[Singapore Restaurant] Celebrate Mother's Day at Yum Cha Restaurant (Dim Sum)

In case you aren't aware, Mother's Day falls on 11 May 2014 this year.  This is the time of the year for children to show our appreciation to our beloved mother who has worked tirelessly for her children.  Yum Cha Restaurant has specially created 3 dishes for this coming Mother's Day.  These 3 dishes will be available from 5 to 11 May 2014.  In total, this makes up about 70 dishes you can find in this restaurant ranging from dim sum, barbecue and roast, vegetable, noodle, congee and dessert.



For siew mai lovers, enjoy this Large Prawn Siew Mai with Double Roe.  Colourful and appetising.  Each piece is $3.50.

Do not judge food by it's looks.  For those who are more adventurous or non-meat diners, the Lavender Bun with Coconut Filling is highly recommended for you.  The bun is nicely infused with lavender taste which is made from lavender flower.  Savour it slowly with some warm tea on a relaxing afternoon.  $2.80 for 2 pieces.

Juicy tangerine, fresh strawberries and blueberries with custard cream.  Have some fruits after a heavy meal.  Each Glazed Mini Fruit Tart is $2 each.  The above 3 dishes are the Mother's Day Exclusive Dim Sum and are available from 5 to 11 May 2014.  They are available at all 3 Yum Cha outlets except between 6pm to 11pm at the Serangoon Garden outlet.

The latest Yum Cha outlet at Changi Business Park, UB Bizhub East opened in late 2013.  The restaurant is airy, cosy, modern and high tech.  Place your order via ipad provided at the dining table.  Avoid the hassle of trying to grab the attention of service staff and have control over the speed of placing orders for your food.

The common roast and barbecue items can also be found at Yum Cha.  My recommendation is the Crispy Roasted Pork and the Honey Roast Char Siew first is you do not have the capacity to try all.  The Crispy Roasted Pork is really crispy on the skin and not too much fatty fats.  The Char Siew meat is pretty lean too.

Yum Cha has a rather complete range of dim sum ranging from steamed to fried food.  The yellow-coloured buns are the Custard Buns (aka lava bun, salted egg yolk custard bun or liu sha bao or 流沙奶皇饱).  Depending on individual's taste, the custard buns (3 pieces at $4.50) has a strong custard taste vs the egg yolk taste.  Being a modern restaurant, the Fish Roe Siew Mai (3 pieces at $3.80) and Yum Cha Prawn Dumpling (3 pieces at $4.60) aren't served using push carts at UE Bizhub East outlet but over at the Chinatown outlet, it is still being served using the traditional way ie. using push carts.

For fried dimsum, the savoury Prawn & Mango Fritters (3 pieces at $4) and sweet Crispy Red Bean with Banana (3 pieces for $3.80) are pretty decent.  The roasted sesame seeds on the prawn & mango fritters added to the fragrance of this dim sum.  For non-meat diners, do go for the Crispy Spring Roll (3 pieces for $3.20), which has bean sprouts as one of the ingredients. 

Yum Cha has recently added a new dish and it is available only on weekends.  It is the Pig Trotters in Vinegar.  I am not a fan of pig trotters and this was the first time I tried this.  To my surprise, the flavourful vinegar gravy (sweet, salty, a little sourish and a little spicy) truly enhanced the taste of this dish.

Of course, there are noodles and congee selection on the menu.  There are also options for vegetarians such as Vegetarian Abalone Congee and Super Vegetarian Balls Congee.

A meal can't be complete without sweet endings (read: desserts).  The Lemongrass Jelly with Fruits ($4) is really refreshing.  Alternatively, if you are in the mood for something oriental, go for the Chinese Herbal Jelly ($3.60).  It comes with a cute little pot of honey and you can add according to the sweetness level you like.

So, go on down to Yum Cha and give your mom a good treat on this Mother's Day.

Website: www.yumcha.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yumchasg?fref=ts


Yum Cha at Changi
6 Changi Business Park Ave. 1
#01-33 UE Bizhub East
Singapore 486017
Tel: 6789 1717
Opening Hours: 10.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 9pm (Weekdays) and 9.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 9pm (Weekends & PH)

For details on Yum Cha Chinatown and Yum Cha Garden, please visit Yum Cha website.

Getting there: Take the MRT to Expo Station.  At the exit (facing Changi City Point), turn left.  Follow the walkway and turn right at the junction and walk towards UE Bizhub East.  The walk takes about 5 mins.

[Singapore Restaurant] Dim Sum @ Bosses Restaurant (黑社会), Vivocity

What's your favourite dim sum?  For me, it has to be liushabao (流沙饱 aka Lava Bun or salted egg yolk custard bun).  And we typically can judge the standard of the restaurant's dim sum from the quality of liushabao because this is one difficult recipe to master - in order to achieve the right consistency and flow of the filling.  The liushabao has certainly created a deep impression on me.  It is far better than those from other renown chinese restaurants serving dim sum.

