Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat @ Balestier Road

After missing the October 2013 Makansutra Makan Gathering, I am back with the group of foodies at Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat for the November 2013 makan gathering. Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat has 2 outlets, one at Balestier Road and the other at Rangoon Road. The main branch is at Balestier road. Words have it that the main branch is run by the 1st wife while the 2nd wife runs the other outlet.

Prawn Rolls 4/5

As usual dinner started late after 8pm and everyone was already starving. When the plump Prawn Rolls was served, it basically disappeared in a flash like popcorns. The crispy exterior with the jam packed filling is always a delight to be served on any dining table

Sliced Fish Steamboat 4.5/5

The popular Sliced Fish Steamboat at Whampoa Keng still continues to use charcoal for their traditional steamboat. Taking a sip of the slurp worthy rich and sweet soup, I realised why Whampoa Keng has been up there as one of the best all these years. Compared to the other foodies favourite, Nam Hwa Chong (Ah Chew) Fish Head Steamboat. My vote goes to Whampoa Keng.

Sambal Kang Kong 4.2/5

Quite a staple dish that most Singaporean will order at Chinese restaurant. The Sambal Kang Kong was nicely stir fried with the fragrant dried shrimp and it carried some heat in it.

Stir Fried Prawns 4/5

The Stir Fried Prawns were fresh and succulent while still having a new crunchy bite to it.

Thai Style Assorted Seafood 3.8/5

The Thai Style Assorted Seafood was rather interesting. It is definitely the first for me. There were mix feedbacks on the dish. I personally enjoyed it especially with the fish maw soaking up the delightful tom yum broth.

Prawn Paste Chicken Wings 4.2/5

Deep fried to a beautiful golden brown, I love the distinct prawn paste flavour of the chicken wings. Definitely one of the best Prawn Paste Chicken Wings I have eaten. I could not help going for more. I think I had about 4 to 5 of them.

Braised Pig Trotter 4.5/5

By the seventh dish I was already quite full but I could not resist the plate of yummy collagen filled Braised Pig Trotter. It was so tender that the meat fell off the bone with ease and the skin part simply melted in the mouth.

Venison with Spring Onion 2/5

The missing link for the night was the Venison with Spring Onion. The use of salt was way too heavy. It was the only dish of the night that we did not manage to clear of the plate.

Fried Vermicelli 4/5

Like all Chinese dinner, the carb is always served last. The Fried Vermicelli was fragrant and springy. A nice dish to wrap up the feast.

Herbal Jelly 3/5

Of course how can we end up without dessert? We had some Herbal Jelly which is known to be good for skin complexion.

Occupying 2 floors at a shophouse until along Balestier Road, Whampoa Keng will be my to visit place for fish head steamboat in future. It also wok up some pretty good cooked food dishes for a delicious meal.


Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat
556 Balestier Road
Singapore 329872
Tel: +65 63567371
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whampoa-Keng-Fishhead-Steamboat/261673263869516
Website: http://www.whampoakeng.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Novena (NS Line), Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Irrawaddy Road. Walk towards Ren Ci Community Hospital direction along Irrawaddy Road. Walk to the end of Irrawaddy Road. Cross the road and turn left onto Balestier Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Toa Payoh bus interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 139 or 145. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Toa Payoh MRT station along Toa Payoh Lorong 2 (Stop ID 52189). Take bus 56, 105 or 153. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the canal. Walk to the end of Jalan Dusun. Turn left onto Balestier Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Absinthe @ Boat Quay

Formerly located at Bukit Pasoh, Absinthe has moved into its current location at Boat Quay occupying two adjoining shophouses over three floors. Lead by award winning Chef Francois Mermilliod and General Manager Vincent Jaureguiberry, Absinthe is known for its classic French cuisine. Coined after the old fashioned green spirit Absinthe that was banned in 1914 but subsequently lifted in 2011. Like the highly alcoholic liquor that required careful preparation and attention to detail, the team strives to revive the appreciation for classic French cuisine.

Hamachi 4.2/5

Before I get into my gastronomic journey at Absinthe, kindly note most of the items were sample portion except for the desserts. Dinner started with the Hamachi ($26), a carpaccio of marinated yellow kingfish topped with aquitaine caviar served with cucumber and baby cress at the side. A clean and subtle execution that delights the palate, igniting the night for what is to be served.

Saint Jacques 4.2/5

Next up is Saint Jacques ($26), a dual seared Hokkaido scallops, braised daikon, wakame and lemon thyme emulsion. The fresh scallop was cooked perfectly, springy and buttery. The wakame gave it an extra crunchy bite while the lemon thyme emulsion lifted the flavour. Interestingly, braised daikon is not a classic French. Accordingly to my understanding, the chef loves to add a bit of his character to his dish.

Foie Gras Poele 4.2/5

The Pan Fried Foie Gras ($29) was served with warm blinis and morello cherries. The combination worked perfectly with the blinis giving it a contrasting texture while livery foie gras was nicely balanced with the sweetness of the morello cherries.

Canard 4.5/5

The classic French Duck Leg Confit ($42) was really beautiful with its crispy skin and fork tender duck meat. Served with saraladise potatoes, mushrooms and madiran wine sauce, this is probably one of the best duck confit I ever eaten. Definitely a must order here.

Creme Brulee 3/5

Moving on to the dessert, the Jasmine Creme Brulee ($15) fell short of my expectation. The texture of the base was more like a mousse than custard. The yuzu sorbet on the other hand stood out on the plate with praises from fellow diners.

Madeleines 4.5/5

The Madeleines ($15) served with valrhona chocolate mousse was indeed a great delight to end the night. The freshly baked to order vanilla madeleines was crispy on the outside and spongy inside. It kind of remind me of the Asian kueh bolu.

This month actually marks the 5th year for Absinthe which was officially opened in December 2008. For a restaurant that has been around for this long and consistently serving quality food, it deserves more recognition. I am definitely impressed with my visit and I am sure I will be back for more when I noticed the 3 course lunch set at $38 and a 7 course degustation menu at $98 available for both lunch and dinner. Beside the food and service, Absinthe is also popular for its list of affordable price wines with the trusted selection from the GM Vincent who is a certified Sommerlier.


Absinthe
71/72 Boat Quay
Singapore 049860
Tel: +65 62229068
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Absinthe/56794462597
Website: http://www.absinthe.sg/
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 4pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT Station. Take Exit E. Cross New Bridge Road to the opposite of The Central. Walk towards Upper Circular Road. Turn onto Upper Circular Road and walk to the end. Cross the road at South Bridge Road and walk towards the river. Walk down the row of shop houses along the river. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT Station. Take Exit G. Walk to the river. Walk down the row of shop houses along the river. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]