Ah Hoi's Kitchen @ Traders Hotel

Fans of Ah Hoi's Kitchen will be rejoiced as Sou Chef Lam Loon Tuck and his culinary team at Traders Hotel Ah Hoi's Kitchen have added 12 new Sri Lankan crabs dishes using different ingredients and cooking methods. The promotional crab menus, each featuring four new crab dishes will be rotated every three weeks. The different cooking styles of crabs will cater to a wide range of palates and age groups.

Crab Beehoon 3.8/5

We were given a glimpse to some of the new crab creations at Ah Hoi's Kitchen starting with the Crab Beehoon. Crab Beehoon is usually the wet version where the essence is being soaked up by the beehoon. The crab beehoon here is the dry version where it is wok fried with crab, sun dried shrimps and Tianjin cabbage in a superior stock. The result is a plate of fragrant wok hei beehoon with stir fried crab. While this is a good dish, I could not taste the crab essence in the beehoon.

Salted Egg Crab 4.2/5

The Salted Egg Crab is definitely a winner for me and it is also gaining popularity with the local palate. Cooked in a salted egg yolk sauce with chilli padi, curry leave and kaffir lime to further lift the flavour. The beautiful play of flavours complemented the sweetness of the crab meat. An excellent execution.

Prickly Piquant Crab 4/5

For those that is looking for a more spicy kick of the crustacean, you can take the challenge in the Prickly Piquant Crab. The crab is wok fried with sichuan pepper, pickled garlic and citrus salt kicking up a numbness on top of the sweetness from the crab meat. One word, shiok!

Steamed Crab 4.5/5

Among the four crab dishes I tried, the Steamed Crab is my favourite. Steamed to perfection with old ginger and Hua Diao Jiu, it allows the natural sweetness of the crab to shine.

Satay 4.5/5

Grilled Platter of Seafood and Meat 4.2/5

Beside the new crab dishes, Ah Hoi's Kitchen offers many other local dishes in the menu. In the evening, there is even a barbecued section where guests can savour the different barbecued seafood and meats that is accompanied with Asian dips such as sambal chilli, chinchalok with calamansi and honey mustard.

Mango Puree with Sago and Pomelo 4/5

Wrapped up the dinner on a sweet note with a selection of delicious Asian desserts at Ah Hoi's Kitchen such as Chendol, Snow Fungus with Lotus Seed & Gingko Nut, Goreng Pisang with Ice Cream, Mango Pudding, Ice Jelly with Fruit Cocktail etc.

I applauded the 12 new crab dishes creation at Ah Hoi's Kitchen. Unfortunately I only got to try 4 of them. The other crab dishes I did not get to try are Crab Congee, Crab Noodle, Mumtaz Crab, Udang Geragau Crab, Crab Almondine, Crab Tau Cheo, Crab in Coconut Juice and Crab Kaffir Lime. I understand that the hotel has changed a new crab supplier and the quality definitely stood out in all the crab dishes I tried. The crab menus are priced accordingly to weight. For crabs weighting up to one kilogram, they are priced at $7.20 per 100 grams while more than one kilo are priced at $9,20 per 100 grams.


Ah Hoi's Kitchen
Traders Hotel
1A Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 68314373
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tradershotelsingapore
Website: http://www.tradershotels.com/singapore
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard, opposite Orchard Parksuites (Stop ID B09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 111, 123 or 174. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the overhead bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Continue onwards to Forum Shopping Mall. Walk further down to Orchard Parade Hotel. Turn left onto Tanglin Road. Continue walking down to the end of Tanglin Road to Tanglin Mall. Turn left on Tanglin Mall onto Grange Road and walk to destination. Journey time about 23 minutes. [Map]

Seafood Park @ Clementi Street 12

The plan was to go to Sunset Way to check out what's new at the area but there was nothing interesting. Not sure why but somehow the area has lost its vibe and feels kind of deserted and boring. Skipping the restaurants, I went around the corner to Seafood Park, a Zi Char stall located in the Food Park coffeeshop.

Sliced Beef with Spring Onion 3.5/5

The Sliced Beef with Spring Onion ($10) may not be of premium quality, it still was quite tender and flavourful.

Stir Fried Kailan 3.5/5

The simple Stir Fried Kailan ($7) with garlic was surprisingly pretty well executed. Not too oily and cooked to a nice crunchy bite.

