The Chinese Kitchen (厨神私房菜) @ Cavan Road (Lavender) - Comfort Traditional Chinese Dishes With A Touch Of Fineness

Newly opened in Lavender is The Chinese Kitchen (厨神私房菜), opened by local renowned Chef Austen Ong, the former president of society of Chinese cuisine Chef (Singapore). He is also dubbed the 厨神 (God of the Kitchen) by the culinary industry, probably from his numerous achievement such as winning the Gold medalist of Asian Cuisine in the 8th FHA International Salon Culinaire, Most Creative award in the 4th World Championship of Chinese Cuisine and Champion of Taipei's World Culinary Contest in both 2005 and 2007.

Organic Okra with Pickle Chilli 4.5/5

We started with some light bites for our dinner. First, we tried the Organic Okra with Pickle Chilli ($6). The okra or ladyfinger has a nice crunchy texture without that slimy texture. The star of the dish is actually the pickle chilli, it complemented the okra excellently. The pickle chilli is so good that I could not resist pairing it with other ingredients.

Pork Trotter Jelly, Passion Fruit Infused Cucumber 4/5

Given a touch of exquisite to a traditional dish is the Pork Trotter Jelly with Passion Fruit Infused Cucumber ($8). A Teochew delicacy which is not commonly available on the restaurant's menu due to the painstaking process of making it. The pork trotter jelly encased in a soft gelatine cubes with savoury pork shreds is accompanied with crisp chilled cucumber slice.

"Ma La" Baby Squids and Eryngii Mushroom 3.8/5

From the description of the dish, I thought the "Ma La" Baby Squids and Eryngii Mushroom ($9) would be very spicy but it turned out rather sweet. Putting that aside, the deep fried baby squid is very crispy and the eryngii mushroom provides the additional crunch for a multi-textural enjoyment.

Signature Old Fifty Collagen Broth, Ocean Catch 4.5/5

I was wondering why the next dish is named Signature Old Fifty Collagen Broth with Ocean Catch ($38 for 2-3pax/ $55 for 4-6pax)? It was explained that the broth is using the cooking style of the 50s, in which the pot of soup is simmered over charcoal for 10 hours. The collagen rich broth is a result of cooking the soup base with chicken, duck, pork and fish skin. Diners can choice from 3 different types of fishes - Ocean Catch, Wild Caught and Snapper. Not only that, you can have the soup in its original flavour, miso or spicy. This is definitely one of the best order dish here.

Charcoal Grilled Orange Sea Perch, Sea Salt & Spices 4.2/5

Not commonly used in modern Chinese cuisine is charcoal grilling. One of such dishes on the menu is the Charcoal Grilled Orange Sea Perch with Sea Salt & Spices ($58). I like how the grilling manages to locked in the moisture and succulent meat. The fish meat is best pair with the unique blend of sauces that brings out its freshness.

Braised La La "Ying Yang" Noodle 3.5/5

The Braised La La "Ying Yang" Noodle ($14) is another interesting item on the menu whereby Chef Austen uses two different type of noodles - beehoon and dangmyeon, giving the dish a contrasting textures, soaking up the sweet broth from the seafood. However, the kitchen was a bit heavy with the salt during my visit.

Charcoal Grilled Banana, Sea Salt, Caramel, Ice Cream 4/5

For dessert, is another item from the charcoal grill, Charcoal Grilled Banana, Sea Salt, Caramel, Ice Cream ($4.50). The different components on the plate seems rather isolated but when you have them together, a pleasant harmony sings in the mouth.

After trying the food by Chef Austen, my takeaway is that he has given a touch of fineness to dishes tat is close to our heart, without losing its roots of traditional Chinese cuisine. More importantly, the pricing is very reasonable.

Note: This is an invited tasting. 


