Three Sundays ago, Rick and I had a double-date with Keropokman and his babe (and my old schoolmate), Momo. It was Momo who suggested dimsum brunch at a very old-school Cantonese establishment — Yan Palace Restaurant.

Steamed Pork Dumplings "Siew Mai", S$3.20

We kicked started our meal with the pre-requisite siew mai. Meaty and bouncy — it was rustic but good.

Deep Fried Yam Balls with Lychee, S$3.20

Curiosity got the better of me. Yam puff with lychee? We all agreed it sounded much more interesting than it tasted.

Baked BBQ Pork Pastry, S$3.20

With its thick crust, the char siew puff didn’t look promising. Surprisingly, the pastry was buttery and rather melt-in-the-mouth. Definitely not as stellar as Crystal Jade’s version, but I’d order this again.

Steamed Chicken Claws in Spicy Sauce, S$2.60

I didn’t touch the chicken feet. Not very nice, according to Keropokman and Momo, who are THE chicken feet experts.

Steamed Dumplings "Teochew" Style, S$2.60

Filled mostly with veggies, these were pretty refreshing.

Steamed "Cheong Fun" with Prawn, S$3.60

The rice flour rolls were rather thick but sufficiently soft, with a single big prawn in each roll.

Deep Fried Prawn Dumpling, S$3.60

Except for siew mai and har kow (which come in fours), dimsum items always come in threes. I wonder why?

Anyway, the wait staff at Yan Palace thoughtfully cut all trio dimsum items into halves so all four of us could have a go.

Steamed Prawn Dumpling "Har Kow", S$3.60

The har kow — though petite in size — boasted fresh, bouncy prawn and sufficiently thin, resilient skin.

Deep Fried Banana & Prawn Rolls, S$3.60

Momo and I both love banana and prawn rolls. Not many places do this well, but this was a very good rendition. Would definitely order this again if we return.

Deep Fried Pumpkin Pastry with Oatmeal, S$2.60

Another interesting-sounding item. Couldn’t detect where the oatmeal part was. The crispy skin was slightly chewy (probably glutinous rice flour dough).

Pan Fried Carrot Cake, S$3.20

Radish cake = too dense and not enough flavor. Will skip this next time.

Steamed Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce, $3.20

Well-executed, but nothing wow about the steamed spare ribs.

For old-school, decent quality, and affordable dimsum, Yan Palace fits the bill nicely. The dimsum is not say the refined type, but I was impressed with the freshness of the ingredients, particularly the prawns.

Out of around 30 items on the dimsum menu, we ordered 12. The bill, including tea and taxes, came up to a very affordable S$50.55 for 4 people.

By the way, good luck if you’re coming here for Sunday breakfast/lunch. Expect full capacity, with lengthy queues at the door to boot. Apparently, Yan Palace remains a popular Sunday dimsum destination for large families and groups.

Yan Palace Restaurant
Blk 531 Upper Cross Street
#01-49 Hong Lim Complex
Singapore 050531
Tel: 65-6222 2516
URL: http://yanpalace.com.sg

Mon – Sat: 11am – 2.15pm
Sun & public holidays: 10am – 2.15am
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10pm daily

Craving for a steamy bowl of comforting creamy congee? Read on to find out where to find some of the best Cantonese porridge in Singapore!

Deep Fried Chicken with Garlic 脆皮蒜香鸡, S$12.00

There was a debate over the fried leaf garnish. Is it curry leaf or Thai basil leaf? We forgot to ask the staff. I think it’s Thai basil.

Anyway, the fried chicken (1/2 bird) was a nice start. Crispy skin that’s not too oily, with sufficiently tender and flavorful meat.

Steamed Soon Hock 清蒸笋壳鱼, S$62.40 (S$7.80 per 100gm)

The soon hock fish was very fresh and steamed to perfection Hong Kong-style.

Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychee 莆田荔枝肉, S$15.00

No complaints about the sweet sour pork. Putien’s version never fails to deliver, and remains one of my top recommendations for sweet sour pork.

Braised Beancurd with Chinese Cabbage 大白菜炖软豆腐, S$25.00 per pot

All of us really liked this light and tasty soup. It was served in a black earthen pot, but ladled out into individual bowls for us.

