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This Hokkien restaurant has been around for more than 30 years and one of the famous dish that appears on every single table is the Popiah. What could be more fun that making our own popiah from the piping hot claypot that is served within five minutes after the table is laid with all the other ingredients. Optional condiments like the sweet Chinese sausages can be ordered starting at $4 for a small plate.Priced at $18 for 6 skins, the pot provides more than enough fillings unless you stuffed each of the skin to its maximum. We had no problem finishing this pot just by itself because the julienned bang kwang topped with mini dried prawns were juicy and fragrant.

The popiah skin is resilient enough to withstand the excess moisture, though we encountered several failed attempts to transport our masterpieces into our mouth without breaking the skin.The stir-fried baby kalian ($10) that boasts a vibrant fresh shade of green, are crunchy yet permeated with the breath of wok hei. The stewed pork is yet another rich and delicious braised dish that comes with the standard white buns ($16). The bonus slices of yam escaped the humdrum of a typical stew pork bun that is stuffed only with lettuce leaf. The Fish Head and Yam soup ($16 for small) did not look inviting but received praises from the tables for its wholesome flavours. The slurry broth is furnished with subtle sweetness from the napa cabbage and yam. And the deep-fried slices of fish were meaty and delivered comforting aroma that would be impossible if they had not brush encounter with bubbling oil. But the star of the night is none other than the Pig Trotters Bee Hoon ($14 for small). One can relish in the homemade goodness of this dish that is moist but not too wet. Napa cabbage, mushrooms, bean sprouts, bits of eggs and crunchy shrimps bolster the flavours of this dish. Everyone was obsessed with this dish despite being stuffed to the brim with the earlier dishes.

This is a reliable restaurant that you can count on for some wonderful heritage dishes. Just remember to place a reservation in advance especially during weekends if you do not wish to join in the queue.
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Who would have expected a Si Chuan restaurant to incorporate our local claypot rice to its menu? Speaking of claypot rice, the most irresistible flavour is none other than the Sliced Pork and Salted Fish version $18 (咸鱼五花肉煲饭). With the increase in prices of salted fish, it was a delight to find generous-sized salted fish in the pot of fluffy rice.Meanwhile there is also the Claypot Rice with Chicken, Live Frog and Enoki Mushroom$18 (松菇双滑鸡煲饭). 一道菜讲求所谓的 “色、香、味”---Perhaps due to the cool and comfortable interiors, there was not much of the sizzling sounds or smoky scents of charred rice. Fortunately, I could gleefully scrape off an abundant amount of burnt rice at the base of each claypot and swirl in more dark soya sauce provided alongside. If you are ordering other dishes, each claypot rice can feed about 2-3 mouths. The highlight of the day was the Barbequed Suckling pig $198, which was indeed a terrific dish. Prepared by Barbeque Chef Zheng Guang Liang, the pig from Hebei China is grilled excellently to produce a crisp, burmished crackling skin and ladies can forget about scraping the fats off the skin. Meanwhile the meat, which was sliced and re-served for easy consumption, was neither too dry nor too greasy—a culinary feat that deserves a round of applause for the chef. Besides the new promotional dishes, regular items such as the Double-boiled Deer Tendon Soup with Deer Antler (上等鹿茸炖鲜鹿根汤) $18/person is definitely worth ordering. Made with good quality ingredients and herbs such as cordyceps flowers that warms your body, it is a nourishing brew that is brimming with collagen. Jumping straight to desserts, What forged a deeper impression was the Deep-fried Yam coated with Soya Bean Crisps (豆莊皇沙酥) $18. The yam was soft, with a crunchy exterior that triggers your sweet receptors but not too much. And the fact that it is made with soya bean gives us a very good excuse to enjoy this indulgent snack!


