Jin Jue Seafood @ Jalan Besar - Cantonese Style Seafood Zi Char That Opens Until 5am

Just across the busy cluster of eateries in Jalan Besar is the new brightly lit signboard of Jin Jue Seafood. Specialising in Cantonese-style seafood zi char, it has a homely space with a reasonably priced menu. It operates till 5am daily, serving as another supper spot you can booklist.

Red Snapper Fish Head Steamboat 4.5/5

The signature of Jin Jue Seafood would be their charcoal Red Snapper Fish Head Steamboat ($38). The fresh snapper slices are deliberately served separately to avoid having the fish break up throughout the meal and for diners to be able to have them fresh upon cooking. We especially enjoyed the broth's herbal notes, which resulted from the addition of goji berries and dang gui.

You have vegetables like yam, seaweed and Chinese cabbage in the base. You can opt to top up for additional ingredients to go along, such as Prawns ($18/5 Pieces), Spinach ($6), Enoki Mushrooms ($4) and more. We appreciated our pot was promptly refilled and that they provided the actual broth for refills instead of watered down base or water.

Lemongrass Pork Ribs 4.2/5

It looked unassuming, but the Lemongrass Pork Ribs ($18) was quite a crowd favourite. The sweet-glazed exterior had a nice slight crunch, while the meat was tender and easily torn off from the bone. The hints of spice also had us wanting more. We didn't mind it, but as its name suggests, we expected the lemongrass flavour to be much more pronounced than it was.

Stir-fried Dried Scallops & Kailan 3.5/5

The Stir-fried Dried Scallops & Kailan ($15) had stir-fried kailan beneath deep-fried kailan. Adding dried scallops helped lend an umami touch, but we found the dish as a whole too oily.

Curry Fish Head 3.8/5

I haven't had that many curry fish heads to compare, but my dining companions found Jin Jue's Curry Fish Head ($35) pretty satisfying. It came with a generous portion of vegetables like brinjal and ladyfinger, along with crisped beancurd skin. The curry leans more milky and creamy, and we thought the spice could be more assertive.

Black Pepper Crab 4/5

We were impressed by how fresh the Black Pepper Crab (Seasonal Price) was, the meat was firm and sweet, and it came with a good amount of roe. Their black pepper sauce leans sweeter, with a medium spice level from the chilli and peppers used.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jin Jue Seafood
369 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208997
Tel: +65 65303689
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Bendemeer MRT (DT Line), Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 5pm - 5am

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk towards Kitchener Link. At Kitchener Link walk to Petain Road. Turn right at Petain Road, walk towards Jalan Besar Road. Turn left at Jalan Besar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bendemeer MRT station. Take Exit A. Left right and walk to Kallang Bahru towards Lavender Street. At Lavender Street, turn right and walk towards Foch Road. Turn left onto Foch Road and walk towards Jalan Besar. Cross the road at Jalan Besar. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Famous Treasure @ Capitol Piazza - A Gem In The City Serving Reasonable Priced Chinese Food

Taking over the defunct Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant Singapore at Capitol Piazza is Famous Treasure. Famous Treasure is the sister outlet of the popular Famous Kitchen in Sembawang. I have not visited Famous Kitchen but I have heard good words about their food. Hence I am really looking forward to my visit to their newer and more posh outlet in the city.

Marinated Cockles Teochew Style 4.8/5

We started with the Marinated Cockles Teochew Style ($12). I love my cockles and this is even better with the topping of their homemade chilli. Definitely a winner for me.

Deep Fried Pork Belly with Fermented Bean Curd 4.5/5

Deep fried to golden brown is the Pork Belly with Fermented Bean Curd ($20/$30$/$40). The pork belly coated in a batter of fermented bean curd, is fragrant and juicy. Not forgetting the tangy green chilli sauce dip that elevates the whole enjoyable of the dish.

Wok Fried Squid with Cincalok and Lady's Fingers 4.5/5

The restaurant impressed me further with yet another excellently executed dish - Wok Fried Squid with Cincalok and Lady’s Fingers ($18/$27/$36). Instead of the usual sambal, what a brillant idea to replace it with cincalok. It definitely gives the dish a deeper depth of flavours and something different from the usual. 

Daily Nourishing Boiled Soup 4.5/5

The daily nourishing boiled soup at the restaurant changes regularly and today we have the Pork Ribs and Ba Wang Hua Soup ($28). Boiled for hours to extract the ingredients’ essences, the soup is hearty, sweet and flavourful. What caught my interests is the used of Ba Wang Hua (Night Blooming Cereus), a type of cactus that is seldom seen or used in cooking. Apparently it has several health benefit too.

