Mui Kee Congee (妹记) @ Singapore Botanic Gardens - Popular Hong Kong Street Food Congee Available In Singapore Now

Over the weekend, I made my way down to Singapore Botanic Gardens to check out the popular Hong Kong street food stall - Mui Kee Congee which is doing a pop up at Casa Verde from 30 June till 31 December 2017. It is understand that it is hoping to set up a physical shop in Singapore at the end of the year, in partnership with the Les Amis Group.

Kindly note that the congee is only available on Tuesday to Sunday from 730am to 3pm only. The menu offers 7 different types of congee - Sliced Fish, Homemade Pork Meatballs, Pig's Innards, Sliced Beef, Pork with Century Egg, Fish Belly and Scallop. Each bowl of congee is served with a side of dough fritters and century egg. In addition, there are other side items such as drunken chicken, kai lan, pig's innards, dough fritters and century egg. I notice their signature fresh fish skin with scallion and ginger is not on the menu.

Personally I like the free side of dough fritters and century egg that comes with each bowl of congee. At least I felt consoled for the amount I am paying for a bowl of congee. It also comes with slivers of scallion and ginger for diners to add into the congee as per their own liking.

Homemade Pork Meatball Congee Set 4/5

The Homemade Pork Meatball Congee ($12.50) comes with succulent bite size meatballs. The texture is not those bouncy type but instead it tasted as if all the fibers have broken down without resistant. The congee itself was very smooth, almost paste like. You can't even see any rice grains in it.

Fish Belly Congee Set 4.5/5

I preferred the Fish Belly Congee ($14.50) over the homemade meatball congee for the simple reason it has more depth in the flavour. This is because chinese wine is added into the congee for that extra unami. Not only that, the fish belly slices were moist and fat. We can also tasted that the fish belly has been pre-cooked with a wok hei aroma. However do note, all the fish congee comes with bones. Hence it may not be appropriate for kids and old people.

Kai Lan 4.5/5

To complete our meal, we ordered the Kai Lan ($7). It may be costly and simple but we appreciated the fact that efforts were put into the crunchy greens layered with the aroma of pork lard and deep fried shallots.

Do note that Mui Kee Congee is currently operating as a pop-up at Casa Verde, Singapore Botanic Gardens beside the vistor centre up to 31 Decemeber 2017 until they have found a physical shop in Singapore. Meanwhile if you plan to head down to try their congee, kindly note that it is only avaible from Tuesday to Sunday, 730am to 3pm.


Mui Kee Congee (pop-up at Casa Verde)
Singapore Botanic Gardens (Beside Vistor Centre)
1 Cluny Road
Singapore 259569
Tel: +65 64677326
Website
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 730am - 3pm
(Not available on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Botanic Gardens MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Timah Gate. Walk to vistor centre which is in the middle of Singapore Botanic Gardens. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

Botanico @ The Garage (Singapore Botanic Gardens) - Dining At UNESCO World Heritage Site

Two new dining concepts has taken over The Garage, a conservation building within Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage Site - Singapore Botanic Gardens, that was built in the 1920s. Once a stable for cars, the second floor is now occupied by Botanico helmed by Spanish-born Chef Antonio Oviedo. The restaurant offers a contemporary-bistro seasonality driven menu.

Botanico Salad 4.2/5

A celebration of summer in the plate comes in the form of the Botanico Salad ($18) which comprises of heirloom momotaro tomatoes, burrata, pickled beetroot, radishes, charred cucumber, fresh figs and edible flowers, dressed in olive oil. Besides the sweetness of the tomatoes, the other highlight on the plate has to be pickled beetroot.

Calamaritos 4/5

The Calamaritos ($12) is simplicity at its best. The unmarinated fresh baby squid is coated with tempura flour and deep fried to crispy. Zest it up with a squeeze of the lime and have it with the seaweed aoli to complete the enjoyment. Be warned, this is very addictive.

Idiazabal Croquettes 4/5

The Croquettes ($14) here is made using smoked Idiazabal cheese emulsion. Idiazabal is a raw unpasteurised sheep milk cheese from the Basque country. The delightful crispy bite comes from the coat of bread crumbs which is deep fried to golden brown. It is then paired with some slices of chorizo for an elevated enjoyment.

