LÈ Restaurant & Asian tapas bar

one of the newest kids in the Chinese dining scene, LÈ distinguishes itself with a contemporary twist on classic favourites. to begin, how about a drink at the bar to kick start your meal at the restaurant? with a slew of house cocktails that are created with asian/singaporean influences, LÈ looks set to change things up with its refreshing offerings.

a chic modern vibe pulsates throughout the bar, and this gives way to a relatively traditional Chinese restaurant setting, updated with cool decor.

let's start with the food first. but before that, thumbs up to the camera-friendly spotlights ;) while the restaurant is dimly lit, i was glad that spotlights directed clear beams right onto the tables, which was not just perfect for photo-taking (good for them!) but of course, for diners to see what they're eating!

having heard raving reviews about LÈ's signature dirty duck ($38 half, $68 whole), i rubbed my hands in anticipation of this dish. and it impressed thoroughly! a modified version of a peking duck dish, this had the actual crispy braised duck meat cucooned in a handmade scallion crepe that was super delicious! (i have to apologise that this post is wayyy overdue so i can't describe the exact flavour very accurately, but it was DEFINITELY good)

the stir-fried asparagus with wild fungus ($20) earned praises even from those who typically don't like asparagus! it was that tasty! the asparagus was fried perfectly, till no trace of the veggie flavour remained, and the variety of mushrooms complemented it well.

one of our favourite dishes was the stir-fried scallop with scrambled egg white in truffle oil ($38). ooh, do you see what attracted us to it? the ambrosial scent of truffle tickled our noses as the dish was placed on our table. every mouthful was a delight, with the fluffy textures of the egg and scallop suffused with the flavour of truffle.

the stir fried angel hair with japanese dried ebi ($28) could be said to be an adaption on the ubiquitous fried beehoon. but i beg to differ. the bouncy strands of pasta tossed in oil had a lovely doneness which i appreciated, and the japanese ebi added a perfumed fragrance which is unbeatable, in my opinion.

the food at LÈ restaurant set high expectations for our after-dinner drinks, but i have to say that i was rather disappointed.

we tried two of the signature creations - autumn evenings ($22) and red concubine ($22). both came with fascinating descriptions, though the taste unfortunately didn't match up. autumn evenings was a blend of chrysanthemum tea, with yuzu juice, elderflower liqueur and soursop with scotch whiskey. as we had ordered this in anticipation of the yuzu juice, it was sad that there was nary a hint of it. probably the strongest flavour was the soursop, which overpowered everything else. my red concubine was just overpoweringly sweet, and i couldn't really distinguish the various accents, though the description seduced with hints of passion fruit, pomegranate and cinnamon.

the selection of bar bites was interesting though! and the mantou burger with braised USDA prime beef ($16) lived up to its name. the beef packed a punch with its juicy goodness!

overall, i really enjoyed the meal at the restaurant and i would love to come back if i had the opportunity to :) on the other hand, i would give the bar a miss. it's signatures were a letdown, and were way too pricey for its quality.

LÈ Restaurant and Asian Tapas Bar
Suntec City Mall #02-314
Daily 11.30am-3pm
6pm-10.30pm

Tim Ho Wan

helloooooo! guess what, i finally tried Tim Ho Wan!!!! haha you're probably thinking, "what a laggard -.-" yeah ikr :( but the queue is always so long!! :( didn't really want to wait in line for 1 hour plus. so i waited a few months for this, but i am so happy that i finally had the chance to try it, even if only for the yummilicious barbecue pork buns ($4.50 for 3 pcs) ^^ ahhh, just thinking about it makes me feel like eating it already.

my loveee :D 

haha we would have ordered more, if only the rest were as enthusiastic as me!! i ordered one whole plate for myself okay :p which is three pieces. and i do think that it is quite affordable, considering the size of the bun!! normally char siew sou also costs around that price, but it's usually smaller? anyway, this bun is simply unbeatable. previously papa brought it back for us all the way from HK too ^^ and despite hours on the plane, it still tasted so awesome after we toasted it. what more having it fresh?! :O oh yeah, i forgot to mention that i came here at around 9.40am in the morning (when it opens at 10am) just so that we don't have to be delayed in the queue. and it worked!! :D this was the most awesome breakfast to start the week, right before audit class ;) and i'm writing this is one of my worst weeks of the sem x.x boohoo :'(

