Hai Tien Lo @ Pan Pacific Singapore - Elevating Classic Cantonese Flavours With Fresh Interpretations

Hai Tien Lo at Pan Pacific Singapore welcomes new Executive Chef Ben Zeng who has more than 25 years of culinary experience working in several celebrated Cantonese restaurants including Hakkasan Miami in Amercia and most recently Cassia at Capella Singapore. He has also refreshed the menus, showcasing reimagined traditional and contemporary delicacies.

Hai Tien Lo Chef's Specialty Combination 4/5

Our dinner started with the Hai Tien Lo Chef's Specialty Combination which features Pan Fried Scallop and Sliced Crispy Barbecued Suckling Pig stuffed with Prawn Paste in Thai sauce. The scallop was beautiful cooked, plump and juicy. As for the suckling pig, the addition of the prawn paste for the texture contrast and was well received.

Double Boiled Chicken Soup served in Young Coconut 4.5/5

The Double Boiled Chicken Soup served in Young Coconut is first boiled for hours with ham, pork bone and chicken to extract the essence. It is then transfer to the young coconut and boiled another 1.5 hours to infuse the refreshing and sweetness of the coconut. You can also find abalone, dried scallop, fresh prawn and Chinese mushrooms in the soup.

Deep Fried Crispy Sea Cucumber stuffed with Minced Pork and Shrimps 4.2/5

Sea cucumber can be an acquire dish for some but the rendition from Chef Ben in the Deep Fried Crispy Sea Cucumber stuffed with Minced Pork and Shrimps will change that perspective. The deep frying gives the sea cucumber a more delightful texture while the stuffed minced pork and shrimps adds on to the texture. Even my table of diners, some of them that do not eat sea cucumber find it acceptable with out the mushy or slimy texture.

Baked Silver Sea Perch Fillet with Kumquat Chilli Sauce 4.5/5

Another beautifully cooked dish is the Baked Silver Sea Perch Fillet with Kumquat Chilli Sauce. The freshness of the fatty silver sea perch is complemented by the kumquat and chilli sauce, allowing the buttery flavour of the sea perch to shine through. It is rounded off with the fruity orange peel flavour which is baked together with the fish.

Stir Fried Scallops with Pumpkin and Black Bean Sauce

The Stir Fried Scallops with Pumpkin and Black Bean Sauce reminds me of the flaming pineapple dish at Lokkee. However this is way much better and different. Chef Ben has brought something new to the table, cooking scallops with pumpkin and black bean sauce. Unlike the flaming pineapple which merely reinterpreted a traditional dish with premium ingredients and put on a gimmicky show.

Wok Fried Rice with Lobster and Ginger Spring Onion 4/5

Like all Chinese dinner, we end the savoury dishes with a noodle or rice dish. We have the Wok Fried Rice with Lobster and Ginger Spring Onion. The fried rice is packed with wok-hei boosted by the egg aroma. It even comes with half a lobster for a luxe enjoyment.

Chilled Lemon Grass Jelly and Lime Sorbet 4/5

Wrapping up the dinner, we have the light and yet refreshing Chilled Lemon Grass Jelly and Lime Sorbet. The sweet Aiyu jelly is served with the lime sorbet and drizzle with lemon juice for a zesty finish.

Diners can enjoy Chef Ben’s contemporary twists to classic fare, emphasising on elevating the natural taste of quality premium produce, through creative ingredient pairings and combination cooking methods, while retaining a harmonious balance of flavours in the dish. Guest will be taken on an impeccable tasting journey through top-quality seafood specialities, delicious roasts, wholesome soups, flavoursome dim sum and more.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Hai Tien Lo
Pan Pacific Singapore
7 Raffles Boulevard
Level 3
Singapore 039595
Tel: +65 68268240
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Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ash & Elm @ Intercontinental Singapore - Launches New Sunday Champagne Brunch

This April, Ash & Elm at Intercontinental Singapore launches a new Sunday Champagne Brunch, taking inspiration from the country synonymous with gastronomy, France. Helmed by newly appointed Chef de cuisine Adrian Chan, the brunch buffet features a medley of sophisticated flavours through the use of fresh ingredients and French cooking techniques from duck confit and braised beef brisket to ratatouille.

Using fresh produce from three different categories of land, sea and garden, the three iconic tasting platters of Ash & Elm’s Sunday Brunch comprise nine a la minute petite plates featuring the best of France’s rich culinary history.

From the Land menu, we have the Le Porc - this classic dish of pork belly is slow cooked in duck fat to achieve a tender consistency, crisp exterior, and its rich flavours are balanced with the tangy flavour of orange and piquant charred leeks.

The Le Boeuf - the beef brisket is braised in Bordeaux red wine for over 12 hours for that melt-in-the-mouth texture and is perfectly complemented with garlic infused pomme puree, and French beans to add a nice crunch to the beef brisket. The Le Canard features fork-tender pan-seared duck with spiced and vanilla infused carrots puree to bring out its luscious flavours.

One of my favourite from the Sea menu is the Le Flétan - the slow-poached halibut has a soft tender texture with crisp oat crust and topped with caviar beurre blanc and broccolini to enhance its flavours.

Some of the highlights from the Garden menu include the Le Champignon, where the mushroom takes centre stage in this dish with handmade tortellini generously filled with creamy porcini puree, adorned with lashings of truffle and wild mushroom duxelles.

While the La Tomate features a modern take on the common French vegetable stew. The ratatouille is colourfully presented in a stuffed oven-baked tomato paired with pesto.

Besides the petite plate selections, indulge in the array of brunch items from the counter such as the Poached Eggs doused in a creamy hollandaise sauce atop bacon, spinach and English muffin.

From the roasts section, the Slow Roasted Herb Crusted Beef Ribeye was well seasoned and perfectly executed.

Don't miss out on the caviar station, where diners can get to enjoy piles of Avruga (smoked herring roe), Wasabi Ebiko, Ikura, Tobiko, Queen Kaluga (sturgeon roe) on soft fluffy blinis.

Complementing the platters is a showcase of delicacies including a selection of French Cheese, as well as Fresh Premium Seafood on ice, such as the scallops, oysters, Boston lobsters, clams, prawns, mussels and more.

End your meal on a sweet note with their wide array of delectable desserts. The experience is further elevated with Taittinger Brut Champagne, house wines, soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea.

Some of the highlights include the Mint Mont Blanc, Rum Orange Baba, Citrus Meringue Tart, Lychee Rose Raspberry Macaron, Pistachio Cherry Eclair and more.

Ash & Elm’s Sunday Champagne Brunch is available every Sunday from 12pm to 3pm, and is priced at $148 per adult, inclusive of unlimited Taittinger Brut Champagne, house wines, beers, soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea; $98 per adult, inclusive of Bloody Mary cocktails, soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea; and $48 per child, inclusive of soft drinks and juices. Prices are subject to 10% service charge and prevailing government taxes.

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Ash & Elm
InterContinental Singapore
Level 1
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 68251008
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Website
Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]