Showing posts with label dim sum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dim sum. 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.
Humpday Quick Picks: Jade, B Burger, One Farrer Park Hotel X Da Paolo
Labels:
burgers,
dim sum,
farrer park,
fullertonhotel,
italian,
one farrer,
pop ups,
quick picks
·
JADE unveils a NEW Dim Sum Experience on Weekends and Public Holidays
Jade has done away with their popular a la carte Dim Sum Buffet in favour of a more refined and no less delicious weekend dim sum experience. The Gourmet Dim Sum Treasures with set meals starting at $68++ per person and capping off at an extravagant $108++ per person for the Royal Peacock set aims to allude diners with an exquisite line up of courses ranging from dim sum to braised birds nest and crabmeat broth and my all-time-favourite sautéed Boston lobster which the kitchen perfects to the T every time.
To start, a trio of contemporary bites feed the visual senses. The plumpness hiding some divine ingredients such as scallop dumpling topped with fish roe, golden sea urchin siew mai and foie gras and truffle shrimp dumpling. Luxe versions of the ordinary really; it's obvious that Jade values quality over quantity. You might even contemplate chasing the meal with an astutely paired glass of wine (or champagne if you're feeling fancy). Prices start from $19 per glass or $98 per bottle.
Another worthy contender on the Purple Finch menu ($68++ per head) is the savoury Wok-fried Rice Flour Rolls with Scallops in X.O. sauce. It's a tricky one, assuming the appearance of a regular fried carrot cake, this one is a textbook of textures - the flat surfaces of the rice flour rolls carrying smoky wisps of charred flavour while its centers retain that delectable chew. Pan-fried scallops up the ante and the XO sauce has an addictive fragrance that will have you wiping out the plate before you can even say 'Hey, PRESTO!'
Jade
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
1 Fullerton Square
t: 6877 8188
Operating Hours:
Daily: 11 30 - 3pm; 6 30pm - 11pm
~~~
B Burger - Classic American burger joint with a Japanese Twist
Just when you think the burger culture is dead, along comes the fashion forward crew of Benjamin Barker with their latest foray into the meat sandwich business - B Burger, cleverly located in Cineleisure. The aim, to capture the hearts and stomachs of the younger audience, a move so brilliantly encapsulated in its usage of hipster graphics, Instagram worthy motifs and cute packaging.
Just based on concept alone, I'm sold. The artsy murals and neon lights a resounding representation of my deep profound love for burgers. Touted to be a burger and concrete paradise, I was quick to jump the gun where criticisms are made - it's ballsy, it's reckless and done so with youthful abandonment. That's B Burger in a nutshell. Now, the real question is if it lives up to expectations. After a quick taste test, I would agree with the latter. The concretes and milkshakes were splendid. The burgers on the other hand are your basic offerings with smushy overly sweet buns that did nothing for its overall integrity. Best of the lot, the Bomchika Wow Wow (yes, you get quite a kick from plain placing your order over the counter) ($10.90) combines the winning combination of fried chicken and egg between black buns mindlessly employed for aesthetic purposes. The Baller Burger ($10.90) is a close runner up with the thin layer or nori adhered to the bottom of the umamified stack adding extra dimension.
Affordability is key here so don't expect a deliverance of gourmet burgers. Do however save space for the concretes which are worth every single calorie you're splurging on. The S'mores Milkshake ($6.90) is a good thirst quencher - signature creamy vanilla ice cream made in house swirled with Nutella and topped with smatterings of crushed graham crumb and toasted marshmallows. The Peanut Butter Jelly Concrete ($7.50) has got a wild-child personality - two scoops of vanilla concrete tainted with malt powder for a bit of nostalgic factor. This concoction championed by bits of smooth peanut butter that stick to the roof of your mouth and imparts bursts of saltiness between mouthfuls of jelly laden mess. If you've got stomach for desserts, don't think twice. Even the Death by Chocolate successfully ropes in the non-dessert fans.
B Burger
Orchard Cathay Cineleisure
8 Grange Road
#01-01/01A
S(239695)
Operating Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm
~~~
One Farrer Hotel and Spa X Da Paolo Group collaboration
Italian Dining Experience
Running till the end of December, this Friday night pop-up features the best of Da Paolo Group's famous homemade cuisine with One Farrer Park Hotel's latest focus on its new "Total Lifestyle Environment" led dining concepts. Available only on Fridays and running till the 29th December, the 6 course menu is priced at just $75++.
The homegrown brand are kings of the good quality, Italian fare at affordable pricing and needless to say, the 6 course menu packs a couple of standouts. The Ravioli di Vitello con Pomodoro e Grana Padano for example, is a showstopper. These cookie cutter pillows containing braised veal, lit by adequate seasoning and just the right amount of unctuous fats to stand up to the silky sheets. They've also got the ratio of crabmeat to pasta spot on in the Spaghetti al Granchio. Fresh, tangy and slighty creamy but not in a faux pas kind of way, this dish will burrow its way straight into your heart.
