From a pushcart at old Upper East Coast Road to a notable seafood restaurant at One Fullerton, Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant is now into its 65th year. Indeed, it is quite a milestone. Perhaps the best way to commemorate that is by bringing back the beloved dishes that have won the hearts of many over the years. With the launch of The 1956 Menu, customers can now look forward to popular dishes dated way back from 1956 made with the same traditional recipes fine-tuned over the years.
Singapore Rojak 4.5/5
To start, we had Singapore Rojak ($12) and Fried Kang Kong with Cuttlefish ($18). The rojak was really delicious with just the right amount of its propriety sauce coating the various ingredients - ginger flower, shaved pineapple, cucumber, turnip and mango, along with beansprouts, tau pok (tofu puffs), and youtiao (dough fritters). The quintessential crushed peanuts were well roasted, adding a good dose of nuttiness to the sweet fruits. I do like the addition of century egg too, which was somewhat creamy and funky in a good way.
Fried Kang Kong with Cuttlefish 4/5
Fried Kang Kong with Cuttlefish ($18/$28) - A combination that has always appeared odd to me suddenly make sense in this chilled version. This appetiser was pretty delightful mixed with sweet sauce, chilli, and spicy dried shrimps and complete with a handful of deep-fried shallots and nuts. Slightly less sauce would have been even more ideal.
Seafood King Prawn Soup 4/5
Next up was the Seafood King Prawn Soup ($14). Using the same broth as the restaurant's award-winning Coco Lobo that features live lobster with vermicelli in a milky and tangy superior chicken stock, this is a pocket-friendly variant of using a succulent tiger prawn. The star is still the well-loved broth made with evaporated milk, dried orange peel, Jin Hua ham (Chinese cured meat), chilli oil and lime juice. It is pretty close to the taste of Tom Yum but less piquant.
Deep Fried ‘Golden Phoenix’ with Spicy Sauce 4/5
A varied version to the classic dish of Sweet & Sour Fish - Deep Fried 'Golden Phoenix' with Spicy Sauce ($48/800g) - deep-fried freshwater 'Golden Phoenix' fish topped with a house-made sauce made which was fiery and tangy with red chilli padi, tamarind paste, sour plum and freshly juiced lime. The fish was meaty, allowing it to carry the sauce well. The papadum at the side didn't quite serve any purposes though.
Stir-fried Mussels in Soy Bean Sauce and Sambal Chilli 3/5
As for Stir-fried Mussels in Soy Bean Sauce and Sambal Chilli ($16/$32), I thought the sauce was a tad too heavy for the mussels.
Oyster Sauce Chicken 4.5/5
One of the must-order dishes from the 1956 Menu is this Oyster Sauce Chicken ($24). Using a whole organic Anxin chicken, the chicken is brushed in dark soy sauce and deep-fried till golden brown, then stuffed with stir-fried chives, garlic and lard before steaming it for 50 minutes in aluminium foil with oyster sauce, sesame oil and Hua Diao wine. The texture of the chicken was wonderfully fork-tender.
Crabs Crab Ala Singapura 4.8/5
Of all the crab dishes I have tried, this Crabs Crab Ala Singapura (Market Price) is one of the most outstanding. The award-winning dish is charcoal-grilled at 400 degrees Celsius with melted mozzarella, aged parmesan cheese, creamy French butter, salt and pepper. Unlike some, which I find too rich and creamy or cheesy, the use of both melted mozzarella and aged parmesan cheese strikes a balance in flavour and creaminess. I like that it was savoury more than sweet and that the creaminess was lifted and sharpened by peppery nuances.
Yuan-Yang Seabass Crackling Rice Soup 4/5
You can also drop by for a sumptuous lunch with the restaurant's latest Lunch-exclusive Pao Fan menu available for lunch between 12pm and 230pm. We tried the Yuan-Yang Seabass Crackling Rice Soup ($16.80) featuring fish cooked two ways – a serving of crispy fried Seabass, alongside silky slices of the fish in a seafood broth containing cooked rice, as well as crispy rice puffs and youtiao. For such a portion and the quality of the fish, this is one of the best lunch deals that you can ever get.
Photos and words 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.
Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant
One Fullerton
#01-09, 1 Fullerton Road
Singapore 049213
Tel: +65 63368118
Website
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)
Opening Hours
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Clifford Centre and then Change Alley. Take escalator to level 2. Cross the road using the OUE Link. Turn left towards Fullerton Bay Hotel. Walk to towards the bay and destination. Journey time about 8 minutes.[Map]