For full review and more photos, please visit http://dairycream.blogspot.jp/2013/09/si-chuan-dou-hua-winter-revelry-of.html

Together with with 4 flavorful dumplings, the amount of noodles is pretty filling at $4. While some stalls are better at certain ingredients, say the char siew or noodles, Eng's version pays details to everything.No dark or light soy sauce like Kok Kee, the version here looks just as white as the one from Nam Seng. However, all is not lost. The pork lard that is tossed with the firm egg noodles not only prevent then from clumping and injects another dimension of fragrance. The charsiew have great caramelization with bits of fats. And the super spicy chilli lives up to its name as it is spicy, but in a different way. Because it is purely blended chilli, it tastes bitter. I did not really enjoyed it because it was not appetizing enough like Sambal chilli nor will it make you blow your nose or cause watery eyes like chilli padi. The noodles are simply good without the chilli sauce but no one would stop you from dousing it liberally into the noodles, turning the dish into a sea of orangey yellow (compare this and the top picture). The sauce is definitely bearable for chilli-takers, but I find that the bitterness (not spiciness) robs the original taste of wanton mee when squeezed in excess. We ordered extra wantons to share even though they were the same as those in the noodles. The pinkish pork filling were chewy and meaty. I am glad that this wanton mee legend has continued in this era. If you haven't try it yet, please do.
It is something worth traveling all the way for, over and over again. A taste to remember.

For full review and more photos, please visit http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2013/09/engs-wanton-mee-taste-to-remember.html

To find anywhere serving a good afternoon tea even on weekdays in Singapore is in itself noteworthy. But to sit down in such a relaxed setting — with a glass of 1688 Grand Rose Champagne in hand overlooking the magnificent view of Marina Bay in a comfy banquette— is cause for outright celebration. So is Mandarin Oriental’s Luxury September Bubbly Afternoon Tea. I started the 5-course (not 3) mid-day feast with a tall glass of Grand Rose champagne jelly. Followed up with the spread of savoury canapes and desserts to accompany the sweet delicate bubbles. The three-tiered set includes four kinds of special desserts that use champagne: champagne macaroons, a dainty champagne chocolate lollipop, chilled champagne and damas plum sabayon disguised as a fruit tart and a champagne cassis gateau snugged cosily in a purple chocolate wall.Take a moment of break from sweets with the bottom-tier selection of savoury canapes that are at full blast with flavours and definitely not your average egg and ham sandwiches. Take for example the duck rillettes & foie gras canapé or the truffle-scented egg & chive petite sandwich. Both canapes take turn to perfume your palates with its strong aroma and balanced well with the red fruity notes of the Grand Rosé champagne.
Of course, there is no particular sequence between the 3-tier and one can jolly well hop back to the sweets which includes non-champagne selection like the Passion-Banana éclair. The Dulce De Leche Tart- a buttery shortcrust pastry with caramelized brown milk jam was so excellent that I would love to pack home a box of it.You can’t get more British with the scones in two flavours: Lemon-thyme and Strawberry yoghurt, served in true style with authentic clotted cream, strawberry preserves and a grainy lemon curd. But just in case you might think that this is the end, there are two more courses to go.....The 4th course is a luxury platter which is a feast for the eyes. The ice cream cone is not a sweet biscuit but a savoury one, piped with Smoked salmon mousse. The Marinated lobster compression with Champagne aspic reminded me of the wacky creations by Heston Blumenthal while the Porcini mushroom tart with basalmic alioli lived up to its own name. It was bursting of umami flavour that left me curious about the amount of mushrooms used
The last course is something hot from the oven—Duck Confit & Pistachio Puff and a Classic Chicken Pie

This afternoon tea is only available in September. For those who are concern about alcohol, the Grand Rose is non-alcoholic. A very good healthy excuse to drink your time away, in this genteel and unhurried oasis.


For full review and more photos, please visit http://dairycream.blogspot.jp/2013/09/axis-bar-and-lounge-luxury-september.html

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After dining at Fish & Co several times, I am delighted to learn about their revamped menu with new tasty dishes. The menu has become a stylish magazine with a 50s retro feel. The choice of light blue colour scheme also effectively highlighted its nautical theme.Clams with Curry Butter $11.95--The use of butter in this dish produced a smooth and creamy texture which makes it a perfect dip for the focaccia bread served alongside. The curry is mildly sweet and won't leave your tongue burning.Another new addition is the Soft Shell Crab Salad($11.95), a giant deep-fried crab with beautiful sweet flavours. Be sure to dig in quickly before the dish gets soggy.For a place that is renowned for seafood, I did not expect the Black Pepper Chicken Baked Rice ($13.95) to be so flavourful. Each mouthful of rice grains is moist and peppery, balanced with sweetness from the luscious caramelised onions. Be sure to scrape the burnt bits of cheese like what I did. Simply spectacular and addictive!

However, I was not only hooked to the seafood, but also to their creamy mash and french fries--one of the best versions I've tasted that day.