Choice of mains include the Baked Chicken Roulade and the Pan Seared Barramundi. My preference lying with the former, the usual stodgy chicken dish breathed new life into with an injection of various textural references from sauted mushrooms to the ethereally light bed of truffle risotto engulfed in a moat of forest berry red wine jus to refresh the palette in between bites
You're not leaving an Italian feast without first digging into some form of dessert. Da Paolo showcases its signature tiramisu as part of the set and I'm betting my bottom dollar on it. The moist slice eats like a dream, sponge fingers soaked in just the right amount of liquored goodness to promote healthy conversations at the table.
One Farrer Hotel & Spa
Level 6, Poolside
1 Farrer Park Station Road
S(217562)
t: +65 67057825
Lan Ting: for Crackin' Dim Sum this festive season
Labels:
cantonese,
chinese,
dim sum,
hidden finds,
large groups,
Siglap,
will go,
will return
·
If the trayfuls of roast meat and leftover turkey are starting to give you the heebie jeebies then look no further than the wealth of dim sum choices at Lan Ting.
The only folks I know to churn our dim sum at 8 am in the morning, you'll be sure to visited by pangs of nostalgia similar to those you get when making your rounds of the Hong Kong dim sum restaurants.
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?
Tim Ho Wan (Plaza Singapura): NEW menu items
Labels:
afternoon tea,
dim sum,
must go,
tim ho wan,
will
·
Call me a noob or whatever you wish but my recent trip to Tim Ho Wan can be regarded as my virgin experience since take-away BBQ Pork buns doesn't count as patronage. The immensely successful brand has expanded to 6 locations dotting the island, making it convenient for people from all walks of life to enjoy its affordable yet deeply satisfying dabble into Hongkong Michelin-starred fare.
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.
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.
Mitzo: $100Gourmet Michelin Dining || Swiss harmony.
Labels:
100gourmet,
affordable,
cantonese,
dim sum,
family friendly,
michelin starred,
must go,
orchard,
special occasion
·
You'll probably know Switzerland as one of the world's safest and most neutral nation, possessing some of Europe's most open gun laws. Hence it's no surprise to find Chef Rolf Fliegauf, hailing from 2 Michelin Stars ECCO Ascina and Ecco St. Moritz working in peaceful unanimity with Chef Nicky (previous head chef at Michelin-starred Hakkasan NYC) for the November's edition of $100Gourmet collaboration happening from the 6th to the 9th. The meeting of minds resulting in some visually arresting plates deserving of media attention as well as the congregation of gourmands.
Mitzo Restaurant & Bar: Weekend Yum Cha brunch
Labels:
affordable,
big groups,
buffets,
dim sum,
family friendly,
orchard,
weekendeats,
will return
·
I do admit to doing the cafe rounds too often during the weekends. So here's a change!
Mitzo Restaurant & Bar, a contemporary Cantonese restaurant situated right smack in the heart of Orchard Road on the 4th Level of Grand Park Orchard has something exciting up its sleeves for the weekends and public holidays languid afternoons.
So just chew on this, a classic Cantonese yum cha experience spiked with tea-infused cocktails in place of the more traditional (and not to mention, boring...) tea. All this enjoyed in plush decor and modern designed settings coupled with zealously attentive service.
Mitzo ups the ante with its DIY cocktail stations where the adventurous ones (or in my case, half-sloshed) can put the pedal to the medal and shake up their own cocktails, under the watchful eye of Mitzo's skillful bartenders, of course.
Sakura International Buffet Yio Chu Kang: Facelifts
Labels:
affordable,
buffet dinner,
buffets,
cakes,
chinese food,
chocolate,
desserts,
dim sum,
family,
family friendly,
halal,
local food,
noodle,
sashimi,
seafood,
sushi,
thai food,
yio chu kang
·
Sakura International Buffet Yio Chu Kang has recently introduced its revamped storefront and a brand new dining concept complete with a fresh line-up of signature dishes. We got first dips and here's our verdict, to better aid you in navigating the intimidating spread.
For starters, dive straight into the Boston Lobster & Argentine Red Prawn Hokkien Mee. A luxed up version of the perennial local favourite, the glorious lobster and fresh prawn perched on top a bed of moist al dente noodles definitely does whet the appetite for more.
I would advise you to make a pit stop for the Shrimp Paste Chicken if you catch it being refilled with a fresh batch. Piping hot straight out off the fryer and handsomely arranged, the flavors in these are legitimately authentic.