Chargrilled Green Asparagus 4.2/5

A smokey aroma filled the air when the Chargrilled Green Asparagus ($12) was served. I was told that the asparagus was smoked with dried asparagus peek in the Inka oven. The crunchy asparagus is then paired with bernaise, tarragon flowers, tarragon leaves, charcoal-grilled hazelnuts and grapefruit segments. The dish may seems simple but the smart cooking has given it a new form of life to the asparagus.

Lamb Tartare 4.5/5

I have eaten many beef tartare but Lamb Tartare ($20) is a first for me. The chopped lamb is paired with black olives arlette, pickled onions, nasturtium and topped with mustard ice cream. This is surprisingly good, with the flavours tickling all the senses, seducing you to eat it up.

Smoked Sardines 4.5/5

The Smoked Sardines ($20) is a seasonal dish on the menu. We were lucky to have the Japanese sardines known as iwashi which is actually smoked in-house. This is paired with Aijo Blanco (almond, garlic, olive oil), Migas (croutons fried in iberico fat), chorizo bits and Kyoho grapes. The play of flavours and textures, working harmoniously together made this an amazing dish. Do note, the kitchen may replace the sardines with mackeral if iwashi is not in season.

Japanese Scallops 3.5/5

While the rest of the group enjoyed the Japanese Scallops ($27) with Topinambur puree and crisps, iberico lardo and samphire, I have a different view. I like the used of the iberico lardo to enhance the flavours but the samphire did not quite work for me. While it gives the dish a crunchy texture, I thought the earthy flavour throws the balance slightly off.

Roasted Pigeon 4/5

The Roasted Pigeon ($27) is served in two ways. The pigeon breasts is pan seared to medium rare while the pigeon leg is sous vide to tender. The other components on the plate are parsnip brown butter puree, parsnip slices sauteed with brown butter, shavings of smoked walnuts and butterfly sorrel. Pigeon has quite an acquire taste which is either you like it or hate it. Personally, I enjoyed it

Chargrilled Carabinero 3.8/5

A comforting and hearty dish on the menu is the Chargrilled Carabinero ($28). The scarlet prawns are charcoal grilled in Inka oven and topped with pine nuts. The mellow rice is cooked with Bomba rice and topped with pork trotters cube. I could detect trace of saffron too.

Botanist 4/5

The Botanist ($12) is a dessert interpretation of gin and tonic. It comes with compressed granny smith apple cubes infused with gin and juniper berries, lime gel, cucumber sorbet, coconut foam, coconut sable crumble, kefir lime zest. My favourite is the cooling and refreshing cucumber sorbet.

Tropical Fruits 3.5/5

The other dessert, Tropical Fruits ($14) is inspired by the botanical surroundings and tropical fruit trees that used to line the orchard. The highlight on the plate is the creamy laksa leaf ice cream but unfortunately the flavour was masked by the jackfruit's sweetness. It needed some refinement to achieve a better balance.

A visit to The Garage is not complete without checking out the hidden bar on the 2nd level at Botanico. The alfresco bar area is actually air conditioned! It has definitely set a new benchmark of outdoor dining in Singapore which is air conditioned. It is amazing that the design of the place is able to trap the cool air within, keeping the temperature around 20-25 degree celsius.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Botanico 
The Garage (Singapore Botanic Gardens)
via Cluny Park Gate
50 Cluny Park Road
Singapore 257488
Tel: +65 98311106
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed-Sun: 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Botanic Gardens MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to Cluny Park Road. Turn left onto Cluny Park Road and continue walking down the road. At Cluny Park Gate, walk in and walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. {Map]

Di Wei Teo Chew Restaurant @ Food Canopy Singapore Botanic Gardens - Food Court In A Garden

My curiosity brought me to Singapore Botanic Gardens but it is not to admire the scenic beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. I heard that there is a food court at the park. The food court is run by Food Canopy and there are 7 stalls in it.

