Kai Garden (嘉苑) @ Marina Square Shopping Mall

Kai Garden at Marina Square Shopping Mall, specializing in fine Cantonese cuisine, is opened by Owner and Executive Chef Fung Chi Keung, who has over 30 years of culinary experience. Owner and Executive Chef Fung is the former group executive chef of Paradise Group as well as the founder of Xin Yue Modern Chinese Restaurant. The 200 seater restaurant comprises of three main sections - Dim Sum, Roasts and the Main Kitchen. The 200 seats includes a function room for up to 60 seats, and 4 private rooms for 4 to 16 people.

Chilled Cherry Foie Gras 4/5

The Chilled Cherry Foie Gras ($24 per servicing) gives us a glimpse into Chef Fung interpretation of fine Cantonese cuisine. The foie gras is skillfully hand shaped into cherries, arousing one's curiosity with the priced ingredient.

Chilled Mini Tomatoes with Sweet Plum 4.5/5

The Chilled Mini Tomatoes with Sweet Plum ($10.80 per servicing) will whet one's appetite with its sweetness and tanginess. It kept going back for more, it was really very addictive.

Double Boiled Japanese Matsutake Served in Hot Pot 4.2/5

The Double Boiled Japanese Matsutake Served in Hot Pot ($38 per pax) is a light, sweet and nourishing  soup. Matsutake mushroom, priced for its rarity, is only found in the wild and is hand harvested from the foot of pine trees.

Braised Whole Ya Jian Shark's Fin in Supreme Collagen Stock 4.2/5

The highlight is the supreme collagen stock that is used to braised the whole Ya Jian Shark's Fin ($34.80 per pax). The collagen stock was rich and sweet, which was an excellent broth to pair with the shark's fin, for a luxurious enjoyment.

Signature Crispy Peking Duck 3.5/5

The signature dish at Kai Garden is the Crispy Peking Duck ($88 whole duck) served with 5 unique warps and 5 dipping sauces. The five different wraps are original, pumpkin, spinach, bamboo charcoal and beetroot.

Besides the colorful wraps using natural ingredients, the crispy Peking duck also comes with 5 different sauces for the wrap to enjoy the duck skin. These sauces are traditional, black pepper, sesame, seafood and special mixed sauces.

Signature Crispy Peking Duck 3.5/5

For a more textural enjoyment of Chef Fung's crispy Peking duck, he has introduced corn crackers into the wrap. I actually preferred to have the crispy duck skin without the cracker, the duck skin got lost and over shadowed by the corn crackers when eaten together.

Garoupa in Lobster Soup 4.8/5

As you can see from the picture, the fresh garoupa is sliced into slices. It is then briefly poached in a pot of rich lobster stock. The fish slices is then served with the broth which tasted like lobster bisque. The Garoupa in Lobster Soup (seasonal price) is an exquisite combination that is packed with richness but yet very comforting.

Sweet & Sour Pork On The Rocks 3.8/5

It is quite a sight when the Sweet & Sour Pork On the Rocks ($22 per servicing) is served to the table. It is quite an interesting presentation of the classic Cantonese dish with all the fundamental components and ingredients. The sweet and sour sauce is really good, nicely balanced to complement the balled shaped pork. However I felt that the pork was a bit too minced if to compare with the traditional execution, which I prefer the later.

Deep Fried Vegetable Roll 4.8/5

The Deep Fried Vegetable Roll ($22 regular) comes with mixed vegetables and mushroom with tofu encased in a crisp net of bamboo fungus. The bamboo fungus is the star for me in this dish for its soft, crunchy and spongy texture that lifted the whole enjoyment.

Pan Fried Charcoal Pork Bun 4.5/5

Mentioned earlier that Kai Garden also served dim sum on the menu. One of the dim sum items we tried is the Pan Fried Charcoal Pork Bun ($6.80 for 3pc). The black colour comes from the use of charcoal powder and squid ink, giving it a twist to the traditional pork bun. The bun is then pan fried for an exterior crispiness while retaining the fluffiness and juiciness of the pork filling inside.

Chilled Fresh Coconut Puree 3.8/5

Last but not least, we wrapped up the fine Cantonese cusiine at Kai Garden with the Chilled Fresh Coconut Puree ($6.80 per pax). I felt that the kitchen should replace the fresh milk with something sweeter to complement the coconut puree. Maybe it is a personal preference. Nevertheless, the refreshing puree of fresh coconut is a perfect ending to the sumptuous meal.

While the food at the Kai Garden is commendable, the price tag is not cheap. Compared to many other shopping mall, the crowd is quite thin here. There are also a few Chinese restaurants in the vicinity, hence business can be quite challenging. Nevertheless, I hope their business will pick up and continue to serve delicious fine Cantonese cuisine.


Kai Garden (嘉苑)
Marina Square Shopping Mall
6 Raffles Boulevard
#03-128A/B
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 62504826
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 330pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 11am - 4pm, 6pm - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B. Take the escalator to level 3. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Restaurant HOME (家) @ The Rail Mall

Celebrity Chef Tan Yong Hua is no stranger to the culinary scene having appeared in many TV programmes. He is also known to be the first Singaporean to trump the Iron Chef Thailand. Having helmed the kitchen at Peach Blossom, Sze Chuan Court, Pearl River Palace and Lingzhi Vegetarian Restaurant, Chef Tan has decided to venture on his own and opened Restaurant HOME (家) at the rail mall.

