The Matriarchs Kitchen X Buttercup Mixes Private Dining @ Bartley Road - Private Dining With Cocktails/Mocktails Pairing

The booming private dining scene in Singapore came to a standstill when the COVID-19 pandemic hits Singapore. While the pandemic is not over yet, the government has relaxed the COVID measures, allowing some form of business to restart. With the relaxation, I have noticed some private dining places have started taking reservation in smaller session accordingly to the COVID measures put in place by the government.

We visited The Matriarchs Kitchen, which is new to the private dining scene. Jazmyn is an amazing cook who is well-versed in many cuisines, partly due to her rich family roots. Hence there is not really a fixed menu but different cuisine theme for each session. In fact, Jazmyn has done private dining eight years ago but took a 3 years break. Now she is back collaborating with Melissa from Buttercup Mixes, the resident mixologist pairing the meal with cocktails. Mocktails are available too.

We started with Kueh Pai Tee to kick start the dinner. The host has made some for us, and if you want more, you can make them yourself too, having some hands-on fun piecing the snack together.

Next is a refreshing Fruit Salad paired with homemade rojak sauce. I have not been an attentive listener during the meal as I was enjoying the food more than paying attention to the host explaining the ingredients that go into the rojak sauce. If I am not wrong, plum sauce is added to balance the saltiness of the prawn paste, complementing the sweetness of the fruit.

There are also some mid-wings for us to nibble before moving to dinner proper.

The dish that wows me most is an assuming soup dish which I have never come across before. This is the first time I have Mee Soto Soup paired with Begedil. Unlike the begedil we get outside, which only consists of potato, the version here is a mixture of potato and mutton.

Next, we have the Beef Rendang and Sambal Chilli Eggplant that are cooked with rempah and sambal homemade by Jazmyn. The host indeed makes an impression with the aromatic rempah and sambal.

Our main is the Udon Laksa that comes with prawn, squid and quail egg. The laksa broth is thick and creamy, pack with flavours. It is quite interesting in the choice of noodle, using the Japanese udon instead of the usual thick beehoon noodle. The similarity is like having a bowl of Japanese curry udon with a local twist. We felt the laksa can be spicier too.

Wrapping up our dinner, our dessert is Yam Paste. Jazmyn's version is healthier without the use of lard or shallot oil. It is lighter in taste and smoother in texture. We thought the addition of a contrasting texture will make the dessert more enjoyable.


The Matriarchs Kitchen X Buttercup Mixes
Bartley Road
Instagram
Reservation

Crystal Jade Kitchen @ Holland Village - Re-opens With New Menu By Group Executive Chef Martin Foo

After a two-month long renovation, Crystal Jade Kitchen at Holland Village unveils a new contemporary look, together with a revamped menu crafted by newly minted Group Executive Chef Martin Foo. Alongside old times favourites, look out for creations that are modish but classic at the same time.

Deep-fried Chicken & Dried Shrimp Carrot Dumpling 3/5

Deep-fried Chicken & Dried Shrimp Carrot Dumpling ($5.30/3pcs) is a modern take of the traditional deep-fried yam puff with minced meat. Though its filling was slightly too heavily seasoned, I like its mochi-like skin which was crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. Similar mochi-like exterior can be found in their Deep-fried Sesame Ball with Lava Salted Egg Yolk ($6.80/3pcs), enveloping a molten salted egg yolk filling. Savoury and sweet, this works well as an appetizer or a dessert.

Steamed Siew Mai with Truffle 3.5/5

Steamed Siew Mai with Truffle ($7.50/4pcs) is not a new combination but this is one of the more convincing versions that I have come across with the use of shiitake mushrooms along with truffle pate and truffle oil.

Soya Sauce Chicken with Osmanthus 3.8/5

One of the new dishes that garners much attention was this Soya Sauce Chicken with Osmanthus ($14.80/regular, $20.80/half, $35/whole). Steeped in a special marinade and basted with osmanthus-infused syrup, the occasional whiffs of osmanthus aroma effusing from the chicken seemed to have the ability to lift its flavour, though it remained pretty elusive in terms of its actual taste.

Steamed Homemade Tofu 4/5

I was quite excited by the sight of the wobblying Steamed Homemade Tofu topped with assorted seafood ($18.80). The tofu is homemade with organic soy milk and eggs. I appreciate Chef's attention to details, such as serving it in a traditional tofu press and mould, with a piece of tofu skin underneath to prevent the sauce from seeping through. The assorted seafood topping were stir-fried beforehand, imparting a layer of wok hei onto the tofu, which may otherwise be quite one dimensional in flavor.

