Showing posts with label chinese food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chinese food. Show all posts
[London] Kym's: When you crave Chinese.
Labels:
chinese food,
dim sum,
dumplings,
london,
roast,
roast duck,
sihanthewanderer,
united Kingdom
·
I'm not usually one to crave Chinese food in the thick of travelling a foreign land. But when golden boy Andrew Wong (responsible for the Michelin star welding A. Wong) opens up a second, more laid-back restaurant. It's best to get in line to experience this new culinary destination.
Sporting some seriously stylish interiors with subtle Chinese inflections and gorgeous design details that romanticise the orients; it's easy to see why the destination draws in the handsome crowds. Those looking for a casual date night, I would recommend cozying up to the copper-topped bar that sits below a dramatic cherry blossom tree. It's nothing short of a whimsical experience.
Yellow Pot: Six Senses Duxton's Modern Chinese Outpost
Labels:
boutique hotel,
chinese,
chinese food,
duxton hill,
hidden finds,
restaurants,
will return
·
Enter Yellow Pot, nestled in the lobby of the new boutique hotel Six Senses Duxton. The menu is straightforward Chinese, with no special emphasis on particular provincial cuisine - yet it's parroting of modish ingredients and ethical sustainability practises brings it into the 21st century. As you would expect of any Six Senses project, the decor is dynamic - an eclectic little enclave that's bedecked in lavish tones of black, gold and yellow; it's marbled table tops, the pedestal for 3 yellow pots of varied height - yes, you guessed it, the fountainhead. Soundtrack is techno vibe-d, and oddity for a six senses property, and much less a Chinese restaurant.
[Golden Peony] Year of the Dog Prosperity Menu: You got me at Suckling Pig with Shanghainese Sticky Rice
Labels:
chinese food,
chinese new yea,
conrad centennial,
family friendly,
hotel,
yusheng
·
The time of the year for unapologetic feasting of Pineapple Tarts, Bak Kwa, Prawn Rolls and all the other traditional Nonya biscuits is almost here. But before that – the annual reunion dinner. The entire family crowding over a table of scrumptious dishes, catching up on the lives on one another. Traditionally, the females in the family would spend the entire day cooking up the annual feast. But if that is too much work to fanthom, the Golden Peony at Conrad Centennial offers a reunion dinner set menu for those who prefer ushering in the Lunar New Year without all the cooking and washing - minimal fuss.
Song Garden - Custard Salted Egg Lava Mooncakes to die for
Labels:
advertorial,
affordable,
bugis,
chinese food,
hotel,
mercure hotel,
mooncakes,
restaurants
·
Missed out on the early bird discounts for mooncakes?
Have no time to visit the mooncake fair?
Fretting over which mooncake to purchase for the family (without burning a huge hole in your wallet)?
Then you had better heed my advice and head down to Song Garden located on the 2nd floor of Mercure Singapore Bugis to get in on their mooncake selection. The emphasis on the traditional baked mooncakes a refreshing respite from the peculiarities of this year's snow skin offerings from various establishments touting strange flavours such as tom yum, pink peppercorn and more. Call me old school, but there are certain lines that can't be crossed in celebration of such a historical occasion.
Redolent with nuts, the Five Assorted Seeds is one that would pander to the more matured taste buds. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, persimmon and sesame seeds are held together with a sticky maltose filling which is just sweet enough to allow for the roast on the nuts to shine through. Unlike many renditions I've had, Song Garden's version doesn't crumble at the slightest touch nor stick to the teeth in unglamorous nooks and crannies. Definitely a keeper and a fine display of the artistry in the kitchen.
I've always been one to love white lotus paste, plain. However, come Mid-Autumn Festival, I cave in to the occasional yolk inception. The dynamite orange ball adding just that bit of luxurious salt to bring out the best of the smooth lotus paste. At song garden, the mooncakes come just a little more tanner than usual, the crust itself yielding a robust flavour that I prefer.
White Lotus (1 Box of 4 pieces): $50.80
White Lotus Single Yolk (1 Box of 4 pieces): $56.80
White Lotus Double Yolk (1 Box of 4 pieces): $62.80
Five Assorted Seeds (1 Box of 4 pieces): $62.80
Perfect little gold ingots; these salted egg yolk lava custard mini mooncakes from Song Garden are my recommended for most 'worth-it' purchase this mid autumn festival. Heat it up a little and you're guaranteed a nice flowy centre providing a faintly salty contrast to the milky crust.
Mini Custard Salted Egg Lava Mooncakes (1 Box of 8 pieces) for $62.80.
Note that this mooncakes are only available for purchase from Song Garden itself from now till the 4th October or until stocks run out.
