88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist @ Foch Road - The Legendary Sio Bak

I first get to know Martin of 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist when he was roasting his meat at Tampines. I thought I have discovered the best sio bak in Singapore when Uncle Martin introduced the stall to us, formerly known as Cross Way Bay Hong Kong Roasted Meat in Tampines. The joy was short lived as he soon moved to Johor Bahru. It is only late last year that Martin moved back to Singapore again, starting 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist at Bukit Batok. Due to the slow business in Bukit Batok, he closed the stall and re-opened at the current place in a coffeeshop at Foch Road.

Sio Bak 4.8/5

What made Martin has such a big following is because of his Sio Bak or Roasted Pork Belly. Unlike most stall, his sio bak is not only crispy on the skin but has a biscuit like texture that is unique and enjoyable.

Look at the gorgeous 7 different layers of the sio bak or pork belly. Someone ever told me, this is the golden standard of a good sio bak.

Char Siew 4/5

Besides the sio bak, I also order some Char Siew to try. I remembered I did not like his char siew back then. However this time round, I think Martin has fine-tuned his skill and it actually is quite good. The char siew is not too sweet and roasted to a tender texture with hints of charred smokiness.

Roasted Duck 4.2/5

The other roast that Martin is perfecting is the Roasted Duck. I wonder what has he changed or learnt during his travel because he has gotten better with his roasted duck. Not only is the exterior crispy, the duck itself is still tender and juicy. As he was very busy during my visit, I did not get the air time to find out more from him.

Many of us who knows Martin is glad that he is back in Singapore now. I am also happy to see that his business is picking up too, from the sight of the long queue during my visit. I hope he is here to stay or I will miss his sio bak. By the way, do note that the current stall in Bukit Batok although using the same name is not related to him. The master is now at Foch Road.


[MOVED]
88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist
30 Foch Road
Singapore 209276
Nearest MRT: Lavender MRT (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 945pm
(Closed on Alt Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Lavender MRT station (Stop ID 01311). Take bus number 133 or 145. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to Foch Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Horne Road. Walk down Horne Road. Turn right onto Tyrwhitt Road. Turn left onto Beatty Lane. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

10 at Claymore @ Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel - Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta

For the month of April and May 2016, 10 at Claymore, Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel will be bringing to you the Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta. Executive Chef Andy Oh, a Penang boy himself will be serving an ensemble of dishes which the Malaysian town is famous for.

Besides the Penang feast, the restaurant has also put together some timeless favourite beverages such as the Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi Juice at $6 nett each.

XO Popiah 3/5

The spread at the buffet line is quite extensive. I started with some light bite in the XO Popiah. An interesting twist to the normal roll but I thought the XO sauce was a bit heavy throwing the balance off.

Penang Rojak 4/5

The light and refreshing Penang Rojak tossed in a savoury prawn paste is a delightful starter to whet up the appetite.

Penang Prawn Noodle 4/5

Moving on to the noodle section, I tried the Penang Prawn Noodle. The broth is robust and packed with flavour. It also comes with an hint of spiciness.

Assam Laksa 4.5/5

One of the real deal at the Penang Fiesta is the Assam Laksa. All the components of a good bowl of assam laksa can be found in it. Definitely one of the best I have eaten for a long while. This is as close as we can get for the authentic flavour of Chef's hometown.

Bak Kut Teh 3/5

For those that like Malaysian style Bak Kut Teh, you can savour it at the Penang Fiesta too. The claypot comes with pork belly ribs, pork intestine, pig stomach, meatball, bean curd stick, dough fritter in a rich and intense flavoured broth. However it seems the kitchen was a bit heavy on the sodium chloride.

Cuttlefish Kangkong 3/5

Another dish that can be better is the Cuttlefish Kangkong. The most important component of the dish, the sauce was too sweet and lacked the prawny pungent taste. Sorry to say that but I thought it tasted more like the yong tau foo sweet sauce.

Chicken Lor Bak with Century Egg 2.8/5

Lor Bak is another staple of Penang cuisine. The version at the buffet is made using chicken instead of pork. If not for the saltiness, this would be a very enjoyable bite.

Penang Char Kway Teow 4.5/5

An all time favourite is the Penang Char Kway Teow. The smokey wok hei is an excellent showcase of the chef's control of the fire and wok. This is a dish not to be missed if you have the chance to dine at Pan Pacific Orchard Hotel.

Besides the spread of Penang fare, the buffet line also has many delectable cooked food that will satisfy your tummy as well as your wallet. The extensive choices make every dollar worthwhile. Among the spread, the other dishes I tried are Nonya Kerabu Fried Rice, Braised Pork Trotter with Black Rice Vinegar, Chicken Kapitan Perankan Style, Braised Duck with Preserved Salted Vegetables, Inchi Kabin Fried Chicken, Braised Lamb Shank, Slow Braised Beef Cheek, Baked Norweigian Salmon,

Banana Fritter and Gula Melaka Ice Cream 4/5

By the time for dessert, I was already too stuffed. Hence I just try only a few items from the dessert section. The Banana Fritter with its crispy exterior is worth trying. Furthermore, the sweet snack is seldom served in hotel buffet. To elevate the presentation and enjoyment, I told a scoop of the Gula Melaka Ice Cream and added some condiments.

Great to have my favourite shaved ice Chendol in the dessert section too. The sweetness of the dessert, coupled with the fragrant coconut milk and gula melaka, is the perfect ending to a delicious night of Penang fare.

Chendol 4.2/5

The Pearl of Orient Penang Fiesta will be available from April to May 2016. During the same period, the lobby lounge will be offering a three-course menu featuring chicken lor bak as appetiser, a choice of assam laksa with barramundi fillet, live king prawn noodle broth or Penang char kway teow for main course, ending with the chendol for dessert.

Lobby Lounge - Penang Set Lunch
Mon-Fri
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Price: $16 nett, $19 nett (with a choice of Milo XL, Bandung and Calamansi)

Buffet Price Details
Mon-Fri Lunch: $42
Sat-Sun Lunch: $48
Mon-Sun Dinner: $68


10 at Claymore
Pan Pacific Orchard
10 Claymore Road
Singapore 229540
Tel: +65 67370811
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanPacificOrchard
Website: http://www.panpacific.com/en/Orchard/Overview.html
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 1030am (breakfast), 12pm - 230pm (lunch), 6pm -1030pm (dinner)
Sunday: 12pm - 3pm (brunch)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheellock Place via ION. Exit Wheellock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Royal Thai Embassy. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Cut through Palais Renaissance to the other side of the building. Pan Pacific Orchard is opposite the building. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Royal Thai Embassy direction. Walk to Palais Renaissance which is right after Royal Thai Embassy. Cut through Palais Renaissance to the other side of the building. Pan Pacific Orchard is right opposite the building. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]