Cherry Gardens: Dim Sum for that special occasion

Crystal pacific grouper dumpling

If you ever need to find a place to impress your future mother-in-law and pop the question to your future father-in-law, then bringing them to Cherry Gardens for Dim Sum might make it a bit more difficult for them to say no.

Afterall, a future son-in-law who is willing to splurge over $100 just for ONE dim sum dish can't be all bad, especially if he has just started on a new job after completing NS.

Yes, this is the type of Dim Sum place for that special occasion or business lunch where you need to impress. And the way to impress them is to order their symphony of live pacific grouper which will be prepared in three ways. The first course is the crystal dumpling where the fish fillets are wrapped in crystal skin, then steamed with soy sauce and ginger. How much you have to pay is dependent on how big a fish you order and how big a fish you order will depend on how desperate you are to impress.

But I jest.... or maybe not.

You don't really have to order the live pacific grouper. It can still be quite impressive if you just brought them here for the normal Dim Sum as the rest of the dishes are also very good. (You just have to make sure that the future in-laws don't already know that there is the special live pacific grouper dumpling or else, not ordering it might still make you look like a stingy fella).



They have quite a wide variety here, but one of the items that impressed me most was the Kurobuta Charsiew bao. They are probably one of the best Hong Kong style Charsiew Baos I have come across. 4.5/5 I heard their Kurobuta Sio Bak and Charsiew here are also well worth the calories, so that is on my next "to eat" list.



The other impressive dumpling is the Teochew crystal dumpling. Actually, it is the skin of the dumpling which impressed me most. Beautifully transparent yet with an excellent level of chewiness, it perfectly complemented the crunchy vegetables in the dumpling. 4.25/5

Conclusion

Great place for Dim Sum for that special occasion.

Cherry Gardens
5 Raffles Avenue
5F Mandarin Oriental
Singapore Tel: 6885 3538

First recommended to me by Damien
I was invited to give my opinion of this Dim Sum by Cuisine & Wine Asia magazine whose article was published in their June issue.

Weekend ala carte dim sum buffet $45++

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Hand in Hand Beijing Restaurant: Xiao Long Bao is here to stay

With Sumosumo, Champagne, Mr Yakwang, Jems and our latest makankaki, lovejade

Xiao Long Bao $6.50 for rack of 8

Some foods come and go, but I think in the case of Xiao Long Bao (XLB), it has gone past the stage of being a fad to becoming a firm favourite amongst Singaporeans. And I would not be surprised if 20 years from now, XLB is considered as Singaporean as Hokkien Mee. Although it is still sold mainly in restaurants at the moment, we are beginning to see some stalls beginning to sell them in Hawker Centres.

Now, you might think that it is far fetched to say that the XLB will become a Singaporean dish, we might as well say that Pasta will be considered a Singaporean dish since we are beginning to see lots of stalls in hawker centres selling Italian food. But there is one big difference. We are going to have a bigger population of Singaporeans of Northern Chinese descent in the future. Right now, they are still considered "China born Chinese" but their offspring will become Singaporean and bring with them their own cuisine and culture. So as our Dialect mix of mainly Southern Chinese become more diluted with the Northerners, our "local" food will surely change as well.


Testing the Xiao Long Bao skin for resilience

Anyway, I for one have grown to like this little dumpling a lot and whenever I hear of a new eatery selling it, I am always tempted to go try them out. So when Sumosumo started raving about the food at this place, it did not take us long to organize a makan session to check out the XLB.

I think part of the success of the XLB is the fact that it is a dumpling with distinct characteristics. It is easy to tell if the XLB is good or not even before you put it into your mouth. When you get presented with your rack of XLB, the first thing to observe is the number of folds it has and whether the skin is thin enough to see the pool of soup inside. Then comes the acid test which is the ability to pick up the XLB without the skin breaking. Some restaurants take so much pride in this that should your XLB burst before you put it in your mouth, that they would happily replace the XLB should it burst before its appointed time.

