Reunion Imperial High Tea Set At Tian Fu Tea Room at PARKROYAL Beach Road

Tian Fu Tea Room at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is a fully dedicated tearoom serving premium Chinese tea, with a wide selection of over 30 varieties of fine tea which you can enjoy with handcrafted dim sum. Each Lunar New Year, a specially crafted high tea set menu is offered for you to celebrate the new year in a different manner. Reunion Imperial High Tea (团圆宫廷下午茶) for this year is available from 13 January to 9 February 2020.

The Reunion Imperial High Tea Set comprising 8 handcrafted dim sum items and a tea of your choice A Yusheng is included as well, customised to the party size.

Other than emphasizing the colours of each exquisite dimsum, 'cuteness' level is equally important to pipued your appetite. Steamed Pumpkin with Yam Cake was vibrant with a layer of pumpkin sandwiched between yam and sweet potato, and every bite was a combination of sweet and savouriness. The Deep-fried Spring Roll with Minced Prawns and Mushrooms are made skinny to resemble 上上签, the divinatory sticks. That was rather creative I thought. Steamed Dumpling with Diced Abalone and Minced Meat was cute but letdown by its unpleasant thick and doughy skin.

Steamed Siew Mai with Scallop was a luxurious interpretation of our common siew mai. Encased within the emerald skin is prawns, topped with a whole scallop that was sweet and succulent. The Ebiko provides the right jab of saltiness to the siew mai.

Deep-fried Crispy Dumpling with Foie Gras was quite delectable with its flaky pastry crust, but the filling made with diced lotus didn't quite gel with the crust. While I was expecting something creamy or buttery since the menu stated foie gras, the filling was rather chunky and the foie gras was more like an afternote which tasted slightly odd to me.

Homemade Rainbow Noodles with Fresh Prawn was beautiful with noodles that are naturally coloured with ingredients such as beetroot, spinach etc.

The highlight for me is the sweets - Deep-fried Dumpling with Sticky Rice Pancake. I love the mochi-like sweet potato crust and the sticky rice pancake encased within was soft with just the right amount of sweetness, definitely one of the best Niao Gao delights I have tasted so far. Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Ginger Soup was comforting, and the red bean filling wasn't too sweet either. Despite all the items above, I felt I could stomach a few more of these sweets!

I like the privacy of the Tea Room. The cosiness of the Tea Room is also one of the reasons for you to visit with your loved ones and sip the afternoon away with quality catch-up over the Dim Sum and premium teas. The Reunion Imperial High Tea is priced at $40 per person, available from 230pm to 5pm.

Written and photography 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.


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

Opening Hours:
High Tea: 230pm - 5pm

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]

Celebrate Chinese New Year With Paradise Group's Lunar New Year Takeaway Sets and Festive Goodies

Have you started planning for Chinese New Year? If you are planning to have your reunion dinner at the comfort of your home, a good choice will be the Paradise Group Abundance Takeaway Set 丰盛外带套餐 (Public: $328+; Paradise Gourmet Rewards Member: $298+; Usual Price $375.40+). The abundance takeaway set comprises of four dishes which includes Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng, Grandeur Treasure Pot, Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken and Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice.

Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng

The Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng is good for 8 pax. It comes in a medley of vegetables freshly prepared daily in the kitchen and a can of abalone.

Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken

Cooked beautifully and infused with the earthy black truffle aroma is the Auspicious Black Truffle Kampong Chicken. This is really tender and juicy.

Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice

For a more filling reunion dinner, diners will be satisfied with the Fortune Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice. The fragrant glutinous rice is first soaked, then stir-fried with house-made sauce, mushroom and Chinese sausage, before being steamed.

Grandeur Treasure Pot

The highlight of the abundance takeaway set is the Grandeur Treasure Pot which showcases 16 delicacies and classic ingredients stewed in the housemade sauce. The treasure pot consists of abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, conpoy, dried oyster, mushroom, dried fish maw, black moss, fermented pork trotter, duck wing, Chinese sausage, bean dough, cabbage, yam, lotus root and radish.

Over at Paradise Teochew Restaurant, diners can look forward to exclusive items such as the Teochew-style Yu Sheng ($68/5pax; $138/10pax). It is available for both dine-in and takeaway.

For the dim sum menu at Paradise Teochew, who can indulge in exquisite creations such as the Steamed Abalone Siew Mai ($12.80/4pc), Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Mushroom ($12.80/4pc) and Crispy Radish Pastry with Ham and Diced Celery Bits ($9.80/3pc).

Exclusive for takeaway and dine-in at Paradise Teochew is the Braised Eight Treasure Duck ($108). The braised duck is cooked until tender, absorbing the flavoursome braising sauce, falling off the bone with ease. Do note this has to be pre-ordered at least 3 days in advance.

