Fortune Court is a new restaurant set up by ex-Peony Jade Clarke Quay restaurant manager Connie Chee and executive chef Lee Hee Min. It’s all started when they were let go after PJ Clarke Quay closed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The journey has not been smooth sailing at first, however, things start to look brighter after they shift to this new location and rebranded their restaurant to Fortune Court (‘FC’).
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| Fortune Court |
We started the tasting with Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab ($11.80). Deep-fried soft-shell crab, coated with pork floss, mixed with cereal and spices. The crab is crispy and juicy, while the pork floss rub has a touch of curry seasoning that delivers a spicy kick at the end.
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| Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab |
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| Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab |
Chef’s Three Cup Beef ($17.80). A variation from the usual three cup chicken. The beef is tender and succulent, while the sauce absorbs into the beef nicely and created a nice caramelisation externally. You can taste the flavour of the rice wine as well. Together with capsicum, onion and basil leaves, this dish is surely a “rice thief” dish.
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| Chef’s Three Cup Beef |
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| Chef’s Three Cup Beef |
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| Chef’s Three Cup Beef - The Beef |
Deep Fried Grouper (800 – 900 gram) – Deep fried drizzled with Superior Sauce ($51.80). We like the presentation as the deep-fried till crispy and reach the curving shape. The exterior is crispy followed by flaky and moist flesh. The superior sauce definitely uses a top-grade soy sauce, as you can taste the depth of the flavours in it. For the finishing touch, the chef put a bunch of coriander, spring onion and minced garlic. I don’t usually like minced garlic on my food, however, the usage here is perfect. It added a touch of sweetness and remove the oily flavour from the fish. What a great dish!!
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| Deep Fried Grouper with Superior Sauce |
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| Deep Fried Grouper with Superior Sauce |
Salted Egg Prawn ($15.80). To be exact, it is Salted Egg Prawn Balls. Instead of using a whole giant prawn, Chef Lee uses homemade prawn balls. The texture is softer, not as bouncy as using the whole tiger prawns, yet it has a lot more flavour as it is mixed with fish paste. Although the salted egg sauce is good, but it is still missing some OMPH.
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| Salted Egg Prawn |
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| Salted Egg Prawn |
Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs ($9/100g). WOW! That was our first reaction. This gigantic Sri-Lankan crab weighs 1.3kg. It is steamed to perfection with egg white and topped with coriander, fried and fresh garlic as well.
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| Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs |
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| Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs |
The crab is fresh and the flesh is velvety and smooth. When we turn over the shell, we strike gold, as it is loaded with solid crab roes. We dig out the roe and eat it with the egg white and garlic. Yummy!!
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| Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs |
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| The Roe |
XO Lobster Eefu Noodles ($42.80). A signature dish by Chef Lee from his days at PJ. The lobster is juicy and succulent. However, the Eefu noodle is the star here. The thick silky noodle absorbs the essence of the lobster, the XO sauce and the pork lard. You need to get to the bottom of the dish to find the pork lard. I must say the combination of the pork lard and XO itself is just a gastronomic delight.
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| XO Lobster Eefu Noodles |
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| XO Lobster Eefu Noodles |
Singapore Fried Rice with Silver Fish ($13.80). An underrated dish, but it just showcases the great skill of the chef. It is aromatic and exudes a subtle wok hei. The rice is al-dente, well-seasoned and incorporates a multi-texture derived from the eggs, cucumber and prawns. The topping of crispy silver fish is perfect. I will be happy if I order this dish alone.
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| Singapore Fried Rice with Silver Fish |
FC has two seating areas, indoor and out. The décor for the indoor is modern and bright. I find the place to be warm and cosy. The outdoor seating is limited to two tables; however, it will be a great place to sit when the crowd starts to flow back to Chinatown.
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| Part of Indoor Dining Area |
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| Part of Indoor Dining Area |
During the media tasting, I realised the other tables are occupied by their regulars and they are there to enjoy the XO Lobster Eefu Noodles. This is just a testament to the relationships built over the years between the manager, chef and customers.
Overall, the food at Fortune Court is great. A lot of care and attention goes into each dish and the flavours are awesome. We clean up all the dishes, to show our compliments to the chef. We look forward to our next visit here. Cheers!!
Food & Drink: 8.5/10
Value: 7.5/10
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance: 7.25/10
Budget per Person: $11 - $25; $26 - $50
Fortune Court
31 Pagoda Street
Singapore 059190
T: +65 9234 9969
IG: @Fortunecourtsg
OH: Daily 11.00 – 15.00; 17.30 – 22.00
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