Well, the XLB here certainly passed the skin and soup test, what remains is the taste of the meat and the soup which I thought was very good but just lacks that X factor to make it truly exceptional. At $6.50 for a rack of 8 XLB, it is certainly good enough to make me think of coming back and ordering 2 racks and a pot of tea for a nice lunch. 4.25/5


Seaweed Tofu $9.80

There were several other dishes here that were surprisingly good. The homemade Seaweed Tofu was unexpectedly good. This is one of those really popular dishes that a lot of restaurant and Cze Char places are dishing up nowadays, so I have had it on numerous occasions, but this one really stood out. The tofu itself was very eggy and there was something in the sauce that had that "eat more rice" quality about it. 4.5/5


Sliced Pork Belly with Garlic and Chilli oil $9.80

The other dish that we ended up ordering extra plates of was the Sliced Pork Belly with Garlic and Chilli Oil. Everyone was quite unanimous about this dish. It is quite addictive and is an excellent first dish to wet your expectation for the rest of the meal. Actually we had it as a first dish and the last dish since we couldn't get enough of it. 4.5/5


Bittergourd with salted egg

The bittergourd dish drew mixed responses. Some of our kakis really loved it but I felt that the combination of bitter with salty just did not do it for me. Bitter goes well with sweet, like coffee or Durians, but bitter with salty is a difficult combination to get right. 3/5


Pancake with Chives $6.80

The Pancake with Chives was a little different from the usual as it had minced pork in it. For $6.80 it was excellent value I thought. Tastewise I felt that the crust lacked a certain amount of chewiness underneath the crispy crust. However, the mince pork gave it a great savoury flavour. 4/5

Conclusion

Fancy finding a Little Chinese Restaurant in Little India. If you are looking for an alternative place for your Xiao Long Bao fix, you might just like to pay this place a visit. Parking is convenient, prices are reasonable and there are a couple of dishes that will make you go "Phwaa!". Another great thing is that they open till midnight, just in case you suddenly get a craving for XLB late at night.

What to do next?

We did a poll to see how people eat their XLB, the results are here

Hand in Hand Beijing Restaurant
141-143 Jalan Besar
Between Hindoo and Veerasamy Roads
68415301
11am to 12 midnight daily

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Changi Teochew Kitchen: From Simple Teochew Mueh to Teochew Banquet

With Fashionfoodie,Cactuskit, Jencooks, Wahcow, Toothfairy and BossConan


Now, this Teochew Kitchen was recommended by Fashionfoodie who, if you all remember, is one of our Teochew Ah Hias who really loves his Peh Dou Her. So when he started going on about the Braised Duck and Tua Terng (Large intestines) here, I could feel a strong Swatow wind blowing me towards Changi Village.

Changi Village is one of those last few places in Singapore that still has that "outback" charm. When I was a kid, Changi used to be the end of the earth. A day out at Changi beach was a big thing and almost like going on a road trip to Malaysia. But then along came Changi Airport and suddenly a lot of the mystery of Changi was lost. But Changi Village itself has still got a bit of that "ulu" flavour and a great place to go for supper. And if you are hankering for some hot Teochew Porridge on a cold rainy evening, you'd be happy to know that a new Teochew Kitchen has just opened there to transport you to Swatow.

This place was opened by a couple of Teochew Ah Hias who wanted to bring the concept of Swatow dining to Singapore. So when you walk into the restaurant itself, you will see the food being displayed like what they are in Swatow (or China in general). They even went to the extent of hiring two chefs from Swatow to be in charge of the food there. The restaurant has two sections, an aircon area with private rooms and an Al Fresco area. The best thing is that you can actually come here and have a choice of whether you want to eat simple Teochew Porridge for a few bucks a head or go for a banquet of Teochew favourites like steamed shark's head and Orh Nee.