Song Garden
122 Middle Road
Level 2
Mercure Singapore Bugis
t: 6521 9299
Ao Yun 2014 Vintage: The Hard-Earned Richness of Wine from the foothills of the Himalayas
Labels:
chinese,
chinese food,
must go,
shangri la hotel,
will return,
wines
·
What would compel a winemaker to uproot himself and his entire family to move to the rural areas of China (technically, one of the more romantic regions - Shangri-La) to manage a vineyard?
Well, for Maxence Dulou, estate director and winemaker of Ao Yun, the choice to 'move to greener pastures' was indisputable. Having been born and raised in le Sauternais, the French man has bundles of wine-making experience tucked under his belt, accumulated from his studies in Bordeaux and from working in South Africa, Chile and then back to France. I was a bit skeptical at first. Was it a case of a man buying into the lure of cash cow (seeing that the project was commissioned by Moet Hennessy) or was it in a spur of a moment, one inspired by Brad Pitt's "Seven Year in Tibet"?
Dining with a View [Part 3]: Shisen Hanten, 2-Michelin starred Szechwan restaurant. Sink or Swim?
Labels:
chinese food,
cityviews,
hidden finds,
michelin starred,
romantic,
szechuan
·
Lunch time at Shisen Hanten, and the crystal chandelier illuminated high ceiling room is bathed in natural light. The scene is as such: the gentle pad of well-shod waitresses' feet and clientele that looked fluent in the language of high net worth make the ambience a little intimidating.
The first of its kind to make a debut outside of Japan, Akasaka Szechwan Restaurant or Shisen Hanten as it is popularly known was founded by late Chef Chen Kenmin in 1958. Highly regarded as Japan's "Father of Szechwan Cuisine", his legacy lives on through his son, Chef Kentaro who diligently picked up the tools of his trade under his father's guidance. Awarded with 2-Michelin Stars in 2016; the establishment is highly recommended for propelling Chinese cuisine to a more glamorous vantage point. It's only uncanny that the restaurant is perched on the 35th floor of Mandarin Orchard which sports some sweet city views. Do request for a window table.
[UOB Dining] Royal Pavilion: Good Cantonese fare at the fringe of the city
Labels:
business lunch,
cantonese,
chinatown singapore,
chinese food,
hidden finds,
large groups,
roast,
roast duck,
uob dining
·
Settling in to certain opulent and grandeur settings in Royal Pavilion's main dining room may be a bit intimidating. But the solid and stalwart service standards immediately fixes that and put us at ease. In line with their modern Cantonese out take, courses are dished out in individual portions, each presented with finesse and looking just a little too pretty to eat.
Lucky Bar: Asian Inspired Libations in the heart of Holland Village
Labels:
barfood,
cantonese,
chinese food,
cocktails,
hidden finds,
holland village,
might return,
romantic
·
Seasoned observers who have visited the dining room of Full of Luck Club's sprawling 2nd storey complex would have noticed the little space in the back with the words 借酒消愁 splashed on it's grey washed walls. This is to become Lucky Bar which has recently rolled out proper operations as the neighbourhood cocktail bar or watering hole, a role that's in dire need of filling since it's haydays as a expat region shrouded in cheap beer towers and shisha smoke. This may just be the perfect solution to anyone looking for a late night hang in Holland Village without the guilty calories of a chocolate mud pie or ice cream sundae.
Borrowing the tricks of a successful genre, Lucky Bar offers an Asian-inspired cocktail program deployed with the additional arsenal of a full fledged Cantonese kitchen to provide the creative muscle in the food department.
Little Bastard 臭小子: Discreet Adults-only Bar worth scouting out
Labels:
adult only,
cantonese,
chinese food,
cocktails,
fusion,
hidden finds,
modern,
must go,
sharing,
small plates,
special occasion,
will return
·
With a perplexed look plastered to my face, I navigated the insides of a bustling Refinery in search of the mysterious Little Bastard, the latest concept conceived by the same folks. Greeting me with a mischievous smile, the waiter led me to the dingiest corner of the restaurant, cloaked in shadows, pulled open a plastered wall to reveal a poorly-lit spiral staircase. With no fear of consequence whatsoever, I navigated the staircase with fierce ambition, mostly because I was beginning to fear my compatriots having sneaking suspicion that I had taken an alcoholic diversion from dinner time. Not that that was needed of course since Little Bastard has the functionality of a well-stocked bar. My first sweep of room caused me to have bated breath and a throbbing heart, especially so with the stripped down minimalistic look complete with painted oil drums and mahjong tables making me feel very much at home.
You may think it's all awfully contrived to this point, but when the food starts appearing at the tables, your Cantonese affair is authenticated. Conceived out of a passion for culinary experimentation, the dishes are clever, with names woven around local linguistics. My admiration for the thought process behind this joint multiplying with a noticeable success to puns employed.