Jing Hua: Dumplings galore
Labels:
affordable,
bugis,
chinese food,
dim sum,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
noodle,
pancakes,
will return,
xiao long bao
·
Having been a loyal fan of the original outlet at Neil Road, I turned to the newer branch at BugisVillage to get a quick dumpling fix.
So to be honest, with regards to ambiance, Jing Hua doesn't quite cut it with it's blank white walls and cheap furniture meant to withstand the anticipated rowdiness of the Chinese dominated crowds. The unfussed decor as if serving to accentuate and highlight the authenticity of the food.
The first dish we had at Jing Hua was a piping hot bowl of Zha Jiang Mian. A saucy mess of meat sauce sprawled over springy noodles and laced by cool shreds of cucumber. This was a yummy dish, best savoured with a spoonful of chili sauce, tossed high till the potent sauce drapes every strand with it's streaks of umami. It was a gentle start. One that eased our stomachs into the barrage of heavier dishes that the Northern Chinese were better known for.
The Xiao Long Bao arrives as delicate parcels of hot soup enrobing sweet morsels of pork mince. In my opinion, these came out a little flat, literally, each dumpling could have benefited from a boost in the volume of soup. However, the delicate pleats received technical bonus points from the hungry diners.
The Pan-fried Dumplings gets nods all around the table. It's crisp base in contrast to it's juicy innards propped up by a well balanced mix of spices, incorporated fats and succulent mince. These were pulled away from the heat all in precise moment that rendered all conditions perfect for these golden pillows.
One cannot set foot out the door of Jing Hua without having their Red Bean Pancake. A classic dish unlike the usual overly crisp renditions that you find so commonly here, these had a queer sort of custardy spongy innards beyond the flecks of toasted white sesame and golden brown crunchy skin. A generous amount of sweet red bean paste smothers the dough before being wrapped up in a tight rectangle package and pan fried till an inch of its life. What emerges is a alluring goddess that punishes the greedy with a tongue scorching forfeiture from it's piping hot innards. Still,.. utterly delicious.
Jing Hua
159 Rochor Road
S(188434)
Opening Hours:
Daily 11 30pm - 3 30pm
5 30pm - 10pm
Paradise Pavillion: Dim Sum for the restless
Labels:
CBD,
chinese,
chinese food,
dim sum,
family friendly,
marina bay,
mbfc,
raffles place
·
It's no mean feat what the folks at Paradise Group have achieved, poised as an expert in Oriental cuisine and offering it at various levels of comfort, style and price point values to it's wide spread fan base. Some of it's more exceptional outlets includes the much beloved Paradise Dynasty and Taste Paradise in ION shopping mall, both of which I have patronized back in the days. (read more about it in the links).
Uniquely housed within the silent halls of Marina Bay Financial Center, the weekend mornings see a fluster of people streaming in through the non-ventilated lift servicing solely the restaurant with only one aim in mind. To have their way with dim sum, and to have it good.
As much as the large dining rooms may seem a little intimidating for a party of two, the resounding noise that echos from the growing crowds finds its place between the nooks and voids, reaching a crescendo as the clock strucks 12. While dinner appears to be a moneyed, haute cuisine affair dominated by top notch produce, we're happy to see a bit more flexibility at lunch time, with a reasonably priced dim sum menu that still managed to display the culinary skills of the team.
We ordered the Baked Snow Bun with BBQ Pork ($5.60), a crisp flaky dome enveloping a slightly yeasty fragrant bun encasing sweet red BBQ pork. The right amount of lard thrown in the center bringing that bit of decadence to this anaemic beauty. A tad on the sweet side but it definitely highlights the skill sets of the chefs with pastry.
Paradise Pavillion shines in this next dish, the Fried Carrot Cake in XO sauce ($8.80). A quick stir fry in a mighty wok emblazoned by gargantuan flames gives the unanimously uniform chunks of carrot cake a bit of a crisp edge. The savoury pieces of egg helping to tie the dish together with a generous helping of chilli sauce stirred into the mix. Light-hearted without the heavy intention of lard, the result was a stunning reflection of the chef's dedication to clean and precise techniques.
Scallop and Chive dumplings ($5.00) featured delicate paper-thin skinned dumplings with a piping hot filling of rough minced scallops and finely diced chives. This didn't need the help of any dipping sauce to enliven it and I happily devoured the nifty creature, skin and all.
One of Paradise group's pride and joy is their Crackling Pork Belly ($12.80), overall a very subtle rendition of the classic Cantonese roasts with that unctuous flavor of fats all round, capped with an intoxicating roof of crackling; this was best enjoyed with a definitive swipe of English mustard off the side of the dish. I craved for a bigger portion but winding up convincing myself that better things should be enjoyed in tidier portions.
