Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant

There are many fine dim sum restaurants in Singapore, and I must say Li Bai is one of the finest together with Wah Lok, Hua Ting and Peach or is it Cherry Blossom.

These are such some selections of what we had and I must say they are all very good. From the traditional servings such as har gou, siew mai, egg tart to the more unusual ones.

This is certainly the place to bring your future in-law if you want to impress them.

Drunkard ChickenFlaky egg tartWonder Har Gau with huge Har (prawn)Moist Char Siew baoDelicious siew mai top with caviar Warm and moist Polo BunVery good mango pudding

Another year has passed and yet another Mother's day celebration. And sticking to the tradition of Chinese restaurants, we settled on Li Bai, the flagship Chinese restaurant of Sheraton Towers Hotel and where I once had a pleasant dining experience at.

Shark Bone Soup - A specialty of Li Bai, the shark bone soup was very light and tasty without the usual nausea inducing factor. The bamboo pith in the soup had a nice crunch to it whilst the fish maw's fishiness was minimal with a mild chewy texture. Sweetness of the soup was enhanced through the use of wolfberries.

Asparagus with Coral Clam and Scallops - Well stir fried, the asparagus retained its crunchiness but the scallops, though big, weren't really firm. I'm not exactly a big fan of coral clams but these were chewy and flavourful from the XO sauce. Definitely a great dish to go with steamed rice.

Homemade Spinach Beancurd - Another signature dish of Li Bai and rightfully so. Silkily smooth and savoury, topped with plentiful mushrooms and dried scallops shreds for that extra taste and texture. Great!

BBQ Pork Combination - We opted for the combination of suckling pig and soya sauce chicken. The chicken had me craving for more with its firm yet tender meat but I couldn't say the same for the pig, which had crackling crisp skin but less than adequate salt level. But maybe I am just used to a heavier salt intake.

Tea Smoked Duck - Fragrant, tender and succulent meat coupled with a tinge of smokiness from the tea, what's not to like? Throw in the crackling skin and a dip of sweet sauce to round up an excellent dish.

Cod Fish - A most interesting dish with the firm cod both sweet and sour from the lemon juice and brushed honey. I personally liked the taste but thought it was a pity that the natural sweetness and richness of the cod was masked over. Topped with pine nuts and chipped ginseng from the extra health boost.

Jellyfish with Topshell - Not my cup of tea so I shall reserve my comments on this save for the fact that the jellyfish was springy and the topshell, chewy.

Fish Paste Noodles with Prawns - I absolutely love fish paste noodles and not many places in Singapore sell it so it's quite a bonus for me if a restaurant happens to have it on the menu. The noodles here were first stir fried, as evident by the little burnt marks on them, then simmered in broth. Deliciously full of bite. However the only gripe I had was that the accompanying prawns didn't have their intestines cleaned out, which really isn't something I would expect from a reputable restaurant like Li Bai.

Mango Sago - Nothing too fancy, coming across more like your average bowl of mango sago with sourish mangoes.

Red Bean Paste Pancake - I was utterly disappointed in the red bean pasta pancake, which sported many layers of flour, excessive oil and a darker than acceptable surface colour from over deep frying. On the upside, at least it was very crisp and not overly sweet, but never again.

An above average dinner for the 5 of us amounted to $419, which wasn't expensive but not exactly cheap either. Quality of food was definitely above average ( save for the desserts) and service was good with our tea constantly refilled and the wait staff ever eager to accede to our every request. I wouldn't say that this ranks amongst the top few Chinese restaurants in Singapore but I would be more than happy to return for its consistency of food.

See all my pictures at http://www.timelessfacade.com/2011/05/li-bai-ii.html

Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant has got its name not because Tang Dynasty Li Bai opens this restaurant, neither is he a Cantonese. It's actually cause the chef got his inspirations from the poet, Li Bai.

Situated within the Sheraton Tower, we had a 5 course dinner for $300+. The whole decor of the restaurant is rather exquisite and there's Chinese paintings hanging around the walls.

Their shark fins were rather generous with the fins but other meat was mixed in as well. It's not too salty or sticky .

The fried noodle with shredded meat is a highly recommended dish. It taste something like hor fun with a big spread of chicken, egg and veggie.

I can finish the cod fish in just one mouthful and really wish that I can have a second serving for it's delicious taste.

2011-04-20

SGD 50(Dinner)

Named after the famous Tang Dynasty Poet, Li Bai is famed for its Cantonese cuisine served in the tradition of grand Emperors.

While waiting for my set-lunch to be served, I ordered this must-have appetizer. The S$8 plate of Silver Fish at Li Bai is the best, next to Man Fu Yuan & Lei Garden. The starter here is served with crispy Kailan leaves & with a dash of chilli peppers.

The first course on the set-lunch menu was the Dim-sum Combination, which blended perfectly with the artistic touches of paintings & poems. The tasty deep-fried item is wrapped in beancurd-skin & has a crunchy filling of minced meat & seafood. I like the dim-sum in the middle best cause I love the tiny bits of green & yellow peppers, chestnut etc, which added some punch to the seafood. The last item was just an ordinary seafood dumpling you’d often find in the dim-sum menu.

Now, the Double-boiled Chicken Soup is worth-mentioning. You get a whole piece of baby abalone to chew on after drinking this delicious clear soup, which was bursting with flavours.

Next course was the Pan-fried Wagyu Beef & Chicken Roll, served with Lotus Leaf Rice. Japanese Enoki mushrooms were cleverly disguised in the tender meat rolls, with special sauce dribbled on them. As the oyster-based sauce was rather rich, it kinda left the lotus leaf rice rather blend.

We ended the decent meal with the Special Dessert of the Day - Mango in Sago.