The stock was very sweet and flavorful due to ingredients like dried scallop, dried shrimp, clam, and Chinese cabbage. Soft toufu puffs soaked up the rich stock and provided great texture.

Steamed Prawn with Minced Garlic 蒜茸蒸虾, S$18.00

The prawns would have been perfect if they weren’t slightly over-steamed.

Fried Eggplant with Pork Floss 肉松茄子, S$12.00

I was a bit disappointed with the fried eggplant. Had this at another branch and really enjoyed it. But here, the eggplant was cut too small and the batter too thick. But at least it wasn’t greasy.

Pu Tien Lor Mee 莆田卤面, S$12.00

This is a Putien signature dish, and it was scrumptious! Noodles in thickened broth that’s tasty but not overly rich. Very comforting!

Fried "Hingwa" Bee Hoon 兴化米粉, S$12.00

I’ve tried this before, but definitely didn’t mind having it again. Mommy said the beehoon was a bit too soft for her liking, but I thought it was still acceptable.

I’ve been to various Putien outlets (Kitchener Road, VivoCity, and Jurong Point), and I’m impressed that they’ve managed to keep a consistent standard across the branches. A few dishes tonight were a little off the mark, but overall, we enjoyed the food.

Putien isn’t about fine dining, but comfort food delivered with a touch of finesse. The cooking is light and emphasizes the natural flavors of the ingredients. Service is relatively efficient, and prices are very reasonable. No wonder it was full house even on a Monday night.

Birthday cake from BreadTalk

Because it was also my birthday, my brother and sister-in-law bought me a cake — mango mousse. So sweet of them! Mango’s one of my favorite fruits!

I feel so happy to have spent my birthday with my loved ones. A BIG thank you too, to all my dear friends who sent me birthday well wishes. I’m really blessed to be surrounded by so much love!

Total bill was S$223.75 for 7 people, including miscellaneous charges for rice, tea, towels, corkage (S$8.00 per bottle), service charge, and taxes.

Putien Restaurant (Marina Square)
6 Raffles Boulevard
#02-205 Marina Square
Singapore 039594
Tel: (65) 6336 4068
URL: www.putien.com

P.S. We were given two S$20 vouchers. Each S$20 voucher is redeemable with every S$100 spent, valid till 11 Aug 2010. Leave a comment if you’re interested, I can mail to you.

Double Taste Pork Ribs 鸳鸯排骨, S$12.00

The weather was unbearably hot and humid, and we had no wish to eat at the food centre. I remember reading this article about Chef Kang of Canton Wok making a comeback, so that’s how we ended up at Canto Kitchen.

Double Taste Pork Ribs was a taste of deboned, cubed pork rib deep-fried and flavored two ways — one in coffee, the other in a fruity sauce.

Coming from a fatty cut of meat, the pork cubes were wickedly flavorful, juicy, and full with bite. Both sauces were good in their own way, with the fruity sauce gaining more favor for its piquancy.

Bacon Prawn Roll with Salad Cream 沙拉烟肉虾卷, S$12.00

The first couple of deep-fried bacon-wrapped prawn was mmmph…licious. But all that bacon fat and heavy cream sauce got a bit cloying after a while.

Poached Spinach with Whole Garlic & 3 Eggs 蒜子三蛋浸苋菜, S$10.00

A relatively recent innovation, this dish is now standard issue at most Chinese restaurants. It’s actually a very homey dish, but many people seem to like it. Canto Kitchen’s rendition is generous with egg.

We didn’t order big ticket items or Chef Kang’s signature dishes like glutinous rice with crab, but it was a good first impression. The food’s not as exquisite as fine dining Chinese restaurants, but better than zi-char quality. Service is basic.

However, a BIG draw here is, prices are nett. No service charge or GST to inflate the bill! It’s reasonably priced if you consider the food quality and cushy air-con comfort.

We didn’t know, but there was a 30% discount for the month of April. Darn! Would have ordered the pricier items if I’d known earlier!

After 30% discount, total bill was S$28.75. Original bill before discount was S$39.30 (inclusive of charges for rice, peanut, towel, Chinese tea). Prices are nett.