anyway. these buns. if you haven't tried it yet (i don't know whether there is anyone even slower than me...the whole world seems to have tried it!), please do!!!! oh gosh, even if you aren't a fan of char siew, you will love this bun so much :') it kinda has the bo lo bao kind of texture, but EVEN BETTER than that. a perfectly flaky crust, lightly crumbly, slightly sweet, and one bite gives way to deliciously tasty char siew within it. i want more!!!! :D

the rest of the dishes at Tim Ho Wan are pretty standard, and the quality is alright as well! (: they have four signature dishes called the Big 4 Heavenly Kings. we tried three of them, because the last was a chee cheong fun with pigs liver which we don't really fancy. the pan fried carrot cake ($4.50 for 3 pcs) was quite yummy! (: fried to a crisp, and with little bits of (i think) chinese sausage within it. it was super fragrant! 

the last of the 4 signature dishes was the steamed egg cake $3.80, which is kinda like a huat kueh? spongy, light and fluffy, but i'm not a big fan of it :p it's just a personal thing. haha.

there were dishes like har gow ($5.50 for 4 pcs), chee cheong fun with shrimp ($5.50) and bbq pork ($5.50), chicken feet with black bean sauce ($4) which were quite alright as well.

we liked the congee with lean pork, century egg and salted egg ($4.20) for its subtle flavour, while not being too salty (: i couldn't really taste any of the salted egg though :p

and i really enjoyed our dessert which was yam puree with sago ($3.50)! ^^ give me anything with yam and i'll devour it hehe :D it was a lovely smooth puree that was relatively light (good, especially since we were already so full from the dim sum) and i loved the added texture of the sago inside it! (: 

overall, i would say that Tim Ho Wan is quite un-impressionable other than the BARBECUED PORK BUNS and yam puree (: but i would come back, just for these two items. the good thing is that the dim sum here is still priced reasonably, so there is no reason not to come back ^^ 

Tim Ho Wan

Plaza Singapura #01-29A

Tel.: +65 6251 2000 (no reservations)

Daily 10am-10pm

Xin Cuisine Mid-Autumn Festival 2013

it's just about a month away from the mooncake festival, and i'm all in the mood for mooncakes already! ^^ especially since i've been seeing photos of mooncakes appearing all over instagram since one month ago already :O can you believe it?! the celebratory mood is starting earlier every year! not that i'm complaining ;) i love my mooncakes, both the traditional and snow skin versions :D and i feel super lucky to have the opportunity to indulge in the widest variety of mooncakes i've ever had, at the OpenRice Mooncake Tasting at Xin Cuisine! (:

to prep our tastebuds for the sweets ahead, we were served delicious bite-sized entrees that are actually the signature dishes of Xin Cuisine! I was delighted, first by their intricate presentation, and of course, by the flavours that exploded in my mouth from these miniature versions of the original dishes. 

i loved the deep-fried whitebait fish with salt and pepper which is the dish in the top picture in the kueh pie ti container! the taste was completely unexpected, with the crisp textures of the deep-fried fish enhanced by the savoury-peppery notes from the seasoning. 

the baked scallop with Japanese Miso Sauce and eggplant was a hit amongst all the guests at the event! the rate at which it was snapped up was evidence of its popularity ;) the scallop was succulent and tasted naturally juicy, and was complemented by the appetizing eggplant soaked in miso sauce. the homestyle roast duck with tea leaves was very simply presented, and yet, perfect in its simplicity. the skin of the duck held such a wonderful aroma that seeped into the meat as well. finally, Xin's crispy roast pork is a favourite as well, with just the right amount of fat and crisp skin. 

the entrees could have been enough to satisfy my appetite, but next came the highlight of the night! and i was completely unprepared (but very pleasantly surprised) by the onslaught of mooncakes that followed. i've never tried such a wide variety of mooncakes before, and never imagined the sort of flavours that were concocted by Xin Cuisine's chef.

i started off on a safe note with the most traditional of all mooncakes - the Single Yolk White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake ($52) was delicious in an understated manner - the sweetness of the lotus paste has been reduced, and this definitely makes health-conscious mooncake lovers (like myself) feel a little better about our indulgence :) those who aren't fans of egg yolks, or who are extra big fans of egg yolks will be pleased to know that there are the White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake ($48) and Double Yolk White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake ($56) respectively.

