alaskan King Crab.

60 Robertson Quay #01-14,
The Quayside
Singapore 238252
Tel: +65 6735 7666
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

NO SIGNBOARD SEAFOOD

Starting out as a hawker stall at Mattar Road Hawker Centre, No Signboard Seafood restaurant is now a leading seafood restaurant chain in Singapore. Apart from the acclaimed White Pepper Crab dish, many loyal patrons visit them time and again for their quality chilli crabs as well.

6 Eu Tong Sen Street #04-63,
The Central @ Clarke Quay
Singapore 059817
Tel: +65 6221 9959
Daily: 11am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

If you’ve missed Spice Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road’s Gifts of The Sea buffet, rejoice for there is an extension of its stellar seafood buffet in light of the overwhelming response these past few months!

All through to the end of October 2018, tuck into a stunning array of delectable crustacean delights from crabs, baby lobsters, clams and more. There are new additions too, so if you’ve tried the buffet and love the line-up, here’s another reason for you to go back.

From now until the end of October 2018 through Thursdays to Sundays, you can quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy Spice Brasserie’s Gift of The Sea Buffet Dinner at S$108++ for 2 pax (U.P. S$65/ adult, S$32.50/ child).

NEW ITEMS FRESH OFF THE BOAT

In light of their many iconic staples, the chefs here pride themselves on their knack for creativity! Introducing modern takes on seafood items with their brand new, Baked Chlamys Nobilis with Wasabi Hollandaise Mayo and Spicy Baby Lobster Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, you can bet that you’ll be reaching in for seconds and even thirds without hesitation.

The clams are seasoned generously with black pepper, salt and basil and baked for exactly 6 minutes before being topped with wasabi, hollandaise and a selection of fresh aromatics. 

And if you’re pining for something with a fiery kick, help yourselves to the latter option at the buffet restaurant’s Chef Station. Prepared freshly upon order, the baby lobsters boast a buttery sheen, a succulent taste and an amazing texture. 

CRABS GALORE

The Gifts of the Sea buffet features a stellar array of crab-centric dishes. Ticking all the boxes of local crab favourites such as the authentic Singapore Chili Crab, Black Pepper Crab and Salted Egg Yolk Crab.

If there’s any better reason for us to get right in with our fingers, this would be it. Expertly cooked, every crab dish promises nothing short of full-on flavour and only the freshest (and firmest) crabs.

STEAMED BAMBOO CLAM WITH MINCED GARLIC CHILI LIME

For a main that will go easy on your palates, opt for the steamed bamboo clam with minced garlic chilli lime.

Delicate, silky smooth and extremely succulent, the minced garlic chilli lime that sits on top of each bamboo clam gives an extra dimension of flavours in addition to the natural sweetness that the steamed bamboo clam carries.

WOK BRAISED LIVE SAN HAR KING PRAWNS NOODLE

Should you be looking for something more comforting yet indulgent, hop over to the live station where a chef will whip up a fragrant serving of Wok Braised Har King Prawns Noodle, a noodle dish that features ridiculously plump prawns, silky noodles and a rich herbal broth.

We’ve barely scratched the surface here, so make a reservation and head on down to discover what other tantalising delights Spice Brasserie has in store.

The Gifts of the Sea buffet dinner is available from now until 31 October 2018 through Thursdays to Sundays. Quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy Spice Brasserie’s Gift of The Sea Buffet at S$108++ for 2 pax (U.P. S$65/ adult, S$32.50/ child).

Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.

Spice Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Rd
Singapore 208533
Tel: +65 6428 3160
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

When it comes to value-for-money buffets in Singapore, J65 at Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore is always among our top choices. Besides their competitive pricing, their themed buffet spreads are spectacular and the culinary team always has something new up their sleeves to keep things exciting.

Featuring five buffet themes in a week, J65 is one dining destination that you can visit multiple times without getting bored of the food; there is something different every night. J65′s nightly themed buffet dinners were such a hit last year and they are bringing it back this year with two new themes—‘Asian Seafood’ and ‘What The Fish’ on top of the current International, Lobster Rock & Roll, and Seafood Madness themes.

From local delights featuring the best of Singapore’s multi-ethnic cuisines to dishes inspired by flavours from abroad, J65 is an all-rounder where you are definitely able to find many star dishes that will capture your fancy.

From now until 30 Jun 2018, quote ‘ladyironchef’ upon making reservations to enjoy:

*Weekday Promotion: 1-for-1 (Monday to Thursday)
*Valid for first 100 confirmed reservations. Following reservations thereafter can enjoy 25% off on regular buffet price.

Monday International Seafood // S$85++ per person
Tuesday Asian Seafood // S$85++ per person
Wednesday Lobster Rock-n-Roll // S$115++ per person
Thursday What The Fish // S$85++ per person

Weekend Promotion: 25% off (Friday to Sunday)
Friday to Sunday Seafood Madness // S$75++ per person

The first 100 ladyironchef booking (min 2 pax) will also receive complimentary parking coupons at Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore—limited to one per couple.

MONDAY – INTERNATIONAL SEAFOOD BUFFET

If you are fickle minded like us and can’t decide which theme you like best; that is where the International Seafood buffet theme should satisfy you.

On Mondays, diners are treated to a myriad of cuisines from all over the world—including local, Japanese, Thai and Western. Begin your meal with salmon sashimi and nigiri sushi before proceeding to the Crustacean Seafood Counter which is filled with snow crabs, mud crabs, prawns, and mussels on ice.

Over at the live station, the chefs will whip up a generous portion of Singapore’s iconic Oyster Omelette and Singapore Laksa. Of course, you simply must not skip the highlight at the chef’s table – Slow Roast Angus Beef Prime Ribs, Seafood Thermidor, Braised Pork Knuckle with Black Vinegar and Red Wine Vinegar and Whole Baked Norwegian Salmon.

 More seafood options at the buffet include Stir-Fried Thai Style Clam, Kong Poh Style Prawn, grilled lobsters and the DIY Rojak and Kueh Pie Tee stations.

TUESDAY – ASIAN SEAFOOD BUFFET

The new Asian Seafood buffet theme, happening every Tuesday at J65 pays tribute to traditional Asian culinary techniques that we are all familiar with the use of finest ingredients and spices of the region; where rich flavours and aromas are so vibrant and the tastes brings back memories of good old home cooking.

The chefs’ Asian creations are mouth-watering with many varieties for one to choose from soups to congees, from curries to masak lemaks, from braised to fried and grilled to baked! All with the freshest of seafood!

You must not miss the Korean baked seafood, Teriyaki Salmon, Seafood Tom Yum, Chili Crab, Kam-Heong Prawns, mixed Seafood in Spicy Coconut broth and many more.

WEDNESDAY – LOBSTER ROCK ’N’ ROLL BUFFET

Wednesdays are where lobsters takes the centre stage, the Lobster Rock ’N’ Roll is set to take away all your mid-week blues for the break blues for that much needed indulgent! So dine away with the enthralling range of lobster dishes—boasting fresh Boston lobsters on ice as well as lobsters cooked in different ways.

Watch all the actions happen at the open concept kitchen where the chefs get down to cooking the most flavourful Tandoori Lobster and succulent grilled Lobster. Leave some stomach-space for the Signature Lobster Laksa as well; that is one comforting bowl we always go for at J65.

But that is not all, J65’s Lobster Rock ’N’ Roll buffet has even more lobster dishes to impress; Baked Lobster Thermidor, Lobster Paella, Kam Heong Style Lobster and Singapore Chilli Lobster are just some to name.

Lighter recipes options include Lobster Congee with condiments and Lobster Bisque, which the little ones will love.

THURSDAY – WHAT THE FISH BUFFET

’What The Fish’ is yet another new theme at J65 where the buffet is laden with an array of creations – fish dishes, all prepared in different methods.

With over 10 unique recipes on the menu showcasing grouper, salmon, red snapper, snow fish, seabass, barramundi and more. Get ready to be blown away by the team’s creativity.

Look out for the Fresh Snow Fish Tikka at the Live Station.  It is to die for; amazing flavours and tender chunks of fish-meat.

There is also the Angoli Fish Head with Bee Hoon in Salted Vegetables Soup, and Grilled Stingray which comes with a selection of complementary sauces chili & kicap sambal, air assam and sambal belacan.

There is still more to look forward to for Thursdays. Your dinner continues with the Poached Norwegian Salmon, Hong Kong Style Pomfret, Seabass with Tobiko and Wasabi Cream, Mediterranean Baked Barramundi with Olives, Artichokes, Tomatoes and Herbs, Angoli Fish Head Curry… and the list goes on.

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY – SEAFOOD MADNESS BUFFET

Fridays and weekends are meant for indulgence and you can get that at J65’s Seafood Madness buffet theme. The lavish spread features a plethora of top-notch crustacean dishes for the passionate seafood fans.

In addition of the Boston lobsters, snow crabs and mud crabs, Seafood Madness also includes French oysters in their seafood on ice station! Imagine slurping up freshly shucked oysters all night long—it is a dream come true for all oyster lovers.

Other dishes in the Seafood Madness line-up that steal the limelight are Singapore Chili Crab, Indian Style Curry Prawn, Kam Heong Style Squid and Spicy Crabmeat Spaghetti. What a way to end a long work week!

For all dining enquiries and reservations, please visit www.hoteljen.com/bookJ65, call
+65 6831 4374 or email J65@hoteljen.com.

Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn 2 miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.

J65, Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore
Level 1 Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 6831 4374
Daily: 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

This post is brought to you by Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore.

Ban Heng has a dim sum buffet with more than 30 dim sum items at just S$17.60++ per pax.

There is no doubt that Singaporeans take their dim sum seriously—we would source high and low for the best dim sum places in Singapore. What we love even more though, is a great deal that is easy on our pockets without compromising on the quality of the dim sum.

Originally at S$22.80++ per pax (inclusive of S$2 charge for Chinese tea, pickles & towels), Ban Heng has a current promotion of one dines free with every three paying adults. This works out to be only S$17.60++ per person! Yes, you can go for this awesome deal when you visit any of the five Ban Heng restaurants in Singapore during weekday lunch hours.

Here is why you should not miss out on this incredible dim sum deal at Ban Heng.

