Si Chuan Dou Hua @ PARKROYAL on Beach Road - Celebrate Lunar New Year With Exclusive Dishes And Set Menus

This Lunar New Year, Si Chuan Dou Hua at PARKROYAL on Beach Road welcomes the Year of the Rabbit with exclusive Lunar New Year dishes and set menus catering to a variety of family and group sizes starting from two persons. There is even a vegetarian menu for those looking to go meatless.

Abundance Treasures Yu Sheng 4/5

Si Chuan Dou Hua at PARKROYAL on Beach Road premieres its first-ever Abundance Treasures Yu Sheng featuring a combination of its Signature La Zi Ji (diced chicken with dried chilli), Abalone and Smoked Salmon. Surprisingly the combination works.

Double-boiled Chicken Broth 4/5

The hearty bowl of Double-boiled Chicken Broth with Sea Cucumber, Matsutake Mushroom and Dried Scallop is boiled over 4 hours, extracting the essence of the ingredients for a sweet and earthy finish.

King Garoupa with Fresh Sichuan Peppercorn 5/5

The crowd's favourite goes to the King Garoupa with Fresh Sichuan Peppercorn and Julienne-cut Chinese Lettuce on a Sea of Spring Onions. The fish fillet comes with a punchy heat and distinctive numbing spice fragranced by the Sichuan peppercorn. It was so good that I was silently screaming for more. It is an exclusive outlet dish at Si Chuan Dou Hua, PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

Braised Bird's Nest with Fresh Fish Maw in Crab Meat Sauce 4.2/5

Another beautiful dish on the menu is the Braised Bird's Nest with Fresh Fish Maw in Crab Meat Sauce. It is thick, rich and creamy with immense umami flavours.

Braised 8-headed Abalone with Hangzhou-style Pork Belly 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Braised 8-headed Abalone with Hangzhou-style Pork Belly accompanied with Seasonal Vegetables. The pork belly is so soft and tender, falling apart with ease while the abalone provides the contrasting springy texture.

Braised Lobster with Fish Paste Noodles in Superior Stock 4/5

Another outlet-exclusive dish is the Braised Lobster with Fish Paste Noodles in Superior Stock. The highlight is the springy fish paste noodles paired with juicy lobster.

Pan-fried Auspicious Nian Gao and Bunny-shaped Milk Pudding 3/5

Lastly, we had the Pan-fried Auspicious Nian Gao and Bunny-shaped Milk Pudding, ending the meal on a sweet note. Unfortunately, the dessert is not as good as the savoury items.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 65055724
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Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Follow the overhead walkway all the way to The Concourse building. Take the exit down to Nicoll Highway and walk towards Parkroyal Serviced Residences. Cut through towards The Plaza at Parkroyal Hotel. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Restaurant BORN @ Neil Road - Fine-Dining Restaurant of Contemporary Cuisine By Chef Zor Tan Based on the Circle of Life.

Restaurant BORN, located within the iconic Jinrikisha Station at the junction of Neil Road and Maxwell Road, is helmed by Chef Zor Tan. Cher Zor has bags of experience and awards under his belt working in well-awarded restaurants such as Restaurant Andre in Singapore, Restaurant Raw in Taiwan and Sichuan Moon in Macau.

Winter Melon with Purple Shiso Jus

The food at BORN celebrates the Circle of Life, drawing from Zor's journey, which distils into nine guiding principles that become the manifesto of his cooking. They are categorised into Birth, Roots, Memories, Craft, Relationship, Vicissitudes, Time, Progress, and Legacy.

Jellyfish pickled with Mountain Chilli

Pickled Japanese Daikon Skin

The dinner started with a selection of pickles and snacks for a multi-experience, multi-plate series embodying Chef Zor's philosophy. The frist series is a trio of pickles - Winter Melon with Purple Shiso Jus, Pickled Japanese Daikon Skin, and Jellyfish Pickled with Mountain Chilli.

Tomato, Smoked Plum, Basil

Abalone, Burnt Chilli Pesto, Garlic Crisps

Chicken Skin Mille Feuille, Eggplant, Caviar

Fish Bacon, Sweet & Sour Sauce, Homemade Chilli Oil

Taro Puff, Salted Egg Custard, Bottarga

The other snack items are Tomato, Abalone, Chicken Skin, Fish Bacon and Taro Puff. These are all Zor's childhood memories from the food he loves and his mum's cooking, giving them an elevated interpretation. While the items are exquisitely executed, there is a familiarity in the taste.