Barbecued Peking Duck Skin 4/5

Restaurant HOME (家) is popular for its Barbecued Peking Duck Roasted with Lychee Wood ($68 whole duck). There is three ways to enjoy this delicacy. We started with the roasted skin that is extremely crisp with a slight hint of the lychee wood aroma. Dip it into the specially prepared sugar dip for a different but much welcome appreciated of the delightful crispiness.

Barbecued Peking Duck Roasted with Lychee Wood in Wrap 4.2/5

The second way to enjoy the Barbecued Peking Duck Roasted with Lychee Wood is in a wrap. The sliced duck meat still with the thin layer of skin intact wrapped together with cucumber, spring onion and a sweet plum/hoison sauce in a thin crepe. This is probably my favourite way of appreciating the beautiful poultry with the succulent meat and the different layer of textures.

Deep Fried Peking Duck 3.5/5

Lastly the remaining of the Barbecued Peking Duck Roasted with Lychee Wood is chopped up and deep fried with dried chilli, roasted minced garlic and capsicum pepper fine salt. An extra $10 for this servicing. Due to the deep frying, the meat was dryer and tougher but the aroma of the dried chilli, roasted minced garlic and capsicm pepper fine salt made it very tasty. A perfect dish to go with a bottle of beer.

Baked Marble Goby in Claypot 4.2/5

Besides the signature Barbecued Peking Duck Roasted with Lychee Wood, Restaurant HOME (家) offers a good selection of cooked food on the menu too. A worthy dish to try is the Baked Marble Goby in Claypot ($9/100gram) with Chef Tan's in house recipe. The fish was cooked to perfection with lemon grass, galangal, spring onions and Chinese shaoxin wine. The flavours did not overpowered the taste but instead complemented the natural sweetness of the tender and moist fish.

Homemade Egg Beancurd in Pi Pa Style 4/5

The Homemade Egg Beancurd in Pi Pa Style ($36) is another delectable offering on the menu. The homemade egg beancurd with shrimp paste, crab meat and roe is a bit grainy but I actually enjoyed the roughness in texture. I am not complaining as it is not common to get freshly made beancurd from scratch nowadays with many restaurants resorting to getting it from factory made ones.

Another dish on the menu that caught my attention is the Stewed Golden Noodles with Lobster and Spring Onions wrapped in O Ba Leave ($12.50/100gram). The noodles and the lobster are served separately. The egg noodle is specially made to Chef's specifications which has a nice springy texture sort of like those you get from wanton mee stall.

Old Cucumber Soup 4.5/5

Restaurant HOME (家) is currently having a lunch promotion with a 3 course meal ranging from $20 to $26 per person). It comes with a Soup of the Day, a Noodle Dish and a Dessert. For our soup of the day, we tried the Old Cucumber Soup which was comforting and nutritious.

Homemade Ramen with 8 Head Quality Amidori Abalone 4.2/5

For the noodle main of the 3 course set meal, there is a variety of selections. We tried the Homemade Ramen with 8 Head Quality Amidori Abalone ($26), Crispy Roast Pork with Homemade Yellow Noodle ($24) and Barbecued Duck with Lychee Wood served with Homemade Yellow Noodle ($24).

The ramen noodle for the Homemade Ramen with 8 Head Quality Amidori Abalone has a softer texture compared to the yellow noodle but the sauce made the whole dish slurping good.

Crispy Roast Pork with Homemade Yellow Noodle 4/5

Barbecued Duck with Lychee Wood served with Homemade Yellow Noodle 4.2/5

Both the Crispy Roast Pork and Barbecued Duck with Lychee Wood used the same noodle served for the Lobster Noodle dish. The roasted pork belly may look kind of pale in colour but we were quite surprised by the crispy skin. It may not have that charred and smokiness but overall still a decent main.

Chilled Rosella Flower Jelly with Diced Mango 4/5

Finished the 3 course lunch set with the Chilled Rosella Flower Jelly with Diced Mango. The dessert comes with a bit of sourish sweetness which is really refreshing.

Chilled Japanese Pumpkin Puree with Black Glutinous Rice

Chef Tan also treated us to an addition dessert in the Chilled Japanese Pumpkin Puree with Black Glutinous Rice. The subtle sweetness of the pumpkin puree and the black glutinous rice worked for me. I will gladly order this dessert in my next visit.

Chef Tan Yong Hua will be taking part in this year Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014. He will be preparing the Barbecued Peking Duck Rice with Lychee Wood to delight your palate. Do drop by his stallto try the delicious barbecued peking duck.

The Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 at Suntec Convention and Exhibition Hall 401 & 402 on 22 November 2014, 11am to 5pm is a fund raising event for the beneficiaries under the care of Touch Community Services regardless of race and religions. Coupons is required to purchase the food from the various hawkers and can be purchased at https://www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg/. While the hawkers sacrifice their time and some even a day's income to do a part for the needy and disadvantaged, I hope you can support them and do a part for charity too. See you at the Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014.


