Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant @ Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel - The Return Of Sri Lankan Crabs And New Menu Launch

Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel is currently running a Sri Lankan Crab Special from 1 September to 31 October 2022. From exquisite dim sums to a la carte specialities, the Sri Lankan Crab menu allows you to savour the crustacean's plump and sweet meat through 11 different dishes.

Deep-Fried Salted Egg Crab Bun 4/5

For the dim sums, to retain the delicate sweet flavour and texture of the Sri Lankan Crabs meat, the latter is steamed whole before the crab meat is removed from its shell and churned into dainty delights. Drawing inspirations from the well-loved Custard Lava Bun, Deep-Fried Salted Egg Crab Bun ($3.80) is a delicious fried version with a savoury salted egg crab filling encased within a delightfully airy and fluffy dough. But I do find the salted egg slightly overwhelms the crab meat.

Four Happiness Dumpling 4/5

Four Happiness Dumpling ($3.80), an elevated prawn dumpling studded with Crab Meat, Crab Roe, Ham and Celery, will light up your face with its juicy filling, with extra texture and umami-ness lent by the 4 colourful ingredients. Deep-Fried Spring Roll with Crab Meat & Glass Noodle ($3.80) is another dim sum special that is tasty as a spring roll but doesn't do much justice to the crab meat.

Salted Egg with Chicken Floss Crab 4.5/5

For a la carte dishes, Wan Hao's rendition of Salted Egg Crab - Salted Egg with Chicken Floss Crab ($68/ 500- 600gm portion) is a hot favourite of all times. This crab is given a coat using a combination of curry powder, deep-fried garlic, chicken floss and salted egg. This drier method of presenting the crab gives the meat a better chance to shine - the savoury dried coat crumbs became a flavour enhancer, accentuating the sweetness of the crab meat while being finger-licking good on its own.

Braised Beancurd with Crab Meat & Crab Roe 4.8/5

Braised Beancurd with Crab Meat & Crab Roe ($48/person), brimming with fresh chunky crab meat and crab roe, was a star of the evening that showcases the fine qualities of the crustacean. The key probably lies with the flavourful superior stock that was used to form the base of this dish. It did a perfect job in bringing the 3 delicate flavoured ingredients together.

Braised Bird’s Nest with Crab Claw & Watercress Superior Stock 4/5

Braised Bird’s Nest with Crab Claw & Watercress Superior Stock ($68/pax) is indeed a luxurious dish. I appreciate how the emerald green of the watercress reflects the elegance of this dish. Similar to the dish above, the superior stock used is the key to imparting the base flavours and harmonising the ingredients.

Wok-Fried Cod Fillet with Foie Gras 3/5

Other dishes to include in your visit to Wan Hao are some of its newly launched items. Wok-Fried Cod Fillet with Foie Gras in Chef's Secret Sauce ($48). The flavours were good, but the combination of foie gras and wok-fried cod made it a fairly rich dish. Overall I find it a tad dry, given that the cod morsels were almost crunchy and the noodle base was fried too.

Roasted Spanish Suckling Pig wrapped with Wok-fried Glutinous Rice 3/5

No special occasion is needed to devour the Roasted Spanish Suckling Pig wrapped with Wok-fried Glutinous Rice and Chinese Sausage ($508), so long advance reservation is made. While the expected caramelised crispy crackle at the skin was achieved, the collagenous layer underneath the skin was slightly too chewy for my liking.

Brandy Baked Alaska with Ice Cream 4/5

Ice cream dessert is not commonly found in Chinese restaurants. Hence Wan Hao decided to subvert that expectation and introduced its very own Brandy Baked Alaska with Ice Cream ($15++), flambé with Brandy right at your table. It sure brings a lot of excitement to the table.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant (萬豪軒)
Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
Level 3
320 Orchard Road
Singapore 238865
Tel: +65 68314605
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 1130am - 3pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Osteria BBR By Alain Ducasse @ Raffles Hotel Singapore - Savour Wonderful Flavours Of Italian Riviera With Refreshed Menu

Osteria BBR by Alain Ducasse welcomes new Chef de Cuisine Natalino Ambra and presents a newly refreshed menu alongside signature favourites that encapsulate a revitalised and imaginative Italian concept.

