Comtam Vietnam @ Kitchener Road

Used to be in Geylang, Comtam Vietnam has recently moved into their new premises at Kitchener Road near City Square Mall. In conjunction with the new location, it has also expanded its menu offering other Asian cuisines besides Vietnamese to cater for the different customer profile in the area.

Handmade Spring Rolls 3/5

Dinner started with some healthy bites in the Handmade Spring Rolls ($4.20 for 2pc). Like the fact that it is thoughtfully sliced into half for easy consumption. Make sure to dip the spring roll with the accompanying sauce to enjoy it.

Green Mango Salad with Cashews & Prawns 4/5

Next to whet up the appetite, I had the Green Mango Salad with Cashews and Prawns ($10.90). This comes with a nice kick of the signature seasonings of sweet, salty and spicy in Thai cuisine on top of the crunchy shredded green mango.

Sliced Beef Noodle Soup 2.8/5

A staple in Vietnamese cuisine is the Sliced Beef Noodle Soup ($7.50). It is a flavourful bowl of noodle but far from being the best. The rice noodle was too thick, sort of the type used in Chinese hawker noodle stall. In addition, the broth tasted overly sweet lacking a body and robustness in it.

Dry Rice Vermicelli with BBQ Pork 3/5

Another noodle dish I tried is the Dry Rice Vermicelli with BBQ Pork ($6.90). The rice vermicelli was smooth and comes with a nice bite. It was quite a pleasant dish except for the lackluster BBQ Pork.

Claypot Lemongrass Chicken 4/5

The next dish I tried is the Claypot Lemongrass Chicken ($11.90). The lemongrass aroma permeated the air as the dish was served. The tender chicken was nicely coated and infused with the marination, making them delectably good.

Chef-made sauce Spare Ribs 3.5/5

The Chef-made sauce Spare Ribs ($15.90) comes with a sweet coating concoction which should include some orange peels in it. Both adult and children will enjoy the special sauce made by the chef. However if the meat can be more tender than that will be better.

Overall Comtam Vietnam offers an extensive menu with some comfort food. I understand it is a commercial decision to expand the menu but I still think that they should focus on one cuisine and make it great rather than master of none.


Comtam Vietnam 
159/161 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208530
Tel: +65 81882131
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comtam.vietnam
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 1130am - 4am
Sun: 12pm - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit I. Cut across City Square Mall to the exit to Kitchener Road. Cross the traffic junction and turn left onto Kitchener Road. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Cove 99 Live Seafood Restaurant @ Peck Seah Street

Cove99 Live Seafood Restaurant is an intimate 120-seater Chinese restaurant nestled along a row of shophouses at Peck Seah Street. You may not be familiar with this name yet as it is opened only last year 2014. Helmed by executive chef Pang Seng Hai whom has more than 20 years of culinary experience. Prior to heading the kitchen at Cove99, Chef Pang was Executive Chef at Chin Huat Live Seafood Restaurant and held many positions with Tung Lok, Legend Fort Canning and Jade Fullerton.

For the upcoming Fathers' Day, Cove99 has specially designed a menu for this occasion. This brought us here tonight, for a taste of a few of their signature as well as new dishes.

Double-boiled Shark’s Fin and Abalone in Fresh Ginseng Chicken Broth 4/5

Nothing beats a good bowl of nutritious soup to start off a dinner. The smell of ginseng permeated the air as the staff brought over our Double-boiled Shark’s Fin and Abalone in Fresh Ginseng Chicken Broth. From the smell alone I can imagine the all flavour and nutrition sealed in this pot of wholesome goodness. It did taste as good as I have imagined it to be.

Stir-fried Venison with Hon-Shimeiji Mushroom 4.2/5

The Stir-fried Venison with Hon-Shimeiji Mushroom in Yellow Mustard Sauce is highly recommended or at least i think my dad will like this dish. It was slightly charred on the surface with an extremely tender core. I thought that the yellow mustard sauce complement the meat well, adding a bit of sharpness to the overall taste.

Braised Whole Fish Maw with Sliced Black Truffles 3.8/5

Braised Whole Fish Maw with Sliced Black Truffles and Seasonal Vegetable in Superior Broth. This indeed is an luxurious dish. It is my first time being served an entire fish maw. In Chinese, cooking fish maw may be considered a rare ingredient. Similar to other luxurious ingredients such as shark fins, it is often appreciated for its scarcity, novelty, nutrients or value, rather than taste. Its subtly in taste may lead to some heavy seasoning but fortunately, Chef Pang has adopted a simple treatment instead to preserve that natural flavour. I find the broth quite compatible for its taste and I enjoyed its firm texture pretty much.

Braised Boston Lobster 4.2/5

Their Braised Boston Lobster is one of my favourite tonight. The lobster was coated with the right amount of Creamy White Wine Sauce. I'm not too sure how the lobster was being braised but I find it quite well done as the meat remained firm, as I have tasted mushy texture before. The white wine sauce is of the right viscosity. It wasn't too creamy, nor too heavy which might have otherwise stolen the sweetness of the meat.

De-shelled Chilli Crab with Deep-fried Mantou 4/5

I believe you may be extremely keen to try their De-shelled Chilli Crab with Deep-fried Mantou. They may be the only one serving it de-shelled. Some of you may think that having it de-shelled reduce the shiok-ness of eating chilli crab but you may change your mind after trying it out. What I appreciate about this dish is that the portion of meat and gravy is quite well balanced. every scoop of the mixture gives you a decent serving of the crab meat. Some of you may like the fluffy mantou, though I much prefer an airier one.

Stewed Rice Vermicelli and Glass Noodles with Seafood and Bitter Gourd 4/5

Our last main was Stewed Rice Vermicelli and Glass Noodles with Seafood and Bitter Gourd. I really get the best of both worlds - the firmness of the rice vermicelli and the springiness of the glass noodles. This combination works well for me. They have soaked up the flavour from the stew, and accompanied with a good portion of seafood and bitter gourd. I thought I had detected the wok hei faintly which to me is a plus.

Homemade Premium Durian Pudding 2/5

After all the great dishes, I looked forward to the closing, Homemade Premium Durian Pudding. Sadly, the sweetness of it didn't work for me at all.

It had been a luxurious evening for me, and I'm sure your dad will probably feel the same way too. Rather than patronising the few names in shopping malls, you may want to give this place a try.

Enjoy the following special when you book a Father’s Day Menu (for Sat 20 Jun – Sun 21 Jun) before Sunday 14 Jun 2015:

Cove99 Premier Card Member Exclusive
- 15% discount on Father’s Day Menu (Lunch Only)
- 10% discount on Father’s Day Menu (Dinner Only)
- Complimentary bottle of white wine with every order of $688 8-Course Menu

Members of Public
- 10% discount on Father’s Day Menu (Lunch Only)
- Complimentary bottle of white wine with every order of $688 8-course Menu
*Pierre Jean Colombard Chardonnay, France (worth $49.90)

SET MENUS 
$268++ 6-course Set Menu For 5pax
$688++ 8-course Set Menu For 10pax

Written By Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Cove 99 Live Seafood Restaurant
72 Peck Seah Street
Singapore 079329
Tel: +65 62240991
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cove99
Website: http://www.cove99.com/
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]