Cherry Garden @ Mandarin Oriental Singapore - Refreshed Interior With a New Menu

Cherry Garden at Mandarin Oriental Singapore welcomes you back with a whole new refurbished interior that spells opulence and elegance at the same time. Rich with hues of natural wood stained on beams and furnishing, juxtaposed against a backdrop of bamboos and garden bushes revealed by the full height glass panels. It is almost a seamless transition as you walk from the main dining area to the outdoor garden. For greater intimacy, there are now extensive options of exclusive rooms with four-seater setting. Along with its refreshed interior, Executive Chinese Chef Cheng Hon Chau has crafted a new menu, set to continue to please your appetite with its well-established refine Cantonese cuisine, coupled with touches of innovation as highlights in its years-long tradition.

Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Black Garlic 4/5

We started off with some light dim sums. The Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Black Garlic ($8) looks like a seashell nestled in a basket. The black garlic has a deep, plumy taste which adds an interesting depth of flavour to the dumpling. And because of that, I actually like it more than the traditional prawn dumpling.

Steamed Crystal Dumpling with Fresh Mushrooms and Black Truffle 3/5

Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao 4/5

Its version of Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao ($7) is simply a sumo archetype - look at how the lovely juice weights down the entire body, which is loose and soft.

Double-boiled Clear Soup with Sliced Abalone Matsutake and Snow Fungus  4/5

That day had been really cold and its Double-boiled Clear Soup with Sliced Abalone Matsutake and Snow Fungus ($28) warmed me up instantly. Clear yet tastes full in my mouth, every sip seems to nourish me inside out.

Steamed Red Garoupa 3.5/5

Steamed Red Garoupa ($22) deviates from familiar flavours with pickled chillies. Altough the spicy and sour sauce is quite appetising, it can be a little overpowering for the delicate fish,

Pan-fried A4 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Sirloin 4/5

I appreciate how Pan-fried A4 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Sirloin ($48) is being treated with a touch of Japanese flair, given that it is, a purebred wagyu beef imported directly from the Miyazaki prefecture. Its inherent robust flavour which just gets stronger on every bite, is well supplemented with a sweet, smoky touch from its garlic barbeque sauce. The charred Shimeji is possibly one of the best accompaniments. If you pay close enough attention to the taste, you will find yourself biting into something minty - shiso flowers. A well thought-out dish indeed. It would have been even better should the beef be less cooked.

Five Grain Fried Rice 4/5

Second to the above would be Five Grain Fried Rice ($24 Small/ $36 Large). Neatly separated, the grains are firm to bite. The black wild rice is extra chewy and the sweet corns remains plump with juice. The rice crisp gives a wonderful fragrance and crunch to this already wok-hei rich plate of wholesome goodness. Stir-fry with Cantonese pork sausage and vegetables, its like having a plate of moreish claypot rice without having to go through the hassle of excavating the burnt rice.

Cherries in Nui Er Hong and aged Kuei Hua Wine Cocktail Jelly with Lychee Sorbet 3.5/5

For dessert, have a sip of the famous Chinese wine but in a less conventional way, with its Cherries in Nui Er Hong and aged Kuei Hua Wine Cocktail Jelly with Lychee Sorbet ($10). As the cherries are served in a ice blended form, I couldn't really taste the wine, which is a pity. I was expecting it to be similar to rum-soaked cherries. Other than that, I enjoyed all components of this dessert, especially the jelly that goes bursting with bittersweet wine.

I appreciate the fact that the cuisine is kept essentially traditional and authentic, with just a right amount of modern flair being added to it. To complete the whole experience, Alongside a wide selection of premium Chinese teas, there is a selection of old and new wines, specially curated to match the menu.