We had the Tentazioni Menu ($128++ per guest), which exhibits a selection of must-try signatures and newly-introduced dishes. We started with some amuse bouche to kick start the dinner.

Amberjack 4.2/5

We started with the light and refreshing seafood antipasti - Marinated Amberjack, topped with pomegranate seeds alongside citrus condiment, brightening the appreciation of the fresh fish slices.

Black Angus Beef Tartare 4.2/5

Next, is the Black Angus Beef Tartare topped with almonds and parmesan cheese. I enjoyed using carrots for the sauce, a refreshing touch of the usual pairing I have eaten.

Octopus 4.2/5

Cooked to a lovely tender texture is the charred Octopus complemented by a light potato foam infused with a Mediterranean scent.

Tagliolini, Zucchini, Kristal Caviar 4.8/5

One of our favourite dishes is the Tagliolini tossed in seaweed butter. It is paired with three forms of zucchini - pureed, roasted and crisped. Finally, it is crowned with Kristal caviar for a luxe finish.

Black Angus Beef Tenderloin 4.5/5

For the Mains, diners can choose either the Black Angus Beef Tenderloin or Atlantic Cod Fish. The beautifully medium-cooked Beef Tenderloin is paired with nutty celeriac and full-bodied truffle beef jus.

Atlantic Cod Fish 4.2/5

The Atlantic Cod Fish will be an excellent choice if you don't eat beef. The toothsome and buttery cod fish is accompanied by a flavoursome orange sauce that lifts the enjoyment.

Chocolate Mousse from Alain Ducasse 4.2/5

Homemade Buckwheat Ice Cream 4.2/5

Finally, round off the dining indulgence on a luscious note with the Mousse Al Cioccolato, a rich chocolate mousse made from Alain Ducasse's chocolate, complemented with Homemade Buckwheat Ice Cream.

Signature Baba 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Signature Baba drizzled with limoncello and topped with whipped cream.

Besides the Temptation Menu I had, guests can opt for wine pairing for an additional $98++ per guest. There is also a 2-course ($39++ per guest) and 3-course ($46++ per guest) lunch menu option exclude Sundays.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Osteria BBR by Alain Ducasse
Raffles Hotel Singapore
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 64121816
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Restaurant
Mon, Thu-Sun: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 945pm
Bar
Mon, Thu-Sun: 12pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Junction of North Bridge Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Yan Restaurant (宴) @ National Gallery - Nourishing Cantonese Delights To Replenish The Body With Two Wellness Menus

For a limited period from 6 June to 31 August 2022, Yan Restaurant (宴) at National Gallery rolls up two Wellness Set Menus, developed together with guidance from Zhongjing Traditional Chinese Medicine. The delicious Cantonese fare incorporates the principles of Yao Shan (药膳) through the two set menus that harmonise wellness and health to replenish the body during the hot and humid summer months.

Crispy Skin Roasted Duck 4.5/5

The six-course wellness menu is priced at $158++ per pax, while the eight-course wellness menu is priced at $108++ per pax. We had the eight-course wellness menu starting with the Crispy Skin Roasted Duck marinated with Dried Mandarin Peel, accompanied with Chinese Pancake, Cucumber and Spring Onions. The use of Mandarin peels is said to nourish the spleen and lungs.

Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Immunity-Boosting Herbs 4.2/5

The Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Immunity-Boosting Herbs is brewed for 4 hours using a herbal soup mix curated by Zhongjin's physicians. The nourishing soup combines the wholesome benefits of ingredients such as milkvetch root, siler root, lotus seed, wolfberry, red dates, and candied dates. It helps to strengthen the spleen, reinforce and harmonise the vital energy in the body for summer.

Braised Sliced Abalone with Eggplant in Oyster Sauce 4.2/5

Eggplant, known to help reduces the risk of heart disease due to its fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and antioxidants, is paired with Braised Sliced Abalone in an abalone and oyster sauce. It is my first time having eggplant done this way, and I truly enjoyed it.

Wok-fried King Prawns in Hawthorn Sauce 4.5/5

The Wok-fried King Prawns are cooked in Hawthorn sauce, which has many cardiovascular benefits such as treating high blood pressure, improving blood circulation, and many more. Its sweet and sour taste profile reminds me of sweet and sour pork, which excellently complements the prawn's freshness.

