Living It Up in the Land of Dim Sum

    This is the first time we're on holiday as a family of three (the lil muchkin, the big muchkin and me). We originally planned to head back to our familiar haunt at the St Regis, Bangkok. Unfortunately, there was no flights back on the day we wanted. Being desperate to go on a holiday we simply booked a trip. It was totally on the spur of the moment. Soon we were on the plane to Hong Kong - the Land of Dim Sum (and summore). Here are some highlights of our trip, from the eyes of a foodie...

Crystal Lotus Restaurant at the Disneyland Hotel

Olaf from Frozen. Darth Vadar and his stormtrooper full of nuts and good things.

Place your order in advance, or you'll be disappointed. Thanks to the wifey who indulges my passion for all things Star Wars.

Dim Sum "platter"

We just had to try the crab cake which was really full of meat

Even the seafood soup in coconut had a Mickey-theme

Rounding it off with not-so-common Mango Pudding

Dim Sum Library

Wagyu Beef pastry...mmmm

Stone fish porridge for the lil one. But it tasted like cod!

    More food adventures coming right up in the following post.

Dim Sum Galore - HK (part 2)

Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula Hotel

    Afternoon Tea at this iconic venue is taken very seriously. The queue starts half an hour before the official commencement of afternoon tea. This means if you don't want to risk queuing for nothing (Yes they do turn people away once the food is sold out), be there before 1.30pm. This is one of those places to see and be seen.

What's a colonial afternoon tea without a live classical band?

Michelin-starred Spring Moon Chinese Restaurant at the Peninsula

    To round up our gastronomic holiday, we had brunch at one of the top-rated restaurants in Hong Kong. Verdict: impeccable service above average food.

"Har Gao" garnished with Gold foil. The shrimp was good though.

Scallop "siew mai"

What's dim sum without porridge?

Their signature xiao long pao dumpling in soup (not exactly "xiao")

Half-eaten  roast pigeon

South Union Park - Neither South nor in a Park, yet inviting for Unions

    Despite the busy schedule, I try to set aside at least one weekday evening to have dinner out with the wifey (and occasionally, the lil munchkin as well). The wifey usually selects the venues. It was no different this week. We found ourselves driving up Jalan Kembangan into the heart of the landed estate; all the while wondering to ourselves whether we were going in the right direction. Then suddenly out of the "darkness" shone the light of a row of shop-houses. Lo and behold, the first of which was South Union Park.

    We were ushered into the warm glow of this cafe. Despite the late timing, and it being a weekday, the cafe was more than half occupied. At this point I just have to commend the staff. I called the day before to make a reservation but couldn't get through, so I left them an sms. It didn't take long for them to reply and confirm my reservation.

    This cafe boasts a menu of classic favorites like chicken noodle soup and cheese burger. Although nothing fancy-pansy, the quality here is nothing short of excellent.

    It's not easy to find crabcake in Singapore that don't fall apart once you break a piece off. This one holds together perfectly. One bite into this beauty and the flavours of crab and lime hit your palate. The taste being both separate, yet conjoined beautifully. It literally "takes the cake!" If you're wondering, that's a coleslaw topping. I'm literally salivating while typing these words.

     For a person who doesn't usually fancy pasta, the "Duck Confit Tagliatelle" was exceptionally delicious. Although we shared the food, I'm sure I can finish this one up by myself. I especially enjoy the hazelnuts that give an extra crunch to this dish. The pasta was done just right, not too soggy and not too hard. 

    At first I wasn't expecting much from the "Herb Crusted Barramundi". After all, it's not easy to entice with fish. One bite into this changed my perspective. The fish was surprisingly moist and soft. Needless to say, it was pretty fresh as well. The little muchkin had a field day with this dish (and she's only 10 months old). The tangy romesco went extremely well with the crunchy herb crust. I especially appreciate the hericot vert - fav veg of the day.

    The portions weren't too huge, such that the wifey even had space for dessert. She has the strawberry shortcake which came in a glass "cup" (just can't find the word for it). It was soft and fluffy and surprisingly not too creamy.

    I had the "Brownie". It was nothing like it's boring name implied. It came with salted caramel ice-cream, sprinkled with candied walnuts, with a dash of butterscotch. If, like me, you're a sucker for salted caramel and butterscotch, this is something not to be missed.

    This will definitely not be the last time we head here. Besides the relaxed atmosphere (it might be because of the time and day. The wifey said weekends would be a lot busier) and great food, the lil munchkin seemed to approve of this place as well. She was busy making friends with everyone in the restaurant. We will be back.

Battle of the Chirashi!

Last week the wifey and I took a break from our daily duties with a  staycation at the Fullerton Hotel (courtesy of Standard Chartered Bank). We decided to end our mini retreat with a Japanese meal. What better place to check out than the restaurant that supposedly makes the best Chirashi in Singapore - Chikuwatei Japanese Restaurant.

Here are the pics to whet your appetite...

Signature CHIRASHI KOU: thick slices of Salmon, Amaebi, Sweet Prawn, Chutoro,
Scallops, Kanpachi and Unagi, served with house-made Tamago and fresh Ikura from Tsukiji.

Chawanmushi. This version had numerous pieces of seafood within. Just one word - Yum.

We've had Chirashi from more than afew restaurants in Singapore and I dare say I do know a thing or two about this dish. It is easy to understand why the Chirashi Kou from Chikuwatei is in the running for the best Chirashi in Singapore. The thick chunks of fresh seafood threatens to overflow from the bowl. I particularly enjoyed the Chutoro. It was of perfect thickness (just large enough to fill your mouth for a good chewing) and fat enough to give it a chewy and smooth texture, yet not overly fatty.

Verdict: Is this the best Chirashi I've had? What it has going for it is the amount and quality of the ingredients. In this, it beats most other Chirashis. In terms of overall taste though... I still prefer the one at Ryo Sushi. As for the ambiance of  the restaurant, I prefer the intimacy of Ryo Sushi. So, is the Chirashi at Chikuwatei the best in Singapore? I'd say "no", but it sure comes close,