Aston's is no newcomer to the food scene and i was delighted to see a new branch opened so close to my workplace and so close to the east. In true Aston's fashion, this is located in a the heartlands in a simple kopitiam.
Being my first visit, its only natural to go straight for the beef steak while my gf had the chargrilled chicken.
Prime Sirloin Steak ($10.90) - I had the sides of pasta salad and whipped potato which were rather below average this time. The pasta tasted a little hard and uncooked while the whipped potato had a pasty firm texture which is either liked or disliked easily. The steak itself was thankfully done well. Medium rare, juicy and at a decent size, this is still what Astons excel in.
Chargrill Chicken ($5.90) - This came with sides of seasonal veggie and potato salad. The seasonal veggie is uncooked and tasted raw while the potato salad is a little too soft. Lacking the crunchiness of the Seragoon branch outlet. The chicken itself was tender, juicy and quite fragrant with spices albeit having a little frozen taste within. It still clocks in at a decent size though.
Overall, i'd say the meal is still above average for a kopitiam but they really need to work out the kinks for the kitchen before they can really take off.
Second Visit - Well, we were running out of cheap good places to visit so it was back to Aston's again to try it out. Hopefully, the standard has risen.
This time, we ordered a grilled fish with herbs and a Astons, I eat Superburger. And to sum it up, this visit was a much better.
Grilled Fish with herbs ($6.50) - Now this is a classic, my gf had it the first time we visited Aston's and now she's having it again. Not as good as the first time around but still, it was done soft and fragrant as it should be. The sides this time included a potato salad and french fries which were both way better then out first visit here. Service is still bordering on bad though.
I-eat Superior Burger ($12.50) - Its my personal mission to always try a beef burger and i must say, i was not disappointed this time. The burger was huge for its price, neighboring tables were angling for a look at my burger. Yeah, its pretty big. And i had sides of the potato salad which retained its former glory of being slightly soft and yet crunchy. The burger itself had loads of stuff in it. Apart from a rather large beef patty which was done really well i might say. There were tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, cheese and including, an onion ring or crown which really just made the burger irresistible. The meat was done medium rare which let it retain its juices and chewiness while the rest gave off a beefy fragrance which i loved. Top stuff, i'd say try this once you are there.
Overall, the second visit made my confidence for this branch increase a little. Its still green in the service but otherwise, its definitely looking like a good new Astons for the east to me.
I listen to this station almost every morning when i'm communing to work! Its a relaxing, funny and fun filled station with noteable morning shows with Ding Zhi Yong and company who usually talks about loads of issues close to the heart of Singaporeans. The good part is how they manage to make all this funny.
The evening show is equally good with Zhou Chong Qing and Zhou Tai Tai with their not-so-subtle jokes with double meanings.
The song selection is alright with some new songs gradually introduced on a weekly basis but sometimes it does feel repetitious after awhile. But its not a complaint really, there's really only so many songs available at times.
Either way, this is my most listened to Chinese Station. Cheers!
It was a day of celebration, a celebration of me and my gf's 1 year anniversary together that we decided to patronize a recommendation by my boss. The location was good, nestled in the middle of Sentosa with practically no one around to bother us. Still, it was with trepidation that we went since i've heard no other accounts of a good visit to the place due to its relatively infant start. Loving adventure and the unknown, we went ahead.
Here's a place that gives the impression of being miles away from your troubles and cares of the world. Calm, clean white covers most surfaces with glass walls and sleekly varnished tables and chairs. The view is equally enticing with the palawan beach spread before your eyes and your date. Its an ambiance that reinvigorates in the afternoon and energizes in the evening.
Its not in my thoughts or habit to order drinks in a swanky restaurant but then again, i couldn't stinge on a date like this i suppose. The end result is that we ordered 2 fruit punches which could have bought me about 6 fruit punches elsewhere. To be fair, it is rather good, being well balanced in sweetness and sourness but its still an expensive drink.
The complimentary bread was served warm with a nice aroma which reminds me fondly of pizza. Upon opening it, there are small granules of cheese and some chili thrown in for good measure. The crust is crispy while the inside was soft and warm. Not a bad start.
Pan seared foie gras, banana chutney and chocolate sauce - Doesn't this just look delightful? Who could resist foie gras anyway? Not me. This rendition was seared crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth on the inside. The gripe here is that the foie gras itself, had a layer of salt on it and the "chocolate sauce" tasted more like soya sauce which meant it was extremely salty overall. The banana managed to lessen the taste but i wonder if they actually poured the wrong sauce on this? It could have been so much better if the sauce was sweet. Even with this gripe, the foie gras was still done well.
Pamma Ham, Scallops and Rocket Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing - I had a piece of the scallop in pamma ham and it was delightful. Light, sweet and fresh tasting, its easily taken and liked. Though the scallop could have been more plentiful and the dressing as well. The lack of honey dressing left a bitter taste on the rocket salad actually.
Pan Roasted Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage and Spiced Port Sauce - This is a worthy main course. Don't be fooled by its rather oily and fatty appearance. What you get with each bite is melt in your mouth tasty meat (and fats of course) but sinning has never felt better. Crispy pork belly that actually tastes salty and sweet at the same time. This is definitely something to try. The savoy cabbage is light and manages to neutralize a bit of the aftertaste that the pork leaves behind. Still, this was pretty darn good.
Roasted Cod with Ratatouille and Basil Dressing - My gf had this. Simply put, it looks amazing. 2 fine sized cod pieces between servings of ratatouille and sprinkled with basil sauce. Subject to the taste test however, and it falls flat. Amidst all the colors, i was unable to find much flavor in the roasted cod. In fact, it was also less tender and soft then any other cod dishes i've tried. The ratatouille was also lackluster in taste but at least it tasted fresh.
Cheese Platter - I was rather surprised with the menu when i saw the cheese platter as a choice for dessert. So, i decided to try it out just to know how it actually tastes like. The platter came with a variety of choices including blue cheese, cheddar and a few others i can't quite remember but the one thing i do remember is...i'll never have blue cheese...ever again. The taste is indescribably unpleasant. Stay away from this unless you have an acquired taste for it.
Cinnamon apple tart with cinnamon ice cream ($14) - Sweet! Sweet sweet and sweet! Sugar icing, mashed apples soaked in syrup and crumbles adorn this sweet dessert. The tart was served warm and crispy with a pleasant fragrance. In fact, it tastes pretty good until you mix it up with the cinnamon ice cream which tipped the scales from bearably sweet to excruciatingly so. Without the ice cream, this is one dessert thats easy to recommend.
