Lotus Kitchen @ Chinatown Point - Creative Vegetarian Dishes That Will Even Convert A Carnivore

Chinatown Point welcomes a new vegetarian restaurant - Lotus Kitchen located right at the main entrance on level 1. The new vegetarian restaurant is the spinoff of the famous Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant at Quality Hotel. Diners can find new creations as well as some of the best selling mainstays from predecessor.

Signature Lion's Mane Mushroom Pan Fried Dumpling 4/5

Taro Mee Sua Cake 4.2/5

Have you ever try Vegetarian dim sum? You can savour these delights at Lotus Kitchen such as the Signature Lion's Mane Mushroom Pan Fried Dumpling ($8.80) and Taro Mee Sua Cake ($6.80). The pan fried dumping is stuffed with crunchy lion's mane mushroom and water chestnuts. For the best of both world is the taro mee sua cake where you get to enjoy the fragrant taro complemented by the mee sua encased in a crisp batter.

Signature Double-boiled Herbal Tian Ma Soup 4/5

A nourishing offering on the menu is the Signature Double-boiled Herbal Tian Ma Soup ($8.80). It is understand the tian ma herb used in the the soup has liver-calming and neuroprotective some benefits. The soup is steamed and brewed with 10 different herbs and premium quality pearl mushrooms.

Signature Crispy Summer Wrap with Passionfruit 4.2/5

The Signature Crispy Summer Wrap with Passionfruit ($35.80) is your vegetarian version of Peking duck. The crispy soya slices coated with special batter is your substitution of the duck meat.  This is eaten the same way as Peking duck, wrapped it with the pancake sheet together with stripes of cucumber, carrot and passionfruit. Not to forget to dip some of the homemade sweet bean paste sauce to complete the whole enjoyment.

Signature Homemade Satay 4/5

The Signature Homemade Satay ($15.80) shows me how spices can be incorporated into vegetarian cuisine. Lotus kitchen has cleverly marinated soya slices with more than 10 different spices to create their version of the local satay. It also comes with homemade satay sauce which went very well with the satay.

Spicy Grilled Oat Slices in Hotplate 4.5/5

If you like spicy food, you will find the house blended chilli sauce laid over the Spicy Grilled Oat Slices in Hotplate ($18.80) setting you on fire. It is damn shiok. The dish is made using oats, soya and seaweed. It not only look like a fish but taste almost like it too. This is really a close rendition of the sambal fish.

Braised Mushroom in Hot Pot 4.8/5

One of the crowd favourite is the Braised Mushroom in Hot Pot ($18.80). It comes with lion's mane mushroom, shitake mushroom and bamboo shoots stir fried with chilli, ginger and basil leaves. It resembles the popular 3 cup chicken, except that the chicken is replaced with crunchy mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

Signature Stir Fried Laksa 4.2/5

I was initially sceptical about the Signature Stir Fried Laksa ($9.80) but I was wrong. The flavours were spot on, doing justice to one of the local's favourite street food. My only complain is the used of seaweed instead of laksa leaf. I find the balance of the dish distorted by the seaweed flavour.

Pumpkin Paste with Purple Rice 2.8/5

The dish that I least like is the Pumpkin Paste with Purple Rice ($6.80). I could not traced the pumpkin flavour but just sweetness over sweetness. The pumpkin paste needs to be more distinct.

Lotus Yam Paste with Purple Rice 4.5/5

A dessert not to be missed on the menu is the Lotus Yam Paste with Purple Rice ($6.80). The yam paste comes with purple rice mixture and gingko nuts. Somehow I felt like I was served the traditional Teochew yam paste together with a bowl of red bean soup, in a different way. It is like having 2 different desserts on a plate.

I have to say I am very impress with the vegetarian dishes at Lotus Kitchen. Especially on the creativity behind the dishes. It definitely changes my perspective on vegetarian cuisine. Vegetarian food is not just about deep fried flour items and greens.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Lotus Kitchen
Chinatown Point
133 New Bridge Road
#01-01/02
Singapore 059413
Tel: +65 65381068
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 10pm

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

Froth Cafe @ Big Hotel

Froth Cafe located in Middle Road, at the basement of Big Hotel has been in my horizon when instagram has been flooding with their taco waffle picture. With great pleasure, I made my way down to the cafe on a Saturday to check out their new menu.

Salted Caramel Latte 2.8/5

Kicking the day for my brunch at Froth Cafe with the Salted Caramel Latte. Very pretty latte art but the coffee was too sweet and milky for my liking.