Japanese Yellowtail Tartare

We then moved into the meal proper with the first course, Japanese Yellowtail Tartare. The deliciously flavoured dish is inspired by Zor's early stint at a Japanese restaurant chain. The buri is cured in salt and Sichuan peppercorns, followed by preserving the fish in between layers of konbu, a time-honoured technique known as kobujime.

"Aged" Beef/ Oyster / Fried Bao

The next course is "Aged" Beef/ Oyster/ Fried Bao which attributes to Zor's time working at Restaurant DiverXo in Spain, where he witnessed the Spanish chef making "bao". The creative dish sees aged vintage Wagyu beef tartare marinated with Sichuan peppercorn and house-made Sichuan-style chilli oil enrobed in a light aerated batter. It uses the cooking method of oyster 'hao bing', flash-fried till golden brown, topped with bresaola and paired with Irish oyster emulsion..

Jerusalem Artichoke/ Lily Bulbs/ Caviar

Next is the Jerusalem Artichoke/ Lily Bulbs/ Caviar, a vegetable Zor was introduced to when working at Restaurant Andre, which became one of his favourite vegetables. The artichoke puree has a sweet and savoury profile, finished with caviar, fresh lily bulbs from China, extra virgin olive oil, and white chocolate shaved tableside. The Jerusalem artichoke skins did not go to waste. Instead, it is coated in maltose, dehydrated and served as a side.

Chicken Liver/ Smoked Oil/ Forest Mushroom

The Chicken Liver/ Smoked Oil/ Forest Mushroom is Zor's way of paying tribute to his mentor, Chef Andre Chiang. He presents his interpretation of the iconic Foie Gras Parfait at Andre, elevating the under-appreciated chicken liver into an indulgent flan. It is finished with forest mushrooms and blanched cubed celeriac.

Monkfish / Fermented Capsicum/ Chicken Fat

I enjoyed the Monkfish/ Fermented Capsicum/ Chicken Fat, which consists of seasonal white fish steamed, served with fermented imperial chilli, and crunchy jade fungus from Yunnan and finished in a velvety emulsified chicken fat accented with Sichuan peppercorn. The dish is inspired by the classic Sichuan 'Duo Jiao Yu Tou' on the Sichuan Moon restaurant menu during Zor's time in Macau.

Fish Maw/ Chinese cabbage/ Smoked Eel

The Fish Maw/ Chinese Cabbage/ Smoked Eel uses the classic French chou farci cooking technique, where fresh barramundi fish maw is filled with Chinese cabbage trimmings and smoked eel. The parcel is then wrapped in Chinese cabbage leaf and a layer of caul fat before pan-searing. Lastly, it is topped with julienned raw Chinese cabbage stem and fried local fish maw, finished in a light, refreshing broth made from smoked eel bones.

Alaskan King Crab/ Glutinous Rice/ Crab Bisque

The Alaskan King Crab/ Glutinous Rice/ Crab Bisque is a celebration of reunion featuring glutinous rice balls filled with crab miso. The green and red colouring come from beetroot and spinach juice. Alongside the glutinous rice ball is premium Alaskan king crabs brushed with fermented yellow soybean paste finished in rich crab roe sauce, crab bisque and butter.

Pigeon/ Grains/ Corn

The Pigeon dish comes with breast and leg dry-aged for 12 days, confit for 2 hours and bincho-grilled. On the side is risotto made by cooking barley in chicken stock, mixed with pearl corn. I find the sauce most interesting, a concoction of pigeon jus, fermented black beans and green Sichuan peppercorns.

Bird's Nest/ Osmanthus/ Chrysanthemum

Pre-dessert is the light and nourishing Double-boiled Bird's Nest served with osmanthus syrup, osmanthus sorbet, Japanese chrysanthemum jelly and petals. A refreshing idea for a palate cleanser.

Toasted Rice/ Chestnut/ Sable

Rice, the last dish of any Chinse feast, led to the creation of Toasted Rice/ Chestnut/ Sable as a dessert. The sweet ending comprises milk ice cream, toasted rice cream, puffed rice, caramel, black garlic, sable, French chestnut puree, and Chinese candied chestnuts.