Another standout is the deceptively common Siew Mai Skewers ($5.80), this dish veering into mod-Chinese territory. The filling of plump prawns and juicy mince accented by a seductively smoky sweet glaze, almost like the skewers had a final bathe in a terriyaki sauce before being finished off on the grill. The admirable caramelisation that resulted on the smooth skin of the dumpling giving the pedestrian Dim Sum dish a slant.
Rounding up our meal, we departed on a sweet note with the Steamed Custard Bun ($5.50 for 3). This was definitive food porn, not to be missed. The volcano eruption of sweet salty custard taking center stage with a gentle prying of its steamed outer casing. A must order!
In terms of the ambience, Paradise Pavilion is as majestic as any Chinese restaurant can get, with the glass panels facing out to the Marina bay, blue velvet cushioned high chairs and ornate gold trimmings. Service is non-intrusive and extremely professional, sans the usual Chinese jargon that gets thrown around in a manic room that one would normally associate Cantonese fare with. Here, its a surreal and dreamy experience, and the Paradise group takes full advantage of this with fine cuisine with even higher and mightier pricing. Take heed. Dim Sum would be a better option for those who tread lightly.
Paradise Pavillion
8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre
(ground plaza)
Singapore 018984
Tel: 6509 9308
Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant: the state of opulence
Labels:
cantonese,
chinese food,
dim sum,
food tasting,
media event,
mooncakes,
newton,
restaurants
·
Not so recently, I had the pleasure of attending a Mid-Autumn Media Dinner at Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant located in Sheraton Towers. Haunted by the idea that the dinner would turn out to be a non-stop tekan session of Moon Cake chow down, made possible only by the interspersed sips of free-flow tea in between, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the PR team at Sheraton Towers had actually organised an elaborate dinner feast which would then be drawn to a close with moon cakes as desserts.
Entering one of the private dining rooms of Li Bai, I was intimidated by the restaurant's imposing opulence. Regal aesthetics surround the space and the room was bathed in the reflection of rich tones of gold and silver. I kept my cool, unfettered, spurred on by the warm greetings of my fellow bloggers present at the scene.
We kicked off the night with Deluxe Combination, comprising a twin set of deep fried salted crab claw and scallop with black truffle. The dish was presented with an elegant, meticulous touch; it's immaculate nature going hand in hand with the aesthetics of our surroundings which provoked an emotional response that the dish was to be eaten slowly, appreciatively. I adored the latter of the pair, the juxtaposition of earth to sea flavors; deliberate and extremely intriguing. The crab claw was a tad too salty for me, weaning off the sweetness of the crab meat.
What followed was the Braised Thick Soup of Bird's Nest with Homemade "Pi Pa" Beancurd. With the use of bird's nest being a alternative to shark's fin, I love the social conscious efforts on the restaurant's part. The soup was warm and comforting, every spoonful draped with the richness of the bird nest's which helped to provide that bit of gelatinous texture.
As the compulsory vegetable dish on a chinese menu, we were served a Braised Assorted Vegetables with Bird's Nest. Despite it's simple constitution as medley of vegetables, presentation was tight once more. The crisp vegetables offering our palates a cool refreshing respite, however, I didn't quite make out the birds nest within the dish, what a shame.. perhaps such a luxury item should be better showcased as the highlight of a dish, instead of lack luster efforts to incorporate it into savoury dishes.
the limelight fell mostly on the Baked Fillet of "Kurobuta" in capsicum, each sliver of kurobuta pork, tender, juicy and lined with an unctuous layer of fat.
Visually impressive, our last dish of Crispy Noodles Rolled with Lobster was a hard one to capture given the lobster's long pair of feelers being a chore to fit in the frame. That, eventually came back to bite us the ass, threatening to stab us in the eyes as we leaned over to feast on the dish. In my humble opinion, I found the ratio of crispy noodles to be a tad overwhelming in comparison to the lobster flesh. The sweet tenderness of the crustacean muted and possibly murdered by it's time in the fryer.
Desserts were the representative Snow Skin Moon Cakes from Sheraton Towers current line up. There was the Mini White Lotus Seed Paste with Champagne Truffle, Mini White Lotus Seed Paste with Cranberry and Chrystanthemum Truffle and the Mini Green Tea White Lotus Seed Paste with Raspberry Rum Truffle. I loved the latter the most, the white lotus seed paste carrying the heady aroma of infused green tea. One thing's for sure, the folks over at Sheraton Towers are definitely generous with their alcohol, the rum truffled centers each carrying lethal doses of alcohol that sure brought a devilish smile to my face.
We were each presented with a box of moon cakes on our way out. A lovely gift which I so deftly devoured through the following week.
Thanks to Sheraton Towers for the invite.
Sheraton Towers Hotel
Level 1
39 Scotts Road
Tel: 6839 5623
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