Claypot Crab Beehoon 2.8/5

I was craving of crab beehoon lately so I ordered the Claypot Crab Beehoon to try. I could not remember the exact cost but I think its about $28. While the crab is firm and sweet, the beehoon was disappointment. The beehoon was dry and it did not manage to infuse the crab essence. All I could taste in the beehoon was soy sauce.


Seafood Park
Food Park
Blk 107A Clementi Street 12
Singapore 120107
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 215pm, 430pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 184. Alight 4 stops later. Walk towards block 109 facing multi-storey carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes.

2) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 154. Alight 5 stops later. Walk towards block 109 facing multi-storey carpark. Journey time about 12 minutes.

Ming Kee Live Seafood @ Macpherson Road

A month has passed since the last Makansutra Dinner at Quan Xin Yuan. June 2013 Makansutra dinner was held at Ming Kee Live Seafood. Initially I thought that I was going to the same restaurant that I have frequent a number of time. It turned out that the son of Ming Kee Live Seafood has opened another restaurant with the same name just a few foot steps further down.

Steamed Boston Lobster with Garlic 4.5/5

When the Steamed Boston Lobster with Garlic was served, everyone was like going wow! It was a generous and sumptuous serving.  The tonnes of garlic on top of the springy lobster flesh complemented it, allowing one to enjoy the freshness and sweetness of the lobster to the fullest.

Braised Crocodile Horn Strip in Superior Stock 3/5

The dish had everyone guessing what was it because all of us could not tell what was the jelly liked ingredient. Initially I thought it was some sea cucumber but it turned out to be the crocodile skin. The Braised Crocodile Horn Strip in Superior Stock actually tasted like the peppery pig intestine soup.

Jumbo Canadian Oyster 4.5/5

When the Boston Lobster was served, everyone at the table went wow. The table probably went triple wow, wow, wow! when the Jumbo Canadian Oyster was served. This is the biggest giant oyster I have ever eaten. Drizzled with a delectable black bean sauce, the combination was simple heavenly.

Steamed Soon Hock in Hong Kong Style 3.8/5

The Steamed Soon Hock in Hong Kong Style was interesting cut into chunks. The snow white chunks of fish meat was light, firm and fresh.

Smoked Duck Breast 4/5

The Smoked Duck Breast was very beautiful. With a hint of smokey fragrant, the duck meat was still pink, tender and moist.

Guinness Sauce Short Rib 4/5

The Guinness Sauce Short Rib was evenly coated and caramelised. The short rib was succulent and packed with flavours.

Triple Cooked Crab Beehoon 3.8/5

I was eagerly waiting for Ming Kee's signature Triple Cooked Crab Beehoon. It is a must order whenever I visit the restaurant. I like the version at Ming Kee because the beehoon is very flavourful absorbing and infusing the robust crab flavour. Unfortunately the Triple Cooked Crab Beehoon was on the salty side that day and I was quite disappointed.

Homemade Coconut Jelly 3/5

Dinner ends on a sweet note with the Homemade Coconut Jelly. A light and refreshing dessert that somehow helps to cleanse the palate after a sumptuous seafood feast.

Food at the new Ming Kee Live Seafood is definitely top notch and good. The new Ming Kee Live Seafood does not entertain walk in, it is a private dining concept restaurant so do make your reservation first before making your way to the new Ming Kee Live Seafood.


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Ming Kee Live Seafood 
520 Macpherson Road
Singapore
Tel: +65 67445520
Nearest MRT: Tai Seng (CC Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tai Seng MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk towards Macpherson Road. Turn right at Macpherson road. Walk down Macpherson Road to the stretch of shop houses. Journey time about 10 minutes.

Momma Kong's Crab Shack @ Mosque Street (Chinatown)

If you are craving for crabs, there is a new restaurant at Mosque Street (Chinatown) that serves pretty delectable crabs. Momma Kong's Crab Shack is opened by 2 enterprising lads showcasing their Mum's recipe of black pepper crabs and pairing it with a variety of boozes. The minimalist chic restaurant can sit up to 55 passengers and the crabs are cooked to order.

The menu is very interesting, it is designed to look exactly like a Facebook page. The menu is not very extensive. It offers 4 varieties of crabs, a few light bites and a variety of alcoholic beverages.