If you're looking for a place for afternoon tea / dim sum, consider going to Bosses.  There are close to 50 items on their menu and they offer 30% off for their dim for orders between 2.30pm and 5pm.  Here's a list of what I like in order of my preference.

 

Signature Custard Lava Bun - soft bun skin filling with warm salted egg yolk custard

 

Fish Skin - Fresh and Crispy (Highly Recommended)

 

Ace Durian Mochi -  Filled with D24 durian.  It is beat eaten when chilled (Highly Recommended)

 

Famous Chilli Crab Tart - Bite-size crab meat that's fresh and springy.

 

Har Gow (Prawn Dumpling) - Fresh prawn dumpling in 3 different coloured skin.

 

Pan-fried Carrot Cake with XO Sauce - Not bad, not bad.

 Crispy Sesame Mango Prawn Salad Roll

 Shanghai Xiao Long Bao - Minced pork steamed bun.  There are better ones than these.

 

Premium Fish Maw steamed dumpling - I am not a fan of fish maw, that explains why it is on my low priority list.

Here's the full menu for the dim sum.  Prices range from $4.50 to $9.50 before taxes.  I will be back for more!

Bosses Restaurant
1 HarbourFront Walk, Vivocity #02-156/157, Singapore 098585
Tel: 6376 9740
Website: www.bosses.sg
Operating Hours:  11am to 9.30pm

Getting there:  Walk to Vivocity from HarbourFront Station



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[SG Buffet] Open House Restaurant at Grand Park Orchard Hotel

Options for weekday high-tea seems to be quite limited and we can easily understand why.  Simply because the weekend crowd is generally better.  Recently, a group of friends decided to meet up over high tea and we went to Open House Restaurant at Grand Park Orchard (former Crown Prince Hotel).

The selection are mostly local delights with some Asian selection.  The food spread is quite good with a few stations where the dishes are freshly cooked and served at your table.

The choice of dim sum included siew mai, har gow, char siew bao and black bean pork ribs.  The kar gow skin was a little too thick while the siew mai was alright.



The local cuisine section has usual snacks and dishes that we Singaporeans eat at any time of the day.  That includes roti prata (Indian pancake), fried carrot cake (oriental pan-fried steamed rice cake in black soy sauce), nasi lemak (Malay coconut rice with otah, salted fried peanut and fried anchovy), chwee kueh (oriental steamed rice cup-sized cake topped with preserved radish), fried chicken wings, curry puffs, samosa and peanut pancake.

There is another section where ala carte dishes can be ordered namely claypot rice (oriental style steamed rice cooked with black soy sauce and Chinese sausage in a claypot), fishhead curry (Indian style way of cooking head of fish with brinjals and spicy coconut milk)  and sayur lodeh (Indonesian style vegetable curry that is usually not spicy or mild spicy).  Teochew Porridge is also available at the buffet line with braised peanuts and preserved cai xin.  Nothing elaborate and fanciful but the key condiments are there.

The cakes and pastries section was a little disappointing.  They look quite ordinary and the taste was average.  The durian pengat tasted a little sourish.

The black horse, which truly surprised me was this Sichuan Noodles.  It was very very good, for someone who enjoys eating food that has vinegar.  Spiciness and sourness was just at the right level.  The noodles, though it was a little thick, blended well with the hot and sour soup.  

On the whole, it was a good place for weekday high-tea.  Affordable price with a rather good spread of food.  There may also be seasonal credit card promotions.  The café staff will be able to advise.

Open House Restaurant

Grand Park Orchard Hotel

270 Orchard Road Singapore 238857

Tel: 6603 8855

Website: http://www.parkhotelgroup.com/orchard/dining/open-house/

Nearest MRT: Orchard Station

Getting there: Walk along the basement of Wisma Atria which connects to Ngee Ann City.  Exit Ngee Ann City, cross over to Paragon and then to Grand Park Orchard.

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Related Posts:
- Todai Singapore (Click here)
- Korean Grill BBQ Buffet: Ssikkek (Click here)

Leong Sang Hong Kong Pastries (良辰美点）

The flaky egg tarts at Leong Sang Hong Kong Pastries are almost as good as those you can get from Hong Kong, shops such as Tai Cheong Bakery or Honolulu Coffee Shop. What makes a delicious egg tart would probably be 1) flaky yet crust does not flaky off the moment you hold it 2) crispy even when it isn't piping hot 3) exudes the genuine taste of the ingredients instead of tasting only the flour and 4) light and makes you wanna have more...

Address: Blk 18, Jalan Membina #01-06 Singapore 164018 Tel: 6271 6056

Related postings:
East Ocean Teochew Restaurant (click)
126 Eating House (click)

Ghim Moh Hawker Centre - Rong Yuan Cooked Food

Freshly-made chee cheong fun, glutinous rice, taro cake... try it before this is gone.  This stall is manned by a senior, whom I suppose who is already in his 60s.  He starts business at 4+am in the morning, serves mainly to the breakfast crowd.  On most days, his closes his stall by 8am.  On lucky days, he will open till about 2pm.  Even for someone who works in the vicinity, I consider it my lucky day if the stall is open during lunch hour.