Steamed Chilean Cod Fillet with Cordyceps Flower 4.5/5

A favourite dish among the dining companions is the Steamed Chilean Fillet with Cordyceps Flower. The moist buttery-sweet Chilean cod fish is paired with cordyceps flower, commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to strengthen the liver and kidneys.

Sauteed Australian Scallops, Asparagus with Fresh Lily Bulbs 3.5/5

Sauteed Australian Scallops with Asparagus is a common dish in most Chinese restaurants. At Yan, it is elevated with the addition of lily bulbs promoting lung health, such as relieving coughs, dry throats, and other respiratory conditions.

Stewed Ee-fu Noodles with Mushrooms

Like every Chinese restaurant, we ended the meal with a carbo dish before the dessert. The stewed Ee-fu Noodles come with three different mushrooms - King Oyster Mushrooms, Enoki Mushrooms and Shimeji Mushrooms loaded with antioxidants.

Chilled Mao Shan Wang Durian Pudding 3/5

Last but not least, we had the Chilled Mao Shan Wang Durian Pudding to wrap up the dinner. While it is packed with the distinct aroma from the king of fruits, I didn't enjoyed the custardy texture of the pudding.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yan Restaurant (宴)
National Gallery Singapore
1 St Andrew's Road
#05-02
Singapore 178958
Tel: +65 63845585
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D. Turn left and walk down North Bridge Road. Turn left onto Coleman Street. Walk down Coleman Street. Walk to destination. Journey time around 5 minutes. [Map]

Crystal Jade CNY 2022 - Spring Into a Roaring Lunar New Year

Homegrown Chinese restaurant group Crystal Jade has put together a variety of set menus and new exquisite dishes for this Chinese New Year. It caters to all reunions - big and small, from convivial family gatherings to cosy intimate affairs.

Opulence 3-head Abalone Yusheng

The new Opulence 3-head Abalone Yusheng ($128/ $198) is a vibrant and healthy version this year. The colourful plate consists of coins of red dragonfruit, dried yuzu peel, Japanese pickled sweet ginger, homemade pickled cucumbers, deep-fried yam strips, chickpeas, carrot, white radish and green radish. Hsin Chu beehoon is added for crunch. It is further crowned with edible gold leaves, fresh flowers, lightly torched abalone slices from Australia, jellyfish and ikura, finally, tossed in uplifting roselle and yuzu-based dressing.

Double-boiled Kampong Chicken Soup

The Double-boiled Kampong Chicken Soup with American Sea Whelk and Tiger Palm Mushroom is nourishing and comforting. The team has specially brought in the tiger palm mushroom to usher in the year of the Tiger.

Pan-fried Sea Cucumber

The Pan-fried Sea Cucumber, a surf-and-turf option on the menu, is stuffed with Kurobuta Pork, Black Moss, Chinese Iron Yam and Scallion. I like the idea of the stuffing giving the firm and bouncy sea cucumber the additional textural dimension.

Steamed Chilean Cod Fish with Red and Green Chilli in Puning Sauce

One of my favourite dishes is the Steamed Chilean Cod Fish with Red and Green Chilli in Puning Sauce. The sauce is deliciously special, together with the pickled red and green chillis, complemented the buttery cod fish excellently.

Steamed Salted Chicken with Ginger and Scallion Sauce

Another beautiful dish is the Steamed Salted Chicken with Ginger and Scallion Sauce. Nothing fancy but simple cooking of using salt, ginger and scallion to bring out the flavour of the tender chicken.

Crisp-fried Brussel Sprouts accompanied with Fresh Silken Beancurd Skin

This year, Chef Martin has added new excitement for the vegetarians to celebrate CNY. Vegetarians can look forward to something different such as Crisp-fried Brussel Sprouts accompanied with Fresh Silken Beancurd Skin. It is a textural enjoyment of crispiness and silkiness, all in one.

Crispy Pandan Glutinous Rice Cake 'Nian Gao'

An interesting way of enjoying the Nian Gao is the Crispy Pandan Glutinous Rice Cake 'Nian Gao'. Infused with the aromatic pandan flavour, it is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Yuzu Mandarin Orange Jelly

A delightful dessert is the Yuzu Mandarin Orange Jelly studded with yuzu peel and mandarin orange segments for a light and fruity sweet finishing.