Supreme Soy Braised Duck Platter 3.5/5

The Supreme Soy Braised Duck Platter ($24) consists of duck slices, webs, wings and beancurd. A great sharing platter that comes with a white vinegar and chilli dip.

Steamed Shark's Head with Spicy Yellow Bean Sauce 3/5

If you have not try Steamed Shark's Head ($7/100g) before, it is not about eat the flesh but appreciating the cartilage and collagen of the shark's upper jaw area. The version here is cooked in a spicy yellow bean sauce which we thought didn't quite highlight the dish. I had a better one that is just steamed with soy sauce, deep fried caught and sesame oil.

Traditional Fish Head Curry in Claypot $35

From one fish head we go to another, the Traditional Fish Head Curry in Claypot ($35). This is one of the signature dish at Famous Kitchen Sembawang, now you can also have it at Famous Treasure. The creamy and lemak curry fish head, served in a claypot comes with a lot of vegetables (cabbage, eggplant and lady fingers) which is really value for money. I love my fish head curry and I have to admit this is one of the better one I have eaten. I can tell why they are popular with the dish.

Famous Treasure's KL Style Hokkien Mee 4.2/5

Instead of travelling to our neighbouring country for their hokkien mee, Famous Treasure does a good rendition in their KL Style Hokkien Mee ($18/$27/$36). Perfumed with fragrant dark sauce and pork lard, this is a plate of goodness with pork, cuttlefish and prawn.

Braised Rice Vermicelli with Local Lobster and Leek in Superior Broth 4.2/5

For a more luscious enjoyment, there is the Braised Rice Vermicelli with Local Lobster and Leek in Superior Broth ($16/100g). Sweet and bouncy lobster flesh, comes with vermicelli that has been simmered in the rich broth, soaking up the richness.

Salted Baked Flower Crabs 5/5

A must try at Famous Treasure has to be their Salted Baked Flower Crabs ($6/100g). The way of preparing the flower crab gives it a charred seafood aroma that just whets up the appetite. The used of sea salt also further elevated the sweetness of the flower crab. This scores full mark for me. Definitely a must order dish whenever I go back.

Famous Treasure
Capitol Piazza
13 Stamford Road
#02-28
Singapore 178905
Tel: +65 68816668
Facebook
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 B or D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Violet Oon Singapore @ Ion Orchard - Opens 4th And Largest Outlet With Both Dining And Retail Space

Violet Oon Singapore at Ion Orchard is the brand’s fourth and largest outlet, an all-day dining brasserie that combines both dining and retail. Serving up VO’s signature recipes of local favourites and Nyonya classics, the menu also curates a selection of British dishes as seen through the eyes of the early Hainanese chefs of Singapore. In addition, a new range of celebration cakes can be enjoyed at the restaurant or order for takeaways. There is also a retail collection of pastries, including our all-time favourite kaya, all dressed in retro-modern fit, all ready to be shown on the global runway.

Singapore High Tea Set 3/5

Other than mains and pastries, I could see that most were here at for the Singapore High Tea Set ($58 serves 2) which offers an array of local favorites and Nyonya signatures in petite sizes, with notable items such as Yam Cake, Kuey Pie Tie and Chilli Crab Tart, alongside with classic English High Tea bites.

Both Kuey Pie Tee and Chilli Crab Tart were very much on the sweeter side, while the Yam Cake in comparison was more balance in taste, a boat loaded with umami ingredients such as mushrooms, fried shallot and chilli.

On the top tier are all your sweets. The Bubur Cha Cha Panna Cotta was decadent with a smooth and velvety coconut based panna cotta. The Financiers, a traditional Eurasian Cake of semolina and ground almonds, are also worth your calories. If only the Kueh Kosui could be that good a feel in the mouth. I guess when comes to kuehs, it has to be freshly made, like the warm and soft Kueh Kosui from Maxwell Food market.

The Scones comes with gula melaka drizzle on them, and what is unique about theirs is the slightly tart Calamasi jam that complement the gula melaka scone. I was rather amused that there is no lack of gula melaka items here, most sweets are laced with it one way or another.

Kale Kerabu 3.8/5

Moving on to their signature mains, Salmon with Kale Kerabu ($26) is a great start to any meal, given its tangy sauce and crisp baby kale. The salad dressing is made of sambal belachan and coconut cream, sounds creamy but not at all as it only coat the kale lightly. The salmon cubes were flamed grilled, lending a layer of smokiness to the salad. The acidity from the pineapple cubes brightened up the dish even more.

