The Dragon Chamber @ Circular Road (Boat Quay) - Reopens With An Updated Menu And An Extended Service Area

The Dragon Chamber, the hidden restaurant inside a kopitiam, has reopened with an updated menu. In addition, the front of the restaurant, originally designed to look like a nondescript kopitiam to conceal the dining area, has been refurbished into a functional open-air casual bar known as Dragon Chamber Kopitiam, offering bar snacks and cocktails.

Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters 4.5/5

The signature Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters ($16/$30) gets to stay on the new menu. The crispy deep-fried diced chicken paired with chopped dried chillies, cashews, chives and Szechuan peppercorn is very addictive. It is served with crunchy "youtiao" fritters baked in maple syrup which I felt is a welcome addition to cut the spiciness.

Double Boiled Almond Mushroom, Sea Whelk & Conpoy Soup 4.5/5

The Double Boiled Almond Mushroom, Sea Whelk & Conpoy Soup ($16) is new. The flavoursome soup is extracted from boiling chicken and pork for four hours before double-boiling for another two hours with ingredients such as mushrooms and conpoy.

Tofu Duo in Pumpkin Gravy 4/5

Another new item on the menu is the Tofu Duo in Pumpkin Gravy ($24). Sitting in the pool of pumpkin gravy is a duo of egg spinach tofu and charcoal-infused tofu served with roasted pumpkins. I enjoyed the smooth and silky tofu, but the roasted pumpkin is on the tough side for my likings. 

Assorted Beef Claypot 4.8/5

My favourite dish among the new items is the Assorted Beef Claypot ($40). It comprises beef tendon, oxtail, tongue and cheek, cooked in a house with special fermented beancurd and oyster sauce. It is so comforting and hearty that I can have it with at least two bowls of rice.

Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun 4.2/5

A must-have at The Dragon Chamber is the Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun ($32/$58). I realized the restaurant had changed the A4 Kagoshima wagyu with US wagyu short rib. No wonder the price has dropped. The rest of the components making up the dish remains the same. The guests still get the crispy deep-fried hor fun strips, poached egg and wok-fried flat noodles finished with truffle gravy.

Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales 4.5/5

From the sea, we have the wild-caught Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales ($88). The fish stood out for its huge, big eyes. It is steamed and flash-fried for a crispy scale texture served in a special in-house Hong Kong-style sauce.

Golden Cloud Dragon Mountain 4/5

Making a theatrical entry in smoke from the dry ice is the Golden Cloud Dragon Mountain ($88/$138). The whole lobster is chopped into chunky pieces, deep-fried and tossed in a sweet and savoury golden egg floss.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries 3.5/5

Wrapping up our dinner, we have the Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries ($12) smothered in a house special Szechuan sauce. The combination is unique, and it's my first time having ice cream with fries. It is quite a unique experience.

I have enjoyed the Assorted Beef Claypot and Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales from the newly updated menu. In addition, it is great to see that the signature Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun and Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters are still on the menu.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Dragon Chamber
2 Circular Road
Singapore 049358
Tel: +65 68058181
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down the road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Tien Court Restaurant @ Copthorne King's Hotel - New Chef New Menu With Weekly Dish Promotion Up To 50% Off

Probably not known to many, Tien Court Restaurant is located within Copthorne King's Hotel on Havelock Road. Recently, Master Chef Lui Wing Keung joined the restaurant and embraced a grand menu revamp. On top of that, the restaurant is championing sustainability to repurpose imperfect foods that would otherwise be discarded.

Deep Fried Glutinous Rice with Minced Chicken 4.2/5

The Deep Fried Glutinous Rice with Minced Chicken is delicately crafted in the shape of an adorable chick, playfully nestled in a bed of hay and crackered eggshells. It is too cute to be eaten. The first bite is crispy, followed by the chewy texture and the mouth-watering filling of savoury minced chicken.