BAN HENG DIM SUM LUNCH BUFFET

At Ban Heng, there are more than 15 deep-fried dim sum items for you to chose from. We had a hard time deciding what we want from the myriad of choices but we sure aren’t complaining!

Our favourite of the lot goes to the Deep-Fried Shrimp Dumplings. The plump shrimp encased in a crispy shell was so addictive that one plate was not enough for us to share. If you are a fan of shrimps, be sure to get more of this because it is THE BOMB.

Another dim sum dish not to be missed at Ban Heng is the Barbecued Char Siew Pastry with Sesame. This is a timeless classic and we enjoyed the flaky pastry puff roll filled with juicy and tender barbecued pork.

Some other deep-fried dim sum you must try include the Deep-Fried Beancurd Skin, Paper Wrapped Chicken Wings and Baked Mini Egg Tarts. Do note that Egg Tarts are limited to one serving for weekdays only.

Those who prefer steamed dim sum can look forward to a wide selection which will not disappoint your taste buds. These freshly steamed dim sum are little parcels of happiness and were all served piping hot to us.

No dim sum buffet is complete without Steamed Shanghai Meat Dumplings, or more commonly referred to as ‘Xiao Long Bao’. Slurp up the warm broth that bursts out from thin dumpling skins before indulging in the delicious meat!

The Steamed Pork Ribs With Minced Meat may look unassuming, but trust us when we say that it was one of the best dim sum dishes. It was the fragrant black bean sauce which really hit all the right spots for us and gave the steamed pork ribs an extra oomph.

Yes, we know that you are waiting for us to talk about the Steamed Salted Egg Yolk “Liu Sha” Bun. And yes, it definitely lived up to our expectations when the custard lava exploded out upon giving the bun a slight tear. Remember to whip out your phones for that Boomerang video!

If you are looking for alternatives, try the Steamed Siew Mai With Crab Roes, Shrimp Chang Fun, Steamed Shrimp & Water Chestnut Wanton… and the list goes on.

BAN HENG SEAFOOD BUFFET (LUNCH AND DINNER)

Beyond the dim sum buffet, Ban Heng also offers an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet which features Singaporeans’ favourite Chilli Crab, Cold Crab, Steamed Soon Hock and more.

Similar to the dim sum buffet deal, one adult dines free with every three paying adults! With that promotion, Ban Heng’s Seafood Buffet is only S$25.10++ per person instead of the regular price of S$32.80++ per pax (inclusive of S$2 charge for Chinese tea, pickles & towels).

Under the Chef’s Recommendation category, diners will find the best recipes Ban Heng has to offer. These premium items are limited to one serving per dish.

Crabs come in three different flavours—Chilli, Cold and Black Pepper. Ban Heng’s rendition of Chilli Crab is one that will delight all spicy food lovers. While other chilli crab recipes outside tend to be sweeter, this one is considerably spicier and it should impress you.

Ban Heng has also introduced the popular Teochew-style Cold Crabs to its seafood buffet menu since 01 Aug 2017. Nothing fanciful about these crabs, but that is precisely the essence of Teochew Cold Crabs—chilled, fresh crabs that is so sweet with every bite. And oh, that roe. Look at those roe. Every piece comes with an insane amount of rich and creamy roe—the prized part of Teochew Cold Crabs. Who cares about cholesterol?

Ban Heng’s seafood buffet also includes the classic Steamed Soon Hock Fish with Soya Sauce. Served piping hot from the kitchen, the steamed fish was extremely moist and fresh and the flavours were elevated with premium soya sauce.

Of course, we must give special mention to the Barbecued Crispy Duck under the Roasted Meat category too. Kudos to the chefs for roasting the duck so well that the crispy skin was in a glorious dark brown shade. The duck meat had a good layer of fats which added extra flavours to the succulent duck meat.

Diners can also expect other dishes including Shark’s Fin Soup with Crabmeat, Wok Fried Prawns with Cereal, Braised Slice Goose Meat in Teochew Style, Barbecued Pork with Honey and Chilled Prawn with Special Thai Sauce.

Dim Sum Buffet Lunch (A La Carte Prices)
Mon to Fri: Adult S$20.80++*, Child S$13.80++
Sat, Sun & Eve of PH: Adult S$23.80++, Child S$13.80++
PH: Adult S$25.80++, Child S$13.80++

*One dines free with every three paying adults.

Seafood Buffet Lunch & Dinner (A La Carte Prices)
Mon to Fri: Adult S$30.80++*, Child S$13.80++
Sat, Sun & Eve of PH: Adult S$33.80++, Child S$13.80++
PH: Adult S$35.80++, Child S$13.80++

*One dines free with every three paying adults.

Chinese tea, pickles and towels are chargeable at S$2 per pax.

Ban Heng @ HarbourFront Centre
1 Maritime Square
#04-01, HarbourFront Centre
Singapore 099253
Tel: +65 6278 0288 / +65 6278 1354
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

Ban Heng @ The Cathay
2 Handy Road
#02-01 The Cathay
Singapore 229233
Tel: +65 6732 7888 / +65 6732 6623
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station : Dhoby Ghaut

Ban Heng @ Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
#11-01/02 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6238 1516 /  +656238 7816
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Ban Heng @ Pasir Ris
60 Pasir Ris Drive 3
Singapore 519497
Tel: +65 6585 1770 / +65 6585 1093
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Pasir Ris

Ban Heng @ Boon Keng
Blk 22 Boon Keng Road #01-21
Singapore 330022
Tel: +65 6291 0407 / +65 6298 5285
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station : Boon Keng

This post is brought to you by Ban Heng Group.

The annual Endless Crab Party Buffet at Spice Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road has been so successful ever since the concept was first introduced to the public. After several years, it is now Spice Brasserie’s signature buffet and one that resonates so strongly with the hotel.

Now, if you still haven’t had a go at the massive crab line-up, the promotion has now been extended until the end of September this year. To all of you who have missed out on our exclusive promotion previously, your chance is here! And this is an excuse for those who have been there to re-visit the restaurant again.

From now to 30 September 2017, quote ‘ladyironchef’ upon making your reservation to enjoy the dinner buffet at S$120++ for 2 pax.

SALTED EGG CRAB

Of course, we all begin our crab feast with the classic salted egg yolk flavour. Be prepared to lick off the generous rich salted egg yolk sauce off your fingers when you are indulging in this dish.

CRAB BEE HOON

We admit that when it comes to presentation, the Crab Bee Hoon is overshadowed by all the other gorgeous crab dishes that are plated so beautifully. Yet, it is one of our favourites and you would be sorry to miss this out.

We love how the vermicelli was moist and aromatic and topped off with flavourful and juicy crabs. One should never judge a book by its cover indeed.

STIR-FRIED CRAB WITH ASIAN SPICES

This classic Chinese favourite at Spice Brasserie will delight you with flavours from stir-frying crispy dried shrimps, garlic, ginger and chilli together with fresh crabs.

The robust and earthy flavour from their Stir Fried Crabs With Asian Spices reminds us why we always look forward to Chef Low’s traditional Chinese recipes. So simple yet tugs the heartstrings in the most comforting way.

TWO NEW FLAVOURS YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO

On top of that, there will be two new flavours to enjoy! Stir-fried Crab with Dry Ginger and Fermented Chinese Rice Wine and Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Pork Floss are the latest additions to the Endless Crab Party Buffet at Spice Brasserie.

From now until 30 September 2017, quote ‘ladyironchef’ upon making your reservation to enjoy the dinner buffet at an exclusive price of S$120++ for 2 pax.

Endless Crab Party Buffet Dinner (Thursdays to Sundays, eve of and on Public Holidays)
18 July 2017 to 30 September 2017
Adult: S$79 | Child: S$35

All prices quoted are subject to GST and service charge.

For reservations, call: +65 6428 3160 or email spicebrasserie.prskt@parkroyalhotels.com.

Spice Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road Singapore 208533
Tel: +65 6428 3160
Daily: 12 – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

This post is brought to you by PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road.

Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Beach Road wows us again in 2017 with their signature Ultimate Crab Feast. With an extensive spread of crab delights exquisitely curated by Executive Chef Ken Ang and his team, this year’s run sees new flavours (again) and will be bigger than before.

A total of seven different main crab dishes will be available in the buffet line-up. Chef Ken vows to ensure that every crab flavour that he puts on the table is of remarkable quality and stellar flavours that will please the crowd, so it is a game of quality over quantity.

Eating crabs a la carte is no fun. Limited by the portion before you, it is not unusual to find yourself wishing you had more to dig into. That’s why crab buffets are always an indulgence.

Make your way down to the Plaza Brasserie from 09 April 2017 until 28 June 2017 and feast on your favourite crabs at a reasonable price of S$68++ per adult and S$41++ per child, only available during dinner from Sundays to Wednesdays.

SALTED EGG CRAB

While it seems like Salted Egg Crab is not a difficult dish to perfect, you would be surprised that some chefs can actually screw it up—too runny or overly chunky sauces are just some common scenarios. Executive Chef Ken has perfected the richest and creamiest golden yellow sauce that coats each piece of crab perfectly.

But trust our friend Executive Chef Ken to perfect the richest and creamiest golden yellow sauce which coats every piece of crab perfectly. We can never ever get sick of his salted egg crab, really.

It is little wonder this flavour stays in every year’s Ultimate Crab Feast run. The crowd would be displeased if Chef Ken removes this!

SAMBAL PETAI CRAB

Sambai Petai Crab is not something you see often. You have your chilli and pepper crabs but never tossed in sambal and petai beans!

The irresistible combination of robust sambal and slightly bitter petai beans is one that may not be as popular, but is surely one that the chefs at Plaza Brasserie have mastered and are confident you would love. The rich flavours sure complement the slightly sweet Sri Lankan mud crab flesh really well, and this new flavour certainly has our approval.

GINGER HUA TIOW CRAB

Hua Tiow is a Chinese cooking wine that adds so much flavour to anything that it is cooked with.

We have fresh crabs steamed with ginger and Hua Tiow wine as part of the buffet line-up. The fragrance is unparalleled and every bite is a familiar comfort of good ol’ Chinese food. Well, many Chinese dishes are cooked with similar flavours so it definitely reminds us of home. If you like something lighter, this would be perfect for you.

SINGAPORE CHILLI CRAB

It is not a crab buffet without one of Singapore’s national dishes—Singapore Chilli Crab.

