Tag Archives: Chinese
Tim Ho Wan | Hong Kong’s Michelin Star Dim Sum Restaurant Opens First International Outlet in Singapore
Dubbed as possibly the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in the world, Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong has earned a reputation for serving up quality dim sum that are made-to-order with an extremely affordable price tag, but not without first braving the long queues that start even before the restaurant itself opens.
Serving up to 2 000 baskets of dim sum everyday in each of its four outlets back in Hong Kong, Tim Ho Wan is set to bring the dim sum frenzy to Singapore when it opens its first international branch today, 10th April 2013 at the Atrium of Plaza Singapura. Chef Mak Kwai Pui, the heavyweight behind the Tim Ho Wan brand says that he hopes to introduce authentic Hong Kong-style dim sum to Singaporeans through this new venture.
The 100-seater eatery space at Plaza Singapura is modest and seems hardly able to accommodate the large crowds of Tim Ho Wan’s fans it is estimated to attract with its opening. To cope with the high volume demand, this Singapore branch, much like its predecessors, will also not take reservations but cater seats via a first-come first-serve basis. But fret not, a SMS queue system has been implemented so you need not physically stand in line and wait for your turn.
Alternatively, the takeaway counter will hopefully take some of the heat off with its express service for customers who would rather avoid the queue and bring home their dim sum to enjoy.
Introducing the ‘Big 4 Heavenly Kings‘ which first put the flagship store in Hong Kong on the map- the Steamed Egg Cake, Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver, Baked Bun with BBQ Pork and Pan-Fried Carrot Cake, are MUST ORDERS here as well.
Delicate, moist and soft, this Steamed Egg Cake $3.80 was easily one of my favourites. Though it could probably be taken as a dessert as well, with its subtle sweet notes and spongy texture, the simplicity and lightness of this traditional dim sum delight was what won me over.
The Pan-Fried Carrot Cake (3 pcs) $4.50 could not have fared better. Sizeable chunks of sweet juicy radish pan fried with a thin crunchy outer layer and a contrasting comforting softness inside, this was delectable and good to eat on its own, without any additional condiments on the side necessary.
Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant @ Gardens By The Bay
Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant, a well-conceived collaboration between Chef Yong Bing Ngen (the man behind Majestic Restaurant and Jing at One Fullerton) and local restaurateur/hotelier, Loh Lik Peng, is the only seafood establishment on site the picturesque ‘City in the Garden’ of Gardens by the Bay. Located just below the flower dome, Majestic Bay Restaurant lends an appropriate oriental presence to an otherwise Western Contemporary dining scene at the Gardens with the likes of Pollen, SuperTree by Indochine and Cafe Crema.
Guests are treated to a scenic view of nature with the floor to ceiling glass panels that bathe the spacious 110-seater restaurant with natural light while the colour palette of Tiffany-blue and white brings along a decidedly calming charm. In line with the restaurant’s main theme, the focus here at Majestic Bay is naturally on the fresh seafood though the menu does however also carry a sizable number of non-seafood dishes as well as Dim Sum offered during lunch time crafted by Guangzhou-born Chef Li Shou Tao.
Trio Prawns Combo: $38 for 4 persons
Dressed in three distinct ways of Wasabi Mayo, Lemon Butter Milk Sauce and Salad Dressing, these butterflied prawns were plump, springy and simply creamy. My pick of the lot goes to the Wasabi Mayo with its gentle hints of slow-rising spiciness that was complimenting and not too overwhelming.
Assorted Seafood Soup, Whole Young Coconut, Bamboo Piths: $18 per person
Light and nourishing, this clear seafood soup served in a whole young coconut shell was unsuspectingly full-bodied in flavour with a subtle sweetness that was accentuated by the coconut meat. The most gratifying part however was probably scraping off chunks of the white flesh and enjoying every last bit of it.
Boon Tong Kee @ 401 Balestier Road
Dubbed as the ‘national dish’ of Singapore, Chicken Rice has a special place in every Singaporean’s heart. We have such an insatiable appetite for this dish that every hawker centre definitely has a stall (or two), just to cater to the demand. Needless to say, everyone has their favourite Chicken Rice stall. Be it Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre, Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice, Boon Tong Kee or even the extravagant $28 Chatterbox Chicken Rice, each has its fans and loyal customers who return time and time again, just to satisfy that craving.
We had two friends dropping by Singapore from the UK a few days ago and being part of the food scene as well, they specifically requested to have Chicken Rice during their visit having heard rife rave reviews about it. After factoring in their itinerary and non-existent tolerance for our country’s humidity, we decided on the original Boon Tong Kee branch in Balestier, which was conveniently air-conditioned.
Boon Tong Kee has been around since 1979 when the owner started out with a humble little stall in Chinatown, followed by his first restaurant in 1983. The brand now has 7 outlets all over Singapore and has also diversified in serving Zi Char as well on top of their famous Chicken Rice.
