Coffee Lounge @ Goodwood Park Hotel - Refreshed Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet

Coffee Lounge at Goodwood Park Hotel has recently refreshed its signature Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet by introducing a new tiered offering – Value and Deluxe with two different pricings, as well as additions to the menu.

With the Value Tier (priced at $33++ per adult, $19.80++ per child), tuck into 26 comforting dishes with all-time favourites like Fried Omelette with ‘Chye Poh’ 菜脯煎蛋, Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg Yolk 咸蛋蒸肉饼, and Stir-fried Eggplant with Sliced Pork in Chilli Bean Paste 酱爆茄子.

Also, new to the line-up is French Beans with Sakura Ebi 樱花虾四季豆, Three Cup Chicken 三杯鸡, Pan-fried Minced Pork with Salted Fish 咸鱼煎肉饼, Stir-fried Pumpkin with Eggs and Garlic 金瓜丝炒蒜蓉鸡蛋, and more.

Indulge in greater variety with the Deluxe Tier (priced at $48++ per adult and $28.80++ per child). Relish 36 highlights including dishes that are exclusive to this tier, like perennial must-haves such as the crispy Baby Squids in Sweet Oyster Sauce 蚝汁乌贼仔.

Look forward to delectable new dishes such as Deep-fried Beancurd with Minced Pork 肉酱炸豆腐, Stir-fried Lettuce with Fermented Bean Paste 腐乳西生菜 and Crispy Chicken with Sweet Plum Sauce 酥炸鸡西施汁.

Limited to one selection and serving per table is the Chef’s Special, and specially created for the refreshed menu are Wok-fried Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk 咸蛋虾球 and Deep-fried Black Pomfret with Sambal and Chinchalok Dip 参巴黑鲳鱼.

We particularly enjoyed the Salted Egg Chicken 咸蛋鸡, which is extremely juicy and tender, coated with a dry sweet-savoury salted egg sauce. It is so good that it will have you going for seconds. The Crispy Chicken with Sweet Plum Sauce 酥炸鸡西施汁 has nice crispy skin and juicy meat. We felt that the addition of sweet plum sauce complements the savoury chicken pieces very well.

Both tiers also offer an array of casserole dishes from the buffet station. Slow-braised to develop deep flavours or stir-fried with robust and savoury sauces, the dishes are well enjoyed with the unlimited servings of steaming rice porridge with sweet potato.

Some of our favourites include the new Braised Duck Leg with Chinese Spice, Egg and ‘Tau Pok’ in Dark Soya Sauce 卤水鸭腿 and the signature Braised Pork Belly in Dark Soya Sauce 京酱扣肉. Round up the meal with desserts of the day, a delightful Western and Asian assortment that varies daily.

Guests may call (65) 6730 1746 or email coffee_lounge@goodwoodparkhotel.com to make a reservation at Coffee Lounge. Alternatively, online reservations can be placed at https://www.goodwoodparkhotel.com/dining/coffee-lounge.

Taiwan Porridge A La Carte Buffet
Dine-in only at Coffee Lounge
Available daily for lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm & dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm

Value Tier: $33++ per adult, $19.80++ per child
Deluxe Tier: $48++ per adult, $28.80++ per child
Local Beverages: A top-up of $15++ per jug

A minimum of two persons is required for the buffet.
Orders for all diners at the same table have to be of the same a la carte buffet tier.
Pricing includes unlimited servings of porridge and desserts of the day.
Child pricing applies for children aged 6 to 11 years.

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Coffee Lounge
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 67301746
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk down Scotts Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Dine At Home During Circuit Breaker - Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant

Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant at Jalan Bukit Merah has been one of my favourite Teochew restaurants to go to whenever I am craving for some delicious Teochew cuisine. The family restaurant has been around for more than 60 years with the third generations helping out in the restaurant. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a challenging time for a lot of F&B. Especially for a traditional restaurant like Ah Orh Seafood, they have to adapt, moving to takeaway and delivery, allowing diners to dine at home during the circuit breaker measure period.

Braised Duck, Pork Belly and Tofu

Having visited the restaurants on many occasions, there are some signature dishes that I will always order. One of them is their Braised Duck, Pork Belly and Tofu platter. This is best enjoyed together with the chilli and white vinegar dipping sauce.