Chocolate Lave Cake with Hazelnut Ice Cream - I expected this to be good but it turned out only average. The reason for this is the rather thick layer for the crust and the unmelted chocolate which definitely did not flow like lava. But bigger then this gripe is the weird pairing choice, chocolate lava (bitter) with hazelnut ice cream (equally bitter). And to add insult to injury, the hazelnut ice cream tasted more like coffee ice cream to me which thus resulted in one of the most bitter desserts i've ever had. Improvement definitely needed.
The total bill this time came to $131.85 for 2 people. Acceptable but not for the quality of food i had.
There's potential here for sure. The serene location and open space gives the customer a santuary away from the bustles of life. Yet, the pairing quality and the preparation of fish needs a definite improvement. Otherwise, this becomes perpetually, a place which has potential but lacks substance.
Attended a dinner at Tetsu one weekday evening with my gf. Tetsu, which is owned and operated by Food Junction (yes, the foodcourt operator), prides itself as the first Japanese restaurant to offer Kushi style (food is served in skewers) tempura and Tonkatsu menu which is prepared live in front of you (assuming you take the counter seats of course).
Located on the top level of Tanglin Mall, Tetsu stands out with its chic interior that oozes sublime class without the frills. A partial open concept kitchen coupled with white washed pillars, wooden beams and clever layering of light add to the sophistication. Seats are decidedly comfortable but the tables do seem a little too low for comfort (maybe its just my table).
Kami Tofu - The Kami tofu, or century egg with tofu, was rather easy on the palate and provided a good start to the meal. The tofu was silky yet firm through the addition of eggs (a tad too much egg though), while the finely diced century egg cubes had but a faint aftertaste, ideal for people like me who do not really fancy this variation of eggs. Parallels can be drawn to chawamushi in terms of taste, albeit being much lighter.
Kajiki Tataki - The Kajiki, also known as swordfish or Pacific blue marlin, was another excellent starter. Lightly seared till faintly charred along the edges, the fish, coupled with what I believe to be Ponzu (ポン酢) sauce and spicy radish atop, emanated a nice savoury taste. Only gripe I had was that the texture of the fish did seem a tad too hard and dry.
Salmon & Yellow Tail Sashimi - I'm not too big on sashimi so neither the salmon nor yellow tail wowed me. Both were fresh, but I've had fresher cuts before. The wasabi or わさび,ワサビ was probably just a mixture of horseradish, mustard seed and green colouring, tasting nothing like the real wasabi, which usually comes grated. But no complaints here as very very few places in Singapore actually serve up the real thing because of its prohibitive prices.
Yasai Takiawase - The Yasai Takiawase, or simmered seasonal vegetables, consisted of white radish, carrot, pumpkin & snow pea stewed in a pot for 3 hours straight. Honestly, this dish just didn't do it for me. Everything was soft to the extent of being mushy and nausea inducing. According to the chef, this dish is very popular with the Japanese and it tastes better with every try. I would like to give the chef the benefit of the doubt, but I seriously can't bring myself to try the same dish again.
Kushi Age Style Hotate, Soft Shell Crab, Hire Katsu & Ebi - This is an area where Tetsu differentiates itself through its live preparation of Kushi style food. I see it more as a marketing gimmick. Honestly, how difficult is it to prepare food on skewers live? For starters, the food wasn't served hot, not even warm. And I personally found the batter a tad too thick and oily for my liking. The soft shell crab had an overdose of salt while the scallop, though huge and purportedly flown in from Japan, was tasteless. The Hire (pork) Katsu's taste was overwhelmed by black pepper while the prawn didn't come across as sweet. All in all, definitely not my idea of a must try.
Consomme - The clear consomme tasted to me like egg drop soup. By and large there's nothing much to comment on it except that it was light and definitely something you can get anywhere else.
Salmon Sushi Roll - Served up with compliments from Tetsu, the salmon sushi roll was definitely one of the better dishes that evening. What was interesting was the usage of flakes of fried tempura batter to coat the sushi's exterior, resulting in a nice crunchy piece of sushi that carried a lightly sweet overtone from the drizzled teriyaki sauce. Couldn't quite make out the cooked salmon taste though, save for a very faint smokiness.
Udon & Kushi Tem Lotus Root, Mushroom, Green Capsicum - I found the udon quite decent, with the noodles chewy and not too "fat" and the broth lightly salty with lots of tempura flakes. The sides of mushroom, lotus root and capsicum provided some frills to this simple dish but proved to be rather flat.
Goma Ice Cream - Rock hard, straight from the freezer and totally uninspiring. My 3 adjectives to describe the Goma ice cream.
As it was a prearranged dinner, the cost was capped at $30nett per pax. Portions were sampling size and I personally felt that $30 for the stuff we ate wasn't exactly such a great deal as nothing on the menu seemed really expensive. Service was good, but then again thats subjective. Overall the dinner was an average affair for me and I seriously doubt that I'll be back.
Saw that Dian Xiao Er was rather empty one afternoon while I was at Vivocity so popped in for a quick lunch. Legend has it that a Xiao Er (waiter) at a roast duck restaurant combined herbs with roast duck to help his bedridden master recover. The master showed remarkable improvements in his condition and emerged even stronger than before, thus giving rise to the Herbal Roast Duck, which Dian Xiao Er is known for.
All of Dian Xiao Er's restaurants are painstakingly designed to replicate the teahouses of ancient China and the outlet at Vivo certainly looks the part with its wooden beams, grey brick walls and red Chinese lanterns. Tables and chairs were of the wooden variant as well and honestly I felt that everything was cramped too close for comfort. Overhearing the adjourning table's conversation proved too easy for comfort.
Soup of the Day - The soup of the day was lotus root soup, which came across as light and sweet with chunks of meat and lotus root inside. Definitely a great way to start off the meal.
Poached Spinach with Century and Salted Eggs - This method of cooking usually uses 3 types of eggs but I guess Dian Xiao Er decided to go without the normal egg, using only century and salted eggs. I found the vegetables a tad too soft for my liking and the taste struck me as rather ordinary.
Herbal Roast Duck - There have been many claims that a trip to Dian Xiao Er is never complete without ordering the legendary herbal roast duck. I didn't quite attest to those claims though, finding the duck to be less then extraordinary. Maybe I'm just picky but it was really way too sweet for my liking, even though the skin was crisp and the meat firm. Strangely enough, the duck tasted to me like 九层糕 or nine layered cake sans the texture.