Teochew Steamed Crystal Dumpling 4/5

Tien Court Restaurant has a delectable spread of dim sum items on the menu. A crowd favourite is the Teochew Steamed Crystal Dumpling with Dried Shrimp, Preserved Radish and Jicama. While I enjoyed the thin and translucent dumpling skin's chewy texture, the stuffing was too coarsely cut to complement it.

Frozen Marinated Cherry Tomato with Plum & Homemade Beancurd Roll 4.2/5

The Homemade Beancurd Roll is an off-menu special. Besides the soft interior, it has savouriness and crunchiness due to the mixture of tofu, prawn paste, carrot and water chestnuts. On the side is Frozen Marinated Cherry tomato with Plum, giving it a refreshing touch. Noteworthy is the used of ugly vegetable that is deemed unfit for supermarket punnet.

Double-boiled Fish Maw Nourishing Soup 3.8/5

The Double-boiled Fish Maw Soup is both nourishing and comforting. Diners can find soft tendon, fish maw and dried scallops in the rich and creamy and milky broth. As it uses chicken collagen, the flavour is not as intense as pork collagen. Diners can also add a dash of black vinegar to balance the richness.

Teochew-Style Oyster Omelette 3.5/5, Deep-Fried Oyster Fritter with Garlic and Chilli Powder 3.8/5

The Teochew-Style Oyster Omelette is topped with Deep-Fried Oyster Fritter with Garlic and Chilli Powder. It is a two in one dish. First is the plump and juicy oyster fritters on top, with a crispy and fluffy omelette on the bottom. It is best enjoyed with the piquant homemade chilli sauce.

Signature Braised White Teat Sea Cucumber 4/5

The Signature Braised White Teat Sea Cucumber is soft and bouncy on the inside and crispy on the outside. The complementing moreish abalone sauce raises the taste profile, which deep-frying provides extra textural enjoyment.

Stir-Fried Pork Shoulder with Chef's Special Sauce 4.2/5

The Stir-Fried Pork Shoulder with Chef's Special Sauce has a delightful bite for its leaner cut. Marinated in honey and black vinegar, it gives the pork a lovely sweet-sour profile. Frankly, I didn't have the addition of Japanese matcha powder served any possible. 

Signature Teochew Wok-Fried Hor Fun with Diced Kailan and Preserved Radish 3.8/5

The staple Teochew dish, the Signature Teochew Wok-Fried Hor Fun with Diced Kailan and Preserved Radish, is given an elevated touch with the addition of crispy Sakura prawns for added pops of umami.

Homemade Tau Suan 4.2/5, Signature Teochew Crispy Noodle 4/5

Wrapping up our dinner at Tien Court, we had the Signature Teochew Crispy Noodle paired with a refreshing strawberry vinegar sauce that sits light on the palate. However, my favourite is the Homemade Tau Suan with freshly grated orange peel, gingko and fried dough fritter with a sweet, citrusy fragrance.

Do look out for Tien Court's weekly promotion. Guests can enjoy Chef Lui's new creations at a special price (up to 50% off) every week from 30 August until 3 October 2021. Terms and conditions apply.

30/08 – 05/09: Deep-fried Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Minced Chicken $4++ (U.P.$7++)
06/09 – 12/09: Signature Braised White Teat Sea Cucumber in Oyster Sauce $18++ (U.P.$28++)
13/09 – 19/09: Homemade Beancurd Roll with Frozen Marinated Cherry Tomato with Plum $16++ (U.P.$24++)
20/09 – 26/09: Signature Teochew Wok-fried Hor Fun with Diced Kailan and Preserved Radish $10++ (U.P.$16++)
27/09 – 03/10: Stir-fried Pork Shoulder with Chef's Special Sauce and Matcha $12++ (U.P.$24++)

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tien Court Restaurant
Copthorne King's Hotel
403 Havelock Road
Level 2
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 63183193/ 63183198
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line), Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop opposite Subordinate Court (Stop ID 06171). Take bus number 51 or 186. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Shell House (Stop ID 04329). Take bus number 64 or 123. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10169). Take bus number 123. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]