While chefs in Singapore have different ways of cooking the iconic Chilli Crab, Chef Ken’s rendition is definitely on par with some of our favourites. And yes, deep-fried mantou buns are available because no one eats chilli crabs without them.

CEREAL CRAB

Chef Ang heard you. He has included Cereal Crab in the lineup for The Ultimate Crab Feast Buffet 2017.

Sweet, crunchy cereal goes so well with crabs. Light, crispy and not overly buttery, the cereal added great textures to the already delightful crab dish. Chef Ken cooks and tosses his cereal with chilli padi and curry leaves, producing a mild sweetness and distinct fragrance that will have you licking your fingers.

BLACK PEPPER CRAB

Some prefer white pepper, others prefer black pepper. We still cannot decide which we prefer, but when Chef Ken cooks, black pepper crab it shall be. His rendition is always power-packed with intense pepper flavours.

Nothing like a classic rendition of black pepper crab, right?

CURRY CRAB MEAT KUEH PIE TEE

The Curry Crab Meat Kueh Pie Tee is one appetiser that you must try when you visit Plaza Brasserie. This unique dish features a traditional Kueh Pie Tee shell topped off with juicy and curried (real) crab meat that makes each bite so satisfying.

Do not miss out on other appetisers such as Crab Meat Balls with Potato, Crab Meat Chawamushi, Curry Flavoured Crab Meat Salad and Thai Glass Noodle Salad.

There is also a vast selection of innovative hot dishes, seafood and non-seafood at the buffet. Some other mainstay buffet dishes that you must try include Stir Fried Prawns, Stir Fried Green Mussels with Lemongrass and Chilli Padi and Kaffir Lime Style Chicken.

Over at the dessert counter, you must not miss out on Plaza Brasserie’s homemade crepes available at the Crepe Station. These crepes are lavishly filled with blueberry jam and drenched in maple syrup.

Date: From 09 April 2017 to 28 June 2017
Dinner (Sundays to Wednesdays): Adult $68 / Child $41

For all dining enquiries and reservations, please call +65 6505 5710 or email dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com.

Plaza Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road, Level One, Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 6505 5710
Wed to Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

This post is brought to you by PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

TungLok Seafood — a concept by the reputable TungLok Group — has made quite a name for itself amongst Singaporeans with its exceptionally fresh Singapore-style seafood delicacies.

Known for their commendable service and quality seafood, expect nothing short of a stellar dining experience at this award-winning establishment; choose to dine at either the restaurant at Orchard Central or the outlet at Arena Country Club in Jurong.

Everyone who has been to TungLok Seafood only has good things to say about the place, and rightfully so. Their extensive menu only means that you will be spoilt for choice. Look forward to hot favourites such as Laksa Crab Bee Hoon, Salted Egg Yolk Prawns, Mee Goreng and Crisp-fried Baby Squid.

Readers of ladyironchef can flash this article to get 15% off (no minimum spending) a la carte food orders at TungLok Seafood.

Here are 12 Singapore-style Seafood Dishes from TungLok Seafood that we thoroughly enjoyed.

#1 CRISP-FRIED BABY SQUIDS (S$12++/SMALL)

The Crispy-fried Baby Squids (S$12++/small) definitely whets your appetite for more, and it was an appetiser that left all of us in awe.

These baby squids have been deep-fried till crisp, but sink your teeth into them and you would realise that every piece has retained its chewiness within. Covered in sweet sauce and a handful of sesame seeds, these crispy baby squids are pretty damn addictive.

#2 TUNGLOK CHILLI CRAB (S$65++/KG)

Chilli crab is not just a hit among the locals, it has also become one of Singapore’s most iconic dishes. TungLok Seafood’s Chilli Crab (S$65++/kg) is one of the restaurant’s bestsellers and why are we not surprised.

The crabs are cooked to perfection and its plump flesh does not stick to the shell; the outer shell breaks easily hence allowing one to dig into the fresh crabmeat almost effortlessly. The secret ingredient that lies in the chilli-based tomato sauce is one that gives the viscous gravy an extra oomph, and you would never have guessed that it is freshly squeezed orange juice.

Try it and witness the difference. You will be convinced why TungLok Seafood has one of the best chilli crabs in Singapore.

#3 SPICY CURRY LAKSA CRAB WITH THICK RICE VERMICELLI (S$65++/KG)

This new dish is reason enough for you to visit TungLok Seafood.

We all love our XO Crab Bee Hoon, but what if we told you there is a Laksa version? Tunglok Seafood’s Spicy Curry Laksa Crab with Thick Rice Vermicelli (S$65++/kg) serves just the same purpose of bringing comfort to the soul.

This massive pot features premium Sri Lankan crab immersed in an aromatic spicy curry broth. The dish is complemented with a generous portion of chewy thick rice vermicelli. A pot is typically good for 2-3 diners.

#4 DEEP-FRIED PRAWNS WITH CRISPY OATS (S$24++/300GM)

The aroma of TungLok Seafood’s Deep-fried Prawns with Crispy Oats permeated the restaurant when it was presented to us. Huge prawns are deep-fried with oats to crispy, crunchy excellence; this dish perfectly marries sweet with savoury.

It comes in a single serving size starting from S$24++ per 300 grams, but that is enough to feed two. Once again, you will be treated to plenty of prawns stacked on top of a bed of fragrant golden oats.

#5 DEEP-FRIED PRAWNS WITH SALTED EGG YOLK (S$24++/300GM)

What is a seafood meal without some salted egg yolk prawns, right? We have all grown too accustomed to ordering salted egg yolk-something, and when in a seafood restaurant — TungLok Seafood in particular — the Deep-fried Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk (S$24++/300gm) is the ultimate crowd pleaser.

The prawns are deep-fried, leaving it with crispy shells that give way to juicy and succulent prawn meat. See those strips on top of the prawns? Those are salted egg yolk strips that were so irresistibly yummy, like we were munching on chips.

#6 SAUTÉED CLAMS WITH SAMBAL SAUCE (S$18++/SMALL)

Singapore seafood dishes go hand-in-hand with sambal sauce. These Sautéed Clams with Sambal Sauce (S$18++/small) are no different.

A hefty portion of clams is stacked high on the plate, all drenched in sambal sauce that has an irresistible spicy tanginess. The molluscan is fried over high heat quickly to achieve a tenderness and served atop a bed of green lettuce; briny, fresh and spicy.

#7 STEAMED RAZOR CLAM WITH GARLIC AND VERMICELLI (S$10++/PC)

Steamed Razor Clam with Garlic and Vermicelli is a well-loved Hong Kong-style dish that is commonly seen in Chinese restaurants, and TungLok Seafood has hit all the right spots with their rendition.

Priced at S$10++ per piece, the steaming process brought out the sweetness of the succulent meat, and the chopped garlic enhanced the fragrance further. This is such a classic dish and it has become one of our must-orders when at TungLok Seafood.

#8 BAKED NORWEGIAN SALMON WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAF (S$12.80++/PC)

No, that’s not a grilled fish otah. We were initially deceived by the misleading banana leaf wrapper, but soon realised that within the fragrant parcel is actually a high-quality baked salmon (S$12.80++/pc).

The fresh Norwegian salmon is baked with a hint of fragrance borrowed from the banana leaf. This east-meets-west seafood dish far exceeds expectations, and its uniqueness is one that will leave your jaw dropping upon the first bite.

#9 STEAMED SEABASS WITH ASSAM SAUCE, TOMATOES AND EGGPLANT (S$45++/KG)

The rich Assam sauce in this one beckons like no other. If you like tangy flavours, this one is definitely a must. Together with the sweetness of fresh fish, the Steamed Seabass with Assam Sauce, Tomatoes and Eggplant (S$45++/kg) is a clear winner.

#10 THAI-STYLE BRAISED BEANCURD (S$12++/SMALL)

These Thai-style Braised Beancurd features firm tofu cuboids topped with julienned cucumber and chicken/pork floss. The soft white blocks – encased by its fried golden skin – are accompanied by sweet Thai chilli sauce.

#11 BRAISED RICE NOODLE WITH PRAWNS AND CLAMS (S$24++/SMALL)

The Braised Rice Noodle with Prawns and Clams (S$24++/small) is another carbs dish that is great for sharing. It comprises fresh clams, juicy prawns, mushrooms and mixed vegetables, and is especially comforting on a cold rainy day!

#12 MEE GORENG (S$18++/SMALL)

TungLok Seafood’s interpretation of the Chinese-style Mee Goreng (S$18++/small) is hands down one of the best we’ve ever tried in Singapore and we cannot stop raving about it!

These noodles – stir-fried with shrimps and calamari rings – boast a distinctive complex taste profile of sweetness, spiciness and tanginess. Let’s just say we will return to TungLok Seafood just for this dish. No joke about that.

Readers of ladyironchef can flash this article to enjoy 15% off a la carte food orders at TungLok Seafood (no minimum spending). This promotion is valid from now until 30 November 2016 and not valid on eves of and on Public Holidays and special occasions.

TungLok Seafood
Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road , #11-05
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 6834 4888
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun and PH: 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest MRT Station: Somerset

The Arena Country Club
511 Upper Jurong Road
Singapore 638366
Tel: +65 6262 6996
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun and PH: 10am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest MRT Station: Joo Koon

This post is brought to you by TungLok Seafood.

We have yet another crab buffet to share!

Following last year’s roaring success, Penang St. Buffet is reintroducing their value-for-money Crab Madness Buffet, with 10 different crab flavours from just S$19.90++ per child and S$59.90++ per adult. Kids under 1m dine for free.

All Singaporeans have had their fair share of classic chilli crabs, black pepper crabs and salted egg crabs. But have you ever had tom yam crabs, pumpkin crabs or stuffed chicken in crabs?!

Indulging in a few premium crabs can already cost up to hundreds of dollars when you dine out, but you only have to pay a minimal flat rate for endless crab servings here at Penang St. Buffet.

And because it is Penang St Buffet, you get unlimited helpings of Penang classic dishes included in the buffet line-up too! The Crab Madness Buffet starts from 15 July 2016 to 02 October 2016.

BLACK PEPPER CRAB

The freshly steamed Black Pepper Crab – slow-cooked with chopping onions, shallots, curry leaves and of course, black pepper – is topped with sliced capsicums and tomatoes. The aromatic black pepper crab is best eaten with fragrant white rice.

