Ya Ge (雅阁) @ Orchid Hotel - New Modern Chinese Restaurant Serving Fine Traditional Chinese Cuisine With A Modern Taste

Newly opened at Orchid Hotel is Ya Ge (雅阁), led by Executive Chef Tse Chi Leung, who has 25 years of professional culinary experience. He has worked in kitchens of top hotels and restaurants across Hong Kong, Singapore and Jakarta, including Imperial Treasure at Marina Bay Sands and Yan Restaurant at Park Hotel Group.

The restaurant recently launched a new eight-course 'Taste of Ya Ge' menu ($268++, U.P $360++) that features a selection of the restaurant's signature dishes. The menu is suitable for four to five persons, available from 11 July to 30 September 2022.

Chilled Hua Diao Chicken Roll 4/5

We had the Chilled Hua Diao Chicken Roll kickstarting our eight-course meal. Unlike many places that chopped the chicken into pieces, the culinary team painstakingly rolled the chicken into a roulade. Fifteen years old Hua Diao has been used to give the succulent chicken an aromatic finish.

Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste 4.2/5

The eight-course menu includes two dim sum items in the Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste and Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme. The Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste is crispy on the exterior and soft on the inside, fragrant by fried eggs and dried shrimp paste.

Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme 4.5/5

The Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme has a delightfully chewy texture stuffed with savoury filling consisting of minced chicken and mushroom. Adding thyme to the filling gives it a touch of minty earthiness, lifting the taste profile.

Fish Maw with Crab Meat in Superior broth 4.2/5

Unlike most Chinese soup that uses pork or chicken as a stock base, the Fish Maw with Crab Meat Soup uses duck and chicken instead. It is a delicious change from the usual, bringing out the sweetness of the chunky crab meat.

Deep-fried Marble Goby with Supreme Soya Sauce 4/5

For the fish dish, diners have a choice of having it deep-fried or steamed. We went for the Deep-fried Marble Goby with Supreme Soya Sauce. Of course, the star has to be the supreme soya sauce, complementing the crispy and moist fish.

Sauteed Diced Beef with Black Garlic 4.5/5

At first glance, the Sauteed Diced Beef seemed to be cooked in black pepper sauce, but it is cooked with black garlic, giving it a coat of sweetness on top of its tender texture.

Roasted Floral Tea Infused Chicken 4.5/5

One of my favourite dishes is the Roasted Floral Tea Infused Chicken. The tender chicken with its crispy skin is perfumed with the floral tea aroma, fire-roasted to perfection and garnished with fried tea leaves for a satisfying crunch.

XO Egg White Seafood Fried Rice 4/5

We had the XO Egg White Seafood Fried Rice for the carbo dish packed with 'wok-hei' smokiness. I enjoyed the firm texture for its delightful bite.

On top of the new eight-course menu, business professionals looking for a lighter meal may appreciate Ye Ge's ongoing lunch and dinner sets priced from $48.80++ per pax for two or more persons daily.

Note: This is an invited tasting


Ya Ge (雅阁)
Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Link
Level 3
Singapore 078867
Tel: +65 68186831
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight towards Orchid Hotel. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Jia Bin Klang Bak Kut Teh (嘉宾 巴生肉骨茶) @ Rangoon Road - Family Restaurant From Seremban, Malaysia Opens Outlet In Singapore

Are you a fan of white or black bak kut teh? More accurately peppery or herbal style bak kut teh? If you are the latter, then you probably should check out Jia Bin Klang Bak Kut Teh (嘉宾 巴生肉骨茶) at Rangoon Road. It originated from Seremban, Malaysia and now the family has brought the klang style bak kut teh to Singapore.

Jia Bin Bak Kut Teh 4/5

The signature here has to be the Jia Bin Bak Kut Teh ($8.80 small / $17.50 Large). The pot of dark coloured herbal soup comes with items such as pork belly, tau pok, pig stomach and pig intestine. The soup itself has a mild herbal taste while not too overpowering. I dislike those that has the strong "干甜 (Gan Tian)" taste, hence I find this has the right balance which will be more acceptable to most diners in Singapore/

You Tiao 4.2/5

Salted Vegetable 3/5

To complete the enjoyment of the bak kut teh, one can also order some sides like the You Tiao ($2.50) and Salted Vegetable ($3.50) to go along. I definitely recommend the you tiao to soak up the delicious soup.

Jia Bin Dry Bak Kut Teh 4/5

Besides the soup version, it also offers a dry version on the menu. The Jia Bin Dry Bak Kut Teh ($8.80) comes in a sweet reduced dark sauce. It is pretty good but we could help comparing it with Soon Huat's dry verson which is more flavourful because of the addition of chilli and dry cuttlefish.

Jia Bin Hua Diao Wine Chicken 4.2/5

Stepping into the restaurant, I could already smell the fragrant Hua Diao Wine in the air. It actually comes from the Jia Bin Hua Diao Wine Chicken ($8.80). It definitely allured us to order one to try. All of us enjoyed the tender chicken cooked in the sweet dark sauce, perfumed by the aromatic Chinese wine.

Jia Bin Spicy Pork Belly 3.5/5

After all the sweetness, maybe you want to try the Jia Bin Spicy Pork Belly ($8.80) to spice up the meal a little. It uses pork belly slices cooked in a spicy sweet sauce instead. I thought the cut was a bit thin which did not feel quite satisfying and substantial compared to the chunky pork belly cuts used in the bak kut teh.

Choy Sim With Oyster Sauce 3.5/5

With all the meats, the Choy Sim With Oyster Sauce ($5) is a good choice to complement the meal for a balanced diet.

Pig's Hock 4.2/5

Not to be missed is the Pig's Hock ($10). I simply could not resist the seduction of the wobbly gelatin skin and tender meat in braising sauce. It definitely hits the soft spot of me for the dish, done right. This is one dish I will go back for.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jia Bin Klang Bak Kut Teh (嘉宾 巴生肉骨茶)
62 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218352
Tel: +65 69007708
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Website
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Fri: 10am - 3pm, 5pm - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time 3 minutes. [Map]