Hainanese Pork Chop 3.8/5

Among all the dishes we tried, I would say the Hainanese Pork Chop ($34) is the most successfully elevated dish, from a staple dished out from a British Hainanese kitchen to one to be served with that price tag. Using Kurobuta pork loin, it was deep fried with a cream cracker batter. The crust reached an ideal crisp with the inside still moist and juicy. A hefty piece of pork chop but the sweet and tangy housemade tomato reduction helped to cut the richness of the meat.

VO’s Shepherd’s Pie 3/5

VO’s Shepherd’s Pie with House Salad ($24) was one of the better ones that I have tried. At least the creamy mashed potato stayed dry and creamy atop the slow-braised mince beef, while others tend to sink in like quick sand the moment I dug my spoon into it. The top could be more baked.

Fish Curry with Roti Jala 3/5

Fish Curry with Roti Jala ($29) is a dainty version of our czechar fish head curry cooked using red snapper. Nonetheless, the curry was on point. It is robust, rich and edged with a slight tang, making it a good match with the slightly sweet traditional laced pancake.

Dry Laksa 3/5

The Dry Laksa ($24) is a crowd pleaser. Fresh rice noodle is tossed in Violet's laksa gravy and loaded with beansprouts and tau pok, it was like a scrumptious laksa salad. Just imagine a reduction of a fiery Laksa gravy, with all the goodness concentrated into one small plate. Well cooked succulent prawns could have brought the dish up another notch but ours were a tad too dried up for my liking.

Pandan Gula Melaka Cake 2.8/5, Pineapple Gula Melaka Cake 3.5/5, VO’s Carrot Cake 3.5/5

Love our local flavours but not the starchy Kueh itself? You will find your perfect combination in the range of cakes offered at Violet Oon. Pandan Gula Melaka Cake ($43/6" or $75/9”) is a rich sponge cake made with freshly squeezed pandan juice, with layers of buttercream frosting and desiccated coconut tossed in a gula melaka syrup. It is rather sweet, hence I very much prefer the Pineapple Gula Melaka Cake ($46/6” or $80/9”). The cake was fluffier and the buttercream, punctuated with sweet and tangy pineapple chunks, made it even more luscious rather than weighing it down. As for the VO’s Carrot Cake ($52/6” or $85/9”), other than its sweetness, it is one of the few that are loaded with real chunky ingredients, layered with a bright calamansi-infused cream cheese frosting.

Indeed, heritage flavours and taste are hard to master. The mains at Violet Oon fare much better, alongside with some of their cakes and pastries. But these days, it is all about the looks. What stood out the most not the food but the retail section that boxed Singapore's flavours into pretty Peranakan 'tiles'. Great gifting ideas for the Christmas!

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.


Violet Oon Singapore at Ion Orchard
Ion Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#03-28/29
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 98349935
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)


Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm

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

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel - A Refreshed A La Carte Menu

York Hotel is renowned for its Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet but lesser known is their local and Asian cuisine served at the White Rose Cafe. Helmed by Chef Charlie Tham, the culinary team has refreshed the a la carte menu showcasing new re-interpretations of Asian dishes and Western classics.

Satay 4.2/5

We started with some Satay that is well marinated and grilled to a nice exterior char. Diners have a choice of chicken or pork. It comes with rice rice cakes, sliced cucumber, onion and peanut sauce topped with grated pineapple. Love the fact that the sauce comes with grated pineapple for the hint of sweetness on top of the nutty sauce.

White Rose Cafe New Specialties Mee Siam 4/5

Even thought it is a refreshed menu, it also brought back some of the old favourites such as the Mee Siam. The tangy and spicy gravy topped with prawns, sliced egg, bean sprouts and diced fried bean curd complements the rice vermicelli excellently. Do note this is sampling portion.

Vietnamese Beef Pho 4/5

Chef Charlie has also introduced Vietnamese cuisine in the refreshed menu. The soup for the Vietnamese Beef Pho is boiled for hours using beef bone marrow for a good 8 hours, resulting in a light but rich broth.  The flavourful broth is accompanied by the smooth flat rice noodles, tender sliced beef, bean sprouts and onion. It is then garnished with red chilli, lime and fresh local herbs.

Vietnamese Pork Chop 4.2/5

The other Vietnamese dish on the menu is the Vietnamese Pork Chop. I love the aroma of lemongrass in the marination of the pork fillet. Grilled to tender perfection, it is served with sunny-side up egg, fresh local herbs, pickled vegetables and steamed fragrant rice.