Old Style Steamed Fish Slices - I don't know what does old style entail so I shall not comment, but the fish wasn't exactly fresh and that definitely didn't sit well with me. There was really alot of fish leftover when we were done.
Overall the lunch didn't impress me much and it wasn't cheap either, standing at about $49 for 2 pax. Quantity is sufficient but there is much room for improvement quality wise. Until then, I guess I won't be returning to Dian Xiao Er in a hurry.
Orange Julius has been around for as long i remember it, but never have i purchase anything from there before. Neither did i pay much attention to it. So it came to me as a surprise when my friend was buying their orange juice, and i saw that they were actually selling hotdogs also.
Orange Julius ($3.40) Freshly squeezed orange juice with Julius flavor enhancer blended with flaked ice to create a light, airy, and very refreshing drink which is also low in fat and contains no cholestrol.
Julius Originals come in three sizes, small ($3.40), medium ($4), and large ($4.70). And there’s also smoothies available.
Give me an orange, Julius!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rabbit Brand, rabbit brand. We are not talking about the rabbit brand sweet. I have heard about Rabbit Brand Seafood restaurant, but i have no idea that they got an outlet selling seafood delicacies, right in the middle of town, Lucky Plaza.
My friend introduce me to Rabbit Brand Seafood delicacies for a budget lunch, i don’t visit Lucky Plaza often, but Rabbit Brand does turns out to be quite a surprise.
A quick look at the menu actually tells you everything about Rabbit Brand, they offer seafood delicacies such as shark fin, abalone, at absolutely cheap prices, how authentic the seafood are remains to be seen, but then you can’t really to expect to have the real deal at a price as cheap as 5 bucks can you?
They have many sets, with the cheapest going at $5.50, to the most expensive at $12.50. Buddha over the wall, abalone, shark fin, sea cucumber, scallops are the seafood delicacies which Rabbit Brand serves.
Set B: Baby Abalone in sauce ($8.50) The set B option has the baby abalone in sauce, vegetables, rice and chinese tea, and not to mention the cheng tng (literally clear soup, a type of chinese dessert) which comes free with every set.
Whether the baby abalone is the real one or not isn’t really the question here, its the sauce which the baby abalone is cooked in that excites me. The essence of the mushroom and the abalone are clearly all absorbed into the sauce, and just having the sauce with white rice is good enough.
Set J: Shark fin, scallop and scrambled egg ($5.50) The set J has shark fin and scallop with the scrambled egg. I am skeptical about the shark fin, and scallop mention in the menu because its barely there, but then you can’t complain when the meal is only $5.50. What do you expect?
Nonetheless, i love scrambled eggs, and the one here does well for me. A simple and hearty meal.
Pak Choy Meow ($1.60) The pak choy meow, or white vegetables comes in four, and two mushroom. Evidently in the picture. The prices for their side dishes selections are cheap, with most under 2 bucks for each one. The white vegetables are good, crunchy and fresh.
Total bill is $16.69 for 2 person. I do think that the prices are rather reasonable for a meal in the heart of the town, Orchard. With normal food and drinks in a food court, prices are about the same, but i think the simple fare here definitely suits me better.
You cannot be expecting to have the real seafood delicacies with the cheap prices you are paying, but its quite a novice tasting such similar ones. Rather than buying you-know-what junk food, have your lunch today at Rabbit Brand seafood specialty!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
I realise that I've never written anything about Outback Steakhouse despite quite a few visits to to the restaurant both in Singapore and overseas, so here goes. Popped by with my gf on a not so quiet Thursday evening.
The interior is cosy and cheerful with wooden booth seats for extra privacy. Signs and stickers adorn the wall with overhanging lamp shades for a casual laid back atmosphere. Interestingly, while Outback is supposed to embody the spirit of the Australian outback - rugged, friendly and casual, this successful chain actually started out in the US and the owners have never stepped foot into Australia! So much for authenticity I guess.
Complimentary Bread & Cheese Fries - The complimentary bread was relatively huge and came served on a cutting board with a knife and butter. I thought it was rather average tasting though. I'm a sucker for fries and cheese so anything that combines these two ingredients together works magic for me. It definitely helped that the fries were chunky and crispy while the cheese was thick and had lots of bacon chips in it.
Prime Minister's Prime Rib - At 8oz, this is one of the smaller prime ribs that I've had (I usually prefer a 10oz or 12oz). Slow roasted in an oven, the medium rare rib was succulent and tender but I did find it a little too fatty. It could have done with a dash of salt and pepper as well to complement the natural beefy taste of the rib. There's an option to add on homemade mushroom sauce or peppercorn sauce, but at $6.90 a pop, I'd rather pass.
Sizzling Chicken - The sizzling chicken had me salivating at the fragrance it emitted at the table. However I did find this dish a little lacking. The boneless chicken came across as a tad too dry though still reasonably fibrous. Nothing special but still very palatable.
Chocolate Thunder from Down Under - Warm and rich chocolate sauce drizzled over soft and moist pecan brownie with a nice smooth scoop of vanilla ice cream. Whats not to like?However, at $15.90 for this dessert, I had expected a humongous slab of brownie topped with yet another humongous scoop of ice cream, enough to stuff 2 people. What I got was really disappointing, size wise. To be fair, the brownie and ice cream was bigger than usual, but only by that much. A very nice and sinful dessert!
$111 for 2 pax is certainly on the high side for a hearty but relatively unimpressive dinner. Food quality is above average at best but what I like is the casual setting and friendly service. Soft drinks are free flow if you order a glass, so please don't spend unnecessary money by ordering 2 glasses when you can order 1 glass to share, alongside free ice water.
If you have been following through LIC, you will know that i never fancy buffet, because the greedy me will want to eat as much as possible to satisfy the price, and you need to fork out big money for quality buffet, think The line at Shangri-la, Wasabi bistro, Melt the world cafe.
Having said that, as my family wanted a weekend dinner buffet without being too heavy on the pocket, i did some research online, and decided on Feast @ East the buffet restaurant. Nothing mind-blowing, just the rather reasonable bill for a weekend dinner buffet, which can otherwise be very expensive.
Feast @ East is located at Grand Mercure roxy hotel at East coast road, just directly opposite Parkway parade. I do have doubts about restaurants in hotel situated in suburban area initially. But i guess there’s always a first time for everything.
The interior of Feast @ East is rather big, i think housing 80-100 shouldn’t be a problem. As the name implies, firstly the heritage feast in the east. And second, they are a buffet restaurant. Duh!
