Grand Mandarin Restaurant (Closed)

The 2 years old restaurant was located within walking distance from the Outram Park MRT station. Located in a old building called Thye Shan Mansion, it occupied the bottom 2 stories of the building. The first floor was the main dining hall, while the second floor was reserved for private dining, which one enter through a private lift. The layout of the second floor was quite unique with 4 tables of 10 in the semi private hall, plus a private room which could sit 16 persons. The place was decorated in a dark and modern way with the use of the mirrors around and high ceilings, making the rooms looked huge and grand. The restaurant was helmed by Chef Eric Yeo, who was formerly from Marina Mandarin. One of its signature dishes was Empurau Fish, which had to be ordered three days in advance. Although the restaurant started out as a high end chinese restaurant, specialising in Cantonese cuisine, there was also a number of affordable dishes in its menu too.Deep-fried white bait coated with cereal 麦片脆银鱼 ($14)The fish was light and crispy, without oiliness.BBQ duo Combo platter - Honey Glazed BBQ Pork Loin and Roasted Pork Belly 烧腊双拼（招牌蜜汁叉烧，脆皮烧腩肉) ($26++/ 6 pieces each item)The platter was consisted of char siew and siu yuk, which sounded simple but the taste was exquisite. The char siew was firm and juicy, but what made it unique was its caramel taste crust. One could hear the crunchy sound while biting into siu yuk, which simply melt in the mouth with its fat. It was served with mustard which gave an extra punch.Soup of the day 时日例汤 ($8++/ person)Double boiled yellow old cucumber soup with pork rib 老黄瓜炖排骨汤A common soup which tasted very full bodied. The rib was fork tender, with soft bones in it. Had it with the in house made XO sauce for extra kick.Pan fried King Prawn with soy bean chilli sauce 豆椒大虾This was one of the new items in its upcoming menu. The prawn was served on a bed of boiled chinese spinach. Although the prawn tasted juicy and flavouful, it was a tab too salty for me.Baked Silver Cod Fillet marinated with Chinese wine and honey sauce topped with egg sauce 蜜汁银鳕鱼Another new item. It was quite a westernised dish, with the creamy sauce on top. The fish was firm and juicy, and was surprisingly well matched with the sweet sauce.Roasted London Duck topped with Summer Truffle 黑松露脆皮鸭 ($32++)The dish was beautifully plated in squares and deboned. There was barely any fat between the crispy skin and tender meat.Wok fried Wagyu Beef Cube with Red Wine and Black Pepper sauce 黑椒红酒和牛粒 ($58++)The meat was tender and flavourful.Braised Seafood Beancurd 海鲜豆腐 ($28++)The made in house bean curd was silky soft and smooth. Pieces of celery in the dish added a bit to crunch to the dish.Glutinous Rice with Preserved Sausage 腊味炒饭 ($12.80++)Interesting having glutinous rice as fried rice. It did not have the mushy texture as one usually associated with glutinous rice. The chinese sausage was quite savoury.Wok-fried Ginger Rice with Shrimp and Fish Roe 姜茸鱼子虾炒饭 ($24.00++)While being a bit put off by the ginger taste which was used to kill the fishy taste, I was absorbed by the popping effect made by the fish roe in my mouth.Stewed Fine Rice Vermicelli with roast duck in superior bouillon 浓汤烧鸭面线The mee sua was very fine and smooth, while the soup was rich to the point of creamy. This was also one of the new item in its upcoming menu.Refreshing Green Apple Jelly with Lime Sorbet 青苹果冻柠檬雪芭 ($8.00++)The simple looking dessert was a light and refreshing end to a heavy and delicious meal.Currently the restaurant is having a promotion where members get FREE Hot Stone Poached Prawns with Chinese Wine and Herbs 药材醉酒鲜虾 with minimum order of $80 on ala carte menu. Non members can also enjoy this promotion at an additional of $0.88.Valid till 31 August 2016. continue reading