The Paradise Group Abundance Takeaway Set 丰盛外带套餐 (Public: $328+; Paradise Gourmet Rewards Member: $298+; Usual Price $375.40+) is available for pre-order now at Beauty In The Pot, Paradise Dynasty, Canton Paradise, Paradise Classic and Paradise Hotpot. It even comes with a complimentary 6-can pack of Tiger Crystal.

Note: This is an invited tasting

AquaMarine @ Marina Mandarin Hotel Singapore - Old School Hong Kong Delights

For a limited period from 5 April to 30 April 2019, AquaMarine at Marina Mandarin Hotel Singapore will be offering Hong Kong cuisine of yesteryear to their Halal-certified buffet. The buffet spread will consists old school Hong Kong delights such as quail egg siew mai, braised beef rib with mui choy, claypot lamb brisket with bamboo shoot and more.

Chui Chow Oyster Porridge 4.2/5

Warm up the stomach with a bowl of comforting Chui Chow Oyster Porridge. The addition of fresh oyster provided the additional boost to the flavourful broth while the rice puff gives it a delightful finishing crisp.

Hong Kong Cart Noodle 4.2/5

A must try is the Hong Kong Cart Noodle, a popular street food originating in the 1950s. What stand out is the superb broth that is packed with depth and robustness. The beauty of cart noodle is that one can add anything into their bowl of noodle, and this comes with the choice of braised chicken wing, curry fishball, cuttlefish and braised beef. I love this so much that I gone back for a second helping.

Quail Egg Siew Mai 3.5/5

Pan Fried Abalone Cheong Fun with XO Sauce 4/5

Hong Kong cuisine is known for the dim sum and its inevitable that these needs to be on the buffet spread. The Quail Egg Siew Mai is a traditional dim sum that is hardly seen on the menu nowadays. My favourite goes to to the Pan Fried Abalone Cheong Fun with XO Sauce for its wok-hei, complemented by the excellent XO sauce.

Baby Lobster in "Bi Feng Tang" Style 3.8/5

Only available during dinner is the Baby Lobster in "Bi Feng Tang" Style. The bouncy flesh of the baby lobster is coated with lots of garlic, ginger, chilli and spring onion for an aromatic finish.

Braised Beef Rib with "Mui Choy" 3.8/5

While the Braised Beef Rib with "Mui Choy" is cooked until very tender, I feel that the braised beef rib shines on its own even without the accompanying Mui Choy.

Egg Waffle 3.5/5

For the dessert section, you can also find popular and traditional Hong Kong street snacks such as Egg Waffle, Hong Kong Red Bean Pudding, Bolo Bao, Egg Tart and Walnut Cookies. Let you into a secret, I like to have the egg waffle together with the durian pengat. It is just an heavenly combination.

Hong Kong Red Bean Rice Pudding, Bolo Bun, Egg Tart, Walnut Cookies

I would also recommend getting a cup of Hong Kong Milk Tea to go along with the desserts. It is a good chance of the usual kuehs and cakes on the dessert line.

Pricing
$60++ per adult and $30++ per child for lunch daily
$73++ per adult and $36.50++ per child for dinner Monday to Thursday
$83++ per adult and $41.50++ per child for dinner Friday to Sunday, Public Holidays and eves of Public Holidays

Note: This is an invited tasting.


AquaMarine
Marina Mandarin Singapore
6 Raffles Boulevard
Level 4
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 68451111
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

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

Direction: 
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B or D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Auntie’s Wok & Steam @ Andaz Singapore - Indulge In A Dim Sum Feast at Yum Cha Weekend Buffet

Sitting on the 25th storey of Andaz Singapore is Auntie’s Wok and Steam - an ode to local tze char and dim sum restaurant. Presenting their new Yum Cha Weekends priced at $35++ per person, guests can indulge in all-you-can-eat traditional Cantonese dim sum, local favourites and Chinese desserts available every weekend and public holiday. To spice up the dim sum experience, you can also opt for a top-up of $35++ to enjoy unlimited Prosecco, wines and Tiger beer.

All the items served are on an a-la carte basis and guests are required to note down the number of dishes chosen on the slip of paper provided.

From the Dim Sum menu, we had the classics such as the Scallop Siew Mai, Prawn Dumplings, BBQ Pork Bao, Xiao Long Bao, Chicken Feet and Steamed Pork Ribs.

One of the more unique creations is the Wagyu Short Rib Mantou Sliders, which features flavourful slices of wagyu shortribs tucked in between soft fluffy mantous.

Choose from a selection of fried Dim Sum signatures as well such as the Deep-Fried Yam Puff and Wok-Fried Carrot Cake.