Salted Egg Roll $12 for 8

Our first dish was something new for me. The salted egg rolls are made from dried persimmons wrapped in a crispy dough made from salted egg yolks. Somehow they struck me as something very typically Teochew as we do like to mix sweet with salty flavours. Just take the Teochew Bak Chang for example, which characteristically has a ball of sweet bean paste in it. I don't think it is something for everyone which is why it is not a popular Bak Chang. But for this Teochew Ah Hia, I found it quite pleasing. 4/5


Cold Crabs $20 per Crab (small)

The cold crabs are served with a bit of vinegar here instead of sweet plum sauce. I find it as difficult to rave about cold crabs as I do about sashimi, since you don't really "cook" the dish so the comments are limited to how fresh the produce is. So okay, will it make a big difference if I said the crabs were fresh, very fresh or very very fresh? I mean, how much fresher can a crab get since they are all live crabs? For me cold crabs are simply crabs which are steamed and put in a fridge. Of course they have to be full of roe or sperm, but other than getting a good supplier, is there any other secret in the preparation of cold crabs? 4/5


Braised Platter $18

Everyone was quite pleased with the braised platter, especially Fashionfoodie who highly recomended this dish. The braising sauce is very nice and balanced and the duck was tender and flavourful. Those who like "Tua Terng" (large intestine) would be very pleased with the Tua Terng here as it doesn't have any smell and the texture was very good. 4.25/5


Pork Aspic $15

Fans of Pork Aspic will be happy to see the photo of this fast dissappearing dish! Though Mom never purposely made this dish at home, I remember digging the jelly out of a Tupperware of overnight Braised Pork as a kid. I guess that was where the idea for the dish originated from. I haven't tasted enough Pork Aspic to tell you if this one is a good one, but I would just say that I am not a fan yet. Much prefer to eat Mom's cold Lor Bak! 3.5/5


Shark Head $5 per kg

Steamed shark head is very much like Sea Cucumber in that it is essentially a tasteless gooey substance that has the ability to absorb the flavours of the sauce it is cooked in. Actually the texture of soft collagen is very similar to pork fat so it really is quite shiok when it slides down your throat. The sauce is made from Chai Poh and little cubes of Pork Lard, so you can just imagine how shiok it is! 4/5

Conclusion

I think a lot of people are looking for a place to go for a nice bowl of Teochew porridge and being in Changi Village, the "ulu" atmosphere does add to the whole experience. This is a good place to go with the family to enjoy a few typically Teochew dishes and decide if you would like to burn a hole in your pocket or keep your pants intact.

Changi Teochew Kitchen
Blk 5 Changi Village Road
#01-2--1 S500005
65465482
Open for lunch, dinner and supper
Recommended by Fashionfoodie

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Pietrasanta: Place for a nice laid back Sunday Lunch

Rucola Parma Ham pizza

Remember the Italian/Singaporean couple I blogged about last year who opened a little stall selling pizzas at HDB prices? Well, they have decided to move upmarket and have opened a cosy little restaurant in the beautiful countrysidish part of Singapore known as Wessex Estate.

Portsdown Road is one of those last places in Singapore where you can still enjoy that "countryside" atmosphere and daydream about our colonial past. In fact, the whole of the Portsdown and Dover area used to be home to the British who find the "rolling hills" around the area to be reminiscent of home. The church which I attend, St John's St Margaret's, which used to be known as St John's Garrison Church, was the Anglican Parish Church catering to the needs of the British forces. The original triangular building is still there and being used to conduct services although the main service is now conducted in our new sanctuary.

Personally, I find the colonial period to be very romantic. It was a time when much of the world was still being discovered and ceiling fans were still manually driven by coolies. Think Indiana Jones and you know what I mean. I could almost imagine myself in that period as I sat in the the nice little courtyard with sunlight streaming into the restaurant and the smell of freshly cut wood in the air. Ok, I think it is apparent to you by now that I like the atmosphere of this place very much, so on to the food.

The pizzas are better quality than their "HDB" pizzas at La Pizzaola but still quite reasonably priced. The crust is thin and chewy and the tomato based sauce is less tangy which was my main complaint the last time I ate at La Pizzaola. I would highly recommend the rucola with parma ham pizza which really did satisfy my pizza craving that day. 4.25/5



We were because the kids were clamoring for pizzas after church and the last thing I wanted to do was to end up at Pizza Hut.With so little calories to waste, a nice Italian Pizza is actually not much more expensive and definitely tastes better than the commercial variety. But in order to have a more balanced Italian meal, we ordered some pasta as well just to try try. The Spinach ravioli was alright but could have been more tantalizing if the sauce was a little more cheesy. 3.75/5


Chef Owner Loris

Conclusion

Good pizzas combined with the laid back atmosphere of Wessex Estate. This certainly looks like a place I can go back often to get fulfill my pizza cravings. At least it beats having to bring the kids to Pizza Hut!