Canto Kitchen 廣東飲食
1 Park Road
#05-01 People’s Park Complex
Singapore 059108
Tel: (65) 6536 0501

Mon-Fri: 12noon — 2.30pm, 5.30pm — 9.30pm
Sat, Sun, public holiday: 12noon — 9.30pm

Fragrant Pork with Crushed Garlic 蒜泥白肉, S$6.80

Let’s continue with the second part of our dumpling-making workshop. After playing with dough, it was time to fill our hungry tummies. First up were appetizers.

I really really really liked this cold dish that’s new on the menu. Sticks of crunchy cucumber are rolled in slivers of bouncy pork belly, then drizzled with a piquant sweet, spicy, and tangy garlic-based dressing. Utterly decadent (it’s pork belly!), but oh so scrumptious! *drool*

Vegetarian Delight in Special Vinegar Dressing 小菜, S$2.80

The Vegetarian Delight isn’t a new item. But it’s always been one of my favorite Din Tai Fung dishes, so I was happy to see it again.

Steamed Pork Dumpling 小笼包, S$9 (10pcs) / S$6.50 (6pcs)

After experiencing first-hand the process of making xiao long bao, I really appreciated each bite a lot more. See how thin and resilient the dough skin is! We even jiggled the dumpling, and it didn’t break. Even though it was so resilient, the dumpling skin was melt-in-the-mouth tender.

Fried Rice with Shrimp & Egg 虾仁蛋饭, S$10.00

I thought the fried rice tasted a bit different from others. Then I realized that it’s the rice they use. It’s the short-grain type, so the rice is more sticky and chewy. Also, there was a generous ratio of egg to rice. Mmm…I like!

Stir-fried Nai Bai with Garlic 蒜炒奶白, S$12.00

Another new item to their veggie stir-fry selection — “nai bai” or baby bok choy flash-fried with minimal oil. I like how the vegetables are tender with a hint of crunch, and not oily at all.

Steamed Chilli Crab and Pork Bun 辣蟹鲜肉包, S$3.80 (3pcs)

The chefs at Din Tai Fung must have been inspired by our Singapore chilli crab for this new creation!

Bun interior

Sorry for the ugly teeth marks. I only remembered to take a photo halfway through my bun. The filling is a mixture of minced pork and fresh crab meat. It brimmed with meaty succulence and crustacean sweetness, with a hint of spiciness. Shiok!

Fragrant Peanut Dumplings 雪圆, S$6.80 (6pcs)

The peanut dumplings are like soupless tang yuan 汤圆. Try to imagine peanut and sesame glutinous rice balls rolled in dessicated coconut, then steamed.

Sago with Ice & Sweet Coconut Sauce 椰汁西米露, S$3.50

Another locally inspired dessert, this is just like a deconstructed sago gula melaka pudding. You can’t go wrong with a combination of springy sago pearls, scented palm sugar, and creamy coconut milk. What a nice way to round off a lovely meal.

Din Tai Fung's open concept kitchen

A trademark of Din Tai Fung is their open kitchen. Feel free to peer through the glass windows to ogle at the chefs for a piece of dumpling-wrapping action.

Din Tai Fung's 313 @ Somerset outlet

If you’d like to try Din Tai Fung’s new dishes in addition to their classic menu, do head down to 313 @ Somerset.

I have two S$10 Din Tai Fung vouchers to give away (valid till 31 July 2010 at any Din Tai Fung outlet in Singapore). All you have to do is leave a comment with this beginning:

Hey Julia, please gimme a S$10 Din Tai Fung voucher because/so that [insert a convincing reason here].

The vouchers will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means the first two entries will each get one S$10 voucher. Please leave your name and a valid email address.

A BIG thank you to Din Tai Fung and Sixth Sense Communications for the invitation and generous hospitality.

Din Tai Fung (313 @ Somerset)
313 Orchard Road
B2-01/02/03
Singapore 238895
Tel: (65) 6509 6696
URL: www.dintaifung.com.sg

Weekdays: 11am – 10pm
Weekends/public holidays: 10am -10pm
(No reservations)

Click here for full listing of Din Tai Fung outlets in Singapore.