Additionally, each diner can select one item from the premium yum cha menu, which includes Deep-Fried Barramundi Fillet, Deep-Fried Pork Belly, Lobster Congee, Wagyu Short Rib Mantou Sliders and more. Additional premium main courses can be ordered for just $10++.

My favourite is the Deep-Fried Barramundi Fillet served in a pool of light soya sauce. Featuring soft tender fish fillet meat with a thin layer of crispy skin, the soya sauce imparts a light fragrant flavour to the fish.

The lobster meat lends a subtle sweetness to the Lobster Congee, with pepper added to amp up the flavour. Although the congee may be a tad bland, the dish is comforting.

The Deep-Fried Pork Belly spots a crisp crackling exterior in a beautiful golden brown. However, the meat within was neither flavourful nor juicy, and packs a tough bite to it. The only thing redeeming about the dish would be the sweet sour chilli sauce used which imparts a sharp tinge of fragrant sweet-tanginess to add flavour to the pork belly.

While waiting for the food to be served, you can also hit up the buffet line for a few of carbs-filling options which includes the Bee Hoon, Carrot Cake and Spicy & Sour Glass Noodles.

Traditional drinks like the Barkley and Luo Han Guo are also served on the buffet spread.

Auntie’s Wok and Steam Yum Cha Weekends
Price: Adult: $35++, Child: S$17.50++ (7 to 12 years of age)
Free-flow wines, beer and Prosecco: Top up S$35++

With a minimum spend of $120 nett at Auntie’s Wok and Steam, each table is entitled to one complimentary car park access at DUO tower.

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.


Auntie's Wok & Steam
Andaz Singapore
Level 25
5 Fraser Street
Singapore 189354
Tel: +65 64081255
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm
Weekend & PH Yum Cha Buffet: 12pm - 3pm

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

Shi Wei Xian HongKong Tim Sum @ Aljunied Avenue 2 - Cheap And Good Handmade Dim Sum

Nowadays it is quite hard to find handmade dim sum and that it is reasonable priced. At Shi Wei Xian HongKong Tim Sum, located inside a coffeeshop along Aljunied Avenue 2, a basket of dim sum starts from $3 here. Apparently the stall still handmade their dim sum and they are only open on weekends.

Carrot Cake 3.8/5

The Carrot Cake ($3) is pan fried with a slight brown crisp on the exterior but inside is soft and moist. What I enjoy is the bits of lup cheong in the carrot cake, it gives it an additional boost in aroma for a rounder finish.

Fried Yam Puff 4.5/5

What I enjoyed most is their Fried Yam Puff ($3) or also known as Wu Kok. This is as good as any restaurant standard. Wearing a coat of light crispy batter, biting into it will reveal the char siew filling. Together with the fragrant yam, the combination is unbeatable.

Bean Sauce Chicken Feet 4/5

I love my chicken feet and I have to say the Bean Sauce Chicken Feet ($3.20) is really well done. I enjoyed sucking off the chicken skin off the bone which has absorbed the delicious bean sauce.

Beancurd Sheet Roll 4/5

Another delectable item on the menu is the Beancurd Sheet Roll ($3.20). Wrapping in thin beancurd roll, it is stuffed with lavish fish paste for a delightful enjoyment.

Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun 3/5

I didn't quite like the Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun ($3.30). I find the rice roll is a bit on the thick side. As for the sauce, it is the sweet type instead of those Hong Kong style soy sauce type.

Quail Egg Dumpling 3.5/5

Besides the regular items on the menu, the staff recommended me to try to some of the specials for the day. One of them is the Quail Egg Dumpling. It is like having a siew mai stuffed with a quail egg. Pretty interesting for a coffeeshop stall to create something from the norm.

Spinach Siew Mai 4/5

The other special I tried is the Spinach Siew Mai. I was a bit surprise to see that the stall is willing to adapt with time and step out from their comfort zone. I really applauded the effort to keep themselves in time and hopefully renew their customer base, injecting a bit of hipster into their food.


Shi Wei Xian HongKong Tim Sum
Blk 119 Aljunied Avenue 2
#01-06
Singapore 380119
Tel: +65 81114950
Nearest MRT: Aljunied (EW Line), Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Sat-Sun: 7am - 5pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk towards Aljunied Road. Take the overhead bridge. Cross the road and walk to bus stop opposite Aljunied MRT station (Stop ID 81081). Take bus number 80. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to Aljunied Crescent. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

 2) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn right and walk to Geylang East Ave 1. On Geylang East Ave 1, turn left and continue to the end of the road. Cross the road and continue on Aljunied Crescent. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Paya Lebar MRT station (Stop ID 81119). Take bus number 134 or 155. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Aljunied Crescent. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]