Ya Ge (雅阁) @ Orchid Hotel - New Modern Chinese Restaurant Serving Fine Traditional Chinese Cuisine With A Modern Taste

Newly opened at Orchid Hotel is Ya Ge (雅阁), led by Executive Chef Tse Chi Leung, who has 25 years of professional culinary experience. He has worked in kitchens of top hotels and restaurants across Hong Kong, Singapore and Jakarta, including Imperial Treasure at Marina Bay Sands and Yan Restaurant at Park Hotel Group.

The restaurant recently launched a new eight-course 'Taste of Ya Ge' menu ($268++, U.P $360++) that features a selection of the restaurant's signature dishes. The menu is suitable for four to five persons, available from 11 July to 30 September 2022.

Chilled Hua Diao Chicken Roll 4/5

We had the Chilled Hua Diao Chicken Roll kickstarting our eight-course meal. Unlike many places that chopped the chicken into pieces, the culinary team painstakingly rolled the chicken into a roulade. Fifteen years old Hua Diao has been used to give the succulent chicken an aromatic finish.

Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste 4.2/5

The eight-course menu includes two dim sum items in the Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste and Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme. The Carrot Cake with Dried Shrimp Paste is crispy on the exterior and soft on the inside, fragrant by fried eggs and dried shrimp paste.

Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme 4.5/5

The Crispy Mini Pumpkin Pastry with Minced Chicken, Mushroom & Thyme has a delightfully chewy texture stuffed with savoury filling consisting of minced chicken and mushroom. Adding thyme to the filling gives it a touch of minty earthiness, lifting the taste profile.

Fish Maw with Crab Meat in Superior broth 4.2/5

Unlike most Chinese soup that uses pork or chicken as a stock base, the Fish Maw with Crab Meat Soup uses duck and chicken instead. It is a delicious change from the usual, bringing out the sweetness of the chunky crab meat.

Deep-fried Marble Goby with Supreme Soya Sauce 4/5

For the fish dish, diners have a choice of having it deep-fried or steamed. We went for the Deep-fried Marble Goby with Supreme Soya Sauce. Of course, the star has to be the supreme soya sauce, complementing the crispy and moist fish.

Sauteed Diced Beef with Black Garlic 4.5/5

At first glance, the Sauteed Diced Beef seemed to be cooked in black pepper sauce, but it is cooked with black garlic, giving it a coat of sweetness on top of its tender texture.

Roasted Floral Tea Infused Chicken 4.5/5

One of my favourite dishes is the Roasted Floral Tea Infused Chicken. The tender chicken with its crispy skin is perfumed with the floral tea aroma, fire-roasted to perfection and garnished with fried tea leaves for a satisfying crunch.

XO Egg White Seafood Fried Rice 4/5

We had the XO Egg White Seafood Fried Rice for the carbo dish packed with 'wok-hei' smokiness. I enjoyed the firm texture for its delightful bite.

On top of the new eight-course menu, business professionals looking for a lighter meal may appreciate Ye Ge's ongoing lunch and dinner sets priced from $48.80++ per pax for two or more persons daily.

Note: This is an invited tasting


Ya Ge (雅阁)
Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Link
Level 3
Singapore 078867
Tel: +65 68186831
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight towards Orchid Hotel. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Waffletown @ NEWest - Old School Fried Chicken Eatery At Balmoral Plaza Reopens In West Coast (Clementi)

Waffletown, which used to be at Balmoral Plaza, pulled down its shuttle more than a year ago due to rental issue, has reopened the nostalgic fried chicken eatery at NEWest on 31 May 2022. I avoided visiting the eatery until recently to avoid the long queues like any new openings in Singapore, though it is near my home. Furthermore, the new place is half the size of its previous location.

During my visit, though there was no queue line, the place was crowded with diners. So I have to stand for around 20 minutes to get a seat.

Clucky Lucky 3 PC Fried Chicken Meal 4/5

I ordered the Clucky Lucky 3 PC Fried Chicken Meal ($12.20) with sides of potato mash, coleslaw and a soft drink. The chicken pieces are deep-fried to crispy, tender and juicy. It is lightly seasoned with a nostalgic taste, unlike those from the big fried chicken fast food chains. The chicken pieces are also smaller than those served in these fried chicken fast food chains.

Fried Chicken & Waffle 3/5

On top of that, I also ordered the Fried Chicken & Waffle ($7.20) served with butter and flavoured maple syrup. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get the whole piece of chicken but chicken pieces instead. The waffle was airy, hollow in the middle but crispy on the outside. Taste-wise, I find it bland for my liking.


Waffletown
NEWest
1 West Coast Drive
#01-106
Singapore 128020
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Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 5pm - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17171). Take bus 154 or 201. Alight 3 stop later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]