The menu

美食鉴定团又出发咯！This time, TheHungryCow and I joined 933FM DJs Jiafa and Weibin at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant 南翔馒头店. The original restaurant in Shanghai (in Cheng Huang Temple 城隍庙 area) is more than 100 years old, and has a perpetual queue eager for a taste of authentic xiao long bao 小笼包 (soup dumplings).

Modern Chinese decor

Our tasting session was held at Nanxiang’s newest outlet in City Square Mall. This is Nanxiang’s second branch in Singapore; they have another outlet in Bugis Junction.

Wall of steamer baskets

We were all fascinated by the wall partitions and hanging lamps made out of real bamboo baskets. Nanxiang’s PR spokesperson told us that they were once the cause of a bamboo steamer shortage. That’s because they had bought out ALL the bamboo steamers in Singapore to decorate their restaurants!

Lots of food porn coming up!

Nanxiang Drunken Chicken

Chicken steeped in rice wine. Chilled, succulent, with a hint of booze. Mmm…a nice but naughty teaser for the rest of the feast!

Salted Egg Yolk Prawn

We smelled the aroma of salted egg yolk even before this dish was plonked on the table. Gone in flash!

Braised "Lion's Head"

No lions were harmed in the making of this dish! But some pigs were.

Stir-fried String Bean

How about some crunchy greens to take some guilt off the meat fest?

King Sized Nanxiang Crab Roe Steamed Soup Bun

Here’s Nanxiang’s signature dish. It’s like a giant xiao long bao…with a straw!

We learned that the bun skin is not meant to be consumed. It’s very thick, and is used as a vessel for stock within. First, they wrap gelatinous stock in dough. After steaming, it melts into concentrated, scalding hot soup. In the meantime, the dough skin maintains the soup’s heat.

Have you ever consumed soup with a straw? It’s so fun! The stock is super rich with crab meat.

Signature Gyoza

The pan-fried dumplings are artfully presented in a delicate, lattice-like crust.

Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Bun

Besides xiao long bao, pan-fried pork bun or 生煎包 is another Shanghai specialty. These buns are cooked using the steam-fry method. They’re full of hot meat juices, careful when you bite into one!

Crab Roe & Pork Filling Steamed Bun

Nanxiang has 8 varieties of xiao long bao to choose from. Besides crab roe, we also tried the spicy version. It was full of kick!

Apparently, the xiao long bao served in Singapore has been modified to suit local palates. The authentic Shanghai version has much thicker dough skin, which Singaporeans didn’t take to. So the chefs at Nanxiang experimented to produce a skin that’s half as thin as the original version, but resilient enough to retain the same amount of filling.

Sweet Bean Paste Pastry

We thought we couldn’t manage any more food. But we just couldn’t resist these sweet, dainty pastries!

Yam Pastry with Sesame

These cigar-like bread rolls filled with yam paste were very more-ish.

Weibin devours Golden Pumpkin Cake!

But my favorite sweet was the golden pumpkin cake. They were hollow puffs of soft, chewy pumpkin. Reminds me of my favorite hum soei kok!

Jiafa interviews Felix

Felix, the operations manager, was a most gracious and knowledgeable host.

The Queen of Bling shows Weibin how to "zhng" her iPhone!

We were joined by four 933FM listeners, who were winners of last week’s program. Unlike the previous outing which was more rambunctious (thanks to Auntie Lucy and her fans), this dinner was more intimate and cosy.

If you’d like to join Jiafa and Weibin on their next foodie outing, tune in to this evening’s segment on YES 93.3FM from 6pm to 7pm. Join the contest to win invites to the next outing!

Click here to read Jiafa’s blog post!

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant
180 Kitchener Road
#04-15/16 City Square Mall (Farrer Park MRT station)
Singapore 208539
Tel: (65) 6509 9134
URL: www.nanxiang.com.sg

Yoo hoo, Auntie Lucy!

Besides DJ Jiafa 家发 and his new sidekick, the vivacious and multi-talented Weibin 伟彬, we were also joined by special guests DJ Junli and DJ Chong Qing 崇庆 aka “Auntie Lucy”!

Wuhan Steamboat

The new season kicked off with a steamy affair at Wuhan Steamboat.

