Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant in operation for more than 50 years is a well-known dim sum restaurant which is extremely popular among Singaporeans and tourist. It has been featured on many newspapers, magazines as well as food shows. Unlike most other dim sum restaurants, Swee Choon's operating hours are from 6pm to 6am catering ensuring that Singaporeans have an extra option for supper and are well-fed throughout the night. Lucky for us, now we can all have dim sum even at midnight or in the wee hours of the morning! Swee Choon located at Jalan Besar opposite Berseh Food Centre is so popular that it occupy 5 units of shophouses along this stretch of road. It is in the between both Farrer Park and Lavendar MRT stations, a good 10 to 15 minutes walk away from either stations.

Occupying 5 units, Swee Choon offers both alfresco dining and air-conditioned (indoor) dining. In addition, it has a unit which cater only to walk-in customers who order takeaways. As we already knew that there would be a long queue if we arrived late, we made it a point to arrive at 630pm on a Friday for dinner. Luckily for us, we got the last available table at the indoor (air-conditioned) dining area. MenuMenuMenu

The menu with the prices. As you can see, Swee Choon offers a wide variety of Hong Kong and Shanghai dim sum, and local zi char dishes. Chrysantheum Tea $1.30 per pax

For drinks, we ordered their Chrysantheum Tea which cost $1.30 per pax. It was served in a metal pot and is refillable. They mixed the tea bags themselves. The Chrysantheum Tea was quite good as it was light, refreshing, fragrant and help to wash down the grease. Century Egg Porridge $2.50

The Century Egg Porridge $2.50 was served in a small bowl. It was decent, but not the best. There were chunks of century egg and chicken meat in it. Mee Suah Kueh $2

Swee Choon's signature Mee Suah Kueh $2; deep-fried vermicelli cake (mee sua) which can only be found at Swee Choon. Show this kueh to anyone and they would associate it with Swee Choon. Almost every table ordered this. I thought that this was unique and not bad. But I will not rate it as a die die must try as the standard seemed to be inconsistent and it was a little too greasy. One of the kueh could have been fried a little longer. The texture was unique. Crisp, rough texture on the outside while the interior was moist. Fried Golden Doufu (Tofu) $3.50

This Fried Golden Doufu (Tofu) $3.50 was surprisingly good. Despite the simplicity, it was well executed. The tofu was fried till it was crispy on the outside. The addition of the pork floss at the top was the icing on the cake.Carrot Cake $2

The Carrot Cake $2 was not bad too. There were a good mix of radish, dried shrimps and chinese sauages in it. It was also a little too greasy. Pan Fried Pork Dumpling $4

The Pan Fried Pork Dumpling $4 was pan fried till it was so crispy. In addition, they were so generous fillings. Dipping it into the vinegar along with slices of ginger made this just so delectable. Beancurd Prawn Roll $2.80

The Beancurd Prawn Roll $2.80 with minced meat and prawns in it was ordinary.Steamed Pork Ribs $2.50

The Steamed Pork Ribs $2.50 was a let down. The part of the pork served was not pork rib and it was either too fatty or was all bones.

Overall, Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant is worth a try. There were hits and misses in the dishes we ordered. Service wise, despite the restaurant being full, the staff were efficient. It was easy getting the attention of the staff. Do note that this restaurant only accepts cash or nets. They do not accept credit card. Also, they do not take any reservation. As we left Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant at close to 8pm, we saw a queue! It was very thoughtful of the restaurant owner to provide chairs outside. If you are planning to visit this restaurant during dinner time, do remember to come early.

http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2014/01/swee-choon-dim-sum-restaurant-jalan.html

Being a fan of steamboat cuisines, I just had to check out Danro Japanese Hot Pot Buffet. Danro Japanese Hot Pot Buffet opened by Ministry of Food (MOF). Although Japanese hot pot buffet is not new in Singapore, Danro is the first to offer eight broths (soup base) from different regions of Japan.