PS: Just spoken to Jennifer and confirmed that they have closed La Pizzaiola already. You can read about their first eatery here.

Pietrasanta
5B Portsdown Road
#01-03
S(138311)
64799521
www.ristorante-pietrasanta.com



What to do next

• Read about Jennifer and Loris's first restaurant: La Pizzaiola
• Other Ang Moh's in the heartland stories: Crazy Ang Moh and Finalmente Gastronomia
• Looking for other places for Pizzas? Click on the Pizza Label
• Check out where our forummers are eating their Pizzas: Click Here

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Swa Gardens: We meet, We eat

Swa Gardens is one of those old world restaurants that are still faithfully churning out old favourites in the good old fashion way while the rest of Singapore keeps looking for novelty. From the good old aluminium glass doors to the conference chairs which have housed generations of dust mites, this authentic little Teochew restaurant continues to preserve the Teochew culture for a future generation of Singaporeans who don't even know what it means to be a red bottomed "Kah Cherng Ang Ang" (Red Buttocks - A classic Teochew phrase) Teochew. Yes, this sort of old establishment is my kind of place and thanks to sumosumo who suggested this eatery, we all got to spend a few hours together savouring cuisine which our grandfathers used to enjoy.



Teochew Cold Crabs

There isn't a more Teochew dish than cold crabs. My father used to tell me that the only way to eat crab was simply steamed. This is especially so when the crab is full of roe. Frying such excellent crabs in pepper or even worse, chilli sauce would be a plain waste of the roe. I guess it was akin to cooking caviar in curry!

Some people might think, "So what's the big deal? I could do this at home!" Well the big deal is that these people can actually get their hands on some really good crabs and they know how to choose the best ones for steaming. And if you don't think that is a big deal, then just consider that anyone can also put a chicken into hot water to make the White Chicken and yet how many of us can actually do it properly? Still go out and eat it right?

Anyway the Crabs that night were excellent. As Teochews would say, very "Chngi (fresh)" and and "Toi" (solid), full of the crab roe which is great if your doctor has just advised you that you need to raise your cholesterol levels! 4.25/5


Braised Goose

Another Teochew classic, Braised Goose if not done right can come out tough and dry as cardboard. We were discussing about the fact that the geese in Hong Kong were so much fatter and flavoursome than those in Singapore and that it could be something to do with the colder weather up north. Anyway the Braised Goose was very good that night. The meat was tender and the loh was very "pang" (savoury) and we thorougly enjoyed it. 4.25/5


Oyster Omelette

We conducted a vote for the favourite dish that night and the Oyster Omelette was one of the top three dishes. This is in effect a very simple dish of fresh oysters fried with eggs, but it was executed perfectly. The eggs were so wonderfully fluffy and flavourful that it made me realize how taken for granted the humble egg is. 4.5/5


Liver Rolls

I used to think that the only liver I ever liked was foie gras and pate. But after that night, I am adding the liver rolls into the short list. In fact, it was so good we didn't even think it had liver in it. We were all just enjoying the savoury rolls without realizing we were eating liver. If you don't like liver and are suffering from anaemia, this might be your answer to a source of iron. 4/5


Steamed Pomfret

The other star that night was the Pomfret, a fish that the Teochews prize more than any other fish. Come to think of it, I am not sure if any of the other dialect groups like this fish as much as we do? The only way that Pomfret is to be prepared -- when you have the most "Chngiest" (freshest) fish -- is to steam it with just a little sour plum and tomato. Any more and you won't get to enjoy the freshnest of the fish. It takes a lot of skill to steam such a big Pomfret perfectly so that it doesn't get overcooked and toughen up. Steamed Pomfret doesn't get any better than this! 4.5/5


Chye Poh Kway Teow

This ugly looking dish is probably food that my peasant forefathers used to eat after a hard day's work at the farm. A simple dish made from three of the cheapest ingredients of Chye Poh (preserved radish), Kway Teow (rice pasta) and chopped greens, it was the way the chef infused the smoky flavour of the wok into the Kway Teow that was magic. 4/5