Seafood Mee Goreng 4.5/5

There is the Malay style mee goreng as well as the Chinese style. I prefer the latter for its wetter version, which is a bit like the hokkien mee. The Seafood Mee Goreng here hits all the right notes for me. Mildly spiced, the wok fried yellow noodles comes with egg, prawns, squid, sliced fish and bean sprouts.

Fish Head Curry 4.2/5

One should not miss having the Fish Head Curry at White Rose Cafe. The fish head curry is prepared accordingly to the well guarded recipe from Soon Heng Restaurant dating from 1970s, touted as the creator of the Singaporean Chinese style fish head curry. The red snapper fish head is first steamed and then cooked in a mildly spiced assam or tamarind based curry sauce together with tomatoes lady fingers, sliced onions and fresh chillies. The fish is cooked perfectly, firm and moist with a delectable sweetness of the flesh.

Grilled Chicken Thigh 4/5

Besides the Asian fares, there are Western classics such as Fish N Chips and Grilled Chicken Thigh. I tried the grilled chicken thigh which is served with seasonal vegetables and sauteed potatoes. The chicken skin is grilled to a nice crisp while the meat is tender and juicy.

Tang Yuan 3/5

Wrapping up our dinner, we had the Tang Yuan, traditional glutinous rice balls stuffed with black sesame filling in hot ginger flavoured syrup. While I enjoyed the soft glutinous rice, I felt that the ginger soup is a bit too sharp. It need some extra sweetness to balance the sharpness.

I really enjoyed the refreshed a la carte menu at White Rose Cafe. The dishes served are food that is closed to our heart and I have to admit that it has executed them well. I would recommend the fish head curry, mee goreng and mee siam as my favourite.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

J65 @ Hotel Jen Tanglin - Seafood Fiesta Throughout The Week

J65 at Hotel Jen Tanglin has launched daily themed nights highlighting different seafood along with local favourite dishes. If you simply into fish and nothing else, Thursday night will be the evening for you to explore the possibilities of fish-centric dishes, that could make you go "What The Fish"!

Seabass with Tobiko and Wasabi Cream

Thai Baked Snapper

Head down to the Baked Fish station and you will get what I mean. The sheer size of the fishes is just stunning. You get unusual large baked fish like Thai Baked Snapper, which is spicy and tangy with lime and chilli padi, and also Seabass with Tobiko and Wasabi Cream that is savoury and creamy with a bit of heat from the wasabi.

Mediterranean Baked Baramundi

My personal favourite is the Mediterranean Baked Baramundi - meaty, tender with a slight crisp exterior, and I love the accompanying grilled olives, cherry tomatoes and artichokes for their toothsome sweet and tangy flavours.

Baked Salmon, Salmon Bryani, Smoke Salmon Pasta

Salmon is a versatile seafood and it shows in these dishes. Once smoked, its increased depth of flavour makes it excellent with pasta. In particular, I find the Salmon Bryani a brilliant execution that has the spices, herbs and the fish play out in balance, even more so than using meat. The Raita served at the side makes this dish even more enjoyable. This should be up on the menu as an alternative to meat bryani!

In fact, most of the fish dishes from the Indian cuisine section are commendable. The Home Style Fish Head Curry Pot is highly recommended. The meat was so tender that it simply slid off from the bone upon a slight tug. Together with Fish Tikka and Sambal Grilled Sting Ray, you will reach out for bowls of rice for sure.

Fish Congee

If these dishes are too strong for you, you can always fall back on some comfort dishes such as Fish Congee. But for me, I would still go for less conventional dishes such as the hearty Trio of Fish with Cheddar & Mash Potato, one of the best fish pies ever!

Snow Crab Legs

DIY Kueh Pai Tee, Rojak

Other perks include Snow Crab Legs and local delights such as DIY Kueh Pai Tee and Rojak.

Durian Potong Ice Cream

For desserts, you can't go anymore local than the Potong Ice Cream!

I am actually quite impressed with the interesting dishes that have been crafted to highlight the varieties of seafood, Showcasing different seafood each day, so do head down and explore more on your own.

Price
Monday: International Seafood Buffet $85++
Tuesday: Asian Seafood Buffet $65++
Wednesday: Lobster Rock-n-Roll $85++
Thursday: What The Fish $65++
Friday to Sunday: Seafood Madness $75++

Words and photos 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.


J65
Hotel Jen Tanglin
1A Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249716
Tel: +65 68314373
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 11pm

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]