Although I stayed quite near Ang Mo Kio, I have not really managed to explore the area much. I was quite suprise when I get to know there is a Chinese restaurant in the neighbourhood of Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. I remembered passing the area a couple of times but I have never noticed there was a Chinese restaurant until my recent visit to Gim Tim Restaurant (锦珍酒楼). Gim Tim has been around since 1975. They have 2 more outlets in Imperial Court Shark's Fin Restaurant at Grassroots' Club and Tim Palace at Toa Payoh Safra Club. Gim Tim is also one of the pioneer in the mobile kitchen arena, it has a fleet to cater for outdoor function.
To cut the story short, I was at Gim Tim restaurant to reminisce the good old days with a selection of artisan traditional food taking my taste buds on a nostalgic journey.
Fish Maw Soup 3.8/5
With more and more diners avoiding eating shark fins, restaurant has started to substitute it with Fish Maw Soup which I personally felt is a good alternative. The sumptuous bowl of fish maw soup is loaded with many ingredients such as the crab meat, mushroom, shrimp, and fish maw. Add a bit of vinegar and pepper, it is as delicious as a bowl of shark's fin soup.
Prawn Roll 4.8/5
I always have this doubt whether I have Prawn Roll. Why is it call prawn roll when the filling mixture has more minced meat and hardly traceable prawn in it. At Gim Tim, a must order dish definitely is their prawn roll. Unlike other places, the filling is white in colour. Chef told me that he used only prawns, pork fat and waterchest nut for the filling only. That explains the colouring. Unlike other places where the fillings were mostly minced pork causing the prawn rolls to be darker in colour.
Fried Fresh Scallops with Macadamia Nuts 3/5
The Fried Fresh Scallops with Macadamia Nuts is quite a classic dish which is quite commonly served in wedding banquet. I love my greens and they were cooked perfectly still retaining that crunchy bite. However the scallops came across as a bit rubbery.
Homemade Beancurd with Melon 4.2/5
Food does not only needs to taste good but it has to look good too. The sight of the beautifully plated Homemade Beancurd with Melon already whetted up my appetite and I could not wait to dig into it. The homemade beancurd was really excellent with its smooth and silky texture.
Sea Cucumber Duck 3.8/5
There was hit and misses for the Sea Cucumber Duck. The star went to the delectable duck meat that fell of the bone with ease. The disappointment was the sea cucumber that probably needed a bit more time in the cooking.
Tapioca Kueh with Spicy Shrimp 4/5
I was told that the Tapioca Kueh with Spicy Shrimp is a very traditional Hokkien dish that is not commonly served at restaurants nowadays. At first glance, it looked like a plate of fried carrot cake. This is my first time having the tapioca kueh which has a very chewy texture. The texture resembled that of those pearls in bubble tea. The more you chew on it the more you get to like it.
Pork Belly Bun 3/5
Another of my favourite Hokkien dish is the Pork Belly Bun. However the version at Gim Tim was not as flavoursome or tender as I would have like.
Young Coconut Pudding 4.5/5
The refreshing Young Cocount Pudding is probably one of the best desserts I ever had. Using the coconut water, it was made into a pudding. Once the pudding is formed, a layer of mango puree is poured into the coconut husk and topped with diced fruits. The interesting combination was so good that I could not help going back for more. Whats more the coconut flesh can be enjoyed too.
Yam Paste 4/5
We have the Yam Paste to wrap up the dinner. For health conscious reason, the restaurant has stopped using pork lard for the yam paste. It was nice but lacked the aroma of the unhealthy porky fat.
This Chinese restaurant in the hood is helmed by Chef Lai Yong Meng that has 20 over years of experience. With vast experience under his belt, diners at Gim Tim will enjoy a quintessential selection of traditional Chinese food. In conjunction of the year end promotion, Gim Tim is offering a 8 course Chinese Set Meal (for 10 person) at a affordable price of $338 excluding GST.
Gim Tim Restaurant (锦珍酒楼)
Blk 157 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
#01-546
Singapore 560157
Tel: +65 64597766
Facebook:
Website: http://www.gimtim.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Yio Chu Kang (NS Line), Ang Mo Kio (NS Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 11am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Yio Chu Kang MRT station. Take Exit A, B or C. Walk to Yio Chu Kang Bus Interchange (Stop ID B55509). Take bus number 76. Alight 4 stops later. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]
2) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange (Stop ID B54009). Take bus number 269. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 13 minutes. [Map]