A gastronomic journey of food from a bygone area which many may have forgotten and also the familiar favourites. Truly authentic tastes from the various cultures and lifestyle of Singapore.
This is how Feast @ East describe themselves, and i do agree to certain extent. What really impress me about Feast @ East is the small little details they go into, to create the bygone area feel with some of the stuff that we used to see when we are just small kids. You will see them in the pictures later.
However, the food really is average, nothing much to shout about, and before the buffet here, i had Kampong chicken, went to Bark cafe, so i wasn’t very hungry.
“Authentic” local delights Somehow i feel that they are more like Hawker food, and honestly, hawker food are best eaten in hawker, not a restaurant.
Roasted meat selectionsSurprisingly the roast duck is actually quite good. I am more of a duck than chicken fan, and i must say the duck gets the thumbs up!
Gammon Ham The gammon ham is too salty, not to our liking. Generous in serving, but wait, this is a all-you-can-eat buffet after all.
Mee Siam I had a taste of the mee siam, i’m not sure how you exactly describe a good mee siam, but i think this one is normal.
Laksa The laksa is quite all right to be fair, nothing fantastic, but nothing bad either.
The desserts section are really the part that set me licking, literally. I am a sucker for desserts, and for feast @ east, i didn’t really try most of their local food, instead my efforts are all channel into, yes desserts.
How can one resist the warm and chocolaty, chocolate fondue. Definitely not me, put a marshmallow under the flowing chocolate, and its simply goodness, do it the same with different kind of fruits!
The desserts and cakes selections are rather comprehensive, there are hits and misses of course.
Total Bill is $134.15 for 4 person which works out to be about $33 per head. The normal price for their buffet dinner will be $38, but we use the Citicard promotion, 1 dines free with 3 paying adults. At $33, i guess the price isn’t that expensive given its a weekend buffet dinner. But at $38, i might think twice before coming.
You can’t really speak of quality in the food, we felt that they are normal, at best a few dish stands out. Otherwise you are actually paying for the experience of eating hawker food in a restaurant environment. Dessert-wise i think its not too bad, with quite a repertoire to choose from.
Like what i mentioned earlier, credits to Feast @ East for putting in the effort in the small details which creates a truly heritage feel, the gastronomic journey of food from a bygone area which many may have forgotten. The concept is good, but the food just needs to be better.
If you are not too fussy about food, Feast @ East do makes a nice place to bring your family along for a buffet spread. But if you are particular about the quality of food, stir clear of this place.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Dim sum was on the cards again and this time it was at Peach Garden at OCBC building. Peach Garden appealed with its location, promise of a great view as well as its stellar reviews for dim sum.
Perched on the 33rd floor of OCBC building at Chulia Street, Peach Garden offers a birds eye view of the surrounding area if you manage to get a window seat of course. The interior oozes class with its traditional Chinese wooden decor complete with thick carpets for that touch of exclusivity.
Appetiser - This was really weird tasting to me because it had cordyceps in it, which reminded me of maggots. I shall not attempt to elaborate more.
Steamed Siew Mai with Phoneix Prawn - A staple in any dim sum offering, the siew mai was quite different in the sense that there was alot of prawn in it and though fresh, it overwhelmed the taste of the pork. I'm not really complaining though. What I didn't appreciate was the prawns not being fully de shelled, with the tip still showing. I guess the purpose was to show that it was a whole prawn in the siew mai.
Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling - You can't really go wrong with Har Gao and Peach Garden wasn't just about to challenge that notion. The skin, though a little too thick for my liking, was rather chewy and enveloped a dollop of nice crunchy prawns.
XO Carrot Cake - Okay this wasn't exactly very good, with the carrot cake a tad too soft and salty. Portions were very small as well for the price ($8). On the upside, it wasn't too oily and came across as rather fragrant.
Baked Spare Rib with BBQ Sauce - I've actually eaten this quite a few times from Peach Garden so it was no surprise that it was good as I remembered it to be. Crisp along the edges with a nice sweet aftertaste from the BBQ sauce while succulent and naturally sweet on the inside. But at $7 a pop, I don't exactly find it value for money.
Steamed Rice Roll with Prawn & Steamed Rice Roll with Char Siew - I hate to say this but both the steamed rice rolls aka chee cheong fan, were substandard. For one, the cheong fan's texture tasted rather coarse, not silky and smooth as I would have expected. To put it in perspective, there are a lot of hawker stalls out there that sell the same quality of chee cheong fan.
Boiled Porridge with Century Egg and Pork - The porridge was salty and between the 8 of us, we almost couldn't finish 4 bowls of it. That probably says alot. And strangely enough, the pork tasted more like chicken.
Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Conpoy - Average average average. The final verdict that most of us handed down. The skin was a tad too dry and thick while the juice within wasn't flavourful enough. Probably the only saving grace was that the pork taste wasn't too overwhelming.
Baked Mini Egg Tart - Flaky with a nice and not too sweet custard filling, the mini egg tarts were rather decent but not outstanding. For one, the crust was tasteless and at $1.30 each, its a total rip off.
Steamed BBQ Pork Bun - I personally thought that the flour was a little too thick for the bun, which made it quite a chore to eat. The char siew filling was decent though but it wasn't enough to make me write this dish off.
Steamed Yolk Cream Bun - A signature dish of Peach Garden and rightly so. The delicious smooth molten custard gushed out as soon as an opening was made in the moist bun skin, making for a messy but delightful dish. However, as with the BBQ pork bun, I did find the flour a little too thick as well. One thing I also found lacking was the presence of egg yolk sediment in the molten custard, which would have given it a slightly salty taste and a rougher texture. But all in all, an excellent eat nevertheless.
Baked BBQ Pork Pastry - After the excellent BBQ pork pastry aka char siew sou I had at Yan Ting, nothing else comes close. And Peach Garden's rendition was in no position to contest that claim. Though decent, the char siew did seem a tad too sweet for my liking while the pastry came across as flat.
An uninspiring dim sum session for 8 cost to the tune of $178 after a 15% discount. Service overwall was rather terrible save for a few rather nice gestures by 2 ladies who I presume to be the owners. Prices are still rather reasonable and if you can look past the hits and misses and generally slightly above average dim sum, you will probably like Peach Garden. As for me, I'll be happy to stick to my regular haunts.