The Chinese Kitchen (厨神私房菜)
20 Cavan Road
Singapore 209861
Tel: +65 66126024
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Wed)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Horne Road. Turn left and walk down Horne Road. Turn right onto Cavan Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant @ Jalan Bukit Merah - Lunar New Year Reunion Lunch

It has become a tradition for my wife's family to have our reunion dinner at Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant at Jalan Bukit Merah every Lunar New Year. Every year we will end up ordering a table full of food. Unlike previous years, we actually tried a few new items on the menu this year.

Cold Prawn 4.5/5

One of the new items we tried this year is the Cold Prawn. Without any fancy cooking method, this is just straight forward appreciation of the natural sweetness of the shell fish.

Pig Trotter Jelly or Pig Trotter Aspic 4/5

A must order for us in every visit is the Pig Trotter Jelly (Pork Trotter Aspic) which is painstakingly prepared. I have tried a few of these from other Teochew restaurant but I still have the one from Ah Orh better in terms of seasoning, flavours and texture. Not to forget having it togethr with the vinegar-chilli sauce.

Cold Crab 4.5/5

The other Teochew delicacy is the Cold Crab which is packed with the creamy unami crab roes on top of the sweet flesh.

Braised Duck 4.5/5

Another favourite item on the menu is non other than the Braised Duck which is fat and tender, absorbing the flavoursome broth perfectly. I like the fact that it is also thickly sliced for a satisfactory enjoyment with each bite.

Steamed Fish Tail 4.5/5

We actually wanted to order the steamed pomfret but the lady boss informed us that the supply today is not too good, hence we switched to the Steamed Fish Tail instead. The Teochew style of steaming with salted vegetable seems to work with any fish as long as it is fresh. The kitchen has got the timing of steaming the huge fish tail spot on. It was moist and not over cooked.

Prawn with Vegetable 4/5

The other new item we tried is the Prawn with Vegetable. The huge and crunchy prawns are sitting on a bed of delectable greens which has a a crunchy texture.

Prawn Roll 4.2/5

Another regular item which we always order on the menu is the Prawn Roll. Stuffed with minced pork and prawn, chestnut is added for extra crunch. This is wrapped in beancurd skin and deep fried to a delightful crispiness. Pair it with the sweet sauce for a sweet ending.

We met Ah Orh himself at the restaurant and he was very nice to share is lunch with us. He came over to our table and gave us two Rabbit Fish (Pek Tor Fish) to eat.


Arh Orh Seafood Restaurant (亚乌海鲜楼)
Blk 115 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-1627
Singapore 160115
Tel: +65 62757575
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Jalan Membina to the end of the road. Turn left at Jalan Bukit Merah. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

G7 Teochew Restaurant @ Jalan Mas Puteh (West Coast)

A new Teochew restaurant has recently opened up near my place and I have been wanting to check it out. The opportunity came when we had a gathering for the foodies staying in the West. Hence I recommended to have our dinner at G7 Teochew Restaurant located at Jalan Mas Puteh, along West Coast Road. The restaurant is owned by the G7 Restaurant Group across the island.

Teochew Frozen Pig Trotter 2.8/5

Pork Trotter Aspic is a traditional Teochew dish rarely find at restaurant nowadays because of the labour intensive required to prepare the dish. Long hours is needed to remove the fats and bones from the pig trotter, marination, stewing for more than 10 hours to extract the gelatin from both the trotter and pig skins and then freezing it to form into jelly. Unfortunately I find the marination of the Teochew Frozen Pig Trotter ($14 small) is on the salty side. Actually I already can tell from the dark coloured appearance.

Teochew Braised Duck and Beancurd 4/5

Teochew is known for their braised duck so it is inevitable that we have to order the dish to try. The Teochew Braised Duck and Beancurd ($30) is braised in a light braising sauce with a a slight hint of herbal taste. The sliced duck meat is also cooked to a nice tender accompanied with a thin layer of fat under the skin.