Escargot Vol Au Vents 3.5/5

If this is a plating competition, I would have given it perfect score. The Escargot Vol Vu Vents ($12.90), beautifully painted the picture a garden with snails. There are many components on the plate, such as garlic butter escargot, carrot puree, crushed nuts, baby carrots, savoury soil and miso glaze. I actually like the garlic butter escargot on its own. What I did not like is the soil which was actually on the sweet side, throwing the balance off.

Roast Duck Salad 2.8/5

My eyes lightened up again when the Roast Duck Salad ($11.90) is served. The smoked duck breast is served on a bed of greens, mint leaves, watercress, cherry tomatoes, sliced peaches, orange, radish and raisins. It is finished with a tangy truffle foam. Once again it is another pretty dish but I will gladly substitute the foam with a sauce, for a more saucy bowl of salad.

Pork Belly Eggs Benedict 3/5

I was really looking forward to the Pork Belly Eggs Benedict ($20.90) on the menu. Salmon and poached egg is kind of old school now. Great that they have paired pork belly with poached egg on English muffins and dressed with homemade salted egg hollandaise. Pardon my shallow culinary knowledge but I am not sure the reason for the coconut braised pork belly as I could not taste any coconut. Saying that, the pork belly was really fork tender. The salted egg hollandaise was lackluster too. There was no salted egg taste and the dressing was kind of watery.

Rosti & Fried Chicken 3.5/5

I would say that the Rosti & Fried Chicken ($20.90) is a new variation from the usual buttermilk chicken & waffle. I like the lighter version of the rosti to the usual waffle. Partly that I am not a big fan of sweet and savoury combination. Although I could not taste anything salted egg from the salted egg battered fried chicken, it dd manage to give a crunchy exterior crispiness on top of the succulent chicken. I would have rated the dish highly if not for the homemade potato jam which I thought was not necessary.

Taro Pancake Stack 3/5

Taro Pancake Stack 3/5

I was told that the purple sauce for the Taro Pancake Stack ($16.90) is the same taro sauce that is used for Froth's signature taro waffle. I find the sauce once again too sweet and tasted artificial. On the pancake, I actually like the taro stuffing in between them. I could taste the natural flavour and sweetness of the taro.

French Toast Cube 4/5

The French Toast Cube ($19.90) was probably the best thing on the new menu I tried. The broiche cube with it eggy and buttery aroma was so good that I kept going back for more. A little surprise is hidden inside the french toast cube with a scoop of ice icream of your choice. I recommend to have this eaten quickly or the ice cream inside the toast will melted under the heat and made the interior mushy.

While the food at Froth Cafe did not quite impress me but I think it has great potential. I think the idea and concept is there but a little more thought and fine tuning would raise the mark of the dishes. I would not write them off yet, this is one cafe that has an interesting menu that has potential to capture both the diner's tummy and phone.


[MOVED]
Froth Cafe
Big Hotel
200 Middle Road
Singapore 188980
Tel: +65 63361228
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Bugis (DT Lne, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk down Waterloo Street. Turn left onto Middle Road. Continue walking down Middle Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to junction of Victoria Street and Middle Road. Turn right onto Middle Road. Continue walking down Middle Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

ChaoZhou Porridge (潮粥) @ River Valley Road

While Singapore is known as a food haven, it is actually quite hard to find a place for supper after 9pm. ChaoZhou Porridge (潮粥) at River Valley Road will offer a good choice for your next supper, serving nostalgic taste of Teochew porridge and cuisine in a modern setting. The chef at ChaoZhou Porridge, even made the long trip to ChaoShan, China to learn more about Teochew cuisine and even picked up a couple authentic local recipes which is incorporate into the menu.

Following an authentic Teochew recipe, the ChaoZhou Porridge ($0.70) is served half mountain half sea or in Chinese known as "半山半水". One side of the bowl is more watery while the other side has more of the rice grain.

Steamed Meat Ball with Porridge Water 4.2/5

The Steamed Meat Ball with Porridge Water ($5.50/pc) is something new for me.This is the first time I have seen such combination. The meatball is made from a medley of different ingredients such as pork and vegetable. The slight salty meatball and the subtle taste of the porridge water made this an enjoyable combination.

Braised Delight Platter 4.2/5

The Braised Delight Platter ($16.90) comes with duck meat, pork belly, large intestines, egg, beancurd and tau pok. Special mention for the braised duck that uses a recipe afer 30 years of experimentation.

Big Sotong with Homemade Sauce 4.5/5

A must try at ChaoZhou Porridge is the Big Sotong with Homemade Sauce ($6.90). The sotong is first steamed and then chilled, served as a cold appetiser. The pillowy sotong is best paired with the homemade sauce that comes with a sweet, sour and spicy note.