1=SGD 0.0587
Aston's is no newcomer to the food scene and i was delighted to see a new branch opened so close to my workplace and so close to the east. In true Aston's fashion, this is located in a the heartlands in a simple kopitiam.
Being my first visit, its only natural to go straight for the beef steak while my gf had the chargrilled chicken.
Prime Sirloin Steak ($10.90) - I had the sides of pasta salad and whipped potato which were rather below average this time. The pasta tasted a little hard and uncooked while the whipped potato had a pasty firm texture which is either liked or disliked easily. The steak itself was thankfully done well. Medium rare, juicy and at a decent size, this is still what Astons excel in.
Chargrill Chicken ($5.90) - This came with sides of seasonal veggie and potato salad. The seasonal veggie is uncooked and tasted raw while the potato salad is a little too soft. Lacking the crunchiness of the Seragoon branch outlet. The chicken itself was tender, juicy and quite fragrant with spices albeit having a little frozen taste within. It still clocks in at a decent size though.
Overall, i'd say the meal is still above average for a kopitiam but they really need to work out the kinks for the kitchen before they can really take off.
Second Visit - Well, we were running out of cheap good places to visit so it was back to Aston's again to try it out. Hopefully, the standard has risen.
This time, we ordered a grilled fish with herbs and a Astons, I eat Superburger. And to sum it up, this visit was a much better.
Grilled Fish with herbs ($6.50) - Now this is a classic, my gf had it the first time we visited Aston's and now she's having it again. Not as good as the first time around but still, it was done soft and fragrant as it should be. The sides this time included a potato salad and french fries which were both way better then out first visit here. Service is still bordering on bad though.
I-eat Superior Burger ($12.50) - Its my personal mission to always try a beef burger and i must say, i was not disappointed this time. The burger was huge for its price, neighboring tables were angling for a look at my burger. Yeah, its pretty big. And i had sides of the potato salad which retained its former glory of being slightly soft and yet crunchy. The burger itself had loads of stuff in it. Apart from a rather large beef patty which was done really well i might say. There were tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, cheese and including, an onion ring or crown which really just made the burger irresistible. The meat was done medium rare which let it retain its juices and chewiness while the rest gave off a beefy fragrance which i loved. Top stuff, i'd say try this once you are there.
Overall, the second visit made my confidence for this branch increase a little. Its still green in the service but otherwise, its definitely looking like a good new Astons for the east to me.
Rating given:
I listen to this station almost every morning when i'm communing to work! Its a relaxing, funny and fun filled station with noteable morning shows with Ding Zhi Yong and company who usually talks about loads of issues close to the heart of Singaporeans. The good part is how they manage to make all this funny.
The evening show is equally good with Zhou Chong Qing and Zhou Tai Tai with their not-so-subtle jokes with double meanings.
The song selection is alright with some new songs gradually introduced on a weekly basis but sometimes it does feel repetitious after awhile. But its not a complaint really, there's really only so many songs available at times.
Either way, this is my most listened to Chinese Station. Cheers!
Rating given:
It was a day of celebration, a celebration of me and my gf's 1 year anniversary together that we decided to patronize a recommendation by my boss. The location was good, nestled in the middle of Sentosa with practically no one around to bother us. Still, it was with trepidation that we went since i've heard no other accounts of a good visit to the place due to its relatively infant start. Loving adventure and the unknown, we went ahead.
Here's a place that gives the impression of being miles away from your troubles and cares of the world. Calm, clean white covers most surfaces with glass walls and sleekly varnished tables and chairs. The view is equally enticing with the palawan beach spread before your eyes and your date. Its an ambiance that reinvigorates in the afternoon and energizes in the evening.
Its not in my thoughts or habit to order drinks in a swanky restaurant but then again, i couldn't stinge on a date like this i suppose. The end result is that we ordered 2 fruit punches which could have bought me about 6 fruit punches elsewhere. To be fair, it is rather good, being well balanced in sweetness and sourness but its still an expensive drink.
The complimentary bread was served warm with a nice aroma which reminds me fondly of pizza. Upon opening it, there are small granules of cheese and some chili thrown in for good measure. The crust is crispy while the inside was soft and warm. Not a bad start.
Pan seared foie gras, banana chutney and chocolate sauce - Doesn't this just look delightful? Who could resist foie gras anyway? Not me. This rendition was seared crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth on the inside. The gripe here is that the foie gras itself, had a layer of salt on it and the "chocolate sauce" tasted more like soya sauce which meant it was extremely salty overall. The banana managed to lessen the taste but i wonder if they actually poured the wrong sauce on this? It could have been so much better if the sauce was sweet. Even with this gripe, the foie gras was still done well.
Pamma Ham, Scallops and Rocket Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing - I had a piece of the scallop in pamma ham and it was delightful. Light, sweet and fresh tasting, its easily taken and liked. Though the scallop could have been more plentiful and the dressing as well. The lack of honey dressing left a bitter taste on the rocket salad actually.
Pan Roasted Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage and Spiced Port Sauce - This is a worthy main course. Don't be fooled by its rather oily and fatty appearance. What you get with each bite is melt in your mouth tasty meat (and fats of course) but sinning has never felt better. Crispy pork belly that actually tastes salty and sweet at the same time. This is definitely something to try. The savoy cabbage is light and manages to neutralize a bit of the aftertaste that the pork leaves behind. Still, this was pretty darn good.
Roasted Cod with Ratatouille and Basil Dressing - My gf had this. Simply put, it looks amazing. 2 fine sized cod pieces between servings of ratatouille and sprinkled with basil sauce. Subject to the taste test however, and it falls flat. Amidst all the colors, i was unable to find much flavor in the roasted cod. In fact, it was also less tender and soft then any other cod dishes i've tried. The ratatouille was also lackluster in taste but at least it tasted fresh.
Cheese Platter - I was rather surprised with the menu when i saw the cheese platter as a choice for dessert. So, i decided to try it out just to know how it actually tastes like. The platter came with a variety of choices including blue cheese, cheddar and a few others i can't quite remember but the one thing i do remember is...i'll never have blue cheese...ever again. The taste is indescribably unpleasant. Stay away from this unless you have an acquired taste for it.
Cinnamon apple tart with cinnamon ice cream ($14) - Sweet! Sweet sweet and sweet! Sugar icing, mashed apples soaked in syrup and crumbles adorn this sweet dessert. The tart was served warm and crispy with a pleasant fragrance. In fact, it tastes pretty good until you mix it up with the cinnamon ice cream which tipped the scales from bearably sweet to excruciatingly so. Without the ice cream, this is one dessert thats easy to recommend.