Belachan Ikan Bilis 4/5

By the way, it was a couple makan session with Charlene, Maureen, Nadia and our respective partners. We started off with some light bites. The Belachan Ikan Bilis or Deep Fried Anchovies ($6) comes in 3 spice level of mild, medium and madness. We had the medium spice level and it was quite fiery.

Spicy Tangy Top Shell 2.5/5

The Spicy Tangy Top Shell ($15) which was mixed with chopped onions, sesame oil, lemon, a few secret ingredients and topped with chilli padi  was disappointing. The flavours was too mild and the top shell tasted bland. I did not get the spicy tangy kick.

Crab Beehoon Soup 4.2/5

The smooth and milky Crab Beehoon Soup ($38 per crab, $110 for 3 crabs) was one of the best I tried. The beehoon was also smooth and firm. It was so slippery that we had a hard time holding them on our chopsticks. The beehoon was also cut into shorter length similar to Katong Laksa.

Fresh Steam Crab 4.2/5

The Sri Lanka mud crab used at Momma Kong's Crab Shack weights about 650gram. The meat was firm and sweet but a bit small for sharing if you have a big group, probably just nice for 2 pax.

Fresh Steamed Crab 4.2/5

The best way to enjoy the freshness and sweetness of the crab is to have it steamed. The Fresh Steamed Crab ($38 per crab, $110 for 3 crabs) was steamed with fragrant Chinese wine giving it a nice aroma. The delicacy also came with lovely orange crab roe.

Black Pepper Crab 4/5

The Black Pepper Crab ($38 per crab, $110 for 3 crabs) is a bit different from the norm. The black pepper sauce is wetter compared to the usually dry version. It tasted like those black pepper sauce used on steaks. This is really an interesting version but may not be for those that can't take spice.

Chilli Crab 3.5/5

The Chill Crab ($38 per crab, $110 for 3 crabs) was nice but I would prefer the more gravy version. The version at Momma Kong's Crab Shack is drier and has a garlic taste to it. If given a choice, I would still prefer the sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce.

Fried Mantou 4.2/5

If you have a chance to visit Momma Kong's Crab Shack, a must try is the Fried Mantou ($1.50 each). The Fried Mantou is really special and soft. You probably can't find it elsewhere. The best way to enjoy the fried mantou is to dip it into the chilli crab gravy soaking up the delicious sauce.

It is understand that Momma Kong's Crab Shack has created a method of freezing the crabs where one can takeaway and just oven heat for consumption. It is claimed the frozen crab has made a flight all the way to London.


Momma Kong's Crab Shack
34 Mosque Street
Singapore 059512
Tel: +65 62252722
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MommaKongs
Website: http://www.mommakongs.com
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (NE Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 6pm - 12am

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to the end of Pagoda Street. Turn left onto South Bridge Road. Walk along South Bridge Road and turn left onto Mosque Street. Journey time about 8 minutes.

Shi Wei Tian (食唯天) @ Joo Chiat Place

Stepping into the 6 month's old restaurant located at the junction of Joo Chiat Place and Tembeling Road is like walking down memory lanes. The air conditioned restaurant has a nostalgic theme with many 1960-1970s household items such as sewing machines, gammaphones, weighting scale, old pictures and posters displayed around the restaurant.

Shi Wei Tian's story traced back to the owner's (Ryan) vision to recreate his grandma recipes. To ensure the kitchen wok up authentic Malaysian dishes, a Malaysian chef was hired to lead the kitchen.

Claypot KL Bak Kut Teh 4/5

A pipping hot Malaysian style Claypot KL Bak Kut Teh was perfect for the cold and rainy day. The pork ribs came in small chopped pieces with the meat coming off the bone easily. The herbal soup Bak Kut Teh also came with innards and golden mushrooms.

Char Tar Beehoon 4/5

This is my first time having Char Tar Beehoon (Burnt Beehoon) and I didn't know what to expect. Apparently Char Tar Beehoon is a popular dish in Malaysia. The beehoon was soft and tasty but lacked the crispy crust that held the beehoon together.

Signature Tofu 4.5/5

Thumbs up to the Signature Tofu that the Chef makes everyday. The Tofu was very smooth and melted in the mouth. Topped with deep fried golden mushrooms, it gave the dish a contrast texture that was delightful to be eaten alone or together with the Tofu.