Orh Nee (Yam paste)

Orh nee (yam paste) is one of Singapore's top three desserts as shown in our recent dessert poll. However, the sad fact is that there isn't a lot of places that does a really good Orh Nee. Traditional Teochew Orh Nee comes with caramelized pumpkin, lard and NO coconut milk. I really don't know how the coconut milk idea came about, I don't like it at all. The Orh Nee here is very good and was just a relief that they still do it the traditional way here albeit they probably have substituted vegetable oil for the lard. 4.25/5

Conclusion

It was great to meet up with everyone and especially some of the new kakis that have joined our blog and forum community recently. The food was great and this time round we have even started grooming the next generation of foodies by having a table for the kids. It was also quite amazing to host three friends from Down Under who were here on holidays and have signed up for the makan session while overseas! We even had a whole table of friends from Jurong who haven't even heard about the blog! I wonder if they will start reading it after that night?

Special thanks to sumosumo and khim for organizing the evening and look forward to seeing you at the next one!

There was an excess of funds as we collected a little bit more to cover GST and tips. We gave a $50 tip to the staff and the leftover $196 was donated to the Myanmar Cyclone Fund.

Swa Garden Restaurant
540 Macpherson Road
6744 5009

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Prive: Welcome to Fantasy Island!

With Amagada - Happy Anniversary Dinner


Now if I told you that there was a private island in Singapore where you can nibble on finger food while having a drink by the sea, under the stars, it would catch your attention wouldn't it? It certainly got mine.

Touted as the only privately owned island in Singapore, this little piece of rock sandwiched between Sentosa and Mount Faber has been transformed into a Marina cum Restaurant cum Bar cum Bakery Cafe. It's so small that one wonders whether it will still be above water years from now when the polar ice caps melt due to global warming.

But Singaporeans being people who go for whatever is new and cutting edge have already discovered this latest hangout haunt so much so that the restaurant is fully booked on a weeknight just barely two months after its opening.



The guy behind the restaurant/gastrobar/bakery cafe is none other than Yuan Oeij from Brown Sugar. If you remember, Yuan is the guy who gave up his job in finance to pursue his passion in food. So when it comes to something as simple (or so I thought) as a good steak, the guy really goes into a lot of details to get it right.

So what is so complicated about popping a piece of meat on a Barbie, I hear you ask. Well, I asked him the same question. I have always assumed that it all broils sic down to the quality of the piece of meat. But nooooo, its more than that. Aside from the fact that you source only USDA Prime grade beef, the aging and storage process also needs attention. Then, you need a charcoal grill, but not just any charcoal will do. It's got to be a special kind of charcoal which has been carbon dated (kidding). You then need a Chef who knows how to grill it till it is smoky and charred on the outside but still nice and pink all the way through the middle. And finally, just when you think that that is that, you need to have a very special steak knife so that you get the right texture just before popping it into your mouth. Yuan selected a non-serrated knife so that the surface of the meat comes out smooth when cut. It takes a bit more effort to maintain these knives as they need to be sharpened but heck this is supposed to be a five star steak yeah?

I must admit that the USDA Prime Striploin (350gm $58++) is one of the best steaks I have had this year. Alright, since we are still only in January, I shall say that it is one of the best steaks I have had last year AND this year. US Beef still has that beefy taste that makes you want to yell "Yeee Ha!". It has just the right amount of chewability that makes for merry mastication and the piece of meat is really so tasty that it would be sinful to add any sauce it (especially that incorrigible Singaporean habit of adding chilli sauce to everything including a good steak!) 4.5/5

Conclusion

If you have never been to Keppel Island, I think you would be quite fascinated as you are crossing the specially built bridge to the island itself. Quite unexpected to find a great steak in a restaurant that basically serves modern (Frenchish) cuisine. But I think steak lovers would be quite pleased with they way they handle their piece of meat here.

Prive
No.2 Keppel Bay Vista Marina
Keppel Bay
67760777
www.prive.com.sg

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Megumi Japanese Restaurant: Hokubee Sukiyaki!

With SCS Butter and the ieatFamily

Matsu Sashimi: $40

My kids love Japanese Food. It's always a fight between Japanese Food and MacDonald's every time we ask them what they want to eat. And between Jap Food and MacDonald's, my choice is quite straightforward.