BUTTER CRAB

Penang St. Buffet’s Butter Crabs are sinfully rich and boasts an irresistibly creamy texture. Dip the superbly fresh crabmeat into the viscous butter-based sauce for the extra kick. The gravy is cooked with condensed milk and chilli padi – which explains the delightful burst of flavours.

CHILLI CRAB

The Chilli Crabs here are slightly sweeter than the Singaporean-style chilli crab – but no less satisfying. Cooked with chilli, plum sauce and tomato, we love how the fresh crab meat absorbs the rich sweetness of the sauce.

GOLDEN SAND CRAB

The Golden Sand Crab was so delicious that we certainly wouldn’t mind going back for seconds and thirds. The chef cooks the seafood in generous amounts of butter, eggs, milk, sugar and curry leaves.

KAM HEONG CRAB

Kam Heong is a very popular way of cooking in Malaysia. When directly translated, it means “Golden Fragrance”. A myriad of ingredients such as chilli paste, curry leaves, curry powder, dried shrimps, lemon grass and shallots go into creating this, and the end result is robust flavours with strong spicy notes.

SALTED EGG CRAB

Sure, you may think salted egg crab is ubiquitous, but who cares? There’s no such thing as too much salted egg crabs! Penang St. Buffet’s Salted Egg Crab is characterised by its extremely thick salted egg yolk sauce that has been infused with butter and curry leaves.

THAI STYLE CHICKEN AND CRAB STUFFED CRAB

The aroma of French toast permeated through the restaurant when this crab dish was served to us. This unique dish comprises a crab shell – stuffed with crab meat and minced chicken – that has been encased with a deep-fried egg wash. Perfect for those who are lazy to declaw a crab!

TOM YUM CRAB

Tom Yam fans rejoice! This Thai-inspired dish has successfully incorporated chilli padi, lemon grass, lime leaves, lime juice, tom yam paste and tomatoes into a crab; it’s like drinking tom yum soup, but in the form of a crab. A very intense-flavoured one, that is.

TYPHOON CRAB

Hong Kong cuisine is usually not Halal-certified but Penang St. Buffet is not leaving the Muslim community out. Introducing Hong Kong-style Typhoon Crab into their Crab Madness Buffet, this succulent Typhoon Crab is stir-fried with black soya bean, corn, carrots, garlic and potatoes. So damn good!

PUMPKIN CRAB

Last but not least, the Pumpkin Crab is also a new addition to the Crab Madness Buffet. The crabs are cooked with onions, pumpkins and tomato paste. The sauce has chockful of pumpkin flesh; so sweet, they complemented the freshness of the crabs.

NOODLES STATION

The crab extravaganza doesn’t end at just crabs. Move on to the Noodles Station after you are finally done and that’s when another party begins! From Penang Crab Noodles Soup, Chilli Crab Sauce with Spaghetti to Crab Bee Hoon Soup, the crab buffet has plenty to offer for everyone.

LOCAL DELIGHTS

We’ll be frank that the most comforting food is always the one that we resonate best with. Ready for a Penang delicacies feast? Expect familiar dishes such as Cuttlefish Kangkong, Kalian with Crabmeat and Egg Tarts etc. The Penang Char Kway Teow is interestingly fried with crabmeat!

GRILL ITEMS STATION

Note that the Grill Items Station is only available on Session 2 (7.30pm – 10pm) and it showcases everyone’s favourite local grilled seafood dishes – Grilled Prawns, Grilled Lala, Grilled Stingray and Grilled Squid. It’s like bringing Chomp Chomp to Penang St. Buffet!

Penang St. Buffet
#05-12/13, Causeway Point
1 Woodlands Square
Singapore 738099
Reservations: +65 6894 7872 / Chef@gdgroup.com.sg
Nearest Station: Woodlands

Period: Friday, 15 July to Sunday, 02 October 2016
Mon to Thu: S$59.90++ (Adult) / S$19.90++ (Child)
Fri to Sun, PH & Eve of PH: S$63.90++ (Adult)/ S$20.90++ (Child)
Dinner Sessions:
Session 1: 4.45pm to 7pm (10% discount applicable)
Session 2: 7.30pm to 10pm
(10% discount applicable for all Session 1 reservations.)

This post is brought to you by Penang St Buffet.

Crabs have always been a big weakness of many and the idea of a crab buffet is always exciting. Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Beach Road’s acclaimed annual crab feast is back again for the 5th year running from 06 May to 26 June 2016, and you should be familiar with this extravaganza by now.

They are the pioneers for crab buffets, and this year, Executive Chef Jackson Goh and Executive Sous Chef Ken Ang have introduced two exotic flavours to add to the exciting favourites – Spanish Style and Mediterranean. These new variations will add to the existing list of flavours, of which includes all-time favourites such as Singapore Chilli Crab, Cereal Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Black Pepper Crab, White Pepper Crab, and Crab with Honey Rock Sugar.

Besides the many styles of crabs, the buffet line-up will also comprise a huge number of crab-centric dishes and appetisers, on top of the other popular dishes from Plaza Brasserie’s regular buffet.

We had our go, and we are more than affirmed that the annual Ultimate Crab Feast at Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is not to be missed.

SPANISH STYLE CRAB

You might not know where to start. Trust us, it happens when you have so many flavours right before your eyes.

Star with the all-new Spanish-style Crab. Traditional Spanish flavours derived from fresh herbs and spices adds an extra flavour boost and colour to Spanish dishes, and that is exactly what Executive Chef Jackson Goh has done to the crabs here.

Look forward to intense and mult-dimensional flavours. This is sure a lovely change from the usual pepper and whatnot we are used to having for our crabs.

MEDITERRANEAN CRAB

The Mediterranean-style Crab is prepared using a pretty broad group of different ingredients, with influences from Southern Italy, Greece, Morocco and Spain. The difference between the Spanish-style Crab and this one is that these Mediterranean ones are a little bit more robust in flavours, with influences from the Moroccan spice palette.

We were especially drawn to the diverse herbs and spices used. They have found the right balance between the added flavours and the sweetness of the crab to bring out the best of both worlds.

SALTED EGG YOLK CRAB

But of course, right? Salted egg crab is a perennial favourite and a crab buffet cannot do without this variation, really.

Rest assured that Plaza Brasserie’s salted egg yolk sauce is exceptionally rich and creamy, so much so that you would lick the crab shells clean to savour all that buttery goodness. This has been the most popular flavour at Ultimate Crab Feast every year.

SINGAPORE CHILLI CRAB

This is the classic Singaporean style and it comes with free-flow crisp and fluffy deep-fried buns (mantou) on the side for you to dip in the sauce with.

Trust us, it is a must to have the mantou. We could not stop ourselves from dipping in the generous chilli crab sauce. Of course, the crab itself was plump and juicy.

ALL THE OTHER CRABS TO LOVE

Yes, there’s more.

Let’s begin with the White Pepper Crab. This is another signature flavour, though slightly lighter in terms of flavour intensity, but that only enhances the natural taste of the crab meat itself.

But you can stick to your intense flavours. Skip the White Pepper Crab and go right for the Black Pepper Crab. The robust taste of black pepper can be pretty addictive, and chilli padi is used as well for an extra spicy kick.

Singaporeans would probably love the Cereal Crab. The familiar sweet and crunchy cereal – tossed and cooked with curry leaves and chilli padi for that extra kick – is one that we are all familiar with and probably grew up eating.

The Crab with Honey Rock Sugar was introduced last year as a variation of the Marmite Crab. A sweeter version this is, with a hint of garlic – and though different from the spicy ones, this is no less mild in terms of flavours.

CRAB-CENTRIC BITES

On top of the whole crabs cooked in different flavours, there are several other bites that revolve around the crustacean too.

Curry Crab Meat in Kueh Pie Tee; Crab Meat Chawanmushi; Thai Glass Noodle Salad; Spicy Crab Meat Salad; Breaded Crab Cake and Pandan Liu Sha Pau in Basket – just to name a few from the spread.

Our personal picks are the Crab Meat Chawanmushi and Breaded Crab Cake. The former differs slightly from the usual chawanmushi and comes in a firmer texture. And the egg custard is packed with generous amounts of crab meat, with even more spread out on top. The latter is made fully out of crab meat and the breading that covers is crispy and tasty.

Finally, our favourite dish – Roti Prata with Crab Masala. Anyone who has ever visited Plaza Brasserie would be familiar with the amazingly fresh prata from their resident prata counter. For the crab buffet, look forward to the crab masala; it is very spicy but extremely flavourful and gratifying.

THE ULTIMATE CRAB FEAST AT PARKROYAL ON BEACH ROAD

6 May 2016 to 26 June 2016
Buffet Dinner (Daily) – 6pm to 10pm – Adult: $75, Child: $45
Buffet Lunch (Sundays only) –  12pm to 2pm – Adult: $68, Child: $41

Pre-Mother’s Day Special
Buffet Lunch (Saturday) – 7 May 2016, 12pm to 2pm – Adult: $68, Child: $41
For reservations, call +65 6505 5710 or email dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com.

Plaza Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road, Level One
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 6505 5710
Daily: 6am – 12am
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

This post was brought to you by PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

If you are a seafood fanatic and are especially mad about crabs, here is a piece of fantastic news for you. We have another crab buffet in the house! With over 12 different crab-cooking styles and a myriad of crab-inspired dishes, Penang St Buffet’s upcoming crab feast will drive you crazy! Featuring signature dishes like Salted Egg Yolk Crab, ‘Tau Chiu’ Crab, Penang Chilli Crab, Nonya Kapitan, Curry Crab and other crab dishes such as Special Crab Beehoon, and Crab Bisque – are you salivating yet?

From 31st July to 31st August 2015, Penang St Buffet at Causeway Point will be holding their inaugural halal Crab Madness Buffet – eat all you can crabs? Yes, count us in! And our Muslim friends are not left out!

It is definitely a crab extravaganza that you should not miss out on! Other than its gastronomical spread of crabs in different flavours, diners can also indulge in an array of cold seafood such as Fresh Oysters, Scallops, Salmon Sashimi, Mussels, Lobsters, Prawns all presented gorgeously on their ice bar.