While I am usually a fan of roasted chicken, we had to try Boon Tong Kee’s Signature Boiled Chicken $5/$10/$15/$30 because this white sauce chicken is their specialty. And true to its claims, the chicken was firm, tender and silken smooth. Even the breast meat parts that are usually dry and flavourless, remained moist and extremely succulent. The highlight was of course dipping that chicken into their in-house chilli sauce. Absolutely lip-smacking delectable. The rice too was extremely fragrant and sufficiently oily, even good to eat on its own!
CNY ’13: The ART (Assumption Restaurant for Training)
CNY SET LUNCH PROMOTION:
$120 NETT for 4-6 pax (6 courses)
The training restaurant of Assumption Pathway School is having a Chinese New Year Set Lunch promotion from the 13th Feb- 22nd Feb 2013. For the second year running, this semi-fine dining restaurant is offering an extremely value-for-money 6 course set lunch for 4-6 pax at only $120 nett. With many Chinese restaurants jacking up their prices during this festive season and promotion menus often ranging from the high-end of hundreds to thousands bracket, this set lunch here at The ART (Assumption Restaurant for Training) will definitely make you feel like you are getting a bang for your buck!
Fa Cai Yu Sheng
Also available for takeaway at $18
Wishing all 恭喜发财 (a prosperous New Year) as we toss to a new year of prosperity and abundance with this Fa Cai Yu Sheng. And after seeing all the elaborate and fusion Yu Sheng(s) that have been created by restaurants this year, it is sometimes nice and refreshing to just enjoy the traditional Yu Sheng with all its original elements of Carrots (鸿运当头), White Radish (风生水起), Green Radish (青春常驻). While smoked salmon is used in place of raw fish, I found that the subtle saltiness matched off with the sweet plum sauce quite effortlessly and thoroughly enjoyed the tinge of sourness offered by the addition of the preserved strips of melon, cucumber, leek and white sour ginger.
Diced Chicken with Cashew Nuts in Yam Ring 金鸡报喜
And who does not love the cashew nuts + diced chicken + button mushrooms combination cooked in Kung Pao style? This classic Szechuan dish is a crowd favourite and loved by many because of its spicy-sweet marinate and slightly charred fragrance. The chefs at The ART does a lovely rendition of it, which is not too fiery so that even the kids will enjoy. I definitely fancied the deep-fried Yam Ring that quaintly held all that stir-fry and remained crisp on the outside while the yam on the inside was uniformly soft without any of those greasiness.
Crispy Fried Fish Fillet in Spicy Mango Sauce 年年有余
Unlike the usual whole steamed fish where you have pick through carefully and be wary of those nasty little pricks that can be quite damaging if you accidentally swallow them, these boneless fillets are extremely elderly and children friendly. With the use of only premium dory fish that was first deep fried with a light batter and later mixed with that homemade spicy mango sauce that was sweet and a little citrusy, this was overall a cohesive and well balanced dish.
CNY ’13: Xin Cuisine, Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
PROSPEROUS REUNIONS AT XIN CUISINE
Be part of Xin Cuisine’s Lunar New Year celebrations as they welcome prosperous beginnings in the year of the Snake with an array of exquisite new dishes, auspicious set menus and sweet novelties that symbolise wealth and abundance. Marking the 8 auspicious days of the Lunar New Year, starting from the eve of Chinese New Year, right to the 15th day, Xin Cuisine has specially prepared delightful highlights of Pen Cai, Nian Gao and Yu Sheng for you to commemorate and celebrate each day with feasting and togetherness as we toast to success for the coming year.
Xin’s Superior Fruit and Seafood Yu Sheng
Available in both the Auspicious Blossoms and Bountiful Harvest sets at $2013++ for 10 persons and $3999++ for 10 persons
Toss to the New Year with Xin’s Superior Fruit and Seafood Yu Sheng. The fruit section is made up of a beautiful kaleidoscope of colours from refreshing fruits such as rock melon, papaya, jackfruit, pomelo, pomegranate packed and arranged neatly on a bed of shredded cucumbers and purple radish.
The seafood part on the other hand has the ‘raw fish’ part of the Yu Sheng, with a lavish selection of 7 different types of sashimi, ranging from the Gold Leaf Australian Lobster, Salmon, Tuna, Japanese Sweet Prawn, Geoduck Clams to Japanese Cobia. And the ice sculpture that the sashimi slices were carefully packed onto, with a special touch of the Lobster head, was absolutely stunning.
Both the fruit and seafood parts of the Yu Sheng are then mixed together before we tossed it all to a year of abundance filled with sweetness and excess- 年年有余.
Superior Soup with Bamboo Pith and Fish Maw
Available in the Bountiful Harvest set $3999++ for 10 persons
Warm your tummy with this nutritious broth that has been boiling and simmering in all the goodness and essence of bamboo pith, fresh fish maw, chicken meat and sea cucumber. Clear soup somehow always tastes so comforting, nourishing and unbelievably healthy.