I guess the thing with Japanese food is that the flavours are quite simple and the kids can use their hands to eat stuff like sushi. Then there is the Tempura dishes which always appeals to the kids. When it comes to Sashimi, I am always amazed at how my five year old daughter loves it so much and yet my son would not touch it. Guess she's more like mom.

This being the case, the family is always in search of affordable, family style, casual Japanese restaurants to eat at. I am happy to report that Megumi is yet another of such restaurants to add to the list.


Beef Sukiyaki $17.80

Let me just highlight a few of their more distinctive dishes. The first one that I would say is pretty special is their Sukiyaki/Shabu Shabu which costs $17.80. It is served with a good portion of Hokubee Beef.

For the uninitiated, Hokubee Beef is beef that is "manufactured" to resemble Kobe Beef. The product itself is called "Meltique" beef and what happens is that they inject a mixture of Canola oil and starch into the normal, otherwise lean beef in order to give it more marbling. When your first look at the picture, you'd be amazed at how the marbling actually looks!

Tastewise, the Hokubee cannot match that of Wagyu. But the texture of the beef is very good and it has that tender "melt in your mouth" quality about it. Healthwise, I guess I can only postulate since there are no research papers that I know of that says that Hokubee Beef is better for you than normal beef. We know that Canola oil is one of those monounsaturated oils that actually lowers your bad cholesterol levels. So, theoretically, it should be better for you than well marbled USDA beef. But don't quote me on that yeah?

Anyway, the sukiyaki soup stock here is pretty good and we really enjoyed the tender beef slices. Of course you cannot compare with having A5 black hair Beef, but it is probably one of the best value Shabu Shabu deals I have come across. 4/5


Hokubee Teppanyaki $16.80

Actually, I feel that for the price, Hokubee Beef is actually not bad. It is beefy enough, but it is the tenderness of the beef that is really enjoyable. If you don't tell me that it is artificially injected beef, I could have easily mistaken it for grain fed New Zealand or Australian Beef. Given that I have been to some Japanese Restaurant Chains that serve simply atrocious "Chewing Gum" type beef, I'd go for Hokubee any day (except for days when I get to eat USDA Prime). So when Hokubee is used to prepare any beef dish like this Hokubee Teppanyaki, you do get nice and tender beef without having to pay a bomb for it. 4.25/5


Hiyashi Sumi Udon $9.80

I am sure you all have taken Charcoal Pills for diarrhoea before right? So eating charcoal is not a problem. But what do you think about Fine Charcoal Udon? This is the first time I have come across this particular flavour of Udon, which is served cold. Tastewise, I really cannot say it is really that distinctive. But hey, its a wonderful way to prevent yourself from getting diarrhoea just in case the Sashimi is bad. Just joking lah, the Sashimi here is pretty fresh. I rate it 3/5, but then I am not a cold noodle person. Those that enjoy cold noodles might be in a better position to give it a fair rating.

Conclusion

Another restaurant to add to the list of possible restaurants from family dinners. This restaurant is located in the area of Sunset way which is being touted as the new "Holland V". The restaurant itself is tiny, but there is a large Al Fresco dining area. Good place for a casual Shabu Shabu and to get your usual Japanese fix.

Megumi Japanese Restaurant
Block 106 Clementi Street 12
#01-38
67791411
11.30am to 2.30pm
6.00pm to 10.30pm
Opens Daily

Disclosure:
This review was done by invitation from Megumi and arranged by SCS Butter

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Hooked on Heads: Hooked on everything else as well!

With ieatMama, iwatch_ueat, liverpool, PowerAunty and the PowerGang

Fish Head Curry (whole) $30

Quite a few people have written to me about Hooked on Heads, but I never quite got round to it. However, last week a series of events happened that finally brought me to this restaurant. Firstly, my friend from church emailed me about this stall raving about the Mee Siam and Har Cheong (Prawn Paste) Kai and then PowerAunty found out that ieatMama was in town and wanted to meet her. Knowing that both these ladies love fish heads and peranakan food, I finally arranged to eat here. At least I will have two experts to give their opinion on the Fish Head Curry!