Steamboat - conveyor belt style!

This was a first for me – conveyor belt steamboat. How convenient!

Hotpot for 2

Another first for me – 3-in-1 hotpot! The most I’ve tried is 2-in-1 pot. There are 7 kinds of soup bases to choose from, but most of us went for a combo of hot & spicy, chicken, and seafood.

Shabu-shabu lamb, beef, and pork

The conveyor belt items are free-flow, but more premium items like shabu-shabu meats have to be ordered separately.

Wuhan Chilli Duck

Cooked items are also available. One of the house specials is Wuhan Chilli Duck. It doesn’t look spicy, but trust me, it is!

Pearl Meatball & dumpling

Another house special is the Pearl Meatball – meatball wrapped in glutinous rice.

"Of course, we're just as hot as our food!"

Here’s Jiafa interviewing the 老板娘 (lady boss).

"Yes, I think Auntie Lucy is a hot babe."

There were many listeners and fans who joined us that day. Here’s Jiafa interviewing one of them.

"Are you serious?"

It was a relaxed and casual affair; everyone had a great time.

Auntie Lucy, you're such a cam whore!

Everyone wanted a pic with Auntie Lucy!

From left: Weibin, Junli, Chongqing, Jiafa

The Y.E.S. 93.3FM DJs strike a pose! *click click click click click!*

Tune in to Y.E.S. 93.3FM today (Wed, April 7, 2010) between 6pm to 7pm for the foodie segment if you wanna hear both HungryCow and I speaking in mangled Mandarin!

Wuhan Steamboat City
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#04-85 The Central @ Clarke Quay

Daily: 10am – 11pm

BBQ meats twin combo - roast pork & char siew, S$16.00++

Rick and I are both HUGE fans of Imperial Treasure’s roast meats, especially their roast pork. See how beautifully golden the crackling is! It’s evenly crisp and light, just sublime. The char siew is succulent, has good bite, and isn’t too sweet.

On a previous visit, we tried the roast duck and it was superb too.

Pig's Liver Noodle (dry), S$6.80++

Rick LOVES pork liver, but I’m squeamish about cooking it at home, so he has to get his fix outside.

Shrimp wanton noodle (soup), S$7.30++

Having not gotten over the disappointment of Noodle Place’s shrimp wanton noodle, I was curious to see how Imperial Treasure’s version would measure up.

Here, they haven’t got a wanton+shrimp dumpling combo, so I settled for just shrimp wanton.

Imperial Treasure’s shrimp wantons definitely trumps Noodle Place’s! Here, the shrimps are uber fat, fresh, crunchy, and sweet. Very shiok!

But for the noodles, I think Noodle Place’s is thinner and has a nicer mouth-feel. Also, I prefer yellow chives which is more authentically Hong Kong-style, rather than spring onion.

As for the soup base, both are about the same.

So it seems the score is even. But if I had to choose, it would be Imperial Treasure for me, cos it’s more about the shrimp wantons rather than the noodles.

Note: This place fills up quickly. Queues are expected at peak hours and weekends, and seating is cramped in the inner section. But we’ve been here a couple of times, and have been satisfied thus far with their consistent food quality and efficient wait staff.

Total bill for 2 – including beverages, wet towel, 10% service charge + 7%GST – was S$41.80.

Imperial Treasure Noodle & Congee House
Orchard Turn
#B3-17 ION Orchard
Singapore 238801
Tel: (65) 6509 8283

Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 10:30 – 10pm

Wanton & shrimp dumpling noodle (soup), S$8.50++

Now, I’ve not tried Mak’s Noodles’s famous shrimp wanton noodle before. But having been to Hong Kong a couple of times before, I find that Noodle Place’s version isn’t even as good as those from any random noodle shop in Hong Kong.

Ok, perhaps I’m a bit harsh. Or maybe my expectations were raised too high.

Wiry thin, springy, and eggy, the noodles were very similar in taste to what I had in Hong Kong. The soup, while a little oily, was pretty decent.

But the wantons and dumplings were diminished shadows of the fat, luscious ones in my memory. They also skimped on the yellow chives.

And its tiny portion meant I was hungry again in less than three hours!

