Renowned Chef Chen Kai Bin, hailing from China's Teochew region, has recently joined Pi Food, bringing with him a wealth of culinary expertise. Boasting an impressive culinary background, Chef Chen served as the Head Chef at the Garden Hotel's 4-star restaurant for eight years.
With his arrival, Pi Food has undergone a menu revamp, featuring a diverse selection of Teochew dishes.
Teochew Raw Marinated Crab 4.5/5
Marinated for four hours in a unique mix of Teochew fish sauce, lemon, garlic, chilli and coriander, this Teochew Raw Marinated Crab ($25) will appeal to seafood fans. I especially enjoyed the freshness of the coriander and the zesty-spicy flavours paired with the sweet crab meat. Apart from crab, the restaurant also offers Prawns ($24) and Clams ($16), which are prepared similarly.
Teochew Braised Platter 4.2/5
The Teochew Braised Platter ($32) offers a variety of braised duck, pork belly, intestine and soft beancurd. Carefully infused with over 20 herbs and spices, it results in a comforting depth of flavour.
I especially enjoyed the succulent duck slices and my dining companion liked how clean the intestines were.
Teochew Seafood Claypot Congee 4.2/5
Chef Chen's Teochew Seafood Claypot Congee ($48) combines a medley of prawns, crab and dry scallops in congee. This comforting main was served bubbling hot in the claypot with housemade chilli dips on the side. While the congee leaned more bland than I expected, the freshness and sweetness of the seafood shone through, complemented by the tang of the chilli sauce.
Steamed Yellow Croaker with Puning Soybean Sauce 4/5
For our fish dish, we had the Steamed Yellow Croaker with Puning Soybean Paste Sauce ($28), which was infused with Puning soybean paste sauce before steaming, complementing the sweetness of the fish.
Deep-fried Prawn Paste Pork Ribs 4.5/5
The Deep-fried Prawn Paste Pork Ribs ($22) is reminiscent of our local favourite Har Cheong Gai. I thoroughly enjoyed these tender and crisp pieces which were so flavourful!
Teochew Fried Oyster Omelette 3.8/5
I was less of a fan of their Teochew Fried Oyster Omelette ($16) as it was much more oilier than I preferred. This rendition by Pi Food has a higher ratio of starch to egg.
Braised Sweet Potato & Yam 4.5/5
Finally, we ended our meal with the Braised Sweet Potato & Yam ($10). It is a lovely dessert for us, with the strips of sweet potatoes and yam encased in a sweet and ultra-thin crust drizzled with a dash of fragrant shallot oil.
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.
Pi Food 香江小厨
9 Penang Road
#01-18
Singapore 238459
Tel: +65 9239 0686
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut (CC, NE, NS Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am - 10pm
Sun: 1030am - 930pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk straight to Penang Road. Cross the right. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]
