Ginger – Ocean’s Treasure Buffet [MEDIA INVITE]

Herbal Claypot Crab

From Now till 28 July 2019, Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road presents Ocean’s Treasures which features an incredible spread of crustacean delights.

Ocean's Treasures Buffet Spread
Image Credit: PARKROYAL on Beach Road

A must try culinary delights includes:

Herbal Claypot Crab. This claypot station is the signature for Ginger. The crabs are fresh and re-cook in the claypot filled with locally sourced herbs broth. The consommé like broth is sweet, infused with herbs, robust with clean finished on the palate.

Herbal Claypot Crab

Singapore’s Chilli Crab. A permanent item in Ginger menu and best eaten with their fried mantou. The chilli crab sauce is thick, velvety with a good balance of spiciness with a bit of twang. During this tasting session, I did not manage to get any photo of this item because every time a new batch comes out, it disappears instantaneously. A testament to its popularity.

Chilli Crab
Photo from Chubbybotakkoala.com Archive

Salted Egg Crab. The flesh of the crabs is well infused with salted egg flavour. On top of that, each piece of the crabs is coated evenly with chunky salted egg sauce concoction. It will even be better if there is more punch from the curry leaves. A good finger licking dish.

Salted Egg Crab

Baby Lobster with Sambal Petai. Since I am not a fan petai, so I skip this dish.  Petai lovers will appreciate the spread of the sambal in the yummy crustaceans. There was another baby lobster dish as a daily special dish, which is pretty awesome as well.

Salted Egg Crab and Daily Special Baby Lobster

Crabmeat salad. A very underrated dish. How about doing it Chubby Botak Koala style. Get the tart shell from Kueh Pai Tee station and filled it to the brim with crabmeat salad. It combines the crispy texture of tart, with juicy sweet crabmeat salad and topped with a touch of caviar. Yum Yum.

Crabmeat Salat with Kueh Pai Tee tart shell

Seafood on Ice Station. Consist of flower clams, cooked prawns and snow crab leg. Fresh and naturally sweet.

Seafood on Ice

Shawarma Chicken from Carving Station. A touch of Middle Eastern in the buffet. The chicken meat is slowly roasted on a vertical rotisserie to retain its juiciness while adding charred flavour to the meat. Wrap in flatbread with mayonnaise and fresh vegetables, making it a yummy meal.

Shawarma Chicken

Shawarma Chicken - Individual Portion

Assam Pork and Braised Duck Nyonya Style. The pork belly is marinated with tamarind and roasted. The assam flavour is well infused into the meat and helps in tenderising the pork belly as well. The Braised Duck Nyonya Style is full of rempah (spice) that accentuate the flavour of the duck. Both of these dishes are best eaten with white rice.

Assam Pork

Braised Duck Nyonya Style

Dessert. The Lemon Meringue Pie is definitely not to be missed followed by the assorted cakes. There are usually two other “Tong Sui” (traditional dessert) to cater to diners’ local palate.

The Desserts Spread

Overall, it was indeed a very good curated dishes by Executive Chef Vincent Aw and his team. Seafood lovers will find a lot of items to their liking, while non-seafood lovers will have something cater to their preference as well. Cheers!!

Ocean’s Treasure at Ginger

When: Now till 28 July 2019 (Available on weekends only)

Where: Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road

Price:

Lunch, Sat & Sun (12.00 – 14.30): $58 for Adult, $29 for child.

Dinner, Fri – Sun (18.00 – 22.00): $68 for Adult, $34 for child.

For Reservation: Call 6505 5710 or email dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com

Thank you very much Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road team for the tasting invitation.

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person:$26 - $50, $51 - $80

Ginger

7500 Beach Road

PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore

Ground Floor

Singapore 199591

T: +65 6505 5710

W: Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Singapore

F: https://www.facebook.com/PARKROYAL.BeachRoad

IG: @Parkroyalbeachroad

OH:

Breakfast: 06.00 – 10.30

Lunch: 12.00 – 14.30

Dinner: 18.00 – 22.00

Lai Heng MMMM – Delicious BCM

Mee Pok @ Lai Heng

As a fan of Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodle), LD and I always keep a lookout for a delicious bowl BCM. Our new BCM adventure led us to Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Mee (‘Lai Heng’).

Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Mee 

The first time we visited the shop, we were surprised that the shop is run by all ladies. Only until the 3^rd visit, which falls on Monday, I finally saw the uncle cooking the noodle. The noodle price starts from $4/$5/$6 (for small, medium and large).

Mee Pok ($6, non-spicy). On our second visit, I decided to combine my breakfast and lunch, so I ordered the large portion. The portion is huge and I have trouble finishing my order. The noodle is cooked to al-dente and for non-chilli, the balance between ketchup, vinegar and mushroom sauce is perfect. Surprisingly, you can find beansprouts hidden between the noodles.

Mee Pok $6

One thing obvious between the $5 and $6 version, is the portion of the toppings which include mushroom, liver, lean pork meat, minced meat and also the slices of abalone. The liver thinly sliced, resulting in a crunchy texture instead of the usual soft and creamy. Each dry version of the noodle come with a bowl of soup, that is robust and filled with the essence of Oink Oink.