Chocolate Lave Cake with Hazelnut Ice Cream - I expected this to be good but it turned out only average. The reason for this is the rather thick layer for the crust and the unmelted chocolate which definitely did not flow like lava. But bigger then this gripe is the weird pairing choice, chocolate lava (bitter) with hazelnut ice cream (equally bitter). And to add insult to injury, the hazelnut ice cream tasted more like coffee ice cream to me which thus resulted in one of the most bitter desserts i've ever had. Improvement definitely needed.
The total bill this time came to $131.85 for 2 people. Acceptable but not for the quality of food i had.
There's potential here for sure. The serene location and open space gives the customer a santuary away from the bustles of life. Yet, the pairing quality and the preparation of fish needs a definite improvement. Otherwise, this becomes perpetually, a place which has potential but lacks substance.
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Attended a dinner at Tetsu one weekday evening with my gf. Tetsu, which is owned and operated by Food Junction (yes, the foodcourt operator), prides itself as the first Japanese restaurant to offer Kushi style (food is served in skewers) tempura and Tonkatsu menu which is prepared live in front of you (assuming you take the counter seats of course).
Located on the top level of Tanglin Mall, Tetsu stands out with its chic interior that oozes sublime class without the frills. A partial open concept kitchen coupled with white washed pillars, wooden beams and clever layering of light add to the sophistication. Seats are decidedly comfortable but the tables do seem a little too low for comfort (maybe its just my table).
Kami Tofu - The Kami tofu, or century egg with tofu, was rather easy on the palate and provided a good start to the meal. The tofu was silky yet firm through the addition of eggs (a tad too much egg though), while the finely diced century egg cubes had but a faint aftertaste, ideal for people like me who do not really fancy this variation of eggs. Parallels can be drawn to chawamushi in terms of taste, albeit being much lighter.
Kajiki Tataki - The Kajiki, also known as swordfish or Pacific blue marlin, was another excellent starter. Lightly seared till faintly charred along the edges, the fish, coupled with what I believe to be Ponzu (ポン酢) sauce and spicy radish atop, emanated a nice savoury taste. Only gripe I had was that the texture of the fish did seem a tad too hard and dry.
Salmon & Yellow Tail Sashimi - I'm not too big on sashimi so neither the salmon nor yellow tail wowed me. Both were fresh, but I've had fresher cuts before. The wasabi or わさび,ワサビ was probably just a mixture of horseradish, mustard seed and green colouring, tasting nothing like the real wasabi, which usually comes grated. But no complaints here as very very few places in Singapore actually serve up the real thing because of its prohibitive prices.
Yasai Takiawase - The Yasai Takiawase, or simmered seasonal vegetables, consisted of white radish, carrot, pumpkin & snow pea stewed in a pot for 3 hours straight. Honestly, this dish just didn't do it for me. Everything was soft to the extent of being mushy and nausea inducing. According to the chef, this dish is very popular with the Japanese and it tastes better with every try. I would like to give the chef the benefit of the doubt, but I seriously can't bring myself to try the same dish again.
Kushi Age Style Hotate, Soft Shell Crab, Hire Katsu & Ebi - This is an area where Tetsu differentiates itself through its live preparation of Kushi style food. I see it more as a marketing gimmick. Honestly, how difficult is it to prepare food on skewers live? For starters, the food wasn't served hot, not even warm. And I personally found the batter a tad too thick and oily for my liking. The soft shell crab had an overdose of salt while the scallop, though huge and purportedly flown in from Japan, was tasteless. The Hire (pork) Katsu's taste was overwhelmed by black pepper while the prawn didn't come across as sweet. All in all, definitely not my idea of a must try.
Consomme - The clear consomme tasted to me like egg drop soup. By and large there's nothing much to comment on it except that it was light and definitely something you can get anywhere else.
Salmon Sushi Roll - Served up with compliments from Tetsu, the salmon sushi roll was definitely one of the better dishes that evening. What was interesting was the usage of flakes of fried tempura batter to coat the sushi's exterior, resulting in a nice crunchy piece of sushi that carried a lightly sweet overtone from the drizzled teriyaki sauce. Couldn't quite make out the cooked salmon taste though, save for a very faint smokiness.
Udon & Kushi Tem Lotus Root, Mushroom, Green Capsicum - I found the udon quite decent, with the noodles chewy and not too "fat" and the broth lightly salty with lots of tempura flakes. The sides of mushroom, lotus root and capsicum provided some frills to this simple dish but proved to be rather flat.
Goma Ice Cream - Rock hard, straight from the freezer and totally uninspiring. My 3 adjectives to describe the Goma ice cream.
As it was a prearranged dinner, the cost was capped at $30nett per pax. Portions were sampling size and I personally felt that $30 for the stuff we ate wasn't exactly such a great deal as nothing on the menu seemed really expensive. Service was good, but then again thats subjective. Overall the dinner was an average affair for me and I seriously doubt that I'll be back.
See all my pictures here.
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Saw that Dian Xiao Er was rather empty one afternoon while I was at Vivocity so popped in for a quick lunch. Legend has it that a Xiao Er (waiter) at a roast duck restaurant combined herbs with roast duck to help his bedridden master recover. The master showed remarkable improvements in his condition and emerged even stronger than before, thus giving rise to the Herbal Roast Duck, which Dian Xiao Er is known for.
All of Dian Xiao Er's restaurants are painstakingly designed to replicate the teahouses of ancient China and the outlet at Vivo certainly looks the part with its wooden beams, grey brick walls and red Chinese lanterns. Tables and chairs were of the wooden variant as well and honestly I felt that everything was cramped too close for comfort. Overhearing the adjourning table's conversation proved too easy for comfort.
Soup of the Day - The soup of the day was lotus root soup, which came across as light and sweet with chunks of meat and lotus root inside. Definitely a great way to start off the meal.
Poached Spinach with Century and Salted Eggs - This method of cooking usually uses 3 types of eggs but I guess Dian Xiao Er decided to go without the normal egg, using only century and salted eggs. I found the vegetables a tad too soft for my liking and the taste struck me as rather ordinary.
Herbal Roast Duck - There have been many claims that a trip to Dian Xiao Er is never complete without ordering the legendary herbal roast duck. I didn't quite attest to those claims though, finding the duck to be less then extraordinary. Maybe I'm just picky but it was really way too sweet for my liking, even though the skin was crisp and the meat firm. Strangely enough, the duck tasted to me like 九层糕 or nine layered cake sans the texture.