Spicy Beef Fat Financier (Spicy)

Sea Buckthorn Jelly (Sour) and Buttergourd Bonbon (Bitter)

Ispahan Lotus (Sweet)

Completing our 9-course dinner experience is the Petite Fours. Each has a different sour, sweet, bitter and spicy (酸甜苦辣) profile, representing the key guiding principle of Vicissitudes, as Zor believes one does not taste sweetness without first knowing bitterness.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Restaurant BORN
1 Neil Road
Singapore 088804
Tel: +65 92708718
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Nearest MRT: Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun, Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 1, 2 or 3. Walk to junction of Neil Road, Maxwell Road and Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Crystal Jade Golden Palace @ The Paragon - Refreshed Menus Of Elegant Fine Chinese Cuisine

Crystal Jade Golden Palace at The Paragon and Crystal Jade Palace at Takashimaya Shopping Centre have welcomed refreshed menus to offer new dining experiences to both new diners and regulars. Crystal Jade Palace's menu is rooted in Cantonese cuisine, while Crystal Jade Golden Palace is known for its Teochew delicacies. We tasted a few new dishes from both restaurants and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Teochew Four Delights 3.8/5

Starting with the Teochew Four Delights ($58), it is a sample platter of Chilled Lobster Crystal Jelly inspired by the Teochew pig trotter jelly, Golden Palace Teochew Crispy Crab Roll, Chilled Mala Jellyfish and Chinese Yam in Aged Vinegar. My favourite here was the appetising Chinese Yam in Aged Vinegar. Note that we had the sample platter here, while the full-sized portion would feed more pax.

Superior Bird's Nest with Fresh Crab Roe in Jinhua Ham Soup 4.5/5

The intricately put together Superior Bird's Nest with Fresh Crab Roe in Jinhua Ham Soup ($88 per person) was a pleasant surprise! It's less common to find bird's nest done savoury and even less so to find one prepared in this unique 'dry-toss' style. Superior bird's nest fresh crab roe and jellyfish are simmered in a small amount of stock and served with a bowl of savoury Jinhua ham broth. To enjoy it, diners are encouraged to taste the delicate dry-toss bird's nest on its own and then take sips of the broth in between. The light seasoning on the bird's nest allowed the crab roe's sweetness to shine, complementing nicely with the savoury broth.

Pan-fried Red Grouper with Radish & Yellow Bean in Teochew Style 4/5

The Pan-fried Red Grouper (Seasonal Price) is stewed with leeks, radish and shiitake mushrooms in a fish stock. It's reminiscent of the classic fish head steamboat but with lighter notes due to the use of radish instead of yam. This was comforting with a mild natural milkiness.

Braised Whole Thick Fish Maw 4.8/5

One of the dishes that left us with the most lasting impression was this Braised Whole Thick Fish Maw ($78 per person). The thick and tender chunks of braised fish maw were fried in a generous portion of spring onions, which helped to bring out an intense fragrance and sweetness.

Sautéed Spare Ribs with Aged Black Vinegar & Lychee 4.2/5

The Sautéed Spare Ribs with Aged Black Vinegar & Lychee ($32) was another popular dish among my dining companions. I found it a little bony, but the meat was tender, and the well-caramelised exterior had a good balance of tangy-sweet and savoury. If you're a fan of ginger, you'll enjoy pairing this with the generous side of finely sliced crispy fried ginger.

Poached Cabbage in Porridge Water with Conpoy & Garlic 3.5/5

On the lighter end of flavours among the dishes we had, was the Poached Cabbage ($26). Here we had Tianjin cabbage poached in porridge water with conpoy and garlic. Some of us thought the cabbage didn't carry the soup's flavour, but some enjoyed that it allowed the subtle sweetness of the cabbage to shine.

Crystal Jade Palace’s Mee Pok 4/5

For our noodle dish, we had Crystal Jade Palace’s Mee Pok ($28). The noodles are tossed in fragrant pork lard and XO sauce, with bits of crispy pork lard, bean sprouts and slices of roast pork belly. The XO sauce carried a mild heat. A portion feeds about 3 to 4 pax.