Fish Maw Soup

Unlike other fish maw soup which is either clear or starchy form, the Fish Maw Soup at Ah Orh Seafood has a grainy texture with chunky pieces of fish maw. Until today I am not sure what is added to get the grainy texture, but I suspect it is sesame.

Oyster Sauce Vegetable

The Oyster Sauce Vegetable may not be the prettiest dish, but what makes it a lovely dish is the addition of fried sole fish that elevated the whole enjoyment.

Oyster Omelette

Lastly is the fluffy Oyster Omelette with plump fresh oyster. I like how the restaurant packet the oyster separately from the egg omelette so that the sauce doesn't make the omelette soggy during delivery.

While I can't dine at Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant during the circuit breaker period, I am glad that I can still satisfy my craving for delicious Teochew food with its takeaway and delivery services. Besides the a la carte menu, the restaurant has also rolled out 3 dishes set menu at $45 and 4 dishes set menu at $55. Customers even get a 15% discount if they pick up the order themselves. It also offers island-wide delivery services at $10 delivery fee, free delivery for order above $80 or location within 3km of the restaurant.


Arh Orh Seafood Restaurant (亚乌海鲜楼)
Blk 115 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-1627
Singapore 160115
Tel: +65 62757575
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Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Jalan Membina to the end of the road. Turn left at Jalan Bukit Merah. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Blue Jasmine @ Park Hotel Farrer Park - A Flavourful Thai and Chinese Reunion

Celebrate Lunar New Year reunion dinner with a different at Blue Jasmine located at Park Hotel Farrer Park Level 5. On Lunar New Year eve, the Thai restaurant will bring together a buffet feast of Chinese dishes on top of the Thai dishes.

Available for both dine-in and takeaway is the Thai Chin Yu Sheng. This is inspired by classic Thai salads including the Northern Thai classic pomelo salad. This is a refreshing twist to the traditional yu sheng with slices of salmon gravlax, vegetables, Thai green mango, papaya, pomelo and pickles dressed in a plum and passion fruit sauce.

Poached Chicken Salad

Start off from the appetiser section with the Poached Chicken Salad with Sze Chuan sauce. If this is too spicy for some, there are other choices such as Prawn & Melon Salad and Smashed Cucumber Salad with Seafood. For the older folks which prefer warm foods, there are tempting little bites such as Crispy Prawn Wanton or a bowl of comforting Fish Maw Soup with crab meat and bamboo soup.

Spice Braised Duck

For the mains, be delighted with the tender Spice Braised Duck infused with Chinese herbs aroma. It even comes with braised tofu and braised eggs that have absorbed the delicious braising liquid.

Mixed Roasted Platter

Roasted meats are always on the dining table for Chinese festive occasions and its no different at Blue Jasmine for the Lunar New Year reunion buffet dinner. On the buffet spread, diners will find the Mixed Roasted Platter comprises of Roasted Chicken and Roasted Duck served with crispy garlic bits.

Claypot Rice

Carb lovers will enjoy the Claypot Rice, fragrant by cooking together with Chinese sausage. It also comes with flavourful marinated tender chicken and greens to complete the meal.

Steamed Grouper 

Fish is an auspicious tradition Lunar New Year dish serves on the Chinese New Year menu as it symbolises abundance or surplus for the year. If you want a good year ahead, then don't miss out on the Steamed Grouper with ginger and soy sauce.

There will live station at the buffet dinner too. Instead of the usual laksa or noodle soup live station, diners can enjoy the Wat Tan Hor Fun, wok-fried flat rice noodles served in light egg gravy.

Mango Sticky Rice

Not to forget the dessert station whereby diners will get to enjoy a variety of Chinese and Thai desserts. The selection includes ever-popular Mango Sticky Rice and Durian Sticky Rice. For the Chinese dessert, we have Almond Bean Curd with Mixed Fruits, Deep-fried Nian Gao and Sweet Glutinous Rice Ball Soup.

Chinese New Year Eve Reunion Dinner Buffet
Date: 24 January 2020
Time: 630pm - 10pm
Price: $58++ per adult, $29++ per child (6 - 12 years old)

Note: This is an invited tasting. 