Without further ado, let us give you a preview of the goodness you can expect at Penang St Buffets Crab Madness Buffet.

Salted Egg Yolk sauce is undoubtedly a crowd favourite, especially so for us Singaporeans, and many of us love it when seafood is tossed in this sauce. The Salted Egg Yolk Crab at Penang St Buffet is a definite highlight, and its buttery and rich flavours will leave you longing for more. Well technically, you can have as much as you wish!

The Claypot Crab Beehoon is another local favourite. Not only can patrons sink their teeth into the succulent crab meat, they can savour the soup that has retained most of the crab sweetness. The base is specially prepared with chicken broth, then boiled with crab meat for an additional dose of flavour.The result – we absolutely could not stop singing praises about.

And we love the usage of thick vermicelli. The best way to enjoy this dish is to slurp the vermicelli while enjoying the sweet broth! Don’t worry, everyone will be doing the same so you won’t be judged.

The Butter Crabs at Penang Street Buffet boast a rich, creamy texture and are topped off with curry leaves for an elevated fragrance. For those who are fans of butter-based sauces , soak the crab meat in the gravy if you are set on mopping the plate clean.

An icon of Singapore, and a dish to look out for on the buffet line. The Black Pepper Crab is freshly steamed and drenched with a sauce that is slow cooked with chopped onions, tomatoes and capsicums. Best eaten with fragrant white rice, of course!

Nothing beats a good old plate of chilli crab, but the Kampong Crab with Chilli from Penang St Buffet – though prepared slightly differently – is no less satisfying. In fact, this rendition is the closest to that of Penang-style chilli crab. With a sauce that is sweeter than the ones we have here in Singapore, this dish reminds us of the Malaysian yummies we have tried.. It is definitely as authentic as it can get. And yes, your favourite fried mantous are served alongside.

Are you thinking what we are thinking? It is party time!

The Nonya Kapitan Crab is an unexpected highlight of our crab buffet experience. With a sauce so robust in flavours, it totally whet our appetites and we could not stop eating. The fleshy crab claw is best enjoyed when dipped into this sour and spicy gravy,. We urge you to go straight for this flavour to kick start your experience at the Crab Madness Buffet.

The Curry Crab is another dish worth mentioning. With an addictive spicy flavour that jolted our taste buds tremendously, we say you fill up a plate of piping hot steamed rice, and drown your rice with the curry. No, really. The crab claw can wait for now because the curry is so damn good.

Even though the chefs at Penang St Buffet are masters in a plethora of cooking methods, they also remember those who just want a simple crab dish where patrons can savour the natural sweetness of the crab. Just crack open the claws and be greeted with delicate and soft meat, best consumed with their homemade chilli concoction.

Cooking with bean sauce is essentially a Cantonese’s favourite way of preparing seafood, as with the Malaysians.. They call that the ’Tau Chiu style’, and Penang St Buffet did a marvelous job in introducing their crabs in this style. Their crab with bean sauce is stir-fried with thick and gooey gravy, with added garlic and chopped chill for a hint of spiciness.

Presenting to you, the stuffed crab with cheese. Crab meat is stuffed into the crab shell, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese, then popped into the oven. Well, you cannot really go wrong with cheese, yes? Now, picture this – you dip your forks into the crab shell and pull out strings of cheese with chunks of crab meat. Yes, you are welcome.

Another Penang St Buffet creation is the Mongolian Crab, cooked in a unique house sauce. The peppery and buttery dressing proved to be an interesting combination resulting in an unexpectedly zesty Mongolian Crab that is almost hard to stop at just one helping.

What is a crab buffet without some hearty crab bisque? Brewed with fresh crab meat, the bisque spots a thick consistency and an aroma that is simply irresistible.

What is a Penang styled buffet without some classic Penang local delights? Dishes such as the Penang Prawn Noodles and Penang Rojak will also be available, adding the cherry on top of your experience at the Crab Madness Buffet. A free flow supply of drinks, cakes, ice creams and desserts is also available to round up your dinner.

Penang St Buffet’s halal-certified Crab Madness Buffet ($59.90++ for adults and $19.90++ for children on weekdays, $65.90++ for adults and $20.90++ for children on weekends) is only available for dinner from 31st July to 31st August at two dinner time slots a day.

Session 1 customers will be entitled to a 10% discount from Mondays to Thursdays. What better way to enjoy some family time than to bask in the presence of a delectable range of seafood?

Email Reservations@GDGroup.com.sg to make your reservations.

Penang St Buffet
Causeway Point
1 Woodlands Square
Singapore 738099
Session 1: 4.30pm to 7.15pm
Session 2: 7.30pm to 10pm
Nearest MRT:  Woodlands

This post is brought to you by Penang St Buffet.

Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL On Beach Road is bringing back The Ultimate Crab Feast Buffet from 8 June to 23 August 2015!

Do we hear screams and cries of excitement already? As Singaporeans, we can never get enough of crabs, can we? This annual crab buffet is totally a dream come true for all of us crab lovers.

Last year, it was such a sell-out that reservations were filled up quicker than you can spell ‘crabs’. We know many of you were disappointed, we really do. This year, the buffet will run for more than two months, and there will be lunch seatings on Sundays too.

Now, time to welcome the idea of free-flow of crabs cooked in 8 tantalizing ways, and be prepared for a taste of heaven at Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL On Beach Road with The Ultimate Crab Feast Buffet. Here are some of the cooking styles you can expect:

CHILLI CRAB WITH DEEP-FRIED MANTOU

Let’s jus say The Ultimate Crab Feast Buffet needs only the most befitting flavours, and chilli crab it shall be. Dubbed as the quintessential Singapore food, this local favourite will win the hearts of everyone. Together with deep-fried mantou that is also free flow, we are in heaven.

CEREAL CRAB

There may be all sorts of cooking methods for crabs, but some things are ever classic and nothing’s gonna change our love for them. Like cereal crab. Sweet, crispy cereal stir-fried with chilli padi, bringing out the sweetness of fresh crabs; very addictive, and you have been warned.

SALTED EGG YOLK CRAB

We are not the only ones who are obsessed, right? Don’t lie if you are going to say you are not obsessed. We know you are. The chefs at Plaza Brasserie told us this was the most popular style last year, and they are definitely including this again for this year’s line-up. Yay to salted egg yolk crab! The creamy goodness will never fail us!

BLACK PEPPER CRAB

Oh, come on! Who says no to black pepper crabs?! Even Gordon Ramsay loves the Singapore-style black pepper crab, and we are pretty darn sure Plaza Brasserie’s version will impress him too.

WHITE PEPPER CRAB

How about a change? Pepper-anything for crabs is always good, and white pepper is as good as, if not better than black pepper crab. No, really. We actually prefer this rendition because it is spicier and more robust in flavour.

CURRY CRAB

Quite unforgettable and very lethal, the curry crab is also a crowd’s favourite and the chefs are honestly so good at this. The main ingredients that go into the making of the curry crab are lemon grass, curry powder, red chilli and coconut milk. The end result? You have to try it for yourself to believe how darn delicious curry can get.

STEAMED CRAB WITH DANG GUI

Herbal broths are ever so comforting. This version with angelica herb (dang gui) has proven its popularity from last year’s buffet. While the herb has a slight bitterness, when steamed and simmered with the crab, the sweetness of the crab actually slices through the bitterness, producing a very balanced flavoured herbal broth.

CRAB WITH HONEY ROCK SUGAR *NEW*

Introducing an all-new flavour – the Crab with Honey Rock Sugar. The chefs are very proud of this creation, and if our tummies could nod in agreement… So anyway, this version is similar to marmite crabs, but with a more delicate sweetness that does not overpower the freshness of the crab flesh. We really like it a lot and we are sure you would too!

The Ultimate Crab Feast is complemented with a delicious spread of local favourites and Asian cuisine from the gourmet capitals in our Best of Asia spread. It is most definitely value-for-money, because you get to eat your fill from all the crabs and regular buffet spread.

We are not accountable if you drool all over your keyboard while reading this. And, the seatings are limited, and the tables fill up really quickly. So make your reservations fast; you have been warned.

The Ultimate Crab Feast
8 June to 23 August 2015
Buffet Dinner (Daily), 6pm to 10:00pm
Buffet Lunch (Sunday), 12pm to 2:30pm
Adult: $75 / Child: $45

*All photos used in this post are for illustration purposes only. During the actual buffet runs, the crabs will be chopped up, cleaned and placed in communal pots over the counter. This is to facilitate easy and safe eating, and you can go for as many refills as you want. Any request for the crabs to be served whole will not be entertained due to hygiene reasons and compliances.

This post is brought to you by PARKROYAL On Beach Road.

Crayfish cooked in eight different styles and crabs prepared in four different methods… Welcome to Plaza Brasserie’s Crazy For Crayfish and Crab Buffet – a teaser to its hugely popular annual Ultimate Crab Feast Buffet (which is happening later this June).

Known for its Best of Asia Buffet, Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is introducing the Crazy For Crayfish and Crab Buffet for the very first time this year. In addition to its four signature crabs – chilli, black pepper, salted egg and curry – the restaurant is featuring crayfish cooked in eight different sauces. Sounds unreal, yes we know. You know this is one buffet you cannot skip.

Wok-fried Crayfish with Salted Egg, Crayfish with Chilli Crab Sauce, Rendang Crayfish, Thai Basil Crayfish, Honey Rock Sugar Crayfish, White Pepper Crayfish, Black Bean Sauce Crayfish and Hot Bean Sauce Crayfish. Good Lord, just take our money!

The Crazy For Crayfish and Crab Buffet is available at Plaza Brasserie from 3 to 26 April 2015. Be sure to ring up and make your reservation, because they are known to always be booked out real fast. The Ultimate Crab Feast Buffet last year was fully booked by the first week, and we wouldn’t expect anything less for this buffet. Crayfish and crab buffet? This is the best of both worlds!

[ Giveaway ] We are also giving away 3 pairs of weekday buffet dining vouchers for the Crazy For Crayfish and Crab Buffet. Leave a comment below, and share this post on your Facebook timeline to win. More details on the giveaway at the end of this post.

ROCK SUGAR AND HONEY CRAYFISH

You must be wondering how this combination tastes like, and we will tell you that it is one so well-balanced between sweet and savoury that you simply cannot stop at just one serving. We had thought it would be bizarre, but hey, if you are not going for it, we will help ourselves to more!