The prices range from $17.90++ for weekday lunch to $25.90++ for weekend dinner (for adults).Left to right: Chicken & Milk Broth, Chicken Spicy Broth

Customers can choose up to 2 different soup base in 1 pot. We chose the Chicken & Milk Broth from Asuka Nabe and Chicken Spicy Broth from Danro Nabe. Now's the best time to taste the original taste of the soup as the refills would dilute your soup base (will explain more on that further down the post).Handmade Kiritanpo

Danro Japanese Hot Pot comes with handmade Kiritanpo. However, this is limited to one per person. The Kiritanpo, a specialty dish of Akita Prefecture is essentially grilled rice skewer. Japanese cooked rice are pounded until they are mashed before being hand formed into cylinders around wooden skewers. They are then lightly brushed with special sweet sauce or miso for flavour before being toasted over an open fire. The Kiritanpo can either be eaten on its own or dipped into the hot pot.Soup Refill Station

There was a Soup Refill Station, an innovative way to cut down on the manpower and increase productivity. There were small pots of Chicken or Wafu soup in it which customers could get anytime. These soup were a 'one soup fits all solution'. Since both our soup were chicken broths, we had to use the chicken soup refill. Even when e were to ask a serving for a refill, they used just chicken soup for both our soup bases. The problem with this was that it resulted in a diluted and not as fragrant soup base compared to when we just started.

Hence, our Chicken & Milk Broth became less milky and less fragrant while our Chicken Spicy Broth became less spicy. In addition, there was no attempt to stock up the soup refill station. Midway into our meals, there were no more pots of soup at that station as the were too few staff and these staff were all busy clearing the tables.Condiments and sauce dips

A wide variety of condiments and sauce dips.Onsen Egg

The Japanese Onsen Egg in light soy sauce was very well executed. Not only did it looked good, it also tasted good too. I liked it so much that I went for an additional helping of it.Left to right: Japanese potato salad, Somen with soba sauce

The Japanese potato salad and Somen with soba sauce were quite decent too.Sushi

There's a wide variety of food available ranging from Sushi, Bak Kut Teh, Japanese Yong Tau Foo, Cooked food and the typical steamboat ingredients such as corn, meat, seafood, vegetables.Left to right: Bak Kut Teh, Japanese Yong Tau FooLeft to right: Homemade Hot Dishes and VegetablesLeft to right: Seafood, shabu shabu beef and pork slices

The seafood corner was just average. The clams and prawns were not fresh especially the latter which stuck to its shell and meat was not firm. The shabu shabu beef and pork slices fared much better. We ate so many plates of it.It was easy to control the temperature of the hot pot with the electric induction cooker.Desserts and cakesLeft to right: Drinks, Soft Serve Ice cream

The DIY Soft Serve Ice Cream was fantastic. Its the same as what you get when you order ice cream dishes in MOF. Even though we were very full, we still went for this and it was oh just so shiok! There's always room for dessert!

Although there were hits and misses (seafood was not fresh, one size fits all soup for refills, service), Danro Japanese Hot Pot Buffet is really value for money! I certainly enjoyed most of the food here.

http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2014/01/danro-japanese-hot-pot-buffet-serangoon.html

Ghim Moh Chwee Kway 锦茂李老三 located at Ghim Moh Food Centre at near Buona Vista MRT station is operated by a couple. The couple (Mr and Mrs Lee Sah Bah) has been selling Chwee Kway since 1959 and is well-known among residents staying at this area. Price Chart

The prices of the Chwee Kway 水粿 are clearly stated on the price chart at the facade of the stall. Mrs Lee partially hidden by the stack of Chwee Kway in their metal moulds laid out on rounds boards stacked on top of one another!

Chwee Kway is essentially a steamed rice cake topped with diced preserved radish. At this stall, the owners make everything by hand, not machined made. This means that they have to wake up at 5am every day to start the preparation. In addition, they made the preserved radish (chye poh) differently from other stalls by just stir frying it for 2 hours with onion, garlic and pork lard (without sugar). As I was taking photos of the facade after having made my order, Mr Lee, 63 years old suddenly popped up (in front of me) and proudly showed me his City Food Hunt 2013 certificate which he just received! I could sense his pride and joy. With more than 54 years in this line of business, it was not an easy feat! Kudos! Many more years to come! Chwee Kway $1.20Chwee Kway $1.20

4 pieces of Chwee Kway for $1.20. Unlike else where, you get toothpick(s) instead of fork or spoon. Chwee Kway $1.20

The Chwee Kway was not bad; soft yet firm. It was tasted pretty much the same as those at other stalls. What was unique was the chey poh.

When I got the Chwee Kway, the first thought that went into my mind was... Aiya, auntie give so little chye poh. After eating all the Chwee Kway, I suspect that the reason was because the way their version of chye poh was more salty. Beside being salty, their chye poh was oh-so fragrant (must be the pork lard)!! Hence, the amount given was sufficient.