Cockles 4.5/5

A very addictive dish on the menu is the Cockles ($6.90). Besides the plump cockles, the dark sauce was the highlight for me. This is probably one of the best version I have eaten.

Cold Beancurd with Preserved Radish 4/5

For something light, go for the Cold Beancurd with Preserved Radish ($4.80). The preserved radish and the savoury sauce give the beancurd a lift in taste and extra crunch.

Chaozhou Steamed Mullet 4/5

Teochew loves their steamed fish and hence there is the Chaozhou Steamed Mullet (seasonal price) on the menu. The whole fish is steamed in the pot before removing the gut and served with salted vegetables. The execution allows one to appreciate the meatiness and moist oily flesh.

Preserved Radish Omelette 4/5

Fried to a beautiful golden colour is the Preserved Radish Omelette ($2.50 Small / $4.50 Large). The fillings of radish gave it an extra crunch with each bite.

Steamed Minced Meat with Salted Fish 4.5/5

A classic dish to go with the porridge is the Steamed Minced Meat with Salted Fish ($4.50). This is a must order for me whether I have Teochew porridge. The saltiness of the minced meat provides the perfect complement to the porridge.

Sambal Kang Kong 4/5

After all the seafood and meat, it is good to have some greens. The Sambal Kang Kong cooked to a nice crunchy bite may not be a Teochew dish but definitely a popular local favourite.

ChaoZhou Fried Kway Teow 4.2/5

Besides the Teochew porridge and its accompanying dishes, the menu at ChaoZhou also offers some cooked dishes on the menu. We had the ChaoZou Fried Kway Teow ($8) which surprisingly was quite good with the wok hei or smokey flavour.

Crisp-Fried Taro Rolls 4/5

From the limited dessert menu, a worthy order is the Crisp-Fried Taro Rolls ($2.30/pc). A minimum order of 3 pieces is required. Crispy on the outside with the sweetness of the yam inside, this is a delightful hot dessert to end the nught.

With the opening hours from 1030am to 5am next day, ChaoZhou Porridge is like a all day dining venue. Being a Teochew myself, I am glad that I have discovered another great dining venue, especially another supper place. I am sure I will be back again.


ChaoZhou Porridge (潮粥)
221 River Valley Road
Singapore 238279
Tel: +65 62686763
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 5am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

All Things N'ice @ Suntec City

The BreadTalk Group not only launches their new BreadTalk Cafe, the group has also introduced an all new specialty dessert cafe featuring Asian desserts. The latest addition to the group and Suntect City is All Things N'ice, a 36 seater dessert cafe modelled after an indoor garden with the use of furniture and tiles in natural green, khaki and brown finishing. It is understand that the hot and cold Asian specialty desserts at All Things N'ice are handmade from scratch and comprising premium ingredients specially sourced and imported.

Yam in a Husk 4/5

Yam paste or Orh Nee which is a Teochew dessert that is usually eaten during wedding dinner. The Yam in a Husk ($4.20) is a rendition of this traditional dessert. The smooth yam paste and ginko nuts were steamed and served in a young coconut husk lending an extra aroma and richness to it. If you like, you can also eat the coconut flesh.

Signature Cheng Tng 4/5

The classic Signature Cheng Tng ($2.80) comes in both hot and cold. The soothing longan flavoured soup at All Things N'ice is accompanied by more than 10 ingredients such as the premium quality longans imported from Taiwan, dried persimmon, candied winter melon, red dates, ginko nuts, white sago, taro and sweet potato balls.

Signature Chendol 4/5

The Signature Chendol ($3.20) was generously topped with red beans, white sago, attap chee, chendol, in a delightful mixture of shaved ice, gula melaka syrup and coconut milk. Silvers of jackfruit was also added to give the dessert an extra lift.

Taro Balls with Red Beans 4/5

The youth should enjoy this dessert with the popular influence of Taiwan dessert of taro balls. The Taro Balls with Red Beans ($3.50) consists of tasty and chewy and bite sized honey taro balls, red beans and grass jelly was an delightful treat for a hot day.

All Things Mango 3/5

All Things Mango ($4.20) comprises of shaved ice, fresh mango cubes, pure mango puree, red and green beans, attap chee palm fruits, jelly cubes and pomelo. Unfortunately this interpretation was short of my expectation, it was more like an ice kachang dessert instead of a mango feast.


All Things N'ice
Suntec City
3 Temasek Boulevard
#B1-165/166
Singapore 038983
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllThingsNice.SG
Website: http://www.breadtalk.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line), Promenade (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Suntec City basement. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Suntec City basement. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]