By the way, this sauce mixture is actually not new to Plaza Brasserie; you can find dishes such as chicken and prawn cooked in rock sugar and honey sauce from its Best of Asia Spread.

BLACK BEAN CRAYFISH

We are usually more familiar with Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce or Wok-fried Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce, but a Black Bean Crayfish? Now, that’s a first. With the right amount of seasoning, onion and black bean sauce, this is a dark horse contender to Plaza Brasserie’s best crayfish.

BLACK PEPPER CRAYFISH

Because black pepper is too good to just be used on crabs alone! We now have a crayfish version, and the poignant flavour is oh-so-divine. Thick, sweet flesh from the crustacean cooked in a copious amount of black pepper sauce, Plaza Brasserie’s version is a fine mix of spicy and salty.

RENDANG CRAYFISH

If you love rendang, you would love Plaza Brasserie’s Rendang Crayfish. Who would have thought! But yes, the popular Indonesian flavour is now an option for your crayfish. It is the Malay’s idea of beef curry, prepared with mainly chilli, ginger, coconut milk, lemongrass, turmeric, garlic and galangal. In other words, a brilliant combination of herbs and spices. Eat this with rice; ahhh… simple pleasures in life.

HOT BEAN SAUCE CRAYFISH

Chilli, fermented bean sauce and sesame oil. This is a variation to black bean, and it is not any less flavourful. Slightly spicier, with complementing ingredients for a more robust sauce without overpowering the sweetness of the crayfish. The Hot Bean Sauce Crayfish is an innovative creation and one that the Chef is so proud of.

CHILLI CRAYFISH

Well, well. Singaporeans love their chilli crab, so they will fall (hard) in love with this chilli crayfish too. Deep fried buns are available as an accompanying side; need we say more? Go ahead, help yourselves to a bigger portion. We won’t tell.

THAI BASIL CRAYFISH

Thai basil does not just stop at minced pork. The culinary team decided to wok-fry the crayfish with the ever-popular Thai basil, and you can be assured that what you’d get is a kickass spicy flavour that you cannot get enough of. We always love a good Thai basil dish; the more fragrant the basil leaves, the better!

SALTED EGG YOLK CRAYFISH

Our favourite among the eight flavours – but then again, we are biased towards anything that has salted egg yolk in it. Generously coated with Plaza Brasserie’s signature salted egg yolk sauce, this crayfish dish will be an instant hit with friends and family. Calories don’t count if there is Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish on the buffet counter, because it is impossible to say ‘no’ to this heavenly dish. Triple portions, please!

SALTED EGG YOLK CRAB

Of course, you can stuff your faces silly with the Salted Egg Yolk Crab too. Go ahead, we won’t judge.

BLACK PEPPER CRAB

So when we told you there was the Black Pepper Crayfish, you were already expecting a crab version, right? Your wish is granted. Indulge and eat as many black pepper crabs as you want! This will totally make your buffet money well-spent.

CHILLI CRAB

Singapore is synonymous with food, and when you talk about our local food, chilli crab always comes to mind. Yes, Plaza Brasserie does their chilli crab well and worthy of Singaporeans’ never-ending affection. Eat all you can with deep-fried mantou, did we hear?

CURRY CRAB

Damn, this Curry Crab was sooo good that we were momentarily speechless. But we are not surprised, because Plaza Brasserie is famed for their Indian food. In case you do not already know, they have dedicated chefs hailing from India; cannot get more authentic than this, can you? Now, all you really need is a bowl of fragrant white rice to fully savour the curry sauce. 

BEST OF ASIA BUFFET SPREAD

If you still have room after feasting on crayfishes and crabs, the Best of Asia Spread has hot pot stations (on rotation) serving dishes such as Braised Oxtail, Kampong Chicken Curry with Bread Loaf, Lotus Root and Pork Belly Soup and Seafood Tom Yum Soup. The live stations (on rotation) feature Crepe with Durian Mousse, Penang Hokkien Char, Fried Carrot Cake, Mee Goreng and more.

3 to 26 April 2015
Buffet Dinner (Daily from 6pm – 10pm)
Adult: S$65++
Child (4 to 12 years old): S$39++

PARKROYAL ON BEACH ROAD CRAZY FOR CRAYFISH AND CRAB BUFFET GIVEAWAY

1. Plaza Brassserie is giving away 3 pairs of weekday buffet dining vouchers for the Crazy for Crayfish and Crab Buffet.
2. Leave a comment in this post to tell us which crayfish/crab you want to try at Plaza Brasserie, and why we should choose you.
3. ‘Like’ PARKROYAL on Beach Road on Facebook.
4. Share the link of this post on your Facebook timeline.
5. The contest starts from now till 6 April 2015, 2359 hrs.
6. Winners will be notified by email.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Clara Cheok, Danny Lum, Audrey Low

Plaza Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road, Level One
Tel: +65 6505 5710
Daily: 6pm – 10pm
Email: dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com

This post is brought to you by PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

Black pepper crab. Salted egg yolk crab. Curry crab. Chilli crab. Marmite crab. Crab kut teh. Wait, are we done with the list? Not quite, apparently. And you know what this means? It is time to party with crabs!

The annual crab feast at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is here again from 13 June till 27 July 2014, and it just gets better each year.

With 27 crab dishes including 14 whole crabs prepared in different styles, on top of everyone’s favourite seafood station, chefs preparing their speciality dishes ala minute, and a Best of Asia buffet spread – Plaza Brasserie presents its highly anticipated The Ultimate Crab Feast buffet dinner (adult S$65++. child S$39++). Yes, we can already feel your excitement!

We don’t know many people who would say no to free-flow of quality crabs, but we know this is one dinner you must not miss. Here are the highlights from The Ultimate Crab Feast by Plaza Brasserie at PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

We love anything salted egg yolk, so we were stoked to know that that our favourite Salted Egg Crab is one of the dishes on the menu. It was done just the way we like it – the crabs were bursting with salted egg yolk goodness, and we polished off every bit of the sauce.

Next thing we fell in love with was the Butter Crab. Creamy, rich and, well, very buttery. And very good.

A unique creation by the chefs at Plaza Brasserie, the Crab Kut Teh is cooked in a rich broth that is prepared with pork bones and bak kut teh spices. We can never say no to good soups.

We really cannot think of many things that can be better than cereal crab. Sweet flesh covered in a copious amount of crisp and sweet cereal, finished with a touch of spice from chilli padi. Plaza Brasserie’s rendition of the cereal crab comes with a hint of salted egg yolk, too.

The Marmite Crabs here are cooked with maltose, honey, chilli and tomato sauce, giving it a slightly sweet and spicy flavour.

If you love Peranakan food, you will find yourself in the good hands of the Nonya crab. Quite a change from the usual cooking styles, yes?

After trying the Curry Crab, your palate will not forget the lethal combination of curry powder, lemongrass, coconut milk and red chilli.

And your mother would tell you that the Steamed Crab with Dang Gui is good for you. Yes, eat more! It is packed with sliced Angelica Sinensis – also known as dang gui, a medicinal herb that is used for treating various ailments – and lots of wolfberries, which is one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits.

And what’s a crab buffet without Singapore’s iconic Chilli Crab? Don’t forget to dip your mantous (deep fried buns) in the addictive sauce! We also suggest using the mantous to mop up the sauces of the other crabs like salted egg yolk, butter, and marmite.

Chilli crab may be the poster boy for Singapore, but what most locals truly love is Black Pepper Crab. And what is a crab party without Black Pepper Crab? Have them here at Plaza Brasserie, and eat to your heart’s content!

Last but not the least, try the the ‘XO’ Crab. Not for the faint-hearted, though!

After you are done with one round of crabs, you are probably too stuffed to eat anything else. But it is just the start of the show. From the seafood counter, you can get a selection of the freshest seafood – expect tiger prawns, flower crabs, green mussels, scallops, spanner crabs, and snow crabs.

Move on to the appetisers. Noteworthy dishes include crab cake with mushroom and onion, crab meat ball with potato, crab meat tartlet, crab meat chawanmushi, spicy crab meat salad, and breaded crab claws. Yes, crab everything. Your tummies will be so pleased.

The buffet lineup also features various Chef’s ‘Live’ Cooking Stations which rotate every day so that regulars always have something to look forward to. You won’t want to miss the signature crepe station with durian mousse. Over at the Noodle Station, it can be anything from laksa, udon, prawn noodle, or lor mee. There will definitely be something for every palate.

For those who have been to the buffet at Plaza Brasserie, you will know that one of the highlights is the roti prata station. For the crab feast this year, the prata chef has some tricks up his sleeve. Besides the usual prata, there are also creations like potato with crabmeat, crabmeat masala, and crabmeat roti john.

The dessert buffet, with its mixture of Asian sweet treats and Western pastries, gives you the best of both worlds. For those who love their Asian desserts, go for pulut hitam, bubur cha cha, and tau suan, Continue with mini French pastries, American cheese cake, chocolate cake and you will be in seventh heaven.

We have lost count of the number of reasons why we love The Ultimate Crab Feast buffet at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, but really, if you love crabs, round up your folks and treat yourself to a good buffet here.

The Ultimate Crab Feast (S$65++ for adult, and S$39++ for child) is available during dinner buffet (6pm – 10.30pm daily) from 13 June to 27 July 2014. ANZ, DBS, Diners Club, CIMB Bank, Maybank and OCBC cardholders get to enjoy 15% savings for buffet dinner, while UOB cardholders get 15% off for total bill.

For more details, go to PARKROYAL on Beach Road’s website, and like them on facebook.

Plaza Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road, Level One
Tel: +65 6505 5710
Daily: 6pm – 10.30pm
Email: dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com

This post is brought to you by PARKROYAL on Beach Road. 

Jumbo Seafood is a household name when it comes to having seafood in Singapore. With numerous branches and a strong brand-name, it is safe to say that they are one of the most famous Chinese seafood restaurants in town.

The food is generally good – from the famous chilli crab with deep fried mantou, to salted egg yolk prawns, the crispy baby squids, and mee goreng.

There are people like my pals Fred and Velda, who are regulars as they have been going there for years with their family. There are also many others who frequent Jumbo because it is a relative safe place (somewhere you can’t really go wrong) to bring overseas visitors.

