Showing posts with label Siew Mai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Siew Mai. Show all posts

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Madame Fan @ The NCO Club - A Mythical Spring Odyssey at Madame Fan this Lunar New Year

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Madame Fan welcomes the Year of the Dragon by rolling out their meticulously crafted festive Spring creations. From 15 January to 25 February 2024, diners can select from dine-in Set Menus (from $108 per pax) and a la carte items, highlighting elevated modern Cantonese dishes made with premium ingredients.

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Additionally, a special Lunar New Year Edition of the restaurant's Dim Sum, Drink Sum Brunch (from $118 per pax), will feature items such as Steamed Black Truffle Dumpling with Wild Mushroom and Crab Roe Har Gao alongside Madame Fan's Signature Salmon Yu Sheng and new-to-menu cocktails. This will be available from 10 to 12, 17 to 18 and 24 to 25 February 2024.

For our dinner, we sampled highlights from the various menus.

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Bountiful Blessings Lobster Yu Sheng 4.2/5

Exclusively available for dine-in, the Bountiful Blessings Lobster Yu Sheng ($238 serves 8 persons) is presented with the traditional Chinese character of the dragon 龍. The star here was the fleshy and sweet chunks of Australian Lobster paired with an assortment of other fresh ingredients.

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This refreshing modern take was vibrant yet pleasingly light, with the combination of homemade bak kwa, crispy lotus root slices, green mango, longan, pomegranate, guava, apple, mango and grapefruit, dressed in a Honey Grain Mustard Yuzu Yogurt sauce.

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Madame Fan’s Prosperity Poon Choi 4.5/5

Another must-have for Lunar New Year would be poon choi. Madame Fan's Prosperity Poon Choi (from $438 for 5 pax) contains top ingredients of abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, and tiger prawns simmered with premium yam in a homemade abalone broth. The base is slow-cooked for over four hours, further enhanced with the addition of a roasted pork knuckle.

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The Poon Choi is available for takeaway as well. Diners can opt to upgrade to the Prosperity Poon Choi Bundle ($698 for 6 pax), which includes Abalone Yu Sheng, Wok Fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Sausage, Dried Shrimp and Yam as well as Pan Fried Nian Gao with Coconut Crumb.

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Geoduck with Japanese Cucumber, Black Fungus, Aged Vinegar 4.5/5

The chilled Geoduck with Japanese Cucumber, Black Fungus, and Aged Vinegar ($68 per a la carte portion) was an inviting starter, with the sweet and crunchy geoduck complementing the mild acidity from the aged vinegar jelly.

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Sea Urchin Shumai 4/5

Aside from the Geoduck, we also had the Sea Urchin Shumai, which is recommended to enjoy in a mouthful.

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Imperial Bird’s Nest Golden Broth 4.8/5

One standout dish for me that evening was the luxurious Imperial Bird's Nest Golden Broth. This slow-cooked velvety broth boasted rich umami flavours and was elegantly adorned with bird's nest, fresh crab meat and roe. The touch of crispy shreds of scallop added an extra layer of indulgence.

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Braised Giant Grouper 4/5

Chef's Braised Giant Grouper was presented with its fish skin, beancurd fupi, and chu hou sauce. While the Cantonese preparation rendered the grouper's meat tender, I personally found the braised sauce a tad too sweet.

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Stewed Seafood Beancurd Rice 4.8/5

Another remarkable dish was the Stewed Seafood Beancurd Rice. The base stock, enriched by Gu Yue Long Shan rice wine, created a flavourful stew that allowed the natural seafood sweetness to shine through, topped with caviar for an extra touch of lux!

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Mango Fountain Chiffon Cake 4.5/5

The chef puts a creative spin on the traditional Mango Sago dessert with the Mango Fountain Chiffon Cake ($22 for a la carte). This delightful conclusion to the meal presents a medley of textures, including crumbs, ice cream, mousse, chiffon, and fresh mango slices. I appreciated the well-balanced sweetness and the added zest from Australian finger lime.

To place your dine-in reservations, email madamefan.nco@marriott.com, call 6818 1921 or visit their website at www.madamefan.sg.