Worth a try.

http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2014/01/ghim-moh-chwee-kway-ghim-moh-food-centre.html

Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow 源记炒粿条 located at Ghim Moh Food Centre is one of the most popular stall in the food centre. This stall unlike other stalls is different. It's no frills signboard has no photos of the food he is selling and the signboard is so much smaller compared to those at the neighbouring stalls. This stall has garnered such a following that there was no need for that. Frequent patrons of this food centre would have known that there is always a perceptual queue at this stall. The owner has been frying Kway Teow for 44 years. He operates the stall toegther with his wife who takes the orders and collect the cash. They sell only Fried Kway Teow.The stall front is plastered with many reviews from food shows and there were also several photos of the owners with celebrities.

When I visited, there was a queue of more than 12 person in front of me. I queued for slightly more than half an hour before I got my plate of Fried Kway Teow. Fried Kway Teow $3Fried Kway Teow $3

The Fried Kway Teow $3 was not bad, one of the better ones I have tried. The Fried Kway Teow had a semi-wet consistency and each piece of kway teow was well coated with savoury sauce. However, it was lacking in wok hei.

There were several pieces of cockles added. The beansprouts provided a crunchy texture in between each mouthful. Chinese sausage (lap Cheong) were added too. However, there were only 3 pieces of Chinese sausage. It would have been great if more was given. There were several pieces pork lard added in it which was the bomb! The burst of flavour and fragrance from pork lard compensated for the lack of wok hei.

http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2014/01/guan-kee-fried-kway-teow-ghim-moh-food.html

The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet was something which we wanted to try for sometime. We had heard so much about its three tier high tea set. Noticed the piano at the side? A pianist started playing the piano at around 330pm providing soothing background music which set the tone for the relaxing afternoon. Comfy yet cozy sofa seats to chill out while enjoying the view. It over looks Marina Bay Sands. Elegant, dignified table setting. Beverage (Tea & Coffee) Menu

The Landing Point's Afternoon High Tea Buffet cost $49++ per person on weekdays and weekends from 3pm to 530pm. If you would like a sparkling wine to go along with your high tea, it is $69++. For a child, it would be $25++. Currently, UOB cardholders would be able to enjoy a 15% discount. So do remember to use this card if you have it.

There's 20 varieties of TWG Tea to enjoy while indulging in the high tea and enjoying the beautiful view of Marina Bay. Plain Scone

Plain Scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam. There was also Raisin Scone. The Scones were average; they were not buttery enough.Festive three-tiered high tea set

The main star was the three-tiered high tea set which is refillable. As we visited during the Christmas period, their normal three-tier high tea set was replaced with the Festive three-tiered high tea set.Top Tier

The top tier consisted of mainly sweet items - Crème Brulee, Christmas Cake, Christmas Cookies and Christmas Pie.Second Tier

The second tier which consisted of savoury items was our favourite - Lobster Tarts, Biscuit with Cheese and Fig, Truffle Egg Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Sandwich, Turkey Sandwich, Smoked Duck Sandwich and Cucumber Tomato Sandwich. We refilled this tier several times and did not refill the other tiers.Front to back (Lobster Tarts, Biscuit with Cheese and Fig, Truffle Egg Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Sandwich)

Our top 3 items were the (order of preference) Lobster Tarts, Truffle Egg Sandwich and Smoked Duck Sandwich. We constantly ate these 3 items and got refills for them as they were real good. Other than that, the rest were mediocre.Last Tier

The last (third) tier also consisted of sweet items - Pistachio Cake with Chocolate, Christmas Fruit Cake, Raspberry and Cream, and Macarons. The bitter sweet Chocolate Macaron was easily the best among all the items in this tier.

Most of the items in the first and third tier was too sweet.Refills

The refills were placed at the back of our seats. The staff would make it a point to constantly provide refills for customers. However, service was a little on the slower end. They seemed under staffed and could not cope with the crowd. As you can see from the above photo, the popular items which was constantly being refilled was the food items in the second tier.Left to Right: Fullerton Express Tea, Fruit Mountain

There was way too many selections of TWG teas to try and could only try 2 different tea. For the first tea, I went for something light; the Fullerton Express Tea which was specially commissioned from TWG Tea by the Fullerton Group. It was a light, refreshing and fragrant tea. The second tea I tried was the Fruit Mountain which was a black tea. It was stronger in taste with a delicate sweetness to it.

As you may have already figure out, other than the Teas, the food was average. We ate mainly the Lobster Tart, Truffle Egg Sandwich and Smoked Duck Sandwich only. The price was on the higher end. But the ambience was excellent - Quiet, cozy with a great view. Perfect for a date or to just chill out and chat.A summary video on the Afternoon High Tea Buffet which I posted on Instagram.

http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2013/12/the-landing-point-afternoon-high-tea.html