Teochew Fish Maw Clear Soup 3/5

I was actually not quite expecting the version of Teochew Fish Maw Clear Soup ($42 large) from G7 Teochew restaurant. Besides the fish maw, the bowl of soup comes with other ingredients such as fish balls, fish dumplings, minced pork, tofu and fish slices. I don't find any special about the soup except throwing all the different ingredients into it. In fact it felt more like having seafood tofu soup.

Fried Oyster Omelette 4.2/5

It may look like an ordinary fried omelette when it is served to the table. The star is actually hidden underneath the Fried Oyster Omelette ($14). The plump and juicy oyster complemented by a special sauce accentuated the whole enjoyment of this simple but yet delicious dish.

Steamed Pomfret 4/5

Teochew is known for their steamed fish and my favourite is the Teochew Style Steamed Promfret ($64). It is about $8 per 100 gram. The promfret is steamed to a nice moist texture. Together with the salted vegetable and sour plum, it brought out the flavour of the dish even more.

Nai Bai in Supreme Broth 4.2/5

For greens, we had the Nai Bai in Supreme Broth ($24 large) which has a nice crunch, layered with an aromatic and hint of sweetness from the garlic and supreme broth.

Chye Por Dry Hor Fun 4.5/5

While I was browsing through the menu, I noticed Chye Por Dry Hor Fun ($12 medium) and I know I must order it. I am glad that I did as the group enjoyed the rice noodle dish that is well packed with the wok hei aroma. The crunchy bites of char por tossed with the rice noodles, provided the additional boost in flavour.

Scallop with Yam 2.8/5

I though the Scallop with Yam ($50 large) would be an interesting dish to try but it turned out quite disappointing. The scallop has probably shrunk and lost its juiciness after deep frying. It is kind of one dimensional with the scallop lost in the yam basket.

Pumpkin Yam Paste 4.2/5

Last but at least, a must have to end the dinner is the Pumpkin Yam Paste ($18 large). The warm dessert with its thick and creamy texture, together with the sweet pumpkin paste provided the fitting ending to the whole dinner.

Overall we have a satisfied meal at G7 Teochew Restaurant. I would go back again to try the other dishes on their menu, especially the cold crab which was sold out during our visit. I would recommend ordering the braised duck, steam pomfret, chye por hor fun and yam paste which were the dishes I enjoyed during my visit.


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G7 Teochew Restaurant
9 Jalan Mas Puteh
Singapore 128615
Tel: +65 68732089
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 230pm, 5pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus number 78. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clementi Bus Interchange. (Stop ID 17009). Take bus number 285. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant (亚乌海鲜楼) @ Jalan Bukit Merah

One of my favourite Teochew restaurant is Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant is located at the void deck of the HDB block at 115 Jalan Bukit Merah. Do note that the restaurant basically has no menu. You just look at the pictures around the restaurant or ask for for recommendation.

Pig Trotter Jelly or Pork Trotter Aspic 3.5/5

Dinner started with the Pig Trotter Jelly (Pork Trotter Aspic) which is a traditional dish rarely find at restaurant nowadays because it is labour intensive. Long hours is needed to remove the fats and bones from the pig trotter, marination, stewing for more than 10 hours to extract the gelatin from both the trotter and pig skins and then freezing it to form into jelly. For those that have not tried the dish, it is like eating jelly with cold meat inside.

Stir Fried Kailan with Ti Poh 4.2/5

The Stir Fried Kailan with Ti Poh was cooked to perfection. The greens was crunchy and perfumed by the fragrant Ti Poh (dried sole fish).

Oyster Egg 4.2/5

I have eaten here a couple of times and whenever the Oyster Egg is served, I always screamed out inside me at the huge oysters. They are so generous and the oysters were fresh and plump.

Fish Maw Soup 4/5

You probably can't find another place serving the version of Fish Maw Soup at Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant. Usually what we have elsewhere is the starchy version that is quite similar to our shark fins soup. Here the fish maw are sliced into round circular pieces giving you a good bite while enjoying their unique broth which has a grainy texture. If I am not wrong, they added sesames into the broth giving it a nice aromatic finishing. As I mentioned it is unique hence I do have friends that do not enjoy this style of cooking.