What caught my attention is Di Wei Teo Chew Restaurant. I am surprise to find a stall selling Teochew cuisine in a food court. According to the information online, the restaurant is helmed by Head Chef Chew which has 30 years of experience servicing classic favourites prepared using time honoured recipes that has been handed down through generations.

Cai Po Kway Teow 3.8/5

After browsing through the 43 items on the menu, I decided to order some staple Teochew food items. We started with the Cai Po Kway Teow ($7 for 2 pax). I have tried the dish before but the chye poh or Chinese dried radish are usually not noticeable. The rendition here comes with crunchy chye poh that is cut into short strips which is well infused with the wok hei smokiness.

Braised Duck 4/5

Sliced to generous thin slices, the Braised Duck ($10 small) was tender and well infused with the fragrant braising sauce. It is not overly sweet and comes with a subtle aroma of the spices. Dip the duck meat with the accompanying sweet and tangy dipping sauce for an elevated enjoyment of the duck meat.

Cold Crab 4.2/5

I thought we can only eat Cold Crab (seasonal price) in restaurant but I am surprise to be able to have it in a food court. I paid around $24 for quite a reasonable size crab which was sweet and meaty with a lot of roes.


Di Wei Teo Chew Restaurant 
Food Canopy
1J Cluny Road
Singapore 259607
Tel: +65 67636578
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1030am - 9pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Botanic Gardens MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn right onto Bukit Timah Road. Walk down Bukit Timah Road to Evans Road. Turn right onto Evans Road. Walk down Evan Roads. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Corner House @ Botanic Gardens

This is a very belated post of my 1st Anniversary celebration at Corner House, Botanic Gardens. The restaurant in the UNESCO world heritage site, is a fitting and romantic place to celebrate this special day. It has always been the restaurant I wanted to visit and finally I have the reason to do so with my beloved wife.

Upon placing our 4 course set dinner (from $98), we were served with some warm bread.

Amuse Bouche 4.2/5

Dinner at Corner House began with some Amuse Bouche giving a glimpse of what is lining up in the 4 course meal, showing Chef Jason Tan's culinary. Clockwise from the top left corner, we have the Oyster Leaf, Bikini, Cucumber Sphere and Cracker.

French Royal Oyster 4.2/5

For the Appetizer, we opt for the French Royale Oyster and Hakkaido Scallop. The French Royale Oyster is plump and huge served in a oyster shaped plate with plum granite, basil seed and caviaroli. This is a new and refreshing way of enjoying the oyster.

Hokkaido Scallop 4.5/5

The Hokkaido Scallop is served with miso, Ikura roes, burnt orange, yuzu and rice cracker. The flavours were complex but yet worked harmoniously together.

Maine Lobster 4.2/5

Moving on to the starter, we tried the Maine Lobster, New Zealand Cod "Crispy Scales" and Oignon doux des Cevennes. I enjoyed the doneness of the Maine Lobster, allowing the full appreciation of the fresh seafood with the smoked burrata, yellow capsicum and Kristal de Chine caviar.

New Zealand Cod "Crispy Scales" 4.5/5

Oignon doux des Cevennes 4.5/5

The other two starters were impressive too. The New Zealand Cod "Crispy Scales" and Oignon doux des Cevennes will take diners to a whole new dimension of culinary experience. The most interesting part in the New Zealand Cod  is using the crispy scales to be part of the dish which is usually removed. It gave the fish an extra layer of enjoyment with the Shanxi emlsion. For the Oignon doux des Cevennes,which is 62 degree egg, buckwheat and noisette crouton will delight everyone's palate with the dehydrated sweet onion.

Fish

For the Main, we went for the Fish and Japanese A4 Toriyama Beef. The Fish was baked with the bone intact, filleted and slightly grilled for flavour. Served together with squid and broccoli puree.

Japanese A4 Toriyama Beef 4.8/5

The Japanese A4 Toriyama Beef is probably one of the best steak I have ever eaten for a long while. The beautiful piece of beef is served with corn puree and mustard seeds.

Calamasi Chilli Sorbet 4.5/5

Before moving on to our desserts, we were served palate cleanser in the Calamasi Chilli Sorbet with Pandan and Lemongrass Jelly.