Grand Mandarina, formerly Grand Mandarin, was known as a chinese restaurant serving exquisite fine dining cuisines. But after 2 years of operations, a new management change was implemented and new blood joining Grand Mandarina.Mr Benson Tong, also the popular man behind quite a number of F & B establishments, including the latest Captain K restaurant, was now their new CEO. Restaurant concept was changed from previously fine dining concept to a more family oriented restaurant. Motive? To let more families come by, gather here and enjoy great food at more affordable prices. Together with Chef Eric Yeo (formerly from Marina Mandarin), new dishes were created and restaurant menu was revamped. Customized menus can be arranged if you have special dietary needs, but with additional charges.Now, let's walk through some of the popular choices and new created dishes.Firstly, each of us were served with an individual share of pickles. I was a little amazed as it was the first time I had pickled cherry tomatoes rather than achar or braised peanuts.(1) Pickled Cherry Tomatos and Plum- Love the tangy sourish punch which burst out in my mouth when I pop in 1 tomato. Even the plum fruit was marinated till soft, flesh falls off seed easily. Rating 5/5(2) Dim Sum Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings with Diced Assorted Mushrooms and Vegetables in Black Pepper - Juicy, chewy mushroom bits and cabbage wrapped in thin dumpling skin. A great choice for weight watchers and suitable for vegetarians too as the whole dish was meatless. Black pepper wasn't distinctive but the mushroom fragrance did made up for it! Rating 3/5 Crispy Rice Rolls filled with Shredded Smoked Duck and Bamboo Shoots - I was quite fascinated with this "you tiao" (dough fritter) dim sum. Although silky soft rice rolls were wrapped around the you tiao ,the you tiao could still remain very crispy. Shredded smoked duck fillings were very flavorful and bamboo shoots gave the additional crunch. Overall taste was slightly salty so I suggest not to dip the you tiao in the light soya sauce provided. Rating 4/5 Pan Fried Bun with Minced Pork and Cabbage - Compared to the other two dim sum dishes mentioned above, this was the least I liked. Bun dough was too thick and meat fillings were bland. Rating 2/5(3) Roast Meat Platter Honey Glazed Bbq Pork Loin *Pictured 2 portions*- Sweet caramelized exterior and tender meat texture, these char siew were "TO-DIE-FOR"!! Having balance of 50% meat + 50% fats on each slice, this perfect melt-in-mouth proportion made me go on for more slices! Rating 5/5 Crispy Roast Pork Belly *Pictured 2 portions*- Jennifer's rule for roast pork belly "skin must be crackling" and indeed, the chef did it! Thin, crackling skin with belly well marinated. Consume it with mustard provided to give it an extra tangy touch. Rating 4/5 Roasted Duck in Summer Truffle Sauce - Usually for roast duck, I will go for the drum part, as meat would be more juicy, what about you? Well executed roast duck with crisp skin, fragrant and meat succulent. A pity when the truffle sauce beneath the duck meat was not distinctive of truffle taste, I totally don't taste it, otherwise it would be an interesting marriage between the two. Rating 4/5(4) New Dish- Deep Fried Chilean Seabass with Crispy Fish Skin served with Egg White Crumble and Golden Broth - Such a beautifully plated dish, by just looking at it, I'm already impressed. Chilean seabass fillet deep fried till crispy on all sides and placed on top of egg white together with golden broth. This golden broth made from red carrots was creamy, the sweetness brings the rather bland fish to life. Fish meat was firm yet texture really fine. As for the crispy fish skin and edible flower, although not necessary but they did good to make whole dish looks prettier. Rating 3/5(5) New Dish- Steamed Wild Yam in Imperial Sauce *Pictured 1/3 portion*- I love the crunchy texture with natural sweetness from these Wild Yam (淮山) slices. They may looked plain but tasted yummy on its own. Imperial sauce beneath resembles shanghai style soya sauce, with vinegar and chili buddies added, to give us slight tangy spicy aftertaste. This dish was served chill, it's great as an appetizer and also as a main. Rating 4/5(6) New Dish- King Prawn, Silken Longevity noodles served in Coconut Crustacean Broth - Using whole coconut to make double-boiled soup was the common dish you see in Chinese restaurants. But using it to cook prawn noodles "hei mee", this was my first encounter. I wasn't expecting much when it was served but one sip of the soup, you know you're in HEAVEN! This thick flavourful prawn soup filled with all the crustaceans goodness together with fresh coconut juice, so sweet, my throat nearly choke on it!! The noodle texture was soft and silky, with the goodness of the soup all soaked within, I suggest you guys to consume them quick to avoid noodles being soggy. As for the jumbo prawn, it was more of a "配角" compared to the soup but it's really firm and fresh! Rating 5/5(7) Special Dessert- [ 雪中送炭 ]A dessert made specially for us by Head Chef Eric Yeo. D24 Durian Pengat in Charcoal sesame ball crust, paired with red bean paste and coconut ice cream. It was like 2 different desserts served on the same plate but my eyes were only on the durian. Love the chewy charcoal crust with fleshy d24 durian and the colorful fruity dollops on the plate. Generous of the Chef to put so much gold flakes on the durian pengat. Red bean paste with coconut ice cream was decent too but abit tad common. Rating 4/5** A great lunch experience at Grand Mandarina with calories well spent. It would be a suitable place for gathering and celebrations especially when current new pricings were more pocket-friendly. Food were definitely up to high standards and staff pretty attentive. Private rooms/ sections available too upon request. So hurry down here to try out the food for yourselves! **Grand Mandarina🚩 325 New Bridge Road#01/02-00Singapore 088760Tel: 62223355Opens daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm (lunch)/ 6.30pm to 10pm (dinner).http://www.grandmandarina.com.sg continue reading

