Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant @ PARKROYAL on Beach Road

For a change, Christmas is not all about turkeys and log cakes. At Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, Tian Fu Tea Room we can celebrate the festive season in the Sparkling Imperial High Tea (梦幻宫廷下午茶) from 15 November 2014 to 31 January 2015 at $38.80 per person. Tian Fu Tea Room worked with the all new bespoke's bird's nest brand Long Ming Xuan (龙明宣) to feature the bird's nest in their exquisite handcrafted dim sum. The sparkling imperial high tea will comprises of nine dim sum items paired with two premium Chinese brews and a glass of sparkling wine for the festivities.

Steamed Minced Meat Dumpling in Superior Stock and Bird's Nest 4/5

Steamed Minced Meat Dumpling in Superior Stock and Bird's Nest 4/5

We were given a glimpse of the sparkling imperial high tea items starting with the piping hot Steamed Minced Meat Dumpling in Superior Stock and Bird'S Nest. While I couldn't really fault the xiao long bao with the nice balance and proportion of minced meat and superior stock, I could hardly detect the bird's nest in the execution. It seems to the flooded by the tsunami of richness from the superior stock and lost in it. It is still a good xiao long bao in its highest standard but it did not really featured the bird's nest in this execution.

Steamed Dumpling with Minced Chicken and Bird's Nest 4/5

The Steamed Dumpling with Minced Chicken and Bird's Nest on the other did more justification to the bird's nest. I could taste the egg like aroma and the smooth texture of the bird's nest with popping surprises of the roes.

Steamed Siew Mai with Bird's Nest 4/5

Next up in the bamboo basket is the steaming hot Steamed Siew Mai with Bird's Nest. The luxurious topping of the bird's nest allows me to appreciate the smooth texture of it even more.

Pan Fried Crab Meat Puff 3/5

Known for its high standard, I actually felt a bit disappointed in the Pan Fried Crab Meat Puff as I was expecting something more exquisite. Nevertheless, even though so, the sweetness of the seafood wrapped with the thin dumpling skin was quite delectable.

Boiled Minced Meat Dumpling in Sour and Spicy Stock 4.2/5

Sichuan food is known for its spiciness and the Boiled Minced Meat Dumpling in Sour and Spicy Stock actually got me really excited. I enjoyed the tickling kick of spiciness and numbness on the palate. One of my favourite items for the high tea.

Sichuan Noodle with Onion Sauce 4/5

The simple and plain looking Sichuan Noodle with Onion Sauce surprised me with its alluring aroma. The shallot oil accentuated the the noodles to a new height in such a simple dish. Incidentally we discovered that mixing the noodle with the sour and spicy stock further elevated the whole enjoyment if you love spicy food.

Chilled Pear with Bird's Nest 4.2/5

The other highlight of the whole afternoon high tea and bird's nest creation is the Chilled Pear with Bird's Nest. The sweetness of double boiled pear complemented the silky smooth bird's nest which I felt is still the best way of featuring the curated off-the-shelf Jin Yan (金燕) collection, sourced from the coastal areas in Indonesia.

The Spakling Imperial High Tea will be available in all the three outlets at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road and TOP of UOB Plaza. UOB cardmembers also get enjoy the privilege of 1 dine free with three accompanying guests.


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

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

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]

Spruce @ Fire Station (Upper Bukit Timah)

This is the time of the year where restaurants are pushing out their festive menus. After my recent visit to Spruce at Phoenix Park, I am back to Spruce but at their Upper Bukit Timah Fire station outlet to try their Festive Set Menu ($38++) available from 1 to 30 December 2014 except 24, 25 and 31 December 2014. OCBC cardmembers will enjoy a 10% discount for the Festive 3 course menu which comes with a Salad, choice of main and a dessert.

Roasted Beetroot & Chevre Salad 4/5

Starting the 3 course Festive Menu was the Roasted Beetroot & Chevre Salad. It consists of a bed of roasted beetroot, candied walnuts, arugula and white balsamic dressing. I like the roasted beetroot which still comes with a nice crunch on top of its earthy sweetness.

Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup 3.5/5

For an additional $10, you can add the Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup to make it a 4 course meal. It was a comforting and hearty soup especially for the rainy period. If you are in the mood for some champagne, spruce offers the Pierre Paillard Cru Brut Chapagne for an additional of $45 for 375ml or $85 for 750ml.

Smoked Lamb Bockwurst with Chestnut Stuffing 3/5

Roasted Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing 3.5/5

The mains come with a choice of either the Smoked Lamb Bockwurst with Chestnut Stuffing or Roasted Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing. I really like the plating, the dish has the Christmas feel in its presentation. Among the two mains, I would prefer the turkey. I enjoyed how the sweetness of the cranberry sauce complemented the turkey meat.

Pumpkin Pie 2.8/5

Drawing the curtain to the 3 course festive set menu is the Pumpkin Pie. While I enjoyed the buttery crust, I thought the pumpkin flavour was lacking. I could barely tasted any pumpkin. It probably has been masked off by the sweetness of the marshmallow.

Ahi Tuna Tartar 4.5/5

Besides the festive menu, Spruce at Fire Station offers a lot of yummlicious dishes on the a la carte menu. One such dish is the Ahi Tuna Tartar ($22) that my friend highly recommended. 120 grams of sashimi grade raw tuna mixed with a special vinaigrette and served with a sliced avocado and toasted ciabatta bread. One word, awesome. You just need to have it.

Signature Salad 4.2/5

For a healthy and clean diet, Spruce's Signature Salad ($19) is pretty substantial with fresh corn, dates, almonds, Momotaro tomato, cucumber, avocado mixed green and chevre cheese. I like the choice of the champagne vinaigrette dressing which is not too heavy complementing the nature flavours of the salad. I actually find the use of dates in the salad rather interesting as you don't often get it elsewhere.

Spruce Burger 4/5

Over at Spruce @ Phoenix Park, I tried their pasta dishes so this time round I had the burgers instead. First up is the Spruce Burger ($18) which comes with a 160 grams freshly grounded Australian beef chunk sandwiched in between the black and white sesame bun that is made freshly daily. The burger is also topped with havarti cheese, bacons, lettuces etc. The beef patty itself was juicy and moist. However I felt something was missing in the burger, probably that feeling of guilt and messiness when you bite into one. I like my burger to be very big in flavour but this was more refined.

Tuna Burger 3/5

The Tuna Burger ($24) is one item on the menu that caught my eye when I first visited Spruce. I tried the cod fish burger from market grill before and it was awesome. I was hoping the tuna burger will be something similar. Unfortunately, I felt a bit disappointed when it was served as a patty instead of a whole tuna fillet. I was a decent burger but it was not memorable.  The star ingredient, tuna was hardly noticeable in the execution.

Red Velvet Cupcake and Latte 4/5

Don't be mislead by all the different colourful neon lights at Spruce Fire Station. This is not just a drinking place, it actually serves a cup of good coffee. The beans are sourced from Naples in Italy. We also tried the Red Velvet Cupcake which gets the approval from around the table. It was nicely balanced, not overly sweet and moist.

Pecan Pie 3/5

Baked Ginger Date Pudding 4/5

I have tried the Baked Ginger Date Pudding ($15) before and I still enjoy it. Warm, moist and comes with hints of ginger flavour. This is heavenly paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. If you like something nutty and sweet, the Pecan Pie would be a good choice too.

Having visit both Spruce's outlet, I have to say I have enjoyed both my experience. For those that drives, parking is free. Spruce Fire Station also screens live soccer matches, hence it is a good place to hang out with friends for a drink and catch a match too. Of course not to be missed is the festive promotional menu at $38++ and OCBC cardmembers get another 10% discount.


Spruce @ Fire Station (Upper Bukit Timah)
260 Upper Bukit Timah
#01-01
Singapore 588190
Tel: +65 64665582
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpruceFirestation
Website: http://www.spruce.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Bukit Batok (NS Line), Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 12midnight
Sat-Sun & PH: 9am - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Bukit Batok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 43009). Take bus no. 852. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 184. Alight 13 stops later. Walk to overhead bridge. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]