Blue Jasmine
Park Hotel Farrer Park
10 Farrer Park Station Road
Level 5
Singapore 217564
Tel: +65 68248851
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Website
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 630pm - 10pm (buffet dinner)

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Celebrate Chinese New Year With Paradise Group's Lunar New Year Takeaway Sets and Festive Goodies

Have you started planning for Chinese New Year? If you are planning to have your reunion dinner at the comfort of your home, a good choice will be the Paradise Group Abundance Takeaway Set 丰盛外带套餐 (Public: $328+; Paradise Gourmet Rewards Member: $298+; Usual Price $375.40+). The abundance takeaway set comprises of four dishes which includes Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng, Grandeur Treasure Pot, Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken and Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice.

Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng

The Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng is good for 8 pax. It comes in a medley of vegetables freshly prepared daily in the kitchen and a can of abalone.

Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken

Cooked beautifully and infused with the earthy black truffle aroma is the Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken. This is really tender and juicy.

Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice

For a more filling reunion dinner, diners will be satisfied with the Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice. The fragrant glutinous rice is first soaked, then stir-fried with house-made sauce, mushroom and Chinese sausage, before being steamed.

Grandeur Treasure Pot

The highlight of the abundance takeaway set is the Grandeur Treasure Pot which showcases 16 delicacies and classic ingredients stewed in the housemade sauce. The treasure pot consists of abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, conpoy, dried oyster, mushroom, dried fish maw, black moss, fermented pork trotter, duck wing, Chinese sausage, bean dough, cabbage, yam, lotus root and radish.

Over at Paradise Teochew Restaurant, diners can look forward to exclusive items such as the Teochew-style Yu Sheng ($68/5pax; $138/10pax). It is available for both dine-in and takeaway.

For the dim sum menu at Paradise Teochew, who can indulge in exquisite creations such as the Steamed Abalone Siew Mai ($12.80/4pc), Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Mushroom ($12.80/4pc) and Crispy Radish Pastry with Ham and Diced Celery Bits ($9.80/3pc).

Exclusive for takeaway and dine-in at Paradise Teochew is the Braised Eight Treasure Duck ($108). The braised duck is cooked until tender, absorbing the flavoursome braising sauce, falling off the bone with ease. Do note this has to be pre-ordered at least 3 days in advance.

The Paradise Group Abundance Takeaway Set 丰盛外带套餐 (Public: $328+; Paradise Gourmet Rewards Member: $298+; Usual Price $375.40+) is available for pre-order now at Beauty In The Pot, Paradise Dynasty, Canton Paradise, Paradise Classic and Paradise Hotpot. It even comes with a complimentary 6-can pack of Tiger Crystal.

Note: This is an invited tasting

Shi Hui Yuan @ Lau Pat Sa Festival Market - 4 Times Michelin Bib Gourmand Winner Opens New Stall

Started in Mei Ling Market and Food Centre in 1969, Shi Hui Yuan has been awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand for 4 consecutive years from 2016 to 2019. Recently it opened a new stall at Lau Pat Sa Festival Market, whereby it is more central. I think its location is ideal for introducing the delicious dish to the younger working crowd as well as tourists.

Blissful Set 4.5/5

The stall offers up to ten different combinations to pair with their silky hor fun. Since I have never been to their flagship stall and it is my first time having it. I decided to go for the Blissful Set ($7.80) that comes with almost everything. In my plate, there are chicken drumstick, duck drumstick, spare ribs, braised egg and mushrooms.

The thing that makes the plate of hor fun special is the aromatic gravy that consists of 30 different types of herbs. It gives it a unique take which is somewhat in between of Ipoh Hor Fun and local Cze Char Hor Fun.

Braised Chicken Hor Fun 4.2/5

That is not all, the well-braised items completed the whole package. I would highly recommend their braised chicken feet and spare ribs.

Being greedy, I ordered the Blissful Set that comes with almost everything. If you have more self-control, you can choose from the Braised Chicken Hor Fun, Braised Chicken Drumstick Hor Fun, Braised Chicken Feet Hor Fun, Braised Duck Hor Fun, Braised Duck Drumstick Hor Fun, Braised Chicken & Duck Hor Fun, Braised Spare Ribs Hor Fun, Braised Mushroom Hor Fun and Combination Platter.