Xin Cuisine's Special Egg Custard with Egg Yolk Mooncake ($52) is one of its specialties, and celebrates its Silver Jubilee this year. this was definitely one of my favourites with its soft custard interior that that was rich and creamy, but not cloying.

the last mooncake in the tiered stand was the X.O. Sauce with Assorted Nuts Mooncake ($56). i'm honestly not a big fan of mooncake with nuts but this was quite interesting with a mild X.O. flavour in it!

I would think of mooncakes to be paired with chinese tea, but Xin Cuisine came up with a creative twist on this! they came together with two wine suppliers to pair their 2013 mid autumn festival mooncakes with both red wine and prosecco (sparkling white wine)! it was sooo fascinating, and i was especially interested since prosecco comes from italy! ^^ we were encouraged to try out each of the mooncakes with both the red and white wines to see what we preferred. it was recommended that red wines go better with the traditional lotus paste mooncakes, while white wines are better paired with snowskin mooncakes. but really, it's up to your personal preference! my favourite was the extra dry prosecco which was very crisp, without being too bubbly (i decided from italy that i don't like very effervescent wines) and it helped to cleanse my palate in between the various mooncakes, so that i had a fresh start with every slice ^^

 for the red wines, we had a Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. the Shiraz was slightly spicy, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was wonderfully full-bodied and was a great accompaniment to the mooncakes, by enhancing their flavour. so what i learnt from talking to the experts was that the type of wine you prefer to pair with the mooncakes is really a very personal decision! putting it simply, whether you prefer the wine or mooncake more ;) if you prefer the wine, choose something like the prosecco which freshens and refreshes; whereas if you like the lingering taste of mooncakes in your mouth, pick the Cabernet Sauvignon to preserve that lovely flavour.

then we had the snowskin mooncakes to try! :D on the far left was the Green Tea Lotus Paste with Chivas Chocolate ($50). i've always heard of the green tea-chivas combination as a drink, and since Xin Cuisine is located in such a close proximity to Zouk, it's no secret where they got their inspiration from! ;) i'm just kidding. but this was one of my favourite mooncakes! gotta admit, this combination cannot go wrong ;)

the pretty pink mooncake was the Soursop and Chocolate Crunch ($50), which was one of the most interesting flavours! what was especially fascinating was that the texture of the mooncake's interior was exactly like that of the soursop pulp! and the chocolate bits within it helped to balance our the acetic taste of the soursop.

the Passion Fruit Paste Snowskin Mooncake ($50) was very refreshing and was complemented with fresh mango! 

for fans of Reeses Peanut Butter chocolate cups, you would LOVE the Black Sesame Paste with Peanut and Chocolate Snowskin Mooncake ($50)!!! that ball inside the mooncake tastes exactly like peanut butter cups!! ^^ i'm definitely a fan ;) and the black sesame had a robust flavour that was absolutely delicious.

the Champagne Chocolate and Pandan Lotus Paste ($50) subtly lures you in with its gentle aroma, while having a burst of alcohol when you bite into the centre. yummy! :)

Xin Cuisine really has mooncake flavours for everyone!!! Durian-lovers, you cannot miss Xin's Mini Snowskin Peranakan Mooncake with Durian Paste ($50). i stayed far away from this :p but according to my sister who is a durian-lover, this tasted really authentic! ;)

finally, the star of the night - the Teochew Yam Paste with Single Egg Yolk ($52) was specially prepared by the chef on demand! apparently this mooncake is only made-to-order and is quite tedious to create, making it really special! this is one of my FAVOURITE types of mooncakes and i was super honoured to be able to try it! :)) tbh, i like peony jade's version much better though. there is just something lacking in this, which i can't identify. but it was definitely good nevertheless! :) 

always excited to meet the chef!!! (: and hence the unglam fringe problem :p Chef Cheung Kin Nam is the man behind all the lovely mooncakes we ate that day! ^^ 

brought yi along for the tasting and took a pic with one of the openricers! :) thanks for the invitation Openrice! 