Old Style Steamed Fish Slices -
I don't know what does old style entail so I shall not comment, but the fish wasn't exactly fresh and that definitely didn't sit well with me. There was really alot of fish leftover when we were done.
Overall the lunch didn't impress me much and it wasn't cheap either, standing at about $49 for 2 pax. Quantity is sufficient but there is much room for improvement quality wise. Until then, I guess I won't be returning to Dian Xiao Er in a hurry.
See all my pictures here.
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Orange Julius has been around for as long i remember it, but never have i purchase anything from there before. Neither did i pay much attention to it. So it came to me as a surprise when my friend was buying their orange juice, and i saw that they were actually selling hotdogs also.
Orange Julius ($3.40)
Freshly squeezed orange juice with Julius flavor enhancer blended with flaked ice to create a light, airy, and very refreshing drink which is also low in fat and contains no cholestrol.
Julius Originals come in three sizes, small ($3.40), medium ($4), and large ($4.70). And there’s also smoothies available.
Give me an orange, Julius!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Rabbit Brand, rabbit brand. We are not talking about the rabbit brand sweet. I have heard about Rabbit Brand Seafood restaurant, but i have no idea that they got an outlet selling seafood delicacies, right in the middle of town, Lucky Plaza.
My friend introduce me to Rabbit Brand Seafood delicacies for a budget lunch, i don’t visit Lucky Plaza often, but Rabbit Brand does turns out to be quite a surprise.
A quick look at the menu actually tells you everything about Rabbit Brand, they offer seafood delicacies such as shark fin, abalone, at absolutely cheap prices, how authentic the seafood are remains to be seen, but then you can’t really to expect to have the real deal at a price as cheap as 5 bucks can you?
They have many sets, with the cheapest going at $5.50, to the most expensive at $12.50. Buddha over the wall, abalone, shark fin, sea cucumber, scallops are the seafood delicacies which Rabbit Brand serves.
Set B: Baby Abalone in sauce ($8.50)
The set B option has the baby abalone in sauce, vegetables, rice and chinese tea, and not to mention the cheng tng (literally clear soup, a type of chinese dessert) which comes free with every set.
Whether the baby abalone is the real one or not isn’t really the question here, its the sauce which the baby abalone is cooked in that excites me. The essence of the mushroom and the abalone are clearly all absorbed into the sauce, and just having the sauce with white rice is good enough.
Set J: Shark fin, scallop and scrambled egg ($5.50)
The set J has shark fin and scallop with the scrambled egg. I am skeptical about the shark fin, and scallop mention in the menu because its barely there, but then you can’t complain when the meal is only $5.50. What do you expect?
Nonetheless, i love scrambled eggs, and the one here does well for me. A simple and hearty meal.
Pak Choy Meow ($1.60)
The pak choy meow, or white vegetables comes in four, and two mushroom. Evidently in the picture. The prices for their side dishes selections are cheap, with most under 2 bucks for each one. The white vegetables are good, crunchy and fresh.
Total bill is $16.69 for 2 person. I do think that the prices are rather reasonable for a meal in the heart of the town, Orchard. With normal food and drinks in a food court, prices are about the same, but i think the simple fare here definitely suits me better.
You cannot be expecting to have the real seafood delicacies with the cheap prices you are paying, but its quite a novice tasting such similar ones. Rather than buying you-know-what junk food, have your lunch today at Rabbit Brand seafood specialty!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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I realise that I've never written anything about Outback Steakhouse despite quite a few visits to to the restaurant both in Singapore and overseas, so here goes. Popped by with my gf on a not so quiet Thursday evening.
The interior is cosy and cheerful with wooden booth seats for extra privacy. Signs and stickers adorn the wall with overhanging lamp shades for a casual laid back atmosphere. Interestingly, while Outback is supposed to embody the spirit of the Australian outback - rugged, friendly and casual, this successful chain actually started out in the US and the owners have never stepped foot into Australia! So much for authenticity I guess.
Complimentary Bread & Cheese Fries - The complimentary bread was relatively huge and came served on a cutting board with a knife and butter. I thought it was rather average tasting though.
I'm a sucker for fries and cheese so anything that combines these two ingredients together works magic for me. It definitely helped that the fries were chunky and crispy while the cheese was thick and had lots of bacon chips in it.
Prime Minister's Prime Rib - At 8oz, this is one of the smaller prime ribs that I've had (I usually prefer a 10oz or 12oz). Slow roasted in an oven, the medium rare rib was succulent and tender but I did find it a little too fatty. It could have done with a dash of salt and pepper as well to complement the natural beefy taste of the rib. There's an option to add on homemade mushroom sauce or peppercorn sauce, but at $6.90 a pop, I'd rather pass.
Sizzling Chicken - The sizzling chicken had me salivating at the fragrance it emitted at the table. However I did find this dish a little lacking. The boneless chicken came across as a tad too dry though still reasonably fibrous. Nothing special but still very palatable.
Chocolate Thunder from Down Under - Warm and rich chocolate sauce drizzled over soft and moist pecan brownie with a nice smooth scoop of vanilla ice cream. Whats not to like?However, at $15.90 for this dessert, I had expected a humongous slab of brownie topped with yet another humongous scoop of ice cream, enough to stuff 2 people. What I got was really disappointing, size wise. To be fair, the brownie and ice cream was bigger than usual, but only by that much. A very nice and sinful dessert!
$111 for 2 pax is certainly on the high side for a hearty but relatively unimpressive dinner. Food quality is above average at best but what I like is the casual setting and friendly service. Soft drinks are free flow if you order a glass, so please don't spend unnecessary money by ordering 2 glasses when you can order 1 glass to share, alongside free ice water.
See all my pictures here.
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If you have been following through LIC, you will know that i never fancy buffet, because the greedy me will want to eat as much as possible to satisfy the price, and you need to fork out big money for quality buffet, think The line at Shangri-la, Wasabi bistro, Melt the world cafe.
Having said that, as my family wanted a weekend dinner buffet without being too heavy on the pocket, i did some research online, and decided on Feast @ East the buffet restaurant. Nothing mind-blowing, just the rather reasonable bill for a weekend dinner buffet, which can otherwise be very expensive.
Feast @ East is located at Grand Mercure roxy hotel at East coast road, just directly opposite Parkway parade. I do have doubts about restaurants in hotel situated in suburban area initially. But i guess there’s always a first time for everything.