I must admit that I have never been big on fish heads, but I really enjoy watching how people who love fish heads really slurp up all the fiddly jelly bits with gusto. I imagine it is like eating chicken feet or oxtail where there is a lot of effort for that bit of tasty gristle.

Anyway our two experts concur that the fish head curry was really sedap! (tasty). The curry is made with milk and coconut milk so it is not too jerlak, but still creamy and the fish was really fresh. It wasn't overly spicy so it suited me fine but for someone like Liverpool, he complained that it was too mild. If like me you are not big on Fish Head Curry, this one might get you "Hooked on Heads". 4.5/5


Mee Siam $3.80

The Mee Siam here is quite different from your normal Mee Siam. If you are a stickler for the more traditional Mee Siam, you might not take to this. However, I loved it because it had the sweetness and creaminess of the Indian version but at the same time it retained the tanginess of the more familiar Mee Siam. Both PowerAunty and ieatMama gave a resounding two thumbs up as well. 4.6/5


Mango Salad $6.80

Although there is a strong emphasis on Peranakan food, the restaurant owners has not allowed this to restrict his menu. They also offer Thai food as well as local Cze Char dishes. I was amazed at how well Thomas and wife Gina were able to juggle it all. And what I really enjoy is the way they tweak the dishes just that little bit to make it even better. Take for instance the Green Mango Salad which is a traditional Thai Dish. Aside from the crisp, tangy shredded Mango and other greens, they have also topped it off with shredded dried Cuttlefish which has been lightly toasted. The savoury flavour and chewy texture of the cuttlefish was an excellent contrast to the tangy, crunchy salad. 4.5/5


Prawn Paste Chicken $8

I have been lamenting the fact that though many places serve Prawn Paste Chicken that one can hardly taste the flavour of the prawn paste. So I am happy to report that the prawn paste chicken here is excellent. They use only mid wings here and they are marinated long enough such that the red colouring has really seeped into the flesh. Thomas also explained that they use modern fryers to deep fry the chicken instead of a wok. So with the right temperature control, the meat of the chicken is kept nice and juicy inside. One of the best Prawn Paste Chicken I have tasted. 4.5/5


Crispy Sole Fish $18

There are three versions of the Crispy Sole Fish. We had the plain one which is dipped in a Thai style green chilli sauce. This is a real visual treat and though it was executed perfectly, I found that there was a lack of ooomph in the flesh. What was interesting though is the unique garnishing which is made from thinly shredded lemongrass. I think the Garlic Fried or Thai Sweet Chilli version should taste better. 3.75/5


Banana Fritters Special $3.80

Make sure that you leave some room for desserts as they have got a nice selection here. The first I would recommend is the banana fritters which is eaten with ice cream and golden syrup. I used to have this a lot when I was living Thailand. But the version I had was simply a banana halved lengthwise and fried in a crisp batter, very similar to our Goreng Pisang. This one is a little bit different. It has a crispy golden shell on the outside and fluffy on the inside, almost like a donut with banana inside. They use Del Monte bananas here which is nice and sweet. It was both a visual and gustatory treat! 4.5/5


Mango Sticky Rice $3.80

I used to buy Mango Sticky Rice for 50 Baht (less than $2) from the roadside hawkers in Bangkok and it was one of those things that I was really hooked on. Although it seems like a simple dish, there a real art in getting the sticky rice to the right consistency and it has to have a good balance of sweet and salty. Thomas was explaining to me that they use Thai sticky rice which cooks evenly unlike those of Vietnamese origin. This is one of my all time favourite Thai desserts and I am very happy with this one. 4.5/5

Conclusion

We all had a great time in this restaurant that really exceeded our expectations. They have a nice Lunch Sampler Set for 2-4 people that features a half Curry Fish Head with a choice of other dishes for $22.80+ on weekdays which is quite good value. For those eating alone, you can get a mini set with a choice of 2 dishes for $5.80+. Everyone was so delighted that we all vowed a return visit to taste the other items on the menu.

Hooked on Heads
Tower 2, #01-01/02,
Sin Ming Plaza 6
Sin Ming Road 64554948
www.hookedonheads.com

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