Kaya Parfait Gula Melaka 4/5

Durian Mousse with Kopi Ice Cream 4.5/5

For Desserts, we gone for the local inspired sweetness in the Kaya Parfait Gula Melaka and Durian Mousse with Kopi Ice Cream. On top of the exquisite execution, the flavours will bring back a lot of familiar memories.

Petite Four 4.2/5, Salted Egg Macaron 4.5/5

Last but not least we have the Petite Four to wrap up the dinner. We specially requested for the Salted Egg Macaron too as all my foodie friends highly recommended me to try it. It was one of the most heavenly macaron I ever had.

Overall it is really an experience dining at Corner House. The whole ambience, food and down to the service are top notch. I understand Corner House has come up with a new menu and I am looking forward to my next visit. Last but not least, a warm thank you to Corner House for the delicious anniversary cake/dessert.


Corner House
1 Cluny Road
EJH Corner Houe, Nassim Gate
Singapore 259569
Tel: +65 64691000
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours;
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 11pm
Sun: 1130am - 3pm (brunch), 630pm - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Botanic Gardens MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Botanic Gardens. Walk towards EJH Corner House which is near to the vistor centre. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

Torikin (鶏金) @ Crown Centre (Bukit Timah Road)

Torikin (鶏金) at Upper Bukit Timah is actually the first venture of the Ishida Kikaku Group outside Japan. Torikin opens its door in November 2014 and has been serving up collagen-enriched chicken hotpots, known as Hakata Mizutaki.

Daikon Salad 3/5

Dinner at Torikin started on a healthy note with the Daikon Salad ($9.80) which comes with a refreshing crunchy texture.

Oden 4.5/5

One of my favourite dishes at Torikin is their Oden ($14 for 5pc). There are items such as Fish Cake, Konjac, Boiled Egg, Radish etc. The light, soy-flavoured dashi broth completes the whole enjoyment.

Hitokuchi Gyoza 3/5

I was not quite impress with Hitokuchi Gyoza ($8). The gyoza was too small for my liking and appreciate the stuffing due to the ration of the gyoza skin to the filling inside. Saying that the yuzu pepper blown us off, which seems to go well with everything on the table.

Hakata Tonpeiyaki 4/5

Cooked on a sizzling hot plate, the Hakata Tonpeiyaki ($22.80) is made up of cabbage, sliced pork, egg and topped with mayonnaise, tonkatsu sauce and spring onion. Lesser batter, more eggy, this is surprisingly good.

Mizutaki Hotpot 4.2/5

Last but not least the signature Mizutaki Hotpot ($70/$100/$135). We first sample the light, refined taste of the stock that is made daily from Sakura chickens and boiled for more than 6 hours.

Next we get to try the tender chicken parts from the hotpot. For a more robust taste, the tangy homemade ponzu sauce can be added. And not forget, you can also have it with the yuzu pepper.

The third way of enjoying the hotpot is to cook the other ingredients such as the minced chicken balls, mushroom, cabbage and tofu in the hotpot.

The final way to enjoy the hotpot is to crack an egg into the broth to thicken it and rice is added for a rich concoctin of nutritious porridge. You can also choose to add noodles instead of rice. Definitely a wholesome and comforting ending to the dinner.

Karintou Manju 4.5 and Ice Cream 3/5

For dessert, we have the Matcha and Yuzu ice cream as well as the Karintou Manju ($5 served with ice cream). The Karintou made from flour, black sugar and azuki tasted a bit like the Chinese butterfly fritter. It is so popular that we are left with the only piece by the time we ordered our dessert.


Torikin (鶏金)
Crown Centre
557 Bukit Timah Road
#01-14/16
Singapore 269694
Tel: +65 64655908
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 6pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Botanic Gardens MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Timah Road. Turn left and continue on Bukit Timah Road. Continue walking until destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Botanic Gardens MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Botanic Gardens (Stop ID 41021). Take bus number 66, 67, 151, 154, 156, 170 or 171. Alight one stop later. Walk to destination. Journey time 5 minutes. [Map]