**Xin Cuisine is having an exclusive 30% off their mooncakes when you quote “OpenRice Mooncake Promotion” (valid for the first 100 boxes until 30 Aug only). Just one week to go! Get your mooncakes now ^^

Park Palace

Decked in opulent red fabrics and dark wood furniture, Park Palace exudes an allure of Chinese royalty. Beautiful lanterns hanging from the ceiling are the only simple decorations that adorn the restaurant, and the spotlights cast a pretty glow on the pristine white tables and crockery that warmly invites you into the meal.

The menu is extensive, with pages of Chef’s recommendations to choose from, among many others. The double-boiled soups sound scrumptious from their descriptions, but do call at least one day before to find out what’s on the menu as these soups have to be prepared in advance. Definitely worth your while, by the sound of it!

To tantalize your tastebuds before the main meal, take your pick from the list of appetizers. We recommend the deep-fried diced fish with chef’s special spicy sauce ($10). A delicately crispy, caramelized batter lovingly cocoons fish meat that is so fresh, it’s almost as if it was just plucked from the ocean and served to you.

It is the little touches that make your experience at Park Palace a memorable one. The house special soup ($12), for instance, is served in an adorable mini teapot. The double boiled clear soup has a rich flavour of ginseng, but is balanced out nicely with the meat, such that the strong tastes of ginseng doesn’t overwhelm. Do not forget to scoop out the goodness in the pot at the end! The black chicken, pork and longans are tender from being boiled for hours, and encapsulate the essence of the soup.

Do ask your server for the daily or weekly specials during your visit. Prepared from the freshest seasonal ingredients personally selected by the chef himself, you can be guaranteed of the quality of these dishes. Take the braised king scallop with mushroom and asparagus for instance. The scallop is so tender and succulent that it simply melts in your mouth and the flavour develops and strengthens with each bite.

Another special dish is the hairy crab roe noodles. Lusciously eggy sauce smothered over smooth noodles, it is a homely dish that warms your senses.

One of the must-tries at Park Palace is their roast duck ($24). Done to perfection, the skin is so crisp that it crackles satisfyingly in your mouth. Juicy, with just the right amount of fat, the duck goes well when paired with the sweet and sour plum sauce that is served on the side.

Finally, end off your meal on a light note, with a gorgeously presented dessert – the chilled mango cream topped with vanilla ice cream and oats served in a coconut ($8) sounds like mouthful, but you really do want to get everything in a single spoonful! It is a delicious combination of tastes and textures. A feast for the eyes with it’s arresting appearance, the velvety ice cream blends together wonderfully with the coconut ice shavings, and the oats provide a surprisingly agreeable crunch that tops this dessert off.

Also try the hashima with red dates and lotus seeds ($12). It slides down your throat with the fluidity of jelly, and the cored red dates demonstrate the conscientiousness of  Park Palace - they make sure that their diners can eat with convenience.

*This is an article i wrote for reserveit.sg (: Try out their online reservation service, and you can check out more articles there!

Park Palace 

Grand Park City Hall Hotel, Mezzanine Level

Tel.: +65 6432 5888

Mon-Sun: 11.30am-2.30pm

6.30pm-10.30pm

Forest

Nestled amidst lush greenery in a very exclusive section of Resorts World Sentosa, Forest looks ready to draw the crowds with its ground-breaking concept. Chef Sam Leong brings guests on a roller coaster experience with his Discovery menu – an 8-course or 10-course meal that surprises you with every dish contrasting the one preceding it. Be prepared for dishes that alternate between hot and cold temperatures, soft and crispy textures, and an array of intense flavours from spicy to savoury and sour. A 100% open-kitchen with unobstructed views of the chefs at work gives guests the chance to marvel at their skills.

We had the opportunity to try a number of signature dishes from the Discovery and ala carte menu. First up was an amuse bouche. Chilled cherry tomato with plum sherbert. With hints of sweet and sourness, the acidity of this appetizer was refreshing on the palate – a delicious beginning to an exciting meal ahead.

Immediately contrasting, the next dish was a wok-fried crispy duck pressed confit and yam served with mushroom sauce. Soft, slightly chunky yam paired with shreds of duck meat, this dish was a juxtaposition in itself.

