Man Fu Yuan @ InterContinental Singapore - New SIgnature Dishes Inspired By Chef Eric Neo's Travel Experiences

Man Fu Yuan at InterContinental Singapore has been one of my favourite Chinese restaurant, and I was really excited to know that Chef Eric Neo has introduced 10 new dishes inspired by his travel experiences.

Appetisers 4/5

Our dinner started with a trio of Appetisers which consists of Deep Fried Pork Shoulder Dumpling,  Smoked Kagoshima Pork Belly Char Siew and Mango Passionfruit Prawns. The deep fried pork shoulder dumpling is sort of like a deep fried siew mai, with a crispy exterior and crunchy interior from the prawn. The smoked kagoshim pork belly char siew has a enjoyable balanced of fatness and sweetness. Lastly the mango prawn is coated with herring roes but I didn't get the popping effect on top of the fruity sweetness.

Double Boiled Chicken Soup, Fish Maw, Conpoy 4.5/5

The Double Boiled Chicken Soup is packed with richness and depth. The essence of the conpoy is well drawn into the soup through hours of boiling, for that umami flavour. It even comes with chicken pieces and premium fish maw.

Miso Shoyu Baked Cod, Scrambled Egg Whites 4.2/5

At first glance, I was wondering whether the scrambled egg whites is a good choice to pair with strong flavour of the Miso Shoyu Baked Cod. In fact, the sweetness of the moist cod fish goes very well with the lightly salted scrambled egg whites, giving the dish a contrast but yet harmony finishing.

Signature West Lake Longjin Tea Smoked Duck 4/5

Smoked to a beautiful aroma is the Signature West Lake Longjin Tea Smoked Duck. Diners can enjoy the tea smoked duck on its own or wrapped in it a then crepe.

Tiger Prawn Vermicelli, Chinese Wine, Superior Broth 4.8/5

Another favourite of mine is the Tiger Prawn Vermicelli. The highlight is the superior broth that is accentuated with a dash of Chinese wine. The thin vermicelli which acts like a sponge, absorbed the delish broth for a slurping goodness.

Chilled Coconut Jelly, Aloe Vera 4.5/5

Wrapping up the dinner, we had the Deep Fried Purple Sweet Potato Custard Ball and Chilled Coconut Jelly with Aloe Vera. I enjoy both desserts a lot. The deep fried purple sweet potato has a delightful chewy texture filled with oozing custard in it. On the other hand, the chilled coconut jelly with aloe vera is light and refreshing.

In addition to the new signatures, the restaurant has also elevate the culinary experience with a handpicked selection of quality wines from renowned regions, passionate growers and boutique wineries. On top of that, tea connoisseurs will also be pleased to be able to pair and appreciate their meal with nine different premium teas


Note: This is an invited tasting.


Man Fu Yuan
InterContinental Singapore
Level 2
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 63387600
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1145am - 330pm, 630pm - 1030pm

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

Tokachi Tontaro @ OUE Downtown Gallery - Hearty Butadon Less Than $12 in The Heart Of CBD

Tokachi Tontaro at OUE Downtown Gallery specialises in Butadon, a well-loved pork rice bowl originated from Tokachi, Hokkaido, a place where pig farming started in the early 1900s. While each shop may use similar method of simply grilling the pork over charcoals, every shop owns its butadon by imprinting every bowl with their very own tare made with soy sauce and sugar. This special tare is used to steep the pork before grill, which also seeps deep into the rice in the bowl and flavouring each don, whetting the appetite of their customers.

At Tokachi Tontaro, the porks are from Kagoshima and US. As explained by the owner, as Kagoshima produces and exports a higher quantity of pork, there is a higher consistency compared to that of Hokkaido. Premium Butadon ($22.80R, $25.80L) features this better quality pork with the original tare. If you just want to experience what a Butadon is, you can just go for Regular Butadon ($11.80/$13.80/$16.80) which uses the US pork that will only cost half the price!

Premium Butadon 4.2/5

Looking forward to a bowl of Kagoshima pork that is lip smacking juicy and flavourful but ours seem to fall short of expectations.Perhaps due to the leaner type of pork that the owner has decided to use, mostly due to the feedback from the waistline of the conscious CBD crowd. The rice though, was yummy with the special tare and partly thanks to the state-of-the-art rice washing machine that was purchased to preserve the quality of the high grade Japanese rice right from the start.

Spicy Tomato 4/5

If you would like some heat, you can opt for the exclusive Spicy Tomato ($11.80/$13.80/$16.80) that comes with extra sauce should you need more of the kick. I would prefer it to be more tomatoey.  It uses the US Pork. While the US pork is tender, somehow the flavours that they exude lack the aroma and dimensions that I get from the Japanese counterpart.

Miso Butadon 3.8/5

Another variation is the Miso Butadon ($12.80/$14.80/$17.80) that uses the US Pork. Unfortunately the kitchen seems to be a bit heavy with he peppers, overwhelming the miso flavours. Nevertheless, the pork is still tender and juicy.

Salmon Don 2.5/5

Catering to the non-meat crowd is the Salmon Don ($17.80). I don't remember the last time when I had such a dry and overcooked salmon in a Japanese joint.

Hokkaido Imomochi Cheese 4/5

Hokkaido Crab Cream Croquette 4/5

We tried 2 sides - Hokkaido Imomochi Cheese ($6.50) and Hokkaido Crab Cream Croquette ($7). When they are all hot and oozy, you may derive greater pleasure from them than the mains.

All the dons can be upsize to include Onsen Egg, Tofu salad and drink. Adding the Onsen egg and mix it together with the rice, definitely up the satisfaction by a notch.

Written 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.


Tokachi Tontaro 
OUE Downtown Gallery
6A Shenton Way
#03-20
Singapore 068815
Tel: +65 62241470
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 930pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to traffic light junction. Cross the traffic light to Maxwell Road. Turn right and walk towards Shenton Way. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]