Words and photos 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Cherry Garden
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Marina Square
5 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039797
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Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Weekday Lunch: 12pm - 230pm
Weekend Dim Sum Buffet: 11am - 1pm, 130pm to 330pm
Dinner: 630pm to 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to Marina Square. Follow the signage to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B or D. Walk to Marina Square. Follow the signage to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Tamoya Udon @ Liang Court - A Brand New Tossed Udon Series

Tamoya Udon at Liang Court makes me crave for udon as much as I would crave for a bowl of ramen. Well known for its chewy and smooth handmade udon noodles, Tamoya Udon is considered one of the most reputable udon establishments amongst Japanese in the Sanuki Province, Shikoku. On the right side of the shop, you get a glimpse of its little home kitchen where fresh udon noodles is being churned out daily using ingredients (flour, shoyu, bonito etc) imported from Japan. With its humble furnishing, decorated with handwritten labels and DIY toppings counter, tables filled with (Japanese-looking) business men slurping their piping hot udon noodles, stepping into Tamoya excites me the way like how a place would in Japan. I couldn't wait to join in the hungry crowd.

Catering to the taste of the locals, Tamoya has created a brand new tossed udon series featuring Oooh-mami Udon, Triple Egg Udon, Fried Onion Udon and Pesto Udon. All the 4 different flavours are each crowned with a jiggly poached egg. Not only it adds to the visual feast, its essential in binding the ingredients together and then coat the noodles with the flavours.

Oooh-mami Udon 3/5

If you are one of those who love everything with XO sauce, Oooh-mami Udon ($10.80) answers your prayers in a 'Japanese' way. Rich with homemade XO sauce, enhanced with beautiful dried sakura ebi and bonito flakes. This bowl spells umami in every sense. It kind of reminds me of our local dry chilli prawn noodles with its chunks of dried shrimps, which gives a counter-texture to the chewy and smooth noodles. I thought it may get too salty but it didn't. Perhaps, the fresh spring onions and chopped onions mellow it a bit.

Triple Egg Udon 2.8/5

Triple Egg Udon ($9.80) is again another creation that speaks to our insatiable appetite for fish roe. The mentaiko is actually served on the udon as it, which is pretty uncommon in Singapore, perhaps more so in Japan. I expected my udon to taste really salty and briny but it turns out to be pretty mild in taste, almost like having Uni. The texture leaves a lot to be desired though. Upon mixing, my udon sort of becomes slimy and gluey. Its smooth and chewy texture somehow works against it in this presentation. The crunchy tobiko didn't help to add in any crunch either.

Fried Onion Udon 3/5

Flavoured with fragrant spring onion oil and topped with fresh spring onions, onions and shallots, Tamoya’s Fried Onion Udon ($8.80) is a predominantly onion-y udon inspired by the famous Shanghainese Chong You (fried spring onion) noodles. I like the fried spring onions which lends a sweetness to this savory noodles, as well as the braised pork meat that makes the noodles a lot more wholesome compared to the rest of the tossed udons.

Pesto Udon 2.5/5

While Pesto Udon ($8.80) is supposed to be a east-meets-west fusion of udon, it resembles more of Thai basil pork dish. I feel the pesto paste is quite well done but it gets lost in a mass of eggy gravy when you mix the udon. The biggest issue I have with is the pork, which smells and tastes porky.

There is no doubt Tamoya's udon is really one of the best in Singapore, given its chewy and smooth texture. Every strand of it is so thick, yet it's light and I won't want to go back to a ready-to-eat version anymore. Although the satisfaction that I got eating from the soup version didn't get translated to eating the tossed udons series, I believe udon lovers may still enjoy a change from their regular routine once in a while.

Words and photos 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


[CLOSED]
Tamoya Udon
Liang Court
177 River Valley Road
#01-32
Singapore 179030
Tel: +65 63370301
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Nearest MRT: Fort Canning (DT Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 930pm

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

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C, F or G. Walk along the river toward Riverside Point direction. Cross the bridge to the other end of the river. Turn left and walk towards Liang Court. Journey time about 10  minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]