We were completely taken in by the lovely presentation of Chef Sam Leong’s special recipe milky chicken broth. Served in a young coconut, the soup was chock full of ingredients – tender soft chicken, morel mushrooms, wild bamboo piths, fish maw and dried scallops. The broth was so flavourful that we slurped down every bit of it, and scraping out the coconut flesh to add on to the soup was a bonus that added a child-like enjoyment to savouring this bowl of soup for the soul.

The Chilean seabass was chargrilled to perfection. Smokey aromas enveloped the smooth plump juicy meat of this fresh fish, which was an absolute delight to eat. The sautéed spicy eggplant on the side added a fiery kick with the little red chilis sitting atop it.

The steamed scallop mousse in thai style, hot and sour consomme was a tangy, spicy dish that awakened our taste buds with every mouthful. Fluffy, with a texture possibly likened to softened fishballs, the simple taste of the scallops went beautifully with the consomme.

That previous dish whet our appetite for what came next - salt and pepper pork ribs which were uber crispy and crackly, covered with breadcrumbs rubbed with salt and pepper. the piquant tastes and aroma of spices wafting from the ribs made this dish a deliciously sinful one.

Another beautifully plated dish was the oven-baked yellow pumpkin pearl rice with XO sausages and pan-seared foie gras. The best thing about Forest is that the taste of the food never falls short of the expectations set by its presentation. Every grain of rice was plump, infused with a subtle flavour, and when mixed with the pumpkin, produced an orgasmic combination. Notably one of the most generous servings of foie gras, the best way to eat it is to allow the liver to sit on your tongue and let the juices roll over and simmer in your mouth to get the full effect before swallowing. Such is the superb quality of the food at Forest.

The Forest Delight was a platter comprising three mini desserts - crispy durian, chocolate banana ganache and lemongrass jello. recommend that you eat it in that exact order, so that you can mute the strong smell of the durian (regardless of whether you like it or not!) and end of on a fresh note. the chocolate banana ganache was rich, firm with a good bite, and the jello was refreshing with an interesting concoction of mint leaves, peach, blueberry and raspberry.

The staff were extremely hospitable, with small gestures that characterized what they described as 6-star service. Friendly, yet unobtrusive, they knew exactly when to entertain and when to leave guests to enjoy their meal. With such outstanding service, an exhilarating menu and gorgeous scenery, you will, without a doubt, have a wonderful experience dining at Forest.

*This is an article i wrote for reserveit.sg (: Try out their online reservation service, and you can check out more articles there!

Forest

Resorts World Sentosa (Equarius Hotel Lobby)

Tel.: +65 6577 7788

Lunch: 12.00pm - 2.30pm

Dinner: 6.00pm - 10.30pm (Last order 10.15pm)

Asia Grand Restaurant

i've been hearing raves about their dim sum for the longest time! it was pretty good :) but somehow, perhaps due to heightened expectations, i wasnt as impressed as i probably should have been. here are some of the dishes which i felt were pretty interesting :)

the pan fried cheong fun with XO chili sauce ($7) had a hint of the XO flavour that wasnt too overwhelming, and when we piled on the hae bee condiments, it was c'est manifique!

delicious char siew sous ($4.20 for three)! the pastry was flaky, slightly sweet, and the filling moist and delicious :D

surprising tasty was the lean meat porridge with preserved egg ($8). it was the fried you tiao that came with it that completely stole the show. it was beautifully fried to a crisp, without the oily greasiness, and added a lovely crunch to the porridge.

the fried spring roll with fish roe and wasabi ($4.80) is probably something you'll never find in other dim sum restaurants! quite an interesting dish, and of course i LOVED the sparkly flavour of the wasabi within :D it wasnt the overwhelming shoot-up-your-nose kind, but it added a different dimension to this dish.

the baked custard bun ($4.20) totally looked like a bo lo bun!!! haha. so cute right! i always like the pastry-like crust on top. and the savoury-sweet filling was delicious! although i would have preferred it to be oozier and a bit more viscous and abundant. haha i felt it was a little lacking in terms of quantity and texture. but i loved the taste anyways!

Asia Grand Restaurant

331 North Bridge Road

Odeon Towers #01-05/08

Tel.: +65 6887 0010

Mon–Sat 11.30am – 2.30pm

6.30pm – 10.30pm

Sun & PH 10am – 2.30pm

6pm – 10.30pm