Chilled Beancurd with Ginger Osmanthus Syrup 3.8/5

The Chilled Beancurd with Ginger Osmanthus Syrup ($8.80 per person) was a delightful end to our dinner, with smooth homemade beancurd paired with candied ginger strips. It's accompanied by a jar of osmanthus syrup if you want an additional floral sweetness, but most of my dining companions and I enjoyed it without the syrup. I would also recommend having the ginger strips in small amounts to avoid it being too overwhelming.

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.


Crystal Jade Golden Palace
The Paragon
290 Orchard Road
#05-22
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 67346866
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 930pm
Sat-Sun and PH: 1030am - 330pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit C or D. Proceed to the road level. Walk down Orchard Road until the junction of Orchard Road and Orchard Link. Cross the road and walk to Paragon. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Proceed to the road level. Turn left on Orchard Road and walk down Orchard Road until junction of Orchard Road and Orchard Link. Cross the Road and walk to Paragon. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Joyden Canton Kitchen @ Great World - Celebrates Brand New Opening With Summer Eel Fiesta

Partaking in the seasonal freshwater eels season, Joyden Canton Kitchen has launched a seasonal ‘Summer Eel Fiesta’ menu featuring live eels from now till 14 August. We visited its brand new outlet at Great World to taste of this well-loved summer food, alongside its popular Cantonese and locally-inspired signature dishes.

Harvested and flown in directly from Mainland China, the eels are cooked in four ways to bring the most out of their rich and unctuous meat.

Grilled Eel with Honey Glaze 4/5

We started with Grilled Eel with Honey Glaze ($39.80). First glazed with a homemade honey and maltose mixture and then grilled to a golden brown, the eel was delightful with a slightly crisped exterior with bits of caramelization. I do find the glaze a tad too sweet, though.

Braised Eel with BBQ Sauce in Claypot 4.5/5

Braised Eel with BBQ Sauce in Claypot ($36.80) is a crowd-pleaser with chunks of fatty eel, shiitake mushrooms, onions and bell peppers tossed in a smoky housemade BBQ sauce. The onions and bell peppers added a wonderful sweet crunch and an earthly flavour to the dish.

Wok-Tossed Eel with Chives Flower 4.5/5

In a similar vibe is the Wok-Tossed Eel with Chives Flower ($38.80). It is another mouthwatering dish to be savoured that is tossed with a special blend of fermented soybean paste.

Steamed Eel with Fragrant Soybean Crisps 4.5/5

Among the four renditions, the dish that stood out to me is this Steamed Eel with Fragrant Soybean Crisps ($40.80), featuring a steamed eel fillet in superior soy sauce topped with a layer of fragrant fried soybean crisps. I was pleasantly surprised by the subtlety of the fried soybean crisps. They provided just the right amount of umaminess to complement the eel while also playing up the texture of the dish. Half expecting it to be a little greasy, it was actually light and easy on the palate.

Chargrilled Mandarin Peel Pork Ribs 4/5

Fish Maw and Tiger Prawns with Glass Noodles in Homemade XO Sauce 3.5/5

Other wholesome dishes include Chargrilled Mandarin Peel Pork Ribs ($20) and Fish Maw and Tiger Prawns with Glass Noodles in Homemade XO Sauce ($22). The pork ribs shone with a distinct mandarin peel note in the glaze, giving the dish a citrusy lift. The latter was robust with proprietary XO sauce made with dried scallops, but it got slightly greasy with the fish maw.

‘Moonlight’ Rice Vermicelli with Egg White and Scallop 4/5

Joyden's Signature 'Moonlight' Rice Vermicelli with Egg White and Scallop will be the most ideal given its mild flavours for a more saucy preference to appreciate the eels. It marries the classic Chinese dish of 赛螃蟹 with sauteed egg whites and a local 'zichar' noodle dish. A bed of silk rice vermicelli with a touch of wok hei luxuriates in fluffy scrambled egg whites sweetened with crab meat and scallop.

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.


Joyden Canton Kitchen
Great World
1 Kim Seng Promenade
#01-141/142
Singapore 237994
Tel: +65 62192262
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Great World (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am -330pm, 530pm - 9pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 11am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Great World MRT station. Take Exit 2. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]