Big Lazy Chop 大懒排: Where size really does matter.
Labels:
chinese food,
downtown line,
hidden finds,
large groups,
little india,
must go,
rocher,
will return
·
I love it when restaurants make the ordering process a breeze.
At Big Lazy Chop, a speciality zi-char stall just a stone's throw away from Rocher MRT; it's exactly like that. First there's the pictorial spread of the menu followed by a clear and concise referral to the specialities of the kitchen via the full page visual on the left side of the fold-out menu. Decisions are usually made fast and furious with a little unease displayed during the choice of sizes for their signature Indo Curry Crayfish Beehoon. $13 gets you a small portion whilst $19 gets you a medium. Here's a quick tip, for two, if the intention is to order ribs and other dishes, make do with the former. However, if you're feeding the alcohol munchies with no other sides as distraction, make a beeline for the medium.
Yunnan Bridge Crossing Rice Noodles: Vivocity Food Republic's latest addition
Labels:
chinese food,
family friendly,
food court,
harborfront,
hawker,
vivocity
·
The air-conditioning was blasting with immense ferocity causing an involuntary shiver to travel down my spine; my squishy footsteps accompanied by the periodic drippings of my pitiful looking umbrella which had taken a beating from the looming storm outdoors; were all that one could hear as I paced through the grounds.
It was 11 00am and the crowds were nowhere to be seen in the usually packed Food Republic in VivoCity. Brushing past the various stores, each one peddling their goods in aromas and sweat over furrowed brows - the anticipation for a good lunch crowd is real and the vibe in the room, a contained sort of electrifying.
Souper Tang: Nourishing Chinese Nosh
Labels:
centrepoint,
chinese food,
healthy eating,
orchard,
soup,
will return
·
With over 18 outlets spread out across Malaysia, I was surprised to not have heard of Souper Tang 汤师父 before. Why, of course! My usual aversion for Chinese soups explaining my lack of knowledge of the brand. Still, I went in with an open mind, my body yearning for the comfort and nourishment the cuisine promises.
Full of Luck Club: Bringing sexy Cantonese cuisine back
Labels:
cantonese,
chinese food,
circle line,
craft beers,
dim sum,
holland village,
large groups,
must go,
will go
·
So, this is about the reset button, breaking from the proven structured Chinese fine-dining formula that has made Li Bai the darling of Cantonese cuisine lovers.
Full of Luck club 福乐, a brainchild of the same team behind the opulent Li Bai Cantonese restaurant in Sheraton Towers (read about my previous dining experience here) first made their debut at Craft Singapore in March. Pitting themselves against food giants such as Vatos Urban Tacos and Park Bench Deli in a bid to satiate the alcoholic munchies of the beer crowd. I recall vividly being drawn immediately to its hipster-ish graphical menu boards, the bold use of color and the boisterous voices rising out from behind the booths, egging you on to sink your teeth into the Braised Pork Belly bao. And so I did. In fact, I had those 2 days in a row.
Fast forward 2 months later and the physical unit of the contemporary Cantonese joint has now taken shape in the heart of Holland Village, erected in the stilled site where Wendy's used to be. The menu maintains a tight focus on Cantonese cuisine, albeit with a more progressive and contemporary approach - shredding its pish-posh image and dishing out sharing plates and baos amidst other Asian inspired cocktails and craft beers. Then again, knowing that poets work better under the 'inspiration' of alcohol, perhaps this is Li Bai's Jekyll and Hyde moment?
Crystal Jade Prestige: Affordable Chinese Fine Dining in MBFC
Labels:
chinese food,
crystal jade,
dim sum,
family friendly,
large groups,
marina bay,
special occasion
·
When one door closes, another opens. So goes the trend for the restaurant closures and openings. I must confess to being rather heartbroken once I realized that my media tasting destination was the opulent Paradise Pavilion which delicious renditions of custard bao and fried carrot cake, I had taken so fondly upon during my last visit. However, upon setting foot onto familiar territory, it was a wee bit comforting knowing that decor subtleties had barely changed and the space still had the same rigour and newfangled swishes of gold, charged up by transparent glass windows for that contemporary feel in contrast to the old-school purple heavy velvet get up usually spotted.
Si Wei Yan 思味筵: Fall on Deaf Ears
Labels:
chinese,
chinese food,
club street,
large groups,
might return,
private room,
sichuan,
spicy,
szechuan
·
The title will explain itself in awhile... but now let me proceed to mop off the beads of sweat that have gathered at my temples as I scroll through the feed of dishes carrying too much spiciness in its wake.
Si Wei Yan, the newest Szechuan cuisine restaurant to reside along wild child alley Club Street, may seem a tad out of place in the bar saturated zone - it's imposing outfit reminiscent of a Chinese spa rather than a racy szechuan restaurant. The pet project of the owners of Si Wei Mao Cai in Chinatown - 思味筵 oozes finesse; the blast of cold air within its facade preparing one for the flavor assault about to unfold.