Premium seafood congee with Japanese seaweed 3/5

Crystal Jade has always been known for their velvety congee and the Premium Seafood Congee with Japanese Seaweed ($13.80) is the latest addition to its current range. Interesting choice of using Japanese kelp alongside with scallop, crab and prawn but nothing really quite stood out.

Fried Brown Rice with Black Bean Dace Fish & Egg White 4/5

What stood out for me is the Fried Brown Rice with Black Bean Dace Fish & Egg White ($15.80). The unpolished red rice were grainy and neatly separated, flavoured with traditional black bean dace fish. It was a good idea to leave out the egg yolk which might mess up its flavor, while using only the fluffy egg white to balance up the texture of the drier ingredients.

Sauteed French Bean with Tai O Shrimp Paste and Minced Pork 4/5

What looked simple but big on delivery is the Sauteed French Bean with Tai O Shrimp Paste and Minced Pork ($13.80). The Tai O shrimp paste glazed over the charred French beans, drawing out their sweetness effortlessly.

Sauteed Live Prawn with Vermicelli 3/5

In the same vein we had Sauteed Live Prawn with Vermicelli, white peppercorn, ginger and scallion in Claypot ($24.80). I'm not sure if this is a good way to treat live prawns as the combination of the sauce and the rather sharp ingredients seemed to have dominated the dish. But I like the vermicelli, which got quite addictive, like burnt claypot rice.

Purple Sweet Potato & Taro 3.5/5

For dessert, we tried a healthier version of Orh Nee - Purple Sweet Potato & Taro with coconut milk, gum tragacanth & sago ($5.80). It had that nice yam fragrance and the sweetness of sweet potato, enhanced by coconut milk. Although it was not fully made of yam paste, the sago plumped with coconut milk was just as satisfying. The gum tragacanth also gave an interesting bite to this dessert. The above are only a portion of their new dishes, so do visit the outlet to find out more about their new menu.

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.


Crystal Jade Kitchen
Holland Village
2 Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277671
Tel: +65 64690300
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 830am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Lorong Liput. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Chui Huay Lim Teochew Restaurant @ Chui Huay Lim Club - Celebrates 7th Anniversary with Seven Exclusive Chef Recommendations

If not for the recent visit to Chui Huay Lim Teochew Restaurant, I do not even know the existence of the historical 170-year-old Chui Huay Lim Club at Keng Lee Road. If the club or road name sound foreign to you, they are to be too. I have to google map the location and realised it is near Newton Circle.

Before starting our dinner, we have a little introduction to the art of drinking tea. We started with washing the tea leaves and utensils, pouring the tea, holding the tea cup and appreciating the tea.

Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine Classic Platter 4/5

Our dinner started with the Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine Classic Platter ($58 for 6 pax / $98 for 10pax). The platter consists of Teochew Braised Duck, Deep Fried Ngoh Hiang, Deep Fried Traditional Liver Rolls and Teochew Pig Trotter Terrine.

Two items on the platter stood out for me. The deep fried liver rolls which is made with minced pig and chicken liver, yam and water chestnut wrapped in beancurd skin. It is crispy on the outside and substantial inside. Best to have together with the sweet sauce. The other is the pig trotter terrine which is hardly served on the dining table nowadays due to the meticulous preparation extracting the gelatin from the pig skin and freezing it.

Wok Fried Kway Teow with Diced Kai Lan and Preserved Radish 4/5

A dish that is packed with wok hei is the Wok Fried Kway Teow with Diced Kai Lan and Preserved Radish ($18/$27/$36). The addition of the diced kai lan and preserved radish provided the extra crunch to the finishing.

Suckling Pig 4.2/5

We are kind of surprise when the whole Suckling Pig weighting around 3.5kg to 4kg was brought into our dining room as it was originally not on our menu. The specific weight of the piglet was chosen for its thinner skin, to get that desired crispiness. No short cut is taken here, like pre-bathing the piglet to speedup the cooking. The whole piglet is roasted from raw.

Teochew Oyster Omelette Gooey Style 4.5/5

A specialty at Chui Huay Lim Teochew Restaurant has to be their Teochew Oyster Omelette Gooey Style ($22). The restaurant even has a delegated chef to just cook the dish. It will be freshly cook upon order which takes about 20 minutes of waiting time. What so good about the orh luak here is the consistency, where each mouthful gets you the gooey and crispy texture. This is best paired with the slightly sourish chilli sauce.

In celebration of its 7th anniversary. the restaurant has created a limited edition menu that features 7 a la carte dishes between 3 September to 30 November 2018. These delicacies include time-honoured dishes as well as unique takes on popular favourites. Among the 7 dishes specially created for the 7th anniversary, we tried the Homemade Fish Balls and Fish Cake Braised with Tianjin Cabbage in Superior Broth ($22/$33/$44) and Crispy Fried Pork Belly and Water Chestnut Rolls Tossed in Sweet & Sour Sauce ($18/$27/$36).

