AromaCookery

Tiong Bahru Lee Hong Kee Cantonese Roasted

Hi folks, enjoy the pics first. Commentary will be posted soon!

Char siew noodles, S$3.00

See Sean Rice Stall

Sweet and sour pork, S$10.00

This zi-char (Chinese stir-fries) stall has been around for as long as I can remember. My late father, who had a business nearby, favored them over other zi-char stalls in the same food centre for their fresh ingredients and tasty, consistent cooking. For the two years I worked at the family business, my dad frequently tar-powed (bought take-out) their Hainanese chicken rice and stir-fried hor-fun for our lunch.

So, on Saturday evening, when Ricky had an errand to run in Chinatown, I jumped at the chance to revisit See Sean (say "see sin", not "see Shawn").

The Eastern Restaurant II

I said I'd be back for a return visit. Well, I did. After two years!

 
  Eastern Yi Ping Steamed Pork Dumpling, S$4.00

When it comes to xiao long bao (XLB) or soup dumplings, Din Tai Fung and Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao are popular choices, which I believe is due to strategic location and branding more than anything else. From personal experience, Din Tai Fung's standard has slipped, and Crystal Jade's quality depends on which outlet you go to. Most say that quality is pretty consistent across the branches, but that wasn't always the case for me, though I still prefer Crystal Jade's XLB to Din Tai Fung's.

Golden Mile Claypot Rice

Seriously, I'm kinda looking forward to the hubby's reservist training call-ups. Of course, most reservists probably dread that "On Government Service" letter, but for me, it means the hubby would have to make a trip to Golden Mile for army supplies, which is a perfect excuse to re-visit my favorite food stalls there.

       
        Claypot rice for 2 pax (S$10.00).

One of them is the Golden Mile Claypot Rice, which does a roaring business. About two dozen gas stoves work furiously non-stop, each one responsible for cooking a pot of rice from scratch.

We're now so used to cooking rice with an electric rice cooker that we forget that rice was traditionally cooked on the stove. Cooking with a claypot imparts a wonderfully smoky fragrance to the rice. It seems straightforward, but controlling the amount of water, the temperature, and the timing are skills not easily mastered. No wonder so many customers (like me) are willing to pay and wait for this expertise.

Joo Seng Teochew Porridge

       
        Quintessential Teochew comfort food.

After all that rich, spicy food, let's have something easy on the tummy. How about some old-fashioned Teochew muay (porridge)?

Teochew Cuisine Restaurant

This isn't a full review, just posting some photos of my dad's sumptuous birthday dinner. Not all pics of the dishes turned out well. Ah, the pressure of 13 pairs of chopsticks impatiently waiting to dive into the food was just too much.

       
        Appetizer platter.

Clockwise from left: sliced octopus; Teochew braised duck; jellied shark meat; and Japanese-style baby octopus (chuka iidako). Center: sugared cashew nuts.

The braised duck and jellied shark meat are traditionally Teochew, though jellied pork trotter is a more common sight. Light, refreshing flavors here, a nice change from the usual Cantonese appetizer platters.

Din Tai Fung (Wisma Atria)

Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese restaurant that's internationally famous for its xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings). I've wanted to check them out ever since the first Singapore outlet opened at Paragon, but stories of super long queues put me off. The local franchise has since expanded, its fourth and latest outlet being at Wisma Atria.

       
        Steamed Pork Dumpling (5 pcs, S$4.80).

The trademark of the Din Tai Fung xiao long bao is the 18 exquisite folds on each dumpling. I counted, and true to their promise, there really were 18 folds. Amazing!

Yum Cha Restaurant

This post is way overdue. Early last month, I took my mother-in-law (MIL) to Chinatown for a spot of pre-Lunar New Year shopping, and we had a late dinner at Yum Cha Restaurant, which is right smack in the centre of the Chinatown night bazaar. I forgot to take notes, so I'll try to recall as many details as I can.

       
        Steamed scallop and pea shoot dumplings (S$4.50).

The first of the three dimsum dishes we ordered was the steamed scallop and pea shoot dumplings. This is one of the more modern dimsum creations, and thus not widely available. The scallops were very fresh, and the filling of pea shoots and mushrooms was supremely sweet and juicy. We were also impressed with the thin, translucent dumpling skin. A definite winner, it was a wonderful change from the usual meaty dimsum items.

Lee Tong Kee Ipoh Sar Hor Fun

I absolutely love hor fun (flat rice noodles). This Asian noodle, which is more popularly eaten in South-east Asia, comes in a few variations. The Cantonese-style hor fun comes in wide ribbons and is more suited for stir-frying. Its Teochew cousin is the kway teow, which is smaller in width. The Thai rice stick and Vietnamese ban pho are even narrower and thinner than their Chinese counterparts. Well, whatever their width or thickness, whether stir-fried or in soup, I simply adore these silky soft, flat rice ribbons.

       
        Lee Tong Kee Tanjong Pagar Style Hor Fun (S$5.80).

Also famed in Malaysia and Singapore is the Ipoh hor fun. Situated north of Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh is a town in Malaysia where nearly 70% of its inhabitants are Chinese. It is known for its delicious Chinese cuisine, especially the super soft and silky Ipoh hor fun, which is credited to Ipoh's hard water (high alkali content). Here's more info on Ipoh cuisine.

Asian Kitchen

Occupying the CityLink Mall unit which used to house Delifrance is new kid on the block, Asian Kitchen. Operated by the Vientai management, this mid-range restaurant serves Chinese fare, and not a variety of Asian cuisine as its name seems to suggest. The menu is dominated with northern Chinese dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, and fried rice dishes.

       
        Pork Dumplings (6 for S$5.00).

Last Sunday, R and I took my dad to Asian Kitchen for lunch. For starters, we had the steamed pork dumplings, more popularly known as xiao long bao. For a restaurant that doesn't tout itself as a dumpling specialty joint, we weren't expecting a lot. Surprising, the dumpling skin was quite thin and sufficiently resilient, while the stock was delightfully flavorful. It was a lovely prelude to the rest of the well-executed dishes.