Garlic Steamed Prawns 4.2/5

I usually avoid having prawns when I dine outside to avoid dirtying my hands peeling the prawn shells. Not to worry when you have the Garlic Steamed Prawns at Shi Wei Tian. The steamed prawns were split into halves and topped with both fresh and deep fried garlic. The prawns were very fresh and the meat came of the shells with ease.

Imperial Treasure Pot 4/5

The luxurious Imperial Treasure Pot came with abundant of ingredients stewed in claypot. There were prawns, shitake mushroom, fish slices, fish maw, broccoli, sea cucumbers and scallops. It was a great dish full of rich flavours.

Nasi Pattaya 4/5

This dish is not available on the menu and only regulars knew about it. Nasi Pattaya is a simple fried rice dish wrapped with omelette. Isn't the smiling face drawn by tomato sauce cute? The dish may look simple but it takes great effort making the perfect omelette to wrap the fried rice.

Claypot Crab Tanghoon 3.8/5

Unfortunately I did not get to try their specialty, Cereal Paste Crab. I had the Claypot Crab Tanghoon instead which was a bit disappointing. Although the crab meat was firm and juicy, the Tanghoon was bland failing to absorb the crab's rich flavours.

Crispy Pork Rib Drumlets 4.2/5

Every week the Chef will create a new dish and the Crispy Pork Rib Drumlets was one of his new creations previous week. The Pork Rib Drumlet is first deep fried to perfection and then braised with in house special sauce to bring out its full flavours. The 2 cooking methods gave the pork rib an unique texture which tantalize the taste buds.

3 Treasure Sea Cucumber Wrap 4.2/5

This week the Chef created the 3 Treasure Sea Cucumber Wrap. The whole sea cucumber is stuffed with generous serving of succulent mushrooms, fresh sliced pork and nutritious carrot steamed with in house special sauce to create this gem. This exclusive creation melted in the mouth and burst with flavours.

Ice Ball 4/5

Chendol 4.5/5

Ice Kachang 4.2/5

For dessert, there were the all time local favourites such as Chendol and Ice Kachang. For some childhood memories, there is the traditional Ice Ball. My favourite was the Chendol. Its appearance was also rather unique with generous amount of gula melaka and coconut milk.

Shi Wei Tian has converted their alfresco area to a bar. With the new bar, the restaurant will be screening football channels as well as bringing back the popular Lok Lok. The restaurant also offers late night steamboat buffet from 10pm to midnight for supper seekers.


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Shi Wei Tian (食唯天)
37,39,41 Joo Chiat Place
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiweitianrestaurant
Nearest MRT station: Paya Lebar (EW Line), Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 12pm - 1am
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 3am

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Head south towards Geylang Serai Malay Village. Cross Geylang/Changi Road and continue onto Joo Chiat Road. Turn left into Joo Chiat Place. Journey time about17mins.

2) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Walk to Bus Stop at Blk 99 (Stop ID 81181). Take Bus 33 towards Bedok Bus Interchange. Alight 5 stops later at. Journey time about 12mins

Live Pacific Dungeness Crab Tasting

Live Pacific Dungeness Crabs

Singaporean loves eating crab and usually what we have in Singapore is Sri Lankan Crab or from the nearby regions. When Marshal from Wilshire Select Seafood wrote to me for a live hand imported Pacific Dungeness Crab Tasting session, I could not resist trying out this species of crab which is not easily available here.

Steamed Crab

Pacific Dungeness Crab weights around 0.7kg to 1.4kg and is harvested from the icy waters of Southeast Alaska down to San Franciso Bay. To introduce us to these highly prized delicacy flown all the way from Seattle, Marshal asked the kitchen to prepare the crabs in 6 different local cooking styles.

Crab Bee Hoon

The distinct characteristic of Pacific Dungeness Crab is its texture. It has a firm scallop like texture. This consistency in texture was found in all the crabs that was prepared. Even the claws and legs have the same firmness in its flesh throughout. In terms of taste, it exudes a deep oceanic, rich buttery and slightly sweet taste.

Golden Sand Crab

Black Pepper Crab

Creamy Salted Egg Crab

Chilli Crab

I think the scallop like texture of the Pacific Dungeness Crab will be a hit with Singaporean if it is readily available. It has also excelled in the different local cooking styles which can satisfy all the different Singaporean taste buds.

Lastly, a great thank you to both Marshal and Stefanie for the invitation and wonderful crab tasting feast. If you are interested in importing the Pacific Dungeness Crab, you can contact Marshal or visit their website.