I am not a fan of Jumbo Seafood, though. I find it a little too commercialise and touristy. I don’t mind going there if my friends want a quick fix in town, but I probably will not suggest it on my own.

If you are planning for a seafood feast, go to their East Coast outlet. Otherwise, the branch at Riverside Point is also very popular and enjoys a regular stream of customers.

Jumbo Seafood
1206 East Coast Parkway
#01-07/08 East Coast Seafood Centre
Tel: +65 6442 3435
Daily: 5pm – 12mn

30 Merchant Road
#01-01/02 Riverside Point
Tel: +65 6532 3435
Lunch: 12noon – 2.30pm
Dinner: 6pm – midnight

Singapore is a foodie paradise. It is not exaggerating to say that eating is part of the Singapore Spirit. Since we will be celebrating National day in a month’s time, I thought it would be nice to write about some of the must-eats in Singapore.

Here’s my list of 10 Things to Eat in Singapore.

For first time visitors, it is a must to try all the popular hawker food from places like Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre and Old Airport Road Market. If you are willing to spend more on food, Singapore has many excellent fine dining restaurants, like Les Amis and Iggy’s. And of course, we mustn’t forget about the Celebrity Chefs Restaurants like Waku Ghin, Santi, CUT at the swanky Marina Bay Sands; Osia and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at Resorts World Sentosa.

However, I’ll not be including Singapore’s best restaurants in this post. Instead, I want to share about some of the food that I miss whenever I am out of town. For non-food recommendations, please read my list of 10 Things to do in Singapore.

Chicken Rice

If you ask around which is the most famous Singapore food, chances are, people will reply with either chilli crab or chicken rice.

Amongst the many good chicken rice stalls in Singapore, I’d suggest going to either Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice or Boon Tong Kee. I like Tian Tian’s chicken rice, but I hate the queue. If you are lazy to queue like me, go to Maxwell market before or after lunch hour. Tian Tian is definitely one of the best chicken rice in Singapore.

Boon Tong Kee, on the other hand, is a tricky one. Many people would argue that it is a commercialised restaurant, and there are probably lots of places that have better chicken rice. Let me explain. With six branches around the island, Boon Tong Kee is much more accessible, and you can have your chicken rice in a clean environment (not everyone is willing to brave the heat in hawker centre). It is a relatively safe option to bring your overseas visitors there for their first taste of our famous Singapore chicken rice.

Boon Tong Kee
425 River Valley Road
Tel: +65 6736 3213

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Maxwell Road #01-10 Maxwell Food Centre

Chilli Crab

As mentioned, Chilli Crab is probably the most famous Singapore food. It is the face of Singapore Cuisine, the must-try food for tourists. You cannot visit Singapore without having Chili Crab. There are many Chinese seafood restaurants in Singapore serving this popular dish, but my favourite is No Signboard at Geylang.

Fresh meaty crabs in a spicy-sweet chili sauce with deep-fried mantou – this is one of the most satisfying experiences in life.

No Signboard Seafood
414 Geylang Road
Tel: +65 6842 3415

Kaya Toast

Kaya is a coconut jam made from coconut milk, eggs which are flavoured by pandan leaf and sweetened with sugar. It is easily one of the best jam spread ever created.

Spread the kaya on the toast with a generous slab of butter – this is a very delicious thing for breakfast, tea, or supper. All you need is kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and a cup of coffee. This is the best local breakfast.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery
204 East Coast Road Singapore

Ya Kun Kaya Toast Singapore
18 China Street #01-01
Far East Square Singapore
Tel: +65 6438 3638

Tropical Fruits

There are plenty of tropical fruits to eat in Singapore, so it is a good idea to head to the markets if you are not from the region. Some of the must-try fruits are: rambutans, mangosteen, longan, lychee, durian, and mango.

Even though I hate durian, I think it’s a pretty cool experience to visit Geylang and sit by the roadside to try the king of fruits.

Fish Head Curry

Fish Head Curry is a dish created by Singapore’s Malayalee. Cooked in a hot and spicy Indian curry, the large fish head is usually eaten with white rice or bread. Try the one from Muthu’s Curry at Race Course road.

Muthu’s Curry
138 Race Course Road #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6392 1722

Laksa

Laksa has a rich coconut-based curry soup with rice noodles alongside ingredients like cockles, shrimp, tau pok and fish cake.

The first time I had a bowl of laksa (many years ago) was a total revelation. It was like taking a plane for the first time; the first sip of champagne, or having the first ever taste of foie gras. It was something very special.

Without a doubt, Laksa is one of the Singapore’s must-eats.

328 Katong Laksa
51 East Coast Road Singapore
Tel: +65 9732 8163

Zi Char

Zi Char (also known as Zhi Char/Cze Char/Tze Char) is a Chinese stall (in a coffee shop) that serves a variety of ala carte dishes at affordable prices. Different ‘restaurants’ have their own unique signature dishes, but a typical zi char place will usually has the following: meat items – pork ribs, har cheong gai ($8 – $20); vegetables – sambal kangkong, kailan ($6 – $12), side dishes – beancurd, noodles, rice ($4 – $20) ; and seafood – prawn, fish, crabs ($15 upwards).

There are many good zi char places in Singapore, but I’d recommend Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon (for har cheong gai), Keng Eng Kee Seafood and for a slightly more upmarket option, Ming Kee Live Seafood.

Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon
Jumbo Coffee Hub
Blk 19A Dover Crescent

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

Ming kee Live Seafood
556 Macpherson Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6747 4075

Peranakan Cuisine

Peranakan Cuisine, also known as Nyonya food, is the result of blending Chinese ingredients and wok cooking techniques with spices used by the Malay/Indonesian community. There are plenty of Peranakan restaurants in Singapore serving fantastic nyonya food, you can check out the fairly new Candlenut Kitchen by Malcolm lee – one of the up and coming chefs in Singapore; and Ivin’s – a popular and no frills place for families to have dinner.

Candlenut Kitchen
25 Neil Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6226 2506

Ivin’s
19 Binjai Park Singapore
Tel: +65 6468 3060

Dim Sum

Hong Kong might be the land of dim sum, but I feel that some restaurants in Singapore serve very good dim sum too. I’m sure everyone knows by now: my favourite dim sum restaurants in Singapore are Royal China at Raffles Hotel, Yanting Restaurant at St Regis, and Taste Paradise at Ion Orchard.

Royal China
1 Beach Road
#03-09 Raffles Hotel
Tel: +65 6338 3363

Taste Paradise Ion Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#04-07 ION Orchard
Tel: +65 6509 9660

Yan Ting Restaurant
29 Tanglin Road
The St Regis
Tel: +65 6506 6888

Char Kway Teow

“What food do you miss the most when you are away from Singapore?”

This is a simple question. My answer is definitely Char Kway Teow. The stir-fried noodle is artery clogging, but it is very, very tasty! For me, the best char kway teow in Singapore will be the one from Zion Road. You MUST EAT it!

No 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow
Zion Road Riverside Food Centre

I wrote this list of 10 Things to eat in Singapore for the NDP 2011 Official Website, but this is not a sponsored blog post and I have not received any monetary benefits in return. That said, I got two tickets to the NDP preview and I’ll be writing a second post to share more about the Singapore spirit during the parade.

Besides all the good food, what do you think defines the Singapore spirit? Share your thoughts at the NDP website and NDPeeps Facebook page!

A few weeks ago, I received an email from a reader, telling me about Master Crab Seafood Restaurant, a cze char place in Ghim Moh near De Burg burgers. The title of her email was: “best crabs in Singapore“. I think that pretty much sums it up.

Anyway, I could not stop thinking about the yummy crabs, so a few days later, I brought my family to Master Crab for dinner. Apparently, Master Crab Seafood Restaurant also has branches in Choa Chu Kang (Sunshine Place), Compassvale, and Punggol.

I was a little alarmed when my family wanted to have the Black Pepper Crabs as we had Chilli crabs recently. Luckily, I managed to convince them that it is a must to try the famous Singapore Chilli Crab since it was our first time at this crab restaurant.

Sad to say, Master Crab’s Chilli Crab ($48/kg nett) was lackluster – I could not quite put a finger to it, but the chilli gravy was kind of weird.

If you go to Master Crab Seafood Restaurant, order their Salted Egg Yolk Crab instead. Covered with a golden-yellow sauce, the Salted Egg Yolk Crab was magnificent. The sauce, in particular, was rich and very tasty. I am certainly not the first person, nor the last, to sing its praises.

It’s been said before, and I shall say it again: crab prices are getting ridiculous in zi char restaurants. I understand why seafood restaurants like Seafood Paradise and NoSignBoard need to charge $40ish/kg as they are paying higher rentals. But it does not make sense to me why Zi Char places are charging the same amount.

Master Crab’s har cheong kai ($8) was not too bad. It had a thicker coat of flour which gave it a nice crispy skin.

We wanted to order something different from what we usually have, so we went for the Deep-fried Youtiao Fritter ($8), which was run-of-the-mill.

The Scallop Asparagus ($15) was nothing like the menu’s photo, it only had a few tiny scallops. For that kind of price, I would rather order two different vegetable dishes.

Master Crab Seafood Restaurant, like the name suggests, is a good cze char place to go for their crabs. The other dishes are pretty standard, nothing outstanding. The other signature crabs on the menu are: crab bee hoon and stewed crab with vermicelli.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Master Crab Seafood Restaurant
Blk 19 Ghim Moh Road #01-229
Tel: +65 6314 1868

Master Crab Compassvale
Blk 277 Compassvale Link #01-13
Tel: +65 6555 6515

Master Crab Choa Chu Kang
Blk 475 Choa Chu Kang Ave 3 #01-31
Tel: +65 6764 9487

Master Crab Punggol Field
Blk 108 Punggol Field #01-01
Tel: +65 6425 8079

Master Crab Punggol Drive
Blk 639 Punggol Drive #01-07
Tel: +65 6425 9435

Ming Kee Live Seafood is tucked among a busy row of restaurants and eateries on Macpherson Road, and they are known for serving good and fresh seafood at affordable prices. Singapore is famous for our Chilli crabs and most people usually bring their overseas friends to popular places like No SignBoard, Palm Beach, Red House or Jumbo Seafood restaurant.