For takeaways, visit www.madamefan.oddle.me to view their full range of offerings. These are available from 15 January to 25 February 2024 and must be made at least 2 days in advance. Receive a limited edition keepsake of Madame Fan's exclusive Mahjong Set with a minimum spend of $3,888 nett for dine-in or takeaways.

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.


Madame Fan
The NCO Club
32 Beach Road
Singapore 189764
Tel: +65 6818 1921
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Nearest MRT: Esplanade MRT (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 11am - 330pm, 6pm - 10pm

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

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Cai Lin Ji (蔡林记) @ Jurong Point - Exploring the Unique Flavours of Hubei Street Food

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Cai Lin Ji (蔡林记), located at Jurong Point, introduces the unique flavours of Hubei cuisine, featuring a range of street food from this region, including the famous Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles. Service here is quick, reminiscent of a fast-food restaurant, making it a convenient choice for a satisfying meal.

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Three Delicacies Dou Pi (三鲜豆皮) 3.5/5

My curiosity was piqued by the Three Delicacies Dou Pi (三鲜豆皮), priced at $4.50 for one or $8.50 for two pieces. This traditional Hubei snack is a multilayered dish, with potato flour forming the base, steamed egg or glutinous rice in the middle, and a top layer featuring bamboo shoots or minced meat combined with pork belly and mushrooms. It's somewhat akin to our local prata, with layers of ingredients that create a delightful texture.

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Fresh Meat Soup Bun (鲜肉汤包) 4/5

The Fresh Meat Soup Bun (鲜肉汤包), priced at $5.90 for three pieces, closely resembles our beloved Xiao Long Bao. These little pockets are filled with juicy and well-marinated pork to be savoured with a side of vinegar dip.

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Signature Shao Mai (重油烧卖) 3.8/5

The Signature Shao Mai (重油烧卖), at $3.90 for three pieces, offers a unique twist on the Cantonese-style siew mai we're familiar with. This peppery rendition features a mixture of sticky rice, raisins, rock candy, peanuts, osmanthus flowers, orange peel, and shredded carrots. It's a delightful blend that somewhat resembles our local Png Kueh.

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Signature Zha Jiang Hot Dry Noodle (炸酱热干面) 3.8/5

The Signature Zha Jiang Hot Dry Noodle (炸酱热干面), priced at $7.90, was a novel discovery. Hailing from Wuhan, this dish holds the title of "Top 10 Noodles in China." It's served dry and coated with a secret black sesame sauce. While it's undoubtedly a good bowl of noodles, I needed time to adjust to the unique pairing of black sesame sauce with noodles.

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Xiang Yang Beef Noodles/Beehoon (襄阳牛肉面/米粉) 4.2/5

The Xiang Yang Beef Noodles/Beehoon (襄阳牛肉面/米粉) at $10.90 is a staple breakfast in Hubei. I opted for the beehoon, which had a silky texture with a delightful bite. It came with crunchy bean sprouts and was served generously in rich beef broth laden with beef and offal. I found this bowl of noodles incredibly enjoyable and versatile enough to have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

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Shrimp Wanton (虾仁馄饨) 4.8/5

We originally wanted to order the Han Kou Wonton, but it was sold out. We settled for the Shrimp Wanton (虾仁馄饨), priced at $9.90 for ten pieces, which were freshly made daily. These wantons featured fresh shrimp encased in tender, chewy skin and cooked in a flavorful broth.

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Signature Osmanthus Paste Rice Wine (桂花糊米酒) 4/5

My culinary journey took an exciting turn with two Hubei speciality soups. First up is the Signature Osmanthus Paste Rice Wine (桂花糊米酒), priced at $3.90. This delight combines rice wine with glutinous balls in a sweet, slightly starchy broth. The second is the Egg Drop Rice Wine (蛋花米酒), priced at $4. It involves dropping a raw egg into boiling water at 100 degrees and adding rice wine. The more I indulged in these unique flavours, the more I appreciated the new tastes that graced my palate.