Steamed Promfret 4.2/5

The must order whenever I come here is the Steamed Promfret. The huge promfret is quite expensive but I know I am paying for the freshness and quality. I have to say every time I ordered the steamed promfret, the timing they steamed the fish has always been perfect.

Besides the above dishes I tried, Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant is also known for their cold crabs and Orh Nee (yam paste) which are both very classic Teochew dish. However I have to warn that the price here is not cheap, don't be shock by the bill at the end of the day. I also heard that they have opened a second outlet at Sin Ming road. Anyone has tried that? How is the food there?


Arh Orh Seafood Restaurant (亚乌海鲜楼)
Blk 115 Jalan Bukit Merah
#01-1627
Singapore 160115
Tel: +65 62757575
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ah-Orh-Seafood-Restaurant/155003017888675
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Jalan Membina to the end of the road. Turn left at Jalan Bukit Merah. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge (谢顺德潮洲粥) @ Changi Road

For Teochew porridge lover, Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge has moved from the West in Toh Guan to the East at Changi Road near Eunos.

Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge only opened recently at the new location along Changi Road since 1 March 2012. Their grand opening will be on 4 April 2012. For their opening promotion, they are giving $5 cash on the spot for every 3 stamps collected. Receive 1 stamp for every purchase of $20 & above.

Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge has been featured in several media and they are known for their Pig Trotter Aspic and Shark Meat Aspic. I have not known of Teochew porridge eatery selling these and I thought they are only available at restaurants.

Pig Trotter Aspic 4/5

I have only tried Pig Trotter Aspic or commonly known as Pig Trotter Jelly once and I don't enjoy it. However, the Pig Trotter Aspic ($5 and above) at Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge is vastly differently, refreshing and melts in the mouth. Unfortunately the Shark Meat Aspic was not available. The boss said that the Shark Meat today was not suitable to make the aspic and they rejected it. It shows how much the eatery insists on using the freshest ingredients.

Braised Pork Intestines 3/5

The intense dark colour of the Braised Pork Intestines ($4 and above) indicates long hours of simmering, was tender and flavourful. Unfortunately it was a bit gamy. If not it would be an excellent dish.

Stewed Cabbage 4/5

The Stewed Cabbage ($1 and above) is my favourite vegetable whenever I have my porridge. I enjoyed the natural sweetness of the cabbage with the soft texture.

Steamed Sotong 4.2/5

I was rather impressed with the Steamed Sotong ($3 to $5) which was very fresh. It was cooked to my likings neither too tough or mush, still having a crunchy texture.

Steamed Pomfret 4/5

You can have fresh Steamed Promfret ($5 and above) at the eatery. The Black Fish ($15 to $18) is also available but very limited stock. You can also request for your fish to be steamed on the spot upon ordering with an additional $3.

Homemade Fish Cake 4.5/5

The Homemade Fish Cake ($1 each) is a must try here. It has a very unique combination with pork being added. The texture was also very delightful with each bite into it.

Braised Duck 4.2/5

The Braised Duck Meat ($3 and above) was well simmered until it was fall of the bone tender meat. Another delightful dish offered at Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge.

The newly opened Teochew porridge is looking at introducing more seafood to the menu such as crab, lobster and crayfish 20% below market pricing in the near future. There are also plan to convert a section of the area into a beer garden.


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Seah Soon Teck Teochew Porridge (谢顺德潮洲粥) @ Changi Road
283 Changi Road
Singapore 419762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SST.Teochew.Porridge
Nearest MRT: Eunos (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 5am

Direction:
Alight at Eunos MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk towards Sim Avenue East along the MRT line. Turn right into Kampong Eunos and walk to the end of the road. Seah Soon Tech Teochew Porridge is at the junction of K. Eunos and Changi Road. Journey time about 10 minutes.