Siang Hee Restaurant: When Hawkers do it, it is not called Fusion

With Wahcow, Cactuskit, WahcowMaiden, Khim, Liverpool

Pumpkin Tempura Prawns (4 prawns $12)

It is funny, but everytime a fancy restaurant incorporates some local flavours to Western Cuisine, we call it "Fusion". However, when a Cze Char incorporates some Western Flavours into their cooking, we don't really think of it as "Fusion", do we?

Take Cereal Prawns for example. I am quite sure Cereal is not used in traditional Chinese cooking. But some very clever chef came up with this dish years ago and now everyone loves it. You hardly hear anyone complain that this dish is "non-traditional" or "Fusion".

This particular Cze Char Stall has been around for 30 years but it is only in the last two years that it has become increasingly popular. The increased in popularity came about when Ah Yoke, the feisty 60 year old Lao Ban Niang cum chef, decided to start experimenting with new flavours drawn from our current culinary climate.



Take the pumpkin tempura prawn for instance which is a cross between Japanese style tempura prawns covered with a gloriously rich Pumpkin Butter Cream which reminded me of a thick and savoury Pumpkin soup. The Pumpkin Butter Cream was quite an eye opener for me especially since I really like a good Pumpkin Soup. The sauce is so addictive that I could simply eat it with my rice and be as satisfied as little Jack Horner (you know the one who pulled out a plum and said "what a good boy am I"). Aside from Pumpkin and Butter, Ah Yoke also added some fresh chilli and curry leaves into the secret sauce. Simple but satisfyingly Shiok! 4.5/5


Crispy Ter Kah (Pork Knuckle) $15

The other dish that got the "Wows" from our kakis was this Crispy Ter Kah which really is Ah Yoke's version of the famous German dish. She manages to get the skin to be as crispy as Keropok with a nice layer of chewy subdermal fat to compliment it. Ah Yoke was explaining that she goes to a lot of trouble trying to extract the "porky" stench and excess fats from the Pork Knuckle. First, the pork knuckle is pressure cooked for 20 minutes to extract the fats, then it is slowly simmered in herbs to remove get rid of the stench.



One of the ingredients that is used in the Pork Knuckle is Red Yeast Rice which Ah Yoke said was added because it negates some of the ill effects of eating Pork fat. Now, you might think that this is another old wife's tale, but she is actually quite right. Red Yeast Rice contains lovastatin which is actually a cholesterol lowering drug. The "Statins" are a major class of drugs that are used to lower cholesterol levels, so our hawker aunty knows what she is doing! However, whether or not the addition of Red Yeast Rice to the Ter Kah is going to help with your cholesterol levels is debatable. So don't be too happy if you have high cholesterol, because this is NOT your license to indulge in Ter Kah!

The chilli sauce is quite unique as one of the key ingredients is apricot jam and it actually goes really well with the Ter Kah. My only grouse is that the meat itself was a little dry, otherwise the crispy skin and the chewy layer just beneath it is really quite a treat. 4.25/5


Marmite Pork $8

If you, (like me) enjoy Jing Dou Pai Gu (Pork Ribs) then you will enjoy the variations of the dish that you can order here. The Pork is nicely seasoned and has just the right amount of tenderness. You know how some Cze Char places go overboard on the use of bicarb in tenderizing the pork so that it has the consistency of fishcake? Here, it is tender but you still get enough bite in the pork. Basically, you can order the same deep fried pork with Pumpkin Butter Cream, Marmite or Mongolian sauce. We tried the Marmite Pork that day. It was good but I felt the Marmite flavour could have a bit more kick. Judging from the quality of the fried pork, I can think it is quite a sure bet that the Jing Dou Pai Gu would be really good. 4/5

Conclusion

If you are looking for your next Cze Char to visit, then Siang Hee is a good bet. Our kakis have either already gone back there or are planning a return visit with the family.

Siang Hee Restaurant
Blk 89 Zion Road
#01-137
S160089
11am to 10.30pm
Closed once every 3 weeks on Tuesdays
97364067 Ah Yoke

What to do next?

