SWEET CROAKER
If your interest in Teochew food has been pricked by the recent Teochew festival in Orchard Road, you should check out the special menus at Chui Huay Lim.
The restaurant at the Chui Huay Lim Club near Newton is celebrating its third anniversary with "limited-edition" dishes until Nov 30.
There are three menus available. One is a list of chef's specialities, another focuses on Teochew muay (porridge) dishes and the third offers a selection of set meals starting from $488 for four persons.
That is a lot to choose from, and I'd recommend the Double-boiled Chicken Soup With Morel Mushrooms ($14 a person) and Salt Baked Prosperity Chicken With Whole Abalone ($118, one day's advance order required) from the chef's specialities. The chicken dish is like a deluxe version of beggar's chicken, except it is baked covered in salt instead of clay or dough.
Highlights for Teochew muay, which is available for lunch only, include Pan Fried Yellow Croaker (seasonal price) and Teochew Oyster Omelette "Gooey Style" ($14). Yellow croaker is a fish native to Tsingtao in China that has smooth and sweet flesh.
Where: Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine, 190 Keng Lee Road, 01-02 Chui Huay Lim Club MRT: Newton/Novena When: Till Nov 30, 11.30am - 3pm, 6 - 11pm daily Tel: 6732-3637
HONG KONG CHEF'S SELECTION
Chef Peter Tsang, whose resume includes working in top Hong Kong and Singapore restaurants such as Yung Kee, Shang Palace and the Crystal Jade Group, is doing a guest spot at Feng Shui Inn till Oct 12.
The Hong Kong-born chef is presenting two set menus of classic Cantonese fare at $160 and $298 a person, with dishes such as Chilled Crystal Lobster With Asparagus And Carrot and Sauteed Wagyu Beef Tenderloin With Black Truffle And Garlic.
The dishes appear simple, but stand out with their exquisite flavours. The chilled lobster dish looks like an ordinary aspic, but the gelatin dissolves into a delicious stock in the mouth.
I am impressed with the Sauteed Crispy Chicken Wings With Chicken Liver And Chinese Sausage too, which has a well-balanced range of flavours.
Where: Feng Shui Inn, Level G2, Crockfords Tower, Resorts World Sentosa MRT: HarbourFront When: Till Oct 12, 11.30am - 3pm, 5.30 - 11pm daily Price: $160 & $298 a person Tel: 6577-6688
CREAMY CRAB
New executive chef Low Hoe Kiat at Parkroyal On Kitchener Road, who joined the hotel two months ago, has launched a crab dinner buffet at the hotel's Spice Brasserie from Thursday to Saturday. And some of the dishes are good.
My favourite is the Slow-Braised Pumpkin Crab In Claypot, which is creamy and slightly spicy. It is not very sweet, unlike many dishes cooked with pumpkin. It actually tastes more like a creamy curry to me and is delicious enough to drink up.
There are other crab dishes such as Teochew Cold Crab, Chilli Crab, Crab Beehoon and Black Pepper Crab on the buffet, but they are rotated so not all are offered on one day.
Where: Spice Brasserie, Parkroyal On Kitchener Road, 181 Kitchener Road MRT: Farrer Park When: Thu - Sat, 6 - 10pm Price: $60 for adults, $28 for children Tel: 6428-3160
RIBEYE TREAT
Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant at the Grand Mercure has a new chef too. Chef Lim Beng Keong used to work at Szechuan Court, but now whips up Cantonese dishes instead.
His Pan Fried Ribeye ($24 a person) is outstanding. The thinly sliced pieces of US beef are pan-fried to perfect done-ness. The meat is tender and tasty, and a few slices are stacked together to provide enough heft in each mouthful.
The chef drizzles a savoury sauce he creates over it, which rounds out the flavours nicely.
His other specialities include Crab Claw With Seafood In Golden Stock ($28, requires two days' advance order) and Stewed Vermicelli In Opah Leaf ($18).
Where: Jia Wei, Level 2, Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy, 50 East Coast Road, Roxy Square MRT: Eunos When: 11.30am - 2.30pm (Mon - Sat), 11am - 2.30pm (Sun & public holiday), 6 - 10.30pm daily Tel: 6340-5678
