Hwa Yuen Porridge (华园粥品) @ Tiong Bahru Food Centre - A Comforting Bowl Of Porridge For The Chilling Weather

The weather has been rather chilling this few days, dropping to as low as 22 degree celsius. This is rather rare in Singapore. With just a cooling weather, it is perfect for a bowl of porridge to warm the body. This brought me to Hwa Yuen Porridge (华园粥品) at Tiong Bahru Food Centre.

Mixed Pig's Organ Soup 4/5

I am not sure how long Hwa Yuen Porridge (华园粥品) has been operating but it seems that it dated back to the old Tiong Bahru market days, which means it has over 50 years of history. From my research online, it seems that after the founder has passed away, the younger son has taken over the stall at Tiong Bahru while the the elder one has moved on to open Tiong Bahru Wah Yuen Porridge at Telok Blangah Drive.

The porridge here is the Cantonese congee style, which is smooth and creamy type. I had the Mix Pig's Organ Soup ($4) which comes with pig's offal, pork slices and pork balls. It is sprinkled with chopped spring onions and topped with fried rice vermicelli strips for the extra crunch. It may looked rather plain but the congee has been seasoned and quite tasty, there is no need to add any addition soy sauce etc.

Due to the Group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteria outbreak in 2016, National Environment Agency (NEA) has banned food outlets from sell raw freshwater fish which is usually eaten with porridge. With the new regulation, Hwa Yuen has also taken it off the menu. It is actually quite a pity because it means the lost of hawker dish from our food scene.


Hwa Yuen Porridge (华园粥品)
Tiong Bahru Food Centre
30 Seng Poh Road
#02-74
Singapore 168898
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Outram (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Head east on Tiong Bahru Road towards Jalan Membina. Walk down Tiong Bahru and turn right onto Kim Pong Road. Turn left onto Lim Liak Street. Walk to end of Lim Liak Street and turn right onto Seng Poh Road. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Outram MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Walk to bus stop opposite Outram MRT station (Stop ID 06011). Take bus no. 33, 63, 75, 851 or 970. Alight 1 stop later at Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Road. Continue on Tiong Bahru Road and turn left onto Seng Poh Road. Continue on Seng Poh Road until destination. Journey time 8 minutes. [Map]

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant Presents Eight Festive Menus For An Auspicious Lunar New Year

Indeed, the period of Lunar New Year celebration seems to be a season to showcase chefs' creativity, and the team behind Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn Atrium shall show you theirs through their festive dishes specially crafted by Executive Chinese Chef, Chan Shun Wong.

While the ingredients of the Yu Sheng stay more or less the same, Chef plays on the dressing. Gone is the usual dense and sweet plum sauce and what replaces is a all natural, tangy Passion Fruit Yogurt Dressing. Yu sheng that has a slight tang and refreshing on the palate before a feast is always delightful and I feel Chef has managed to achieve that successfully.

BBQ Suckling Pig with Foie Gras, Yam and Japanese Cucumber 4.2/5

Foie Gras, being such a strong ingredient, can easily overpower others if the dish is not done right. However, when paired with Xin Cuisine's signature BBQ Suckling Pig, the result is surprisingly outstanding. The thin layer of foie gras underneath the crisp pig skin is almost like a layer of that luscious fats under a well roasted duck skin.

Festive dim sum selection 4.5/5

If you are in for a afternoon celebration, do have a go at their Festive Dim Sum Selection created by Dim Sum Chef Cheung Kin Nam. I'm not a dim sum person as I always feel I'm eating the same meaty filling that disguised itself in different skins. What I love about this festive selection is that I get to try three meaty snacks that stand out from one another. You get a Steamed Pork Dumplings with Truffle, Pan Fried Motel Mushroom & Pork Paste Bun and a Deep Fried Crab Claw Dumpling with Fish Roe wrapped in bacon. My favourite is the pan fried pork bun for its juicy filling and chewy bun.

Xin's Traditional Treasure Pot 4.2/5

While its refreshing to inject new elements into traditional dishes, old and familiar flavours remind you of the season. Xin's Traditional Treasure Pot is an all time favourite takeaway ($248 for small). It consists of 14-headed Whole Abalone, Fresh Scallop, Prawn, Dried Oyster, Soy Chicken, Roast Duck, Roast Pork, Pork Rind, Fish Ball, Dried Bean Curd Skin, Ling Zhi Mushroom, Lotus Root, Baby Corn, Flower Mushroom, Black Moss, Baby Chinese Cabbage and Radish

Fried Fragrant and Brown Rice 3.8/5

Somehow, the Asian part of my palate tends to call for a wholesome bowl of rice after all the meats and dishes. The Fried Fragrant and Brown Rice didn't disappoint with its dried-out yet chewy texture, flavourful with roast pork, diced shrimp and crunchy peanuts. The sweetness of the raisins balances all the savoury components of the dishes.

D24 Durian Nian Gao and Lemongrass Jelly with Lime Sorbet 3/5

Dessert is Xin Cuisine's latest creation D24 Durian Nian Gao, made with real durian flesh, accompanied with Lemongrass Jelly with Lime Sorbet. While it has a nice gooey texture, I still very much prefer the traditional nian gao taste. If you really love it, the D24 Durian Nian Gao is also available for takeaway ($58).

At Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant, there are 8 special menus available from 12 January to 3 March 2018 to usher in the Year of the Dog. Private room menus start from $1,298++ for 10 persons. For enquiries and reservations, please call 6731 7173 or email xin.sinhi@ihg.com.

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.


Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
317 Outram Road
Singapore 169075
Tel: +65 67317173
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) 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 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]