Next time, I think I’ll stick to their house special congee, which is what I usually order here. The earthen pot dishes are also pretty good.

Total bill including charges for Chinese tea, 10% service charge, and 7% GST was S$11.89.

Noodle Place Restaurant
176 Orchard Road
#01-53/56 Centrepoint
Singapore 238843
Tel: (65) 6733 3171
URL: http://www.pfs.com.sg/restaurants/noodle_place/

Let’s start with this one, which was Sunday lunch with mother-in-law and hubby two weeks before Lunar New Year.

BBQ pork pastry 叉烧酥, S$3.80

We only tried 5 dimsum items – there’s only so much the three of us could eat! – but already, we were mighty impressed with the quality of the food here.

All 5 items were fabulously executed, but the clear favorite was the char siew sou. Served piping hot, we could find no fault with the buttery pastry and delicious char siew filling.

Salted egg yolk custard bun 流沙包, S$3.60

Another winner was the salted egg yolk custard bun. It’s one of those nouveau dimsum items. I haven’t found many restaurants that can do this satisfactorily, but I’m very happy with Crystal Jade Dining IN’s version.

Molten salted egg yolk custard

The dough skin looks thick, but is actually very soft and airy. I also like the oozy custard, which isn’t too cloying and has a good balance of sweet and salty flavors.

Har gau (shrimp dumpling) 虾饺, S$4.80

What’s dimsum without har gau and siew mai? Usually, when checking out a dimsum place for the first time, I’ll order these two traditional items as a yardstick. And I was very impressed indeed. Look at those fat har gau! They were full of fresh, crunchy shrimp, encased in extremely thin, resilient skin. This is one of the best har gau I’ve had in a long time!

Siew mai 烧卖, S$4.80

The siew mai was just as impressive. Like the har gau, they were supremely fresh, meaty, and juicy, with a high proportion of shrimp to pork. True to tradition, the siew mai is topped with crab roe (though not a lot of it) instead of tobiko. Nice!

Steamed rice roll with fresh scallop 带子肠粉, S$5.00

The rice roll was also very good. We picked scallop over char siew or shrimp filling for a change, but next time, I think we’ll stick to our usual choice. Not that the scallop wasn’t nice, but I prefer the more robust taste of char siew and sweet crunchiness of prawn.

BBQ Combination (char siew, roast duck, roast pork) 三屏烧腊, S$22.00

The roast meats were also of high standard, but still fell short of our current gold platinum standard – Imperial Treasure. On its own, it’s excellent, but to nitpick, Crystal Jade Dining IN’s roast pork belly crackling wasn’t as light and crispy nor as melt-in-the-mouth as Imperial Treasure’s version.

Crispy noodles with seafood 海鲜生面, S$18.00

We finished our meal with a carbo-filler. What I liked was their attention to detail. The crispy noodles and seafood in gravy were brought separately to our table. The server then poured the gravy over the crispy noodles just before serving so that our noodles wouldn’t go soggy so quickly.

In fact, I’d say that the service staff here deserve praise, too. Although the restaurant was packed and the servers were kept very busy, they remained efficient, brisk, and polite.

One thing to note: The restaurant floor isn’t level, but tiered, so that even tables furthest from the full-length windows get to enjoy the Sentosa harbour view. This means you have to navigate quite a number of steps around the restaurant, which also means the premises aren’t exactly handicapped- nor wheelchair-friendly.

Conclusion: Crystal Jade Dining IN is classic Cantonese cuisine, beautifully executed with deftness and finesse. Prices here belong to the fine-dining range (higher than their mid-range, casual dining joints like Crystal Jade Kitchen), but I think every cent was absolutely worth it.

The total bill – including cost of tea, pickles, 10% service charge, 7% GST – for the three of us came up to S$80.25.

Dimsum is served only during breakfast/lunch hours. Reservations are highly recommended for weekends.

Crystal Jade Dining IN
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-112 VivoCity
Singapore 098585
Tel: (65) 6278 5626
URL: http://www.crystaljade.com/dining_in.htm

Mon to Fri: 11:30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10:30pm
Sat: 11am – 4pm, 6pm – 10:30pm
Sun: 10:30am – 4pm, 6pm – 10:30pm