Shi Hui Yuan
Lau Pat Sa Festival Market
Stall 18
18 Raffles Quay
Singapore 048582
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Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line), Telok Ayer (DT Line), Downtown (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit I. Walk to Robinson Road. Turn left onto Robinson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Downtown MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to Central Boulevard. Walk to junction of Central Boulevard and Raffles Quay. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Cross Street. Turn left onto Cross Street. Walk down Cross Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Fragrant Garden (馨香园) @ Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre - A Hidden Gem In A Deserted Shopping Mall

Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre used to be my hangout during my primary and secondary school days. This is where I got my computer games in floppy disc and computer repaired. Back then, it was the only shopping mall in the Hougang and Serangoon areas. There were no Nex, Kovan Heartland Mall, Hougang Mall and City Square Mall. The mall remains stuck in time, in its early 80s, rundown and deserted, except for Fragrant Garden (馨香园) on level one that still attracts a regular crowd for its Teochew dishes.

Combo Roll 4/5

Together with a few foodie friends, we dropped by Fragrant Garden on a weekday evening to have dinner. The whole place still looks the same during my secondary school's day. The entire mall is deserted except for the dinner crowd at Fragrant Garden. We started with the Combo Roll ($12/$20) which consists of prawn roll and liver roll. My attention is drawn to the liver roll, which is hardly available in the restaurants' menu nowadays. The offal gives it a creamy interior encased in a crispy exterior wrapped with beancurd skin.

Oyster Omelette Teochew Style 4.2/5

I have tried the oyster omelette from Chui Huay Lim Teochew Restaurant and its the gooey version. Over at Fragrant Garden, the Oyster Omelette Teochew Style ($14/$20) is very close to our local hawker version. It is fried to crispy on the exterior, retaining a slight gooeyness inside with plump and juicy oysters.

Steamed Pomfret in Teochew Style 4.5/5

Steamed Pomfret in Teochew Style (Seasonal Price) is a staple Teochew dish which does not come cheap. A size like this would probably cost around $95. You would perhaps like to confirm the price right at the beginning just to avoid any unhappiness during payment. Steamed to perfection, the pomfret was moist and complemented by the sourish gravy.

Braised Duck in Teochew Style 4.2/5

Another dish I enjoyed a lot in the Braised Duck in Teochew Style ($15/$20). I like the layer of fat under the skin, giving it a delightful ratio to the tender meat. Hidden underneath the pile of sliced braised duck, is a bed of silky Pu Ning Tofu.

Fragrant's Stuffed Sea Cucumber 4/5

If you are a fan of sea cucumber, you will appreciate the Fragrant's Stuffed Sea Cucumber ($60 onwards). The sea cucumber is well braised to a soft and bouncy texture. The stuffed meat mixture elevates the main ingredient, giving it a multi-textural enjoyment. Pre-order is required for this dish.

Braised Vegetable with Scallop in Teochew Style 4.5/5

For the vegetable dish, we went for the Braised Vegetable with Scallop in Teochew Style ($12). I am a sucker for cabbage, especially when it is braised under "nua nua" (very soft), absorbing the flavoursome broth.

Fried Kway Tiao with Chai Poh 4/5

Another staple Teochew dish is the Fried Kway Tiao with Chai Poh ($5/$8/$12). Another well-executed dish packed with smokiness. I only wish there are more dice vegetables for that crunchy bite in each mouthful of the fragrant noodle.

Yam Paste 4/5

Of course, how can we not end our dinner with the traditional Yam Paste ($4/$20/$30)? The version at Fragrant Garden comes with gingko nuts, pumpkin and shallot. Decently good but not the best I have tried.

Fragrant Garden prides itself for offering authentic and cheap Teochew cuisine. It is true to a certain extent as most of the dishes are reasonably priced. However, they are also expensive items such as the sea cucumber, steamed pomfret, cold crab etc. Hence you need to know what to order and not influenced by the pushy service staffs that will try to recommend you the expensive dishes. I have come across reviews about their lousy service but putting that aside, the food here is delicious.


Fragrant Garden (馨香园)
Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre
756 Upper Serangoon Road
#01-15/16
Singapore 534626
Tel: +65 62897301
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Website
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC Line, NE Line), Kovan (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk to bus stop at Serangoon Bus Interchange (Stop ID 66009). Take bus number 101, 107, 136 or 153. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Serangoon MRT station (Stop ID 66351). Take bus number 81 or 82. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Kovan MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Kovan MRT station (Stop ID 63039). Take bus number 80, 81, 82, 101, 107, 136 or 153. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]