Check out the review from the advance party led by PChong
Check out the food across the street at Beo Crescent!
There's several good eats at the Zion Road Food Centre too!

....Read more!

Persimmons: Fused to Amuse

With Big MOG, ieatfamily and friends

Fisherman's Pie $26++

I think I finally figured out how to make fusion work.

You see, the problem with local fusion is that when stuff tastes too much like the local dish, most people would wonder why they would want to pay so much for something they can get at a hawker centre for a fraction of the price. So the simple solution to the problem is to ensure that what you are serving is 80% Ang Moh and 20% local and not the other way around.

So take for instance Persimmon's Fisherman's Pie. It is more like a Fisherman's Pie than it is like laksa and it worked very well for me. I have a thing for puff pastry with creamy seafood sauce -- just love the way the puff pastry soaks up all that yummy creamy sauce oohah.



Persimmon's version of the Fisherman's pie marries the classic recipe with a hint of laksa taste but without the coconut cream or the spiciness. It was chock full of fresh seafood and not too jialek. It's akin somewhat to Japanese style curry where you get all that umami flavour of the spices but without the heat of an Indian curry. So when you eat Japanese curry, it is distinctly Japanese but with a Indian influence. Similarly, the Fisherman's pie is still distinctly Irish but with a Singaporean influence which is what I think made this dish work. 4.25/5


White Pepper Crab Cakes $16++ (2 pieces)

Crab cakes are another of my all time favourite starters. For one thing, it takes away all the effort of having to peel the crab meat yourself. (Some little old lady at the back of the restaurant has already peeled it for you and hopefully she isn't breaking her dentures doing it) This version is supposed to be reminiscent of our famous white pepper crab dish. It was tasty but I felt it needed some sort of creamy sauce to go with it. It would also have been better if it were slighty thicker so that it keeps the moisture in better. 4/5


Linguini laksa-leaf pesto $26++

Laska Pesto seems to be the in thing for many restaurants recently. The laksa leaf has such a wonderfully distinct taste that one can't help but think of laksa when you taste it. So even though the pasta dish is only made from olive oil and laksa leaves sans the spices and coconut milk, you still can't help thinking about Laksa. As I have said earlier, I think this version works better because it is still closer to the Ang Moh end of the spectrum than the Singapore end. So you are still eating a Pesto Pasta but with a laksa twist. 4/5



According to Sharon, the Curried Chicken Wings were an inspiration from childhood when mom used to deep fry the leftover overnight curry chicken wings. So we are talking about Chicken Wings which have already been thoroughly infused with that wonderful nonya curry flavour before deep frying. The taste was really good but the problem I felt was that the flesh was not as moist as a freshly fried chicken wing. 3.75/5



Mushroom ravioli $22

Being an unabashed carnivore with an obligatory concern about my cholesterol levels, I am always on the lookout for vegetarian dishes that can provide me with as much epicurean epiphany as a foie gras lollipop. Although the Mushroom Ravioli is still some way from hitting that threshold, I must say it is a veggie dish that was revelatory in its own right. The Ravioli is filled with bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and mushrooms and is wonderfully crunchy and savoury. But the real gem is in the chilli cream sauce which was surprisingly good. The funny thing is that if I did not tell you it is made of red chilli, you might not have guessed it. It's a little sweet and hinted of the chilli fragrance without the heat. I could think of a few more ideas with this sauce like maybe a lasagna. It blended perfectly with the Ravioli and the wonderfully sweet sauteed Portabello mushrooms. 4.25/5


Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao

Since this was a lunch hosted by Sharon (who also owns Epicurious), we also got to taste test some experimental items for her next menu. One of these was the Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao. The concept is a XL Xiao Long Bao (extra big small dragon pao - maybe we should just call it a Long Bao) which has the normal meat filling but with a nice chunk of Foie Gras inside. If you are a meat lover like me who always orders the "meat lover's pizza", you would find this a real treat. However, some of the other people around the table found it a tad heavy. What might be a good idea is to serve it with something like a caramelised black vinegar sauce which provide a bit of zest to the otherwise sluggish flavours of the meat and liver.