I have been putting off my visit to Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant as it is not very accessible. But my excuse came when my friends from New York were in town, and thankfully the food did not disappoint.

Many Singapore Food Blogs had written on Ming Kee Live Seafood and the Guinness Pork Ribs was highly recommended. Even though I have never had anything similar before, I must say Ming Kee’s interpretation of the Guinness Pork Ribs was excellent. It had a good proportion of fats to lean meat, and every bite was so good.

Almost every table at Ming Kee Restaurant that night went for the signature Triple Cooked Bee Hoon Crab, but we wanted to show the famous Singapore Chilli Crabs to our New York friends, so we gave that a miss.

Like always, deep fried man tou and chilli gravy are the best couple together. All my friends thought that the Chilli crabs ($58.5, 1kg/$45) were exceptionally good, but I felt otherwise, they were good but not great.

Some of the items that we had at Ming Kee were the Stir-fried bean-sprout ($8) with salted fish, and Sambal kangkong ($8). The vegetables were very well-done, and we particularly enjoyed the bean-sprout.

We were quite full by the time the Sea Grouper came ($114, 100g/$6) came to our table.

Steamed Hong Kong-Style, the whopping 1.9kg grouper was amazingly fresh, and meaty. I do feel that it is a little pricey to pay over a hundred bucks for a fish. After-all, you can get more crab and prawns for the same amount of money. However, if you are a big fan of fish, it is worthwhile to order it from Ming Kee Live Seafood.

Ming Kee Live Seafood is an excellent place for fresh seafood, and the prices are pretty reasonable. I will definitely bring my family back to try their other dishes.

Speaking of which, I need some recommendations for good Zi Char restaurants in Singapore, please leave a comment and share with us.

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Ming kee Live Seafood
556 Macpherson Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6747 4075
// Closed during Chinese New Year from 3rd – 8th Feb 2011

Oh our love-hate relationship with cravings. It is almost impossible to ignore them, and they always sneak in and catch us unaware during the middle of the night. Sometimes, we don’t really have a choice but to satisfy it.

I was craving for Chilli Crabs a while back, and decided on Seafood Paradise Restaurant at Singapore Flyer since all of us have never been there before.

The Paradise Group of Restaurants have been doing very well recently. Other than their original Seafood Paradise at Defu Lane, and the fine dining flagship restaurant Taste Paradise, they have added Paradise Inn and with the latest being Paradise Dynasty at Ion Orchard.

You know what is the best part about being a food blogger? I get to decide the place, as well as the dishes to order. If you have been reading my blog for some time, you will know that I’m a big fan of chilli crabs ($4.4/100g). Naturally, I persuaded the rest to avoid the pepper crab and go for the deep fried man tou and chilli gravy instead.

Rule number one when it comes to ordering Chilli crab:

Always, always specify the size of the crab to the waitress. Unfortunately, we were too hungry that night and actually forgot to mention that. The poor crab that arrived on our table was undersized – it was just slightly more than 700g, which was barely enough to satisfy our cravings. But everything was forgiven when we dipped the huge deep fried buns into the gravy. There was silence for a few minutes as everyone focused on the crab (& the mantou with chilli gravy).

Another must-order is the Crisp-fried Crystal Prawns with salted egg yolk ($16/small). The one that we ordered only had 5 small prawns, please go for the medium portion ($24) at least.

Hotplate Tofu ($10/small) is one of my favorite dishes when I dine at Zi Char or seafood restaurants. Don’t we all love the sizzling sound coming from the hotplate? The tofu, the minced meat, and the egg tasted perfect together! The one here had additional preserved cai xin to give it a different twist.

Whenever Sweet & Sour Pork appears during dinner, everyone will always turn their head towards me. It is as though there’s the words ‘sweet and sour pork’ written on my forehead.

Other than the rather small portion, I’d think that Seafood Paradise’s rendition was very close to the one that I have been looking for. In short, it’s one of the best Sweet & Sour Pork in Singapore that I had in recent times. With the pineapple and lychee adding to the sweetness, the pork was extremely crispy yet not too oily. Every bite was so good! I managed to get a few extra helpings while everyone was busy with the crabs.

Looking for a Chinese Seafood restaurant to bring your overseas friends for our famous Singapore Chili Crab? Check out Seafood Paradise Restaurant next time!

Which is your favorite seafood restaurant for Chilli crabs?

Restaurant Review
Seafood Paradise Restaurant
30 Raffles Avenue #01-01
Singapore Flyer Singapore
Tel: +65 6336 5101

91 Defu Lane
10 Swee Hin Building Singapore
Tel: +65 6487 2429

I have no idea how Mother’s Day actually came about, but I’m thankful that we have a day dedicated specially to all our beloved mothers. Actually, everyday can be Mother’s day so long everyone in the family is happy together, but you know what? Mother’s day is another perfect excuse for us to go out and have a good feast and indulge a little.

It can be quite a headache when it comes to buying presents or thinking of ideas for Mother’s day celebration. Mothers being mothers, will always say: “It’s okay, save the money and don’t splurge on presents.”

My mom is a great woman, she will always save the best for my brother and me. I will be nothing without her. If you have seen my previous post, you’d know that my mom loves chili crabs, so we are probably going to continue our hunt for the best chili crab in Singapore.

Here’s some ideas on where to bring your dear mother for Mother’s Day celebration:

Mother’s Day Brunch

If you are thinking of having brunch on Mother’s day, check out the new branch of Epicurious at Rail Mall. I went there a couple of weeks ago (yet to blog about it): the same good old brunch menu – now available in the West! Our mother always make breakfast for all of us, so on this coming Mother’s day, why not bring your mom out for a good breakfast?

Epicurious @ Rail Mall
392 Upper Bukit Timah Road
The Rail Mall
Tel: +65 6894 5926

Riders Cafe
51 Fairways Drive
Bukit Timah Saddle Club
Tel: +65 6466 9819

Best Chili Crab in Singapore

No Signboard Seafood at Geylang is my family’s favorite restaurant when it comes to chili crabs in Singapore. Otherwise, I want to try Roland restaurant, the creator of chili crabs back in the 1950s.

No Signboard Seafood
414 Geylang Road
Tel: +65 6842 3415

Roland Restaurant
89 Marine Parade Central
#06-750
Tel: +65 6440 8205

Best Buffet in Singapore?

I have yet to decide on where to go for mother’s day. Other than Chili crabs, the other option will definitely be buffet. My mother doesn’t have a big appetite, so it’s probably not worthwhile to bring her for an all you can eat buffet. But somehow, she absolutely love buffets. The idea of having so many food to choose from, is very appealing. If we are having buffet, I’d choose from my list of buffet places in Singapore and bring her to either:

Melt – The world cafe
5 Raffles Avenue
4F The Oriental Singapore
Tel: +65 6885 3082
Sizzling Barbecue Buffet dinner Thursday – Saturday (S$78 per person)
Sunday Brunch ($98 per person)

Triple Three
333 Orchard Road
Level 5 Meritus Mandarin Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6271
Sunday Brunch $90++
Fri – Sun Buffet Dinner $76++
Mon – Thu Buffet Dinner $72++

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So where will you be celebrating Mother’s day this year? Remember to make reservations! If you are thinking of making a present for your mom, drop by Dweam.com to learn more on how to DIY chocolate flower bouquet.

The most amazing thing about having a food blog, is knowing the other food bloggers. Besides the food blogs in Singapore, I got to meet up with the KL food bloggers during my trip up north last year, and when I went for a holiday in Australia during December, the good Sydney food bloggers hosted and brought me around for the best food in Sydney.

When Howard & Linda (eatshow&tell) told me that they were stopping-over in Singapore for a few hours before flying to Hong Kong, I knew that I had to bring them to have our famous Chili Crab.

It’s a tough decision trying to choose a place, since there’s so many restaurants claiming to serve the best chili crab in Singapore. I finally decided on No SignBoard restaurant because it has always been one of my family’s favorite place for crabs. As there were 6 of us, the staff advised that we probably need two crabs, so our second choice was the Salted Egg Yolk crab ($40 per kg). It was an irony since No SignBoard is famous for their white pepper crabs in Singapore, but I’m not a fan of pepper. Besides, I know I want the salted egg yolk, and I wanted it immediately. You know, like now!

Drop-dead gorgeous.

Look at that, the golden cluster of the salted egg yolk! I licked off the salted egg yolk coat on the crab pincers, and it simply disintegrated. The sauce reminded me of the salted egg yolk in custard buns, both equally as good but this one was slightly saltier, and very fragrant.

Hand over your passports, nobody leaves Singapore without trying Chili crab.

Photogenic it is not, but in the mouth, one struggles for words, and everything is forgiven. There’s different renditions of Chili crabs, with each claiming to be better than the other; so how do you actually define what’s a good Chili Crab? I like it slightly sweet, and spicy. I like to dip my beloved deep-fried mantou into the thick and awesome gravy, pour a whole bowl of it onto the white rice and finish everything.

Six deep-fried Mantou please, no wait, make it twelve. Okay, give us another six more. Oh those incredibly delicious, tiny devils.

Coming from a poor chili eater, I find the Sambal Kangkong extremely spicy. Herein lies the question: do we like sambal kangkong because it is hot, or do we like it hot so we like sambal kangkong?

Anyway, I like my sambal kangkong to be hot even though I can’t take chili very well. And the one here, is damn hot.

I’m not sure about you, but it seems to me that people always order Cereal prawns not so much because of the prawns, but rather they like the crispy cereals. I’m not going to talk about the niffy gritty part on how to peel a prawn, forget every single thing that I’ve said – just swallow the whole prawn.

Without a doubt, Chili Crab is the face and ambassador of the Singapore food scene, and No Signboard has the best chili crab in Singapore – because I like them. And no, we are not going to start the controversial debate on ‘where is the best chili crab in Singapore’. Whichever crab you like, is the best crab.

If you have hang around for long enough, you’d know that I’m not a big fan of steamboat, so it’s always an once-a-year thing for Chinese New Year reunion dinner. Most reputable fine-dining Chinese restaurants are probably fully booked by now; so instead of having steamboat, how about Seafood for Chinese New Year? Sounds like a plan to me.

Restaurant Review
No Signboard Seafood
414 Geylang Road
Tel: +65 6842 3415
Daily 12pm – 1am