Homemade Fish Balls and Fish Cake Braised with Tianjin Cabbage in Superior Broth 4.2/5

Simmer for hours in chicken and pork bones is the Homemade Fish Balls and Fish Cake Braised with Tianjin Cabbage in Superior Broth. The bouncy fish balls and fish cake are made from yellow eel, which is prized for their sweet flesh. The tianjin cabbage was also cooked to a delectable softness that emits a comforting sweetness to the superior broth. What lights up my taste buds is actually the hint of sourness amidst the sweetness from the salted vegetable.

Crispy Fried Pork Belly and Water Chestnut Rolls Tossed in Sweet & Sour Sauce 4/5

The Crispy Fried Pork Belly and Water Chestnut Rolls Tossed in Sweet & Sour Sauce is a heritage dish that has marinated pork belly and crunchy water chestnut wrapped with pig's caul fat. A traditional way of preparing it. It is steamed, deep fried and then glazed in a sweet and sour sauce. It is similar to sweet and sour pork but the roll itself is more meaty, almost like a ngoh hiang. You tiao is also added for that extra layer of texture.

Teochew Tau Suan 4.5/5, Yam Paste with Pumpkin 4.5/5

I would definitely recommend you to save some space for dessert. The Teochew Tau Suan with Gingko Nuts ($5.20) here are really special. The restaurant added orange peel in the dessert, which elevates the traditional dessert for a unique enjoyment. As for the Yam Paste with Pumpkin and Gingko Nuts ($5.20) the distinct fragrant from the pork lard brought a smile to my face. I have eaten too many yam pastes that do not use pork lard anymore which I thought it lacked that final punch to win my palate over.


Chui Huay Lim Teochew Restaurant
Chui Huay Lim Club
190 Keng Lee Road
#01-02
Singapore 308409
Tel: +65 67323637
Website
Nearest MRT: Newton (DT Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
Fri-Sun, PH: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Newton MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Newton MRT station (Stop ID 40181). Take bus number 5, 54, 143, 162 or 167. Alight at next stop. Cross the road. Take the path between Newton 18 and Newton Life Church to Keng Lee Road. Turn left on Keng Lee Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Newton MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Newton Circle and make your way to Keng Lee Road. Walk to destination. Journey time around 15 minutes. [Map]

Exquisite 2018 Lunar New Year Celebrations At The St. Regis Singapore

With less than a week to Chinese New Year, many restaurants have already rolled out their Chinese New Year menus for families and business associates. Same goes to Yan Ting at The St. Regis Singapore which has specially crafted eight decadent dine-in set menus, as well as exclusive a la carte menu of time-honoured classics.

Prosperity Yu Sheng with Norwegian Salmon 4.2/5

In all Chinese New Year celebration, one can't do away with the Lo Hei. Diners can have the Prosperity Yu Sheng with Norwegian Salmon ($78/$118), tossing to a year of prosperity and abundance. Besides the salmon, there are jellyfish, marinated papaya, pomelo, honeydew, snow pear, fried egg noodles and crispy salmon skin. I applauded the addition of fried egg noodles for that extra textures.

Double-boiled Bamboo Fungus Consomme with Cabbage and Mushroom 4/5

A clear and comforting bowl of soup is the Double-boiled Bamboo Fungus Consomme with Cabbage and Mushroom. With all the rich flavoured dishes on the Chinese New Year menu, the soup is perfect in washing down on these richness.

Signature Yan Ting Pun Choy 4.5/5

A luxurious feast on the Chinese New Year is the Signature Yan Ting Pun Choy. The Pun Choy ($488) is good for 6 pax and it is available for takeaway. The Pun Choy takeaway includes a medium Prosperity Yu Sheng with Norwegian Salmon, Fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Meat and Osmanthus Water Chestnut Cake. In the treasure pot, one can find delicacies such as abalone, sea cucumber, oyster, roasted duck, fish maw, mushroom and more.

Steamed Tiger Grouper with Chinese Olive 4.5/5

Perfectly cooked is the Steamed Tiger Grouper with Chinese Olive. I have tried steamed fish with black garlic but I find the pairing with Chinese olive is a better choice. The tartness of the Chinese olive with a slightly sweet after punch complement the freshness of the grouper excellently.

Flat Egg Noodles with Prawns in XO Sauce 4.5/5

I heard someone at my table commented that the Flat Egg Noodles with Prawns in XO Sauce is the best mee pok noodle he ever had. I could not agree more. The springy texture of the flat egg noodles, coated in the XO sauce with a hint of spiciness, simply brings the hold dish together.

