Basdban @ Telok Ayer - Rock & Roll Sichuanese Food

Basdban is the latest concept by the folks behind contemporary Sichuan-influenced restaurant Birds of a Feather. Taking over the space previously occupied by 51 Soho, Basdban is under the new stewardship of Chef Pang Kok Keong. Basdban strides to introduce the authentic and bold flavours of Sichuan cuisine with a touch of fun.

Roasted Eggplant 4.5/5

This is not an ordinary Roasted Eggplant ($14). Instead, the creative pairing of garlic sauce, smoked bacon, mixed cheeses and funky popcorn with the ordinary eggplant turns it into a unique and delicious dish. Now I understand what the restaurant meant by introducing Sichuan flavours with a touch of fun.

Whampoa Omelette 4.5/5

The dish's name - Whampoa Omelette ($20), caught my attention when browsing the menu. I was pleasantly surprised by the egg omelette's fluffiness, paired with spicy, tangy crab meat sauce and finished with nori dust. It is a beautiful dish both in taste and presentation.

Fried Crispy Pork Trotter 3.5/5

The Fried Crispy Pork Trotter ($14) is served in a paper bag of gentle spice mix. Give it a good shake to give the bite-sized chunks of braised trotter fried to crisp a delight coat of the spice mix. There is also a non-spicy option.

Lalalalalala Fried Chicken 4.8/5

Another interestingly named dish is the Lalalalalala Fried Chicken ($26 | $34). The plate of juicy chunks of fried chicken and tender clams are tossed in a gleaming heap of fragrant Er Jing Tiao green chilli chunks. It is addictive combination of meaty succulence and refreshing crunch in each bite.

B-52 4/5

For those who prefer the spicy version of fried chicken, you can go for the B-52 ($20 | $28). it is indeed packed with fiery spiciness, but I thought it lacked the dumbness from the mala.

Basdban Donabe 4.5/5

Great for sharing is the Basdban Donabe ($35 | $48). Lifting the claypot lid reveals an aroma pot of rice brimming with Sichuan waxed meat, spicy sausage, dried sole, morel mushrooms, special shoyu, edamame sakura ebi, crab and most importantly, pork lard. Infused with the ingredients' essences, each mouthful of the rice is filled with complex yet lovely flavours that will make you go back for more.

Cheesecake Ice Cream 4/5

We tried two different ice creams on the menu for dessert - Cheesecake Ice Cream ($14) and Fermented Rice Ice Cream ($12). The cheesecake ice cream with vanilla tuile and strawberry compote is light and refreshing. However, I prefer the fermented rice ice cream paired with osmanthus poached pear and charcoal coral. It has unique yet distinct rice fragrant, giving it a sweet and savoury finishing.

Fermented Rice Ice Cream 4.2/5

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Basdban
51 Telok Ayer Street
#01-01
Singapore 048441
Tel: +65 97551058
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Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk straight to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant (开洋海鲜菜馆) @ Clementi Ave 2 - Zichar Stall By Disciple Of One Of The Four Heavenly Kings

For those staying in Clementi, we are blessed to have one of the best zichar stalls in Singapore. Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant (开洋海鲜菜馆) is located inside a coffeeshop at Clementi Ave 2. The man behind the wok is non-other than Chef Hoy Yong, the disciple of one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Singapore.

Fried Hor Fun with Egg 4.5/5

One of their popular items, which you probably get to see on every table, is their Fried Hor Fun with Egg. We have the medium portion priced at $11. For the price, the portion is very generous with prawns, vegetables, fish slices, pork slices, and squids, topped with pork lards. The sight of the runny egg, coupled with the breath of the wok, already made me drool before digging in. It is definitely one of the best hor fun I have eaten.

Pig's Stomach Soup 4.5/5

A must-try if it is your first time visiting Hoy Yong is their Three Treasures - Pig's Stomach Soup, Braised Pork Ribs and Deep Fried Duck Roll. I had two out of the three dishes, starting with the Pig's Stomach Soup ($14). You can taste the soup that has been boiled for hours from its creaminess with a piquant peppery kick. What astonished me was the amount of ingredients in the bowl of soup. You get chicken pieces, fish maw and pig's stomach. It is restaurant quality serving!

Deep Fried Duck Roll 4.5/5

The other Three Treasure item we tried is the Deep Fried Duck Roll ($14). It is a unique and tasty creation. It is like a tempura Ngoh Hiang in the crispy crumb, stuffed with roasted duck, pork and prawn. Best to have it together with the mayonnaise.

Garlic Kai Lan 4/5

When you have a master behind the wok, even the Garlick Kai Lan ($12) tasted great. The greens still retain a delectable crunchy texture, simply stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and some pork lards.

Claypot Egg Plant 4.5/5

The other vegetable dish we ordered is the Claypot Egg Plant ($18). Not shown in the picture is the fried egg hidden inside the claypot, soaking up the delicious sauce. Instead of the usual minced meat, it uses crunchy shrimp coated in batter for extra textural enjoyment.

Herbal Kampong Chicken 4.2/5

To round up our meal with a meat dish, we decided to go for the Herbal Kampong Chicken ($18 Half). It was sauna-bath in aluminium foil wrap, cooked to fork-tender in a flavoursome herbal broth.

Hoy Yong is indeed a gem in the West. Its restaurant-quality dishes make it a notch above many zichar stalls in Singapore.


Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant
Blk 352 Clementi Ave 2
#01-153
Singapore 120352
Tel: +65 67782223
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 52 and 154. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Dover MRT station. Take Exit A Walk to bus stop at Dover MRT station. (Stop ID 19031).  Take bus number 74. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]