Deep-fried Pumpkin Ball with Lava Salted Egg Yolk

Served as a warm dessert, the Deep-fried Pumpkin Ball with Lava Salted Egg Yolk has a soft exterior, filled with oozing savoury-sweet lava salted egg yolk.

Chinese New Year dining at Crystal Jade restaurants will commence from 17 Jan 2022 (select outlets will be closed on 1 Feb 2022 – CNY Day 1) and set menus for up to five persons (same household) are available. Reservations can be made online via https://inline.app/booking/cj from 6 Dec 2021. In addition, Festive takeaway goodies can be pre-ordered online at estore.crystaljade.com and outlets from 6 Dec 2021 to 15 Feb 2022, and picked up from outlets island-wide from 10 Jan 2022.

Singapore Lor Mee @ Tiong Bahru Food Centre - A New And Third Lor Mee Stall At The Food Centre

A third and new Lor Mee stall - Singapore Lor Mee has opened at Tiong Bahru Food Centre. Accordingly to my friend, the stall is previously known as Zhen Hao Lor Mee at North Bridge Road. I have not heard of them before. Nevertheless, I could not help my curiosity self to check them out.

There is three items on the menu - Traditional Lor Mee ($4.80), Fried Cod Fish Lor Mee ($5.80) and Jumbo Lor Mee ($8). Unlike other lor mee stalls, it offers unique items such as fried cod fish fillet and tempura prawn for their lor mee.

I decided to go for the Fried Cod Fish Lor Mee. Although the fried cod fish is flaky and moist, the exterior is not as crispy as I would have liked. Probably due to the fact it is not freshly fried.

Compared to the other two popular stalls at the food centre, the broth, better known as the lor for the noodle, lacks robustness. While it is not very gooey, it is light and lacks depth. So maybe I am more inclined to a more heavily flavoured bowl of lor mee.

I had tried the stall when it was previously at North Bridge Road. From the taste, it seems that it is more for the older plate or what we may label it as traditional taste. The younger generation, which prefers strong flavours, may not yet enjoy it.


Singapore Lor Mee
Tiong Bahru Food Centre
30 Seng Poh Road
#02-32
Singapore 168898
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Havelock (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 8pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Tiong Bahru Road towards Kim Pong Road. Turn right onto Kim Pong Road. Turn left onto Lim Liak Street. Walk down Li Liak Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Havelock MRT station. Take Exit 2. Walk straight down Zion Road to Seng Poh Road. Turn right onto Seng Poh Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Racines @ Sofitel Singapore City Centre - Launches Lunar New Year Prosperous Delights

Situated on the fifth level of Sofitel Singapore City Centre, Racines ushers in the Year of the Ox with a selection of inventive and auspicious creations curated by Master Chef Andrew Chong.

Healthy Well-Being Yu Sheng 4.2/5

A refreshing take on the traditional Yu Sheng is their new Healthy Well-Being Yu Sheng, which takes centre stage with a vibrant medley of fruits, such as mango, strawberries, kiwi, pomegranate and dragonfruit - pulled together with a zesty yuzu dressing.

Deep-Fried Cod Fish 4/5

Next, we had Deep Fried Cod Fish served in individual portions. The cod fillet is done beautifully, with crispy skin and fork-tender meat underneath. It pairs perfectly with the fragrant Szechuan sauce and sweet juiciness of the tomato.

Executive Chinese Chef Andrew's Magnifique Pen Cai 4/5

The Executive Chinese Chef Andrew's Magnifique Pen Cai comes with a wide variety of premium ingredients, including the abalone, prawns, pork belly and duck meat, covered in a savoury braised sauce with cabbage and black moss. There is also a very subtle hint of black truffle added to elevate the treasure pot, yet does not overpower this classic dish.

Osmanthus Jelly 4.2/5

Lastly, we had the Osmanthus Jelly to round off the meal on a sweet note. The refreshing dessert which is light on the palate comes with wolfberries and a juicy chrysanthemum poached pear.

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.


Racines
Sofitel Singapore City Centre
Level 5
9 Wallich Street
Singapore 078885
Tel: +65 64285000
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 6am –1030am, 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 1030pm
Sun: 6am – 1030am, 12pm – 330pm, 6pm –1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]