Grand Mandarina Chinese Restaurant is lcoated at New Bridge Road, offering Chinese / Cantonese fine-dining concept. Founded and owned by Chef Benson Tong, who gave up his submarine engineer career to operate a roast meat hawker stall, followed by cafes and later, this exquisite restaurant. He has extensive knowledge on the different food and nutritional values, is constantly on the lookout for new food trends and ideas; and strives to customise dishes that may also accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, eggs-free diners.The Steamed Vegetable Dumpling (SGD$4.80) with diced assorted mushroom and vegetables in black pepper. No meat? No fret. These dumplings were bursting with the aroma of mushrooms and black pepper, utterly tasty, and the melty translucent skin is handmade. One of the most flavorful vegetables dumplings I have tasted thus far.Crispy Rice Rolled with Smoked Shredded Duck and Bamboo Shoot (SGD$7.50) - velvety rice roll (think cheong fun) wrapped around crackling smoked duck that had a lovely distinctive duck flavour but was not overly salty; nothing like the usual dry, rough smoked duck we are accustomed to. This is highly recommended.The Pan-fried Buns filled with Pork and Cabbage (SGD$5.00) lined with thin egg sheets. The buns had a lovely crusty texture to them, with succulent minced pork-cabbage fillings within. The minced pork was mildly-sweet, and very delicious - how they managed to ensure the delicate texture of the pork is by buying meat and fats separately to blend themselves; to ensure quality of the minced meat.Deep-fried Chilean Seabass (SGD$26.00) with crispy fish skin served with scrambled egg white and golden broth. Crispiness ranged from the brittle fish skin to the deep-fried golden skin of the Chilean seabass, and while the teeth ran through all of those deliciously, the flakey, snowy flesh of the luscious fish tantalized the palate further. The nectarous golden broth filled with silken scrambled egg white fulfilled the dish with a flourish.Coconut Crustacean Broth with Silken Longevity Noodles in Coconut and King Prawn (SGD$26.00). The exciting presentation piqued the palate's curiosity, and the first sip of the broth was just indescribably good - saccharine and tasty of seafood goodness. The silken strands of noodles were soaked with the tasty broth. Loved the springy freshness of the tiger prawn as well. After slurping all the broth and finishing the noodles, we dug the tender flesh of the coconut off the interior wall of the husks, and enjoyed the seafood-infused fruit.For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2016/03/invited-tasting-dinner-at-grand.html continue reading

Grand Mandarina offers well executed Quality Chinese Cuisine with generous portions.Sweet and Sour Sliced Fish 糖醋鱼片 - Fish being fried and served with a very delicious sweet and sour sauce.Desserts supposed to be Almond Jelly with Longan, but no Almond Jelly being served that made me a bit of disappointment. Well, I have nothing to complain because it was being organised by Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte.) Ltd.I believed their kitchen staffs managed to combine the orange juice, lemonade & pineapple juice and stir well before serving their Fruit Punch. continue reading

Grand Mandarin Restaurant is strategically located right next to the MRT station and is surrounded by offices and shop houses, with an open car park next to the restaurant. No problems with accessibility at all – definitely an ideal location for an F&B establishment!We were invited to sample the fine dining menu that comes with a price tag of $174++ per pax.Our favorites :1. Honey Glazed Barbecued Pork Loin ($15 per order)Every famous restaurant must have their signature dish. For Grand Mandarin Restaurant, it is the Honey Glazed Barbecued Pork Loin. The crimson red roasted meat was glistening with a fine layer of oil, with a lovely light charring from the caramelization of the honey; it was aesthetically pleasing and appealing.2. Double-boiled chicken soup with nassarius and gastrodia tuber ($20++ per pax)The double-boiled soup was packed with quality herbs and seafood. Each sip immersed us in a potent and luscious broth.3. Grilled lamb ribs with egg in Mongolian style ($48++ per pax)One of the more unique dishes we have tried, the lamb ribs were grilled to a perfection, topped with a lava egg that when pierced and flowing over the lamb, coated the well grilled lamb chop with its gooey yolk added another dimension to the taste – a delicate and exquisite flavour.4. Chilled bean curd pudding with Mango puree served with coconut ice cream ($10++ per pax)The traditional mango pudding was given a further twist with the inclusion of melt-in-your-mouth soybean curd. Good innovation and harmonized well with the main courses.Overall, Grand Mandarin Restaurant presented each dish impeccably in terms of both taste and aesthetics.Please refer to www.ieatandeat.com for details review.SUFOOD 舒果 @ Raffles City Singapore – Innovative Vegetarian food!SUFOOD Singapore finds its inspiration in Italian cuisine; chiefly through its reliance on using basic cooking techniques that coax diverse and rich flavors from quality ingredients in order to create innovative and delicious meat-free dishes.Strictly speaking, SuFood is not purely Italian cuisine but rather a fusion of both Italian and Chinese. You can find pasta, spaghetti, baked rice, salad, pastries in the menu – alongside seaweed, Chinese herbal or stewed vegetable soup and invigorating local desserts.If you think vegetarian food is lackluster without meaty flavours, you will probably be impressed by how SuFood can challenge your prejudice. We tasted an 8 course meal ($25 per head) and from the appetizer, main course to the dessert, we give them a big thumbs up.Besides its emphasis on health by providing balanced, nutritious food, and fresh ingredients without artificial chemical and additives, SuFood also did not neglect the aesthetic factor as well, as every dish served was beautifully plated and presented. The sequence of dishes served achieved a certain harmony in taste, allowing you to fully appreciate the art of eating and the beauty of the food.Please refer to www.ieatandeat.com for details review. continue reading