Conclusion

I don't usually like fusion very much but I must say that there were a few items here that really did hit the right note for me. The place is bright, cheery and informal and would be great for a casual lunch or dinner. As I alluded to from the beginning, my opinion is that local fusion can only work if the dish was more western than local. What do you all think?

Persimmons
50 Tiong Bahru Road
#01-07 Link Hotel Singapore
Tel: 6227 2271
Open daily
This lunch was hosted by Sharon

....Read more!

Olio Cafe: New Fusion Menu

Laksa Sphaghetti $12.90++

I am a little apprehensive about reviewing Fusion cuisine because I seldom hear people raving about it. In fact, most of the time people tend to utter phrases like "Fusion Confusion" instead. The thing about Fusion cuisine is that people tend to compare the new dish with the original and if the original is really good, it is difficult for the Fusion dish come up to par.

So take the Laksa Pesto Pasta for example. The taste is distinctively "Laksa" because of the generous use of Laksa leaves but just when you think you might be eating Laksa, you realise that it is also akin to Basil Pesto Pasta because instead of coconut cream gravy, you have olive oil instead. Inevitably, you would then compare the new dish with your favourite bowl of Laksa and that's where the problem starts. Especially, when you bowl of Laksa costs $3 while you are paying Cafe prices for the pasta dish. 3.5/5

If that is the case, why are there still so many places offering Fusion Food? I think the way to enjoy Fusion Food is to have an appropriate mindset. It's about being adventurous and exploring new possibilities. Sometimes you do hit on something that really does work and that is almost like finding the "Easter Egg" in your computer game.


Capellini with Marinated Miso Salmon Fillet

One of the "Easter Eggs" that we found was the Capellini with Miso Salmon Fillet. This one worked really well. The sweet and savoury flavours of the Miso Paste was delightful with the perfectly charred Salmon Fillet and the crunchy roe was a nice contrast to the Al Dente Capellini. Both Moms gave it two thumbs up. 4.5/5


Beef Rendang Lasagne $14.90++

The Beef Rendang Lasagne reminded me of a baked Beef Curry Puff smothered in cheese sauce which can be quite delicious if you think about it. The minced beef fried has been fried with spices which is reminiscent of Rendang sans the rempah. The response was a bit mixed. One mom really liked it, the other mom was equivocal. I thought it was pretty interesting but could do with a bit more kick from the Rendang spices. 4/5


Teriyaki Chicken Pizza $13.90++

It seems that the Japanese/European fusion tends to work quite well. Beside the Miso Salmon pasta dish, the other one that really worked well was the Teriyaki Chicken Pizza. Then again, you really can't go wrong with roasted chicken, Japanese Mayonaise, teriyaki sauce and avocado. These usually go very well together. For a person who generally likes a bit of sweet with the savoury, this one is for me, though I am not a huge fan of bonito flakes. 4.25/5


Brownie $7.50

The charismatic Brownie is sure to make heads turn when its starts to smoke and sizzle. What they have done is to sandwich gelato between the brownie, put it on a hot plate and pour chocolate sauce over it on your table. I thought it would have worked better with ice-cream rather than gelato, as it would have been more creamy. But I guess it would be good for those who are more health conscious. The other problem is that the brownie is frozen, so you would have to wait for the hot plate to warm the brownie up. 3.75/5

Overall, it was a great dining experience because I am the type of person who likes to think of novel creations. So each dish that was served was like, "Hey, this is a great idea! Wonder if it will work?" and then to taste it and decide if it did work or how it can be made to work. I think that that is the real fun factor in Fusion food.

Conclusion

I have always enjoyed dining at Olio since the days they were located at Wheelock Place and the new cafe at Holland Village continues to offer a great casual dining experience. There's a few dishes that worked really well and others which need more tweaking. So if you are curious about how a Soft Shell Crab Sandwich with Wasabi mayonnaise or a Beef Rendang Lasagna would taste like, then you should head down and decide for yourself!

Olio Cafe
29 Lor Mambong
11.30am to 11.30pm
Fri-Sat opened till 1am
Disclosure: This was an invited review.

....Read more!