The Noodle

Abalone

Mee Kia ($5, spicy). LD prefer Mee Kia compare to Mee Pok. According to her, the noodle is cooked to al-dente, while the chilli is fragrant with a medium level of spiciness to it. The toppings are less than mine, but it is more than enough for the amount of noodle served $5 portion.

Mee Kia $5

Check out the Chilli

Mee Kia Soup ($5). I finally got to try their soup version. For the soup version, the noodle and ingredients are covered with the robust broth. The noodle is springy and absorbs the broth nicely. It has the same topping as the dry version, with the addition of “Tong Cai“ and seaweed. I feel that the soup version is very good, almost like eating our Singapore version of ramen. Yum Yum.

Mee Kia Soup $5

Mee Kia in Soup

Since Lai Heng has been operating for 34 years, they sure have their own fans. Waiting time up to 30 minutes is normal, but so far, we waited around 10 to 15 minutes on average. Once you placed your order, you will be given a queue number and you just have to wait at your table until your number is called.

While Waiting for Our Noodle 

Chilli and PORK LARD is self-service!!

Unlimited Pork Lard

Overall, a must visit place for Bak Chor Mee lovers and it is in my top 3 Bak Chor Mee place in Singapore. Cheers!!

Food: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 7/10 (Self Service)

Ambiance: Clean and Tidy Coffee Shop

Budget per Person: $0 - $10.

  

Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Mee

Blk 73 Toa Payoh Lorong 4

#01-611

Singapore 310073

T: +65 9620 2074

F: https://www.facebook.com/laihengmmmm/

IG: @Laihengmmmm

OH:

Thu – Tue: 08.00 – 16.00

Closed on Wednesday.

PUTIEN @Jewel – DUOTOU Clam Season 2019 [MEDIA INVITE]

Baked DUOTOU Clam on Hot Plate

PUTIEN DUOTOU Clams is back at PUTIEN. With a staggering amount of 80 tons of DUOTOU Clams sold worldwide last year, you can expect this crowd-pleaser to generate more interest this year. 

This year PUTIEN culinary team will be serving DUOTOU Clams in eight different ways. Stir-fried Sambal Chives with DUOTOU Clam ($22.80) and Thai-flavoured DUOTOU Clam ($21.80) are two new dishes created for this year. The sambal is fragrant, tasted close to the traditional XO sauce. The sambal binds the tasty chives with the freshness of the DUOTOU clams nicely.

Stir-fried Sambal Chives with DUOTOU Clam 

Meanwhile, Thai-Flavoured DUOTOU Clam is more like a salad. DUOTOU clams mixed with cucumber, mango, shallots, onions, peanuts and homemade Thai Sweet Chilli dressing.  It is refreshing indeed.

Thai-Flavoured DUOTOU Clam

Thai-Flavoured DUOTOU Clam Ingredients

Baked DUOTOU Clam on Hot Plate ($21.80). The best-selling dish for three consecutive years. The DUOTOU Clams are steamed on the bed of sea salt. I tried it two different ways, first I just ate the clam on its own, as you can taste the subtle sweetness of the clam. The second way is to dip it with a touch of salt, where you can taste the brainy flavour of the clams, and enjoy the flavours of the sea.

Baked DUOTOU Clam on Hot Plate 

Baked DUOTOU Clam on Hot Plate 

Steamed DUOTOU Clam with Wine ($22.80). The clams are packed in double boiled soup bowl and steamed with Chinese Huadiao Wine. The wine helps to accentuate the flavour of the clams and add sweetness to it.

Steamed DUOTOU Clam with Wine

DUOTOU Clam Omelette ($22.80). Reminds me of Or Luak. The juicy and springy texture of the DUOTOU clams bodes well with the velvety egg texture and spring onion. Feels like a comfort dish and a good way to introduce the clams to kids.

DUOTOU Clam Omelette

Salted Spicy DUOTOU Clam ($22.80). The clams are lightly battered with chopped chilli, salt and pepper. The crispy exterior, juicy flesh plus chilli salt pepper seasoning sure making this dish a crowd pleaser.

Salted Spicy DUOTOU Clam

Steamed DUOTOU Clam with Minced Garlic ($19.80). One of the most common steaming methods of seafood with shells. It infused the clams with the sweetness of the garlic and umami flavour from the soy sauce. Good to have with rice.

Steamed DUOTOU Clam with Minced Garlic

Stir-Fried DUOTOU Clam with Ginger & Spring Onion ($21.80). One of my favourite dishes of the evening. It is fragrant and juicy, plus the gravy is just so delicious.

Stir-Fried DUOTOU Clam with Ginger & Spring Onion

The Eight types of dishes using DUOTOU Clams has its uniqueness. My personal picks are the all-time favourite Baked DUOTOU Clam on Hot Plate, Salted Spicy DUOTOU Clam, Stir-Fried DUOTOU clam with Ginger & Spring Onion.

From now till 31st July 2019, an order combination of any two different types of DUOTOU Clam dishes are priced at $39.80 (member price: S$35.80).

‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker - Original

This Media Tasting was held in the private room of PUTIEN latest outlet in Singapore, located at the new Jewel at Changi. This new 68-seater features an open kitchen for a peek at the unique preparation of three dishes, promoted as the ‘Classic Treasures of Fujian’. PUTIEN Bian Rou Soup, ‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker and PUTIEN Lor Mee.

PUTIEN @ Jewel

The PUTIEN Bian Rou soup ($4.90) is a Fujianese speciality with more than 500 years of history. The dumpling wrapper is made from pork meat, filled with more pork feelings. It is meaty, springy and swimming in robust tangy broth filled with seaweed.

PUTIEN Bian Rou soup 

‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker ($14.90). It comes with three versions now. The original, tomato and sambal. Each one of them has its own interesting flavour, and yet the yellow croakers remain perfectly steamed.

‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker - Tomato

‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker - Sambal

PUTIEN Lor Mee. Signature PUTIEN dish. The silky noodle, cooked with pork belly, prawn and clam and braised with the superb pork stock. I never miss ordering this whenever I am dining at PUTIEN.  

PUTIEN Lor Mee

PUTIEN Lor Mee

PUTIEN Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychees ($14.90). Crispy exterior with juicy and succulent pork internally. The combination of tomato sauce and sweetness of the lychee made this a very appetizing dish. I was hoping the portion can be bigger.

PUTIEN Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychees

Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Fruits ($4.90). Cold, smooth and refreshing. Yum Yum.

Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Fruits 

Overall, the opening of PUTIEN at Jewel making PUTIEN accessible almost island wide in Singapore. The DUOTOU clams are a must try during this clam seasons as you can have it fresh. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Relish PR and PUTIEN Team for the tasting invitation.

Food: 7.75/10

Value: 8.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50, $51 - $80

PUTIEN @ Jewel

78 Airport Boulevard

#02-249 Jewel Changi International Airport

Singapore 819666

T: +65 6908 5182

W: http://www.putien.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/PUTIEN.RESTAURANT/

IG: @putien_sg

OH: Daily, 11.30 – 16.00 (LO 15.30), 17.30 – 22.00 (LO 21.30)

Three Meals A Day – Yummy Korean Food

Soondae

Three Meals A Day (‘TMAD’) is a Korean Restaurant located near Beauty World MRT Station. The restaurant has the same name as Korean reality cooking show that Little Devil and I like to watch. We went TMAD a few times and the restaurant always packed during lunch and dinner.

Three Meals A Day

Halibut Hoimuchim ($35 for Medium). Halibut is the most common fish used for sashimi in Korea. We got hooked on it when we went to Korea and we wanted to order the sashimi here. Unfortunately, they run out of it already and left with this spicy seasoned salad. According to LD, the halibut is firm, evenly marinated, but super spicy. The chef actually used chilli padi to spice things up and really got POWER that her lips are burning but she could not stop eating it. So it does sum up how nice it is.

Halibut Hoimuchim 

Jjajangmyeon ($12). The noodle is springy and bouncy, mixed with the sweet black bean sauce. I find the sweetness from the chopped onion bode well with the noodle. I know that there is pork mixed the sauce, however, I could never find them as it is covered up by the dark sauce.

Jjajangmyeon 

B. Naengmyeon ($16). The spicy version of Korean cold noodles. It is spicy, sweet, tangy and the cold version of this noodle helps to beat the hot weather in Singapore. LD also like the non-spicy version as well.

B. Naengmyeon

Soondae ($10). Korean version of blood sausage, pig intestines stuffed with glass noodles and meat marinated in blood. Normally found in the pork soup, but the version here is served dry with salt and pepper dipping. It is chewy and tasty; however, it can be sticky and difficult to swallow. I find it better if it goes with something soupy.

Soondae

Fried Chicken ($20 for medium). TMAD only used drummer for their KFC. The flesh is juicy and the batter is crispy but thicker than any other Korean Fried Chicken that tried. Looks more like pisang goreng batter. The seasoning is a bit on the lighter side, but it is still yummy.  

Korean Fried Chicken

Goon Mandu ($12). Korean version of Deep-Fried Dumpling. Crispy doughy skin, filled with delicious pork fillings. It is tasty enough you can eat it without the dipping sauce.

Goon Mandu

Goon Mandu

The décor of the restaurant is modern and almost café style. There are no long tables in the restaurant, but the square tables they used here give them the flexibility to combine and accommodate a larger group. Service is friendly but slow due to insufficient service staff.

Side Dishes

Overall, TMAD sure served authentic Korean food. So far, the dishes what we have tried is above average. We will come back in the future to try the Halibut sashimi. Geonbae!! Cheers!!

Food: 7.5/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: 6.75/10

Ambiance: 6.75/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25, $26 - $50

Three Meals A Day

Korean Family Restaurant

12 Chun Tin Road

Singapore 599599

T: +65 6463 2346

F: https://www.facebook.com/ThreeMealsaDaySG/

OH:

Tue – Sun:12.00 – 15.30; 18.00 – 23.00

Closed on Monday