The interior of Feast @ East is rather big, i think housing 80-100 shouldn’t be a problem. As the name implies, firstly the heritage feast in the east. And second, they are a buffet restaurant. Duh!
A gastronomic journey of food from a bygone area which many may have forgotten and also the familiar favourites. Truly authentic tastes from the various cultures and lifestyle of Singapore.
This is how Feast @ East describe themselves, and i do agree to certain extent. What really impress me about Feast @ East is the small little details they go into, to create the bygone area feel with some of the stuff that we used to see when we are just small kids. You will see them in the pictures later.
However, the food really is average, nothing much to shout about, and before the buffet here, i had Kampong chicken, went to Bark cafe, so i wasn’t very hungry.
“Authentic” local delights
Somehow i feel that they are more like Hawker food, and honestly, hawker food are best eaten in hawker, not a restaurant.
Roasted meat selectionsSurprisingly the roast duck is actually quite good. I am more of a duck than chicken fan, and i must say the duck gets the thumbs up!
Gammon Ham
The gammon ham is too salty, not to our liking. Generous in serving, but wait, this is a all-you-can-eat buffet after all.
Mee Siam
I had a taste of the mee siam, i’m not sure how you exactly describe a good mee siam, but i think this one is normal.
Laksa
The laksa is quite all right to be fair, nothing fantastic, but nothing bad either.
The desserts section are really the part that set me licking, literally. I am a sucker for desserts, and for feast @ east, i didn’t really try most of their local food, instead my efforts are all channel into, yes desserts.
How can one resist the warm and chocolaty, chocolate fondue. Definitely not me, put a marshmallow under the flowing chocolate, and its simply goodness, do it the same with different kind of fruits!
The desserts and cakes selections are rather comprehensive, there are hits and misses of course.
Total Bill is $134.15 for 4 person which works out to be about $33 per head. The normal price for their buffet dinner will be $38, but we use the Citicard promotion, 1 dines free with 3 paying adults. At $33, i guess the price isn’t that expensive given its a weekend buffet dinner. But at $38, i might think twice before coming.
You can’t really speak of quality in the food, we felt that they are normal, at best a few dish stands out. Otherwise you are actually paying for the experience of eating hawker food in a restaurant environment. Dessert-wise i think its not too bad, with quite a repertoire to choose from.
Like what i mentioned earlier, credits to Feast @ East for putting in the effort in the small details which creates a truly heritage feel, the gastronomic journey of food from a bygone area which many may have forgotten. The concept is good, but the food just needs to be better.
If you are not too fussy about food, Feast @ East do makes a nice place to bring your family along for a buffet spread. But if you are particular about the quality of food, stir clear of this place.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Dim sum was on the cards again and this time it was at Peach Garden at OCBC building. Peach Garden appealed with its location, promise of a great view as well as its stellar reviews for dim sum.
Perched on the 33rd floor of OCBC building at Chulia Street, Peach Garden offers a birds eye view of the surrounding area if you manage to get a window seat of course. The interior oozes class with its traditional Chinese wooden decor complete with thick carpets for that touch of exclusivity.
Appetiser - This was really weird tasting to me because it had cordyceps in it, which reminded me of maggots. I shall not attempt to elaborate more.
Steamed Siew Mai with Phoneix Prawn - A staple in any dim sum offering, the siew mai was quite different in the sense that there was alot of prawn in it and though fresh, it overwhelmed the taste of the pork. I'm not really complaining though. What I didn't appreciate was the prawns not being fully de shelled, with the tip still showing. I guess the purpose was to show that it was a whole prawn in the siew mai.
Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling - You can't really go wrong with Har Gao and Peach Garden wasn't just about to challenge that notion. The skin, though a little too thick for my liking, was rather chewy and enveloped a dollop of nice crunchy prawns.
XO Carrot Cake - Okay this wasn't exactly very good, with the carrot cake a tad too soft and salty. Portions were very small as well for the price ($8). On the upside, it wasn't too oily and came across as rather fragrant.
Baked Spare Rib with BBQ Sauce - I've actually eaten this quite a few times from Peach Garden so it was no surprise that it was good as I remembered it to be. Crisp along the edges with a nice sweet aftertaste from the BBQ sauce while succulent and naturally sweet on the inside. But at $7 a pop, I don't exactly find it value for money.
Steamed Rice Roll with Prawn & Steamed Rice Roll with Char Siew - I hate to say this but both the steamed rice rolls aka chee cheong fan, were substandard. For one, the cheong fan's texture tasted rather coarse, not silky and smooth as I would have expected. To put it in perspective, there are a lot of hawker stalls out there that sell the same quality of chee cheong fan.
Boiled Porridge with Century Egg and Pork - The porridge was salty and between the 8 of us, we almost couldn't finish 4 bowls of it. That probably says alot. And strangely enough, the pork tasted more like chicken.
Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Conpoy - Average average average. The final verdict that most of us handed down. The skin was a tad too dry and thick while the juice within wasn't flavourful enough. Probably the only saving grace was that the pork taste wasn't too overwhelming.
Baked Mini Egg Tart - Flaky with a nice and not too sweet custard filling, the mini egg tarts were rather decent but not outstanding. For one, the crust was tasteless and at $1.30 each, its a total rip off.
Steamed BBQ Pork Bun - I personally thought that the flour was a little too thick for the bun, which made it quite a chore to eat. The char siew filling was decent though but it wasn't enough to make me write this dish off.
Steamed Yolk Cream Bun - A signature dish of Peach Garden and rightly so. The delicious smooth molten custard gushed out as soon as an opening was made in the moist bun skin, making for a messy but delightful dish. However, as with the BBQ pork bun, I did find the flour a little too thick as well. One thing I also found lacking was the presence of egg yolk sediment in the molten custard, which would have given it a slightly salty taste and a rougher texture. But all in all, an excellent eat nevertheless.
Baked BBQ Pork Pastry - After the excellent BBQ pork pastry aka char siew sou I had at Yan Ting, nothing else comes close. And Peach Garden's rendition was in no position to contest that claim. Though decent, the char siew did seem a tad too sweet for my liking while the pastry came across as flat.
An uninspiring dim sum session for 8 cost to the tune of $178 after a 15% discount. Service overwall was rather terrible save for a few rather nice gestures by 2 ladies who I presume to be the owners. Prices are still rather reasonable and if you can look past the hits and misses and generally slightly above average dim sum, you will probably like Peach Garden. As for me, I'll be happy to stick to my regular haunts.
See all my pictures here.
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