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Signature Egg Drop Rice Wine (蛋花米酒) 3.8/5

In summary, my visit to Cai Lin Ji at Jurong Point expanded my culinary horizons. The menu featured dishes I'd never tasted before, emphasizing the vastness of the culinary world and the endless possibilities for exploration.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Cai Lin Ji
Jurong Point
63 Jurong West Central
#03-56
Singapore 648331
Tel: +65 9238 0368
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Nearest MRT: Boon Lay (EW Lne)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 9pm

Direction:
1. Alight at Boon Lay MRT station. Take Exit C, D or E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Friday, October 20, 2023

Swee Choon Tim Sum @ Changi Airport Terminal 2 - 62 Year Old Dim Sum Institution Opens New 24-hour Concept Outlet

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Swee Choon Tim Sum extends its dim sum delights with a new 24-hour outlet at Changi Airport Terminal 2, Arrival Hall. The relaxed cafe-style setting welcomes dim sum enthusiasts around the clock.

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Siew Mai 4/5

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Fried Prawn Rice Roll 3.8/5

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Fried Dough Rice Roll 2/5

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Fried Carrot Cake 3.8/5

Classic dim sum offerings include the juicy and meaty Siew Mai. The Fried Prawn Rice Roll impresses with its silky rice sheet embracing crispy prawns, while the Fried Dough Rice Roll needs to catch up on the crisp factor. The substantial Fried Carrot Cake is cooked in XO sauce but could use more seafood aroma.

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Mee Sua Kueh 4.5/5

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Tofu Bomb 3.5/5

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Black Pepper Pork Chop with Wan Tan Noodle 4.5/5

Swee Choon's signature Mee Sua Kueh delights with its contrasting textures. The Tofu Bomb explodes with flavours, featuring crispy skin and a tofu, vegetable, and prawn filling. The Black Pepper Pork Chop with Wan Tan Noodle stands out with springy noodles and juicy, tender pork.

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Hot & Sour Soup 4/5

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Pineapple Bun w/ Butter 4/5

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Sweet Potato Yam Paste Egg Tart 3.8/5, Sweet Potato Mochi Egg Tart 4/5

An unusual addition, the Hot & Sour Soup offers a delightful vinegar and spice kick. For a sweet ending, the Pineapple Bun with Butter provides a buttery, crusty exterior with a soft, fluffy interior. The Sweet Potato Yam Paste Egg Tart and Sweet Potato Mochi Egg Tart round off the meal with their sweet fillings and buttery crusts.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Swee Choon Tim Sum
Changi Airport Terminal 2
Arrival Hall
60 Airport Boulevard
#01-07
Singapore 819643
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Nearest MRT: Changi Airport (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 24 Hour

Direction:
1) Alight at Changi Airport MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Arrival Hall level. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Dim Sum Haus @ Jalan Besar - Delicious And Affordable Handcrafted Dim Sum In Singapore

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Nestled along Jalan Besar Road, Dim Sum Haus has been around for a number of years, known for their freshly prepared dim sum, extensive menu and affordable pricing. Apart from dim sum, congee, fried rice, and HK-style noodles are also available.

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Baked Salted Egg Custard Bun 4.2/5

The Baked Salted Egg Custard Bun ($6.80) was baked perfectly with a crispy bun crust. You get a nice flow of the rich and creamy salted egg custard lava upon breaking it apart.

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BBQ Pork Bun 3.8/5

The BBQ Pork Bun ($5) comes with soft white buns filled with a generous amount honey glazed BBQ pork meat.

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Truffle Siew Mai 4/5

The Truffle Siew Mai ($6.90) is a luxurious twist on a classic favourite. The addition of truffle lends an earthy aroma to the tender siew mai.

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Crispy Shrimp and Mango Roll 4.2/5

Crispy Shrimp and Mango Roll ($6.10) is easily one of our favourite dishes. Deep-fried till golden brown on the outside and drizzled with mango sauce, it is filled with plump juicy prawns and mango chunks, rendering each bite sweet and savoury.