Yam Puree and Crispy Glutinous Rice Cake 4/5

Wrapping up the dinner, we have the Yam Puree with Gingko Nut served in pumpkin. The pumpkin itself is actually baked together with yam puee, so you can actually scrape the flesh off the pumpkin and have it together with the yam puree. The other dessert on the plate is the Crispy Glutinous Rice Cake with Purple Sweet Potato. The chewiness of the rice cake coupled with the sweetness of the purple sweet potato and crispiness of the thin batter for a multi-sensational enjoyment.

Diners can look forward to a luxurious reunion dining experience at Yan Ting from its gourmet set menus from 1 February 2018 to 2 March 2018. For more intimate gatherings, diners can select from four 6-course set menus priced from $128++ per person. Groups of ten guests and above may select from a choice of set menus beginning at $1288++ per table.

Noted: This is an invited tasting.


Yan Ting
St Regis Singapore Hotel
Level 1U
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247911
Tel: +65 65066887
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) 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. St Regis is just beside Tanglin Shopping Centre. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Liang Kee Teochew Restaurant (亮记潮州餐馆) @ Whampoa West

This year to celebrate mum's birthday, we decided to go to Liang Kee Teochew Restaurant (亮记潮州餐馆) at Whampoa West. I finally have the opportunity to drag my lazy feet to check out one of the traditional Teochew Chinese restaurants in Singapore.

Braised Duck Platter 4.2/5

A must order in every Teochew restaurant is the braised duck. I had the Braised Duck Platter that comes with cleanly sliced braised duck, braised tofu and duck wings. The texture of the braised duck was perfectly tender and soft. However I find the sauce on the salty side and the herbal taste was quite mild.

Oyster Omelette 4/5

When the Oyster Omelette was served, my heart sunk. I felt kind of cheated. It was not what I imaged. The version I had at Ah Orh Seafood restaurant is topped with huge oysters but here there was no oysters in sight. Wait a minute,  the oysters are actually hidden underneath the bed of egg omelette. I wonder why the restaurant served in this way compare to the other restaurants. Is there a purpose of doing so?

Fish Maw Soup 3.5/5

The Fish Maw Soup was comforting and homely. Add a dash of vinegar and pepper to further accentuated the taste with pieces of the crunchy fish maws swimming in the soup.

Sambal Crayfish 3/5

I wanted to try their cold crabs but unfortunately it was not available. Hence we chose to try the Sambal Crayfish instead. First of all, I don't enjoy how the crayfish was chopped into small pieces. Second I doubt it is the best way to appreciate the fresh sweetness of the crayfish.

Prawn Roll 4.5/5

The Prawn Roll is one of the better ones I have eaten for a long while. Unlike most places, the prawn roll has more ratio of minced prawn to minced pork. And it is huge!

Cereal Prawn 4/5

Deep fried to a nice crisp is the Cereal Prawn. It is quite good that it can be eaten together with the shell.

Steamed Promfret 4.5/5

The Teochew style Steamed Promfret was cooked to perfection.The flesh was moist and sweet. It came with hints of sourness fand spiciness from salted vegetables, the chilli and ginger giving it a lift in taste and flavour.

Orh Nee 4.8/5

A must order before leaving Liang Kee is the Orh Nee or Yam Paste. Comes with pumpkin and gingko nuts, this is a delicious bowl of dessert. I like the fact that the yam paste still has a coarse texture which comes with a distinct yam flavour.

There are 3 Liang Kee restaurants in Singapore namely Liang Kee Teochew Restaurant, G7 Liang Kee and Mu Liang Zai Liang Kee. So which is the original? Well the original one is Liang Kee Teochew Restaurant now located at Whampoa West, run by former Ng Bak Liang's 3rd son, Ng Siang Lin. Closely related is Mu Liang Zai Liang Kee opened by the 5th son. Mr Ng Bak Liang started the original restaurant at New Market (Xin Par Sat) in 1974. When Liang Kee relocated from New Market to Havelock Road, the partnership with a Taiwanese partner eventually turned sour and the brothers moved to Roberston Quay. The taiwanese took over the restaurant and renamed it G7 Liang Kee. The original Liang eventually moved into the Whampoa West when the rental got too high.


[MOVED]
Liang Kee Teochew Restaurant (亮记潮州餐馆)
Blk 34 Whampoa West
#01-27
Singapore 330034
Tel: +65 62977789
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Liang-Kee-Teochew-Restaurant/191557523036
Nearest MRT: Boon Keng (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Boon Keng MRT station. Take Exit B. Blk to block 34. Walk to the end of the block. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]