[CNY'16] Ce La Vi: Modern Asian CNY Menu and the most 'HUAT' Yu Sheng.
Labels:
chinese food,
cityviews,
CNY,
cocktails,
expensive,
fusion,
marina bay sands,
modern,
special occasion,
wines,
yusheng
·
CE LA VI. The ostentatious establishment that occupies the 57th floor of the iconic Marina Bay Sands, was where I partook in a lo hei that I deem the most 'HUAT' of the year. Mainly because, you can't get any higher than that in terms of elevation. The seemingly transparent act of tossing yu sheng from a vantage point garnering enough luck to power me for the whole year, or so I hope.
The iconic rooftop location houses a energetic club that promotes the pursuit of pleasures as well as a fine dining establishment on the other side, sporting floor to ceiling window panels for some unparalleled views of the city skyline. This Lunar New Year, CE LA VI rolls out a lavish Asian inspired meal with the over-indulgent option of wine pairing; a somewhat mandatory choice when exposed to peer pressure from the opulent settings.
[CNY'16] Mitzo: Prosperity Delights
Labels:
cantonese,
chinese,
chinese food,
CNY,
cocktails,
family friendly,
large groups,
must go,
orchard
·
As earlier mentioned, the first place (in my books) for this year's Lunar New Year menu has been allocated to Szechuan Court in Fairmont Hotel. Coming in a close second is Mitzo's prosperous delights. Well-know for its vibrant decor, plush interiors as well as its progressive Cantonese cuisine, backed with an innovative cocktail program, Mitzo has always been a firm favourite for me when it comes to Asian dining - here, the double-boiled soups are a hit and roast meats are utterly divine. However, Lunar New Year provides some unexpected twists and turns with specialities such as the Pearls of Prosperity Kingfish Yu Sheng and the Superior Lobster Fortune Pot sounding like they are fit for royalty and looking every bit the part.
[CNY'16] Szechuan Court @ Fairmont Hotel: Best Lunar New Year menu of 2016
Labels:
birthdays,
chinese food,
cityhall,
CNY,
fairmont hotel,
hotel,
large groups,
must go,
restaurants,
set menu,
special occasion,
will return,
yusheng
·
Chinese New Year arrived in a torrent of auspicious dishes and mad tossing of yu sheng. I won't brag, but by the time Christmas arrived, I had already raked the sweet sour concoction 5 times at various establishments. Despite the many frivolous moments spent at the round table, I distinctively remember one restaurant which managed a record-setting taste triumphant attempt at every signature dish served up.
Grand Mandarina: Top notch dining in the Orients
Labels:
affordable,
chinese food,
dim sum,
dinner,
family friendly,
fine dining,
large groups,
lunch,
must go,
restaurants,
will return
·
Call me despicable, call me a desperado, but when one puts a plate of that ridiculously succulent honey glazed roast pork in front of my nose; gastronomical success is almost guaranteed.
Of course, it helps that Grand Mandarina's new inventive ala carte menu is successful on so many levels. Giving the conventional Cantonese cuisine a real booster in the fine dining direction with the use of seasonal ingredients employed in cutting-edge techniques. Take for example the Duo of combination of foie gras with slice peking duck and scallop with salted egg yolk
($26 per person); in usual circumstances, one would expect to find a slab of pan seared goose liver; but here, the precious mother-load is rolled into a tight roulade and braised in 乳水 for that slight Asian infusion and served alongside crispy fingers of cucumber and silvers of uber crunchy duck skin, Send a slice of toast over and I would happily smear the heavenly pate all over it. Then there's the scallop, a parcel of perfect succulence underneath a sheath of golden brown, smothered in salted egg yolk sauce; the crunch of edamame beans below helping to bring harmony to the tumultuous world of dangerous flavors on the plate.
[Mother's Day Special] TAO Seafood Asia: Mrs Lee's Favourite
Labels:
affordable,
ala carte,
banquet,
big groups,
chinese,
chinese food,
comfortfoods,
family friendly,
may return,
raffles place,
shenton way
·
I don't want to sound like a douche bag, but, if you have some form of culinary skills, it would probably be a good time to dig it out of the bag and give it a good dust just in time for Mothers Day. What's better than cooking up a humble storm for the most noble women in our lives.
But then again, there's the less messy option of dining out; if that's the path you've chosen to trod on, then it would be wise to dig a little deeper into the pockets and vet your choices with an iron fist. After all, its an golden opportunity to buy favours and 'get-timeout' from the provocation and nagging that ensues soon after. There's no denying it... it's going to happen, just like how everyday IS NOT Valentines' day.
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