The freshly made food, limited in variety, but the quality is maintained.  Highly recommended!

Chee Cheong Fun with glutinous rice.  The chee cheong fun is smooth in texture and springy.  Loves the sweet sauce that goes on the cheong fun.  The glutinous rice is soft, not too sticky... on some days, it may be a little dry.  Love the big dried shrimps hidden within the rice.

Related Posts:
Katong Laksa at Ghim Moh (click)
Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow at Ghim Moh (click)

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant

1 Scotts Road #02-18 Shaw Centre

Tel: +65 6235 9088

Opening hours

Mon–Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 10.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

Note: The restaurant has moved to Ngee Ann City, #05-08/09.  Contact number remains unchanged.

Had brunch at East Ocean Teochew Restaurant which serves dim-sum during lunch.  Although this is a Teochew restaurant, it serves hong kong dim sum and you see waitresses carrying trays of dim-sum and shouting out what they have o their trays. 

But, the waitresses spoke in cantonese.  Hmmm... this is kinda unfriendly to those who do not understand the cantonese language.  When I asked for the dim-sum menu, the waitress answered that they serve all dim-sum today, just listen out. =(  So, what happens to customers who do not know what the waitresses are "promoting"?

蛋煎肠粉 (Pan-fried Cheong Fun with Egg) - It felt like flattened cheong fun dipped in egg (just like when cooking bombay toast) before it was pan-fried.  Light soy sauce was served together with this dish.  The eggs tend to soak up the soy sauce, so I thought it would be better if the soy sauce is served in a separate sauce plate.

Steamed Carrot Cake - the rice cake was soft and filled with lots of radish and dried shrimps.  Definitely something which we can't find at hawker centres.  Light soy sauce is added to the carrot cake when served.

The century egg porridge isn't too impressive.  Would say that the quality is just average.  Can give it a miss if porridge isn't a miss for you...

Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun comes with generous serving of char siew, as you can see.  What's unique is that - it is served with green veggie. Otherwise, this dish is also quite average...nothing to shout about.

奶皇流沙包 (Custard bun) - This is a must have! Beware of the golden yellow hot milky custard, else you might scald your tongue. However, the bun tastes best when eaten while it is hot! 

At the end of the meal, wash it down with a cup of thick chinese tea. It is so thick that it tastes bitter... yucks!

Total damage for 2 persons was less than $40.... a little steep for about 5 dishes.

 

 

Related Posts:

126 Eating House (click)

Leong Sang Hong Kong Pastries (click)



126 Eating House (揾到食 Wen Dao Shi)

126 Eating House (揾到食)

No. 126 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387449 (between Geylang Lor 15 and 17)

Tel: 67464757, 67454869

This is a real hidden gem in the "bustling" Geylang area.  From the outside, it looks run-down and probably a Grade "C" type of place.  But this old school Hong Kong dim sum cafe serves really quality dim sum with a very good selection of more than 70 dishes!  I think it you name it, you can find it.  From the fried stuff to steam stuff to baked stuff to congee and even crab bee hoon!! 

There is so much variety that it is worth more than 1 visit.  And for dim sum, nohing beats it when eaten fresh and hot.

The cafe has an outdoor section without aircon and an indoor section with aircon.  Seats are limited inside so be prepared to wait if it is "full-house".  One good thing is that the cafe is open 24 hours!!

Deep fried shrimp wrapped with potato shreds.  Must try!

Onion pancake.  Quite different from what you find elsewhere. Other than the fragrant onion taste, the juicy and tender minced pork brings out the uniqueness of this pancake.

Fried beacurd skin with shrimp.  Loves the springy shrimp filling.

Pan-fried carrot cake in cubes.  This is quite different from what we find in HK because of the battered layer.

The xiaolongbao was just average and a little disappointing. You can find better ones at Dingtaifeng or Crystal Jade Kitchen.

Har Kow is highly recommended. Must try!!

Love this char siew cheong fun because of the sweet sauce.  The sauce has a very unique taste.

This was the reason we were there - shredded duck porridge.  The porridge, cooked in claypot, was thick and flavourful.  Another must try!!

Lotus Leaf Rice - see how the braised meat has blended into the rice nicely?  Love its huge peanuts found in each rice ball.

Cold drinks are served in the take-away containers.  The lime juice which I ordered was really thirst-quenching.  The juice is made from lime and you can find pulps in your drink.  The lime and sour plum combi has been one of my fav drinks and this one qualifies to be on my top list.

The total damage was about $50 for 5 of us and I thought it was quite reasonable, esp for quality food.

This was my take-away dessert - coconut tart!  Can I say it is one of the best I have tried so far - thick crispy crust filled with undiluted dessicated coconut filling.  I think it only costs me $0.70!!  What a steal!!

 

 

You may like to check out other Dim Sum postings:

- Leong Sang Hong Kong Pastries (click)

- East Ocean Teochew Restaurant (click)

 



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