Restaurant HOME (家)
The Rail Mall
392 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 678046
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restauranthomeatrailmall
Website: http://www.restauranthome.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Hillview (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Hillview MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left onto Upper Bukit Timah Road. Walk down Upper Bukit Timah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes.[Map]

Min Jiang @ One North (岷江在纬壹)

Located in the lush surroundings of Rochester Park and housed in a two storey black and white colonial bungalow is Min Jiang at One North (岷江在纬壹). Popular for their wood fired Beijing Duck, Min Jiang will be launching its latest Australian Abalone Delights promotion taking place from 15 July to 14 August 2014, featuring Master Chef Goh Chee Kong's creativity with these treasures from the sea. Besides the ala carte menu, the promotion period also features a six course Abalone Indulgence Set Menu at $128.

Chef Goh's Appetiser Platter 4/5

We started our dinner with Chef Goh's Appetiser Platter ($25) that features four dainty appetisers. These are like the Chinese version of amuse bouche that gave an insight to Chef Goh's culinary skill. On the plate are Wok Tossed Lobster Medallion coated with Spicy Egg Yolk Crumbs, Crispy Eel coated with vinegar sauce and sesame seeds, Pan Fried Scallop stuffed in Tientsin Pear and topped with XO sauce and Fried Diced Chicken with Sichuan Pepper. Its quite hard to pick which is my favourite as it stood out on its whole.

Doubled Boiled Abalone with Morel Mushrooms in Shark's Bone Cartilage 4.8/5

The bowl of Doubled Boiled Abalone with Morel Mushrooms in Shark's Bone Cartilage ($32) simply blown me away with its rich and intense flavour. The bowl of nutrition soup is further given a boost with the addition of the chinese herb, Huai Shan which has health benefit such as lowering blood sugar, blood pressure and improve digestive system.

Wood Fired Beijing Duck 4.5/5

At Min Jiang, one should not miss their house specialty. The Wood Fired Beijing Duck ($45 Half Duck / $90 Whole Duck) uses only the finest local farm fed fresh water duck. The duck is then stuffed with vegetables and a combination of fresh herbs and spices, and roasted with apple wood in Singapore's first custom made wooden fired oven, giving it a nice aromatic and crispy skin

Wrapped Roasted Duck with Leek, Cucumber and Sweet Sauce 4.5/5

There are 4 ways that one can enjoy the wood fired Beijing Duck at Min Jiang. First is to enjoy the Crispy Duck Skin with Fine Granulated Sugar. This allows one to solely appreciate the contrast in taste and texture. Second is to wrap the roasted duck slices with leek, cucumber and sweet sauce in a homemade wheat pancakes. Another way of having the roasted duck which is gaining popularity in Beijing is to wrap them with mashed garlic, Tientsin cabbage and radish in the homemade wheat pancakes.

Stir Fried Mee Pok in XO sauce with Shredded Duck 4.2/5

Lastly one can choose a couple of cooking methods such as stir fried shredded duck with black pepper/ginger & spring onion, spicy minced duck with lettuce wrap, salted vegetable soup with duck & tofu, fried rice with duck and fried noodles with sliced duck. We had the Stir Fried Mee Pok in XO sauce with Shredded Duck which allows one to savour the duck to the fullest. Among all the different 4 methods of enjoying the Beijing Duck, my favourite is the wrapped roasted duck slices with leek, cucumber and sweet sauce in a homemade wheat pancakes

Braised 4 Head Abalone with Millet Broth 4.5/5

The Braised 4 Head Abalone with Millet Broth ($48) is an interesting pairing which surprising works excellently. The use of millet broth is an excellent substitution from the usual sauce. The golden hued broth gave the dish an extra layer of texture with its high in fibre, protein and antioxidants nutrition grain.

Fried Abalone and Pine Nuts in Spicy Sauce 4/5

Initially I thought it was going to be a deep fried abalone dish but it turned out the Fried Abalone and Pine Nuts in Spicy Sauce ($14) is actually a stir fried dish. Served in a pretty filo pastry nest, I was surprised how the abalone still retained its juiciness despite being cooked in high temperature.

Pandan Jelly with Lime Sorbet 4/5

I do not have a sweet tooth so I was delighted that I was served the Pandan Jelly with Lime Sorbet ($10) that was light and refreshing. It was also a fitting dessert to cleanse the palate after all the rich and savoury dishes.

From 01 August 2014, Min Jiang will also be introducing new dishes for their a la carte menu such as the Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek with Papaya Paste, Steamed Chicken with Black Fungus and Ginger Paste, Sauteed Seasonal Vegetables with Duo of Mushrooms and Truffle Oil.


Min Jiang at One North
No. 5 Rochester Park
Singapore 139216
Tel: +65 67740122
Facebook:
Website: http://www.goodwoodparkhotel.com
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit B or C. Walk to Star Vista. At Rochester Drive turn left. Continue on Rochester Drive to the end of the road. Cross the road and continue on Rochester Park. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]