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Crispy Shrimp Rice Roll 4.2/5

One of our favourites is the Crispy Shrimp Rice Roll ($5.80), made fresh from scratch, with the skin folded twice to hold the crispy fried shrimp. The fried shrimp added a nice crispiness to contrast the softness of the rice rolls, while the sweet and savoury soy sauce was light and complimented the rice rolls well.

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Twin Swan 3.5/5

The Twin Swan features two deep-fried yam balls with two paper swan heads placed on top of them. While the exterior is nicely crisped, we wished the yam flavour was more pronounced.

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Fried XO Carrot Cake 3.8/5

The Fried XO Carrot Cake ($8.60) comes in a plate of carrot cake cubes fried to a nice crisp texture and cooked in fragrant XO sauce.

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Mango Sago 4/5

End the meal on a sweet note with the Mango Sago ($5.60). It is a refreshing and satisfying dessert, filled with mango chunks and pomelo, perfect for the hot weather.

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Dim Sum Haus
57 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208809
Tel:
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Nearest MRT: Jalan Besar (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 930am - 1030pm
Tue-Sun: 930am - 530am

Direction:
1) Alight at Jalan Besar MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Musubi @ JEM - Unique Japanese Otsumami And Wappameshi

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Musubi is a new casual dining concept at JEM offering unique Japanese Otsumami and Wappameshi. Diners can look forward to a delightful selection of Japanese rice bowls - Seiro Gohan, inspired by the traditional culinary art of Wappanmeshi. Complete the meal with a nibble of tasty Japanese otsumami (small plates) and Shabu Shabu.

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Cheese Imo Mochi 4.2/5

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Corn Butter Shoyu Mushi 4/5

The Cheese Imo Mochi ($7) and Corn Butter Shoyu Mushi ($5) are available for its winter promotion. The Cheese Imo Mochi, deep-fried to golden perfection, has a cheesy centre. It is crispy on the outside while chewy and fluffy inside, and umami pops from the ikura. As for the Corn Butter Shoyu Mushi, the corns are extremely sweet.

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Oyster, Crab & Salmon 3 Kind Seiro Gohan 3.8/5

Known for its signature seiro gohan, the restaurant has put together the Oyster, Crab & Salmon 3 Kind Seiro Gohan ($26) for its winter promotion. The steamed flavoured rice comes with Shio-koji Aomori Salmon, Ikura, plump oyster, crab meat and Shishito pepper.

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Steamed Ika Siu Mai 3/5

The Steamed Ika Siu Mai has a unique presentation, unlike the usual one in a Chinese restaurant. Though the appearance was appealing, the taste fell below my expectation. I still prefer the Chinese version over this.

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Crab Gravy Chawanmushi 4/5

The Crab Gravy Chawanmushi is a smooth, silky and flavourful bowl of steamed rice topped with crab meat that complements the seiro gohan for a complete meal.

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Melted Braised Pork Belly Seiro Gohan 3.8/5

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Lemon-koji Chicken Seiro Gohan 3.8/5

Besides the Oyster, Crab & Salmon 3 Kind Seiro Gohan, We also tried two other seiro gohan on the menu - Melted Braised Pork Belly Seiro Gohan and Lemon-Koji Chicken Seiro Gohan. I preferred the melt-in-the-mouth braised pork belly with hanjuku egg among the two. On the other hand, the lemon-koji chicken is a healthier choice with tender chicken and fluffy rolled omelette.

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Steamed Beef Shabu Shabu 4/5

Another delicious and healthy option is the Steamed Beef Shabu Shabu. The thinly sliced beef is laid on top of a bed of cabbage. If I am right, the meat and cabbage are steamed together, allowing the cabbage to soak up the delicious beef essence.

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Homemade Kokuto Pudding 3/5

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Yuzu Macaron 3/5

For dessert, we had the Homemade Kokuto Pudding and Yuzu Macaron. The homemade kokuto pudding was mildly sweet with a custard-like texture, topped with crunchy cacao. Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the citrusy Yuzu Macaron.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Musubi
JEM
50 Jurong Gateway Road
#04-13/14
Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 63341084
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Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

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