Wah Kee Prawn Noodles at Esplanade

Love the Pek Kio Wah Kee Prawn Noodles but don't want to queue or sweat while digging in? Then you must head over to their restaurant at Esplanade! We feel that the $1 increase in prices here is worth it for the extra comfort and prevention of any hangriness. 

Go straight for their giant prawns noodles. The ones we had were the $20 bowls and featured 3 prawns that were as big as the size of my hand (my hands are small but they aren't tiny). We recommend having the specially made mee kia that is springy and picks up the sambal chili sauce so damn well. The sauces are made in-house daily and we enjoyed the fragrant sambal which isn't too spicy. For more kick, spoon some of the special spicy sauce with a tart lime base. 

Here are the big ass prawns that we had. The extra large ones are even bigger (sounds like mini lobsters). For the large or extra large prawn bowls, they are priced the Pek Kio stall. The meat has a decent texture  (not too tough) but they can be sweeter.

Broth wise, Wah Kee does a pure seafood broth with hints of garlic in it. This resulted in a sweeter flavor to the dish. I prefer something more savory but this would be a good option for those who don't take pork. 

Another dish to order is the Clams Soup ($22) which has a sweet shellfish flavor. Careful of that chili padi though, you really don't want to choke on this one. Other seafood dishes exclusive to this outlet include Boston lobster, fresh oysters from France and US, scallops, crabs, which can be prepared steamed or grilled.

I didn't see the hype when I first tasted Wah Kee Prawn Noodles years back but I guess that's because I had picked the wrong noodles. It's still a little too sweet for me but I wouldn't mind eating this when my favorite prawn mee stall is closed. 

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles

8 Raffles Avenue Singapore
#01-13C Esplanade Mall

Daily: 11am - 2.30pm

Sun - Thu: 5 - 10.30pm

Fri, Sat & PH: 5 - 11.30 

Silk Road Restaurant Amara Hotel Singapore

Singapore Chinese are different from China Chinese (please get that right) and our cuisine cannot be more distinct. That said, i think that Singaporean Chinese are most familiar with the Cantonese  and Teochew style of cooking. We hardly know much about provincial cuisine other than Beijing Roast Duck and Sichuan Ma La Hotpot. Well, Silk Road Restaurant at Amara Hotel Singapore endeavors to educate you a little through their fare from Sichuan, Shaanxi, Liaoning and Beijing.

Look at this pot of gold!!

Start your meal with something hot and comforting. Silk Road's Double-boiled Chicken Soup with ginseng and gastrodia root has extracted the essence of the chicken after having boiled it for over 6 hours with herbs used in sichuan cuisine. Umami yes, but a tad on the oily side though the flavors are quite nicely balanced and not too herby. 

If the regular yusheng tastes too light for you, the Eight Treasures Yu Sheng will knock you out with its intense flavor. The toppings may seem more Japanese but the flavor is punchy, pungent Sichuan with their potent blend of spicy garlic sauce.

Hattendo Cream Puffs

HATTENDO’s signature cream buns have landed in Singapore! Originating from Hiroshima, these lovely buns of happiness are perfected to be produced in Singapore, and trust me, the chilled cream buns at HATTENDO Café will send you to tendo (heaven).

Five amazing flavours—Custard, Whipped Cream, Matcha, Azuki Beans, and Chocolate ($2.50/pc) —are available. I would nudge you to get a box of the five flavours ($12.50) if you have yet to try these heavenly buns. The soft buttery buns are so fluffy that you will find yourself trying not to leave an indent in the bun while taking the perfect picture for Instagram. Yes, it is that soft. The silky creams are not overtly sweet but delicate to the tastebuds. It sure feels like having a milky cloud of matcha/azuki/chocolate/custard/whipped cream in the mouth. 

My favourite cream buns are Whipped Cream and Matcha (I’m greedy). You will love the Whipped Cream cream bun if you adore Japanese Strawberry Shortcake—the Whipped Cream is so light yet rich and I do not regret having the entire bun. Fans of matcha will adore Matcha cream bun with its intense matcha flavours. ‘Coz how can you resist any matcha sweets originating from Japan?  

Psst. Don’t worry about the calories. Ranging between 225 kcal (for Custard) and 250.2 kcal (for Chocolate), these buns have surprisingly fewer calories than I imagined! I can definitely have a cream bun for breakfast with a lovely brew, which is an original blend created by Itsuki Coffee for HATTENDO Café. And perhaps for lunch and dinner too.

For the record, there are also protein options (salmon and chicken), soup, mason jar salads and croutons (made from the special recipe used for the cream buns) available if you need your savouries. 

I insist on having these cream buns of happiness.

Hattendo Café

7 Wallich Street Tanjong Pagar Centre #01-05 Singapore 078884

Weekdays: 10am-9pm 

Weekends: 11am-8pm 

Yan Ting Chinese New Year 2017

Yan Ting is on top of the game this 2017 with their line up of impeccable dishes in Chinese New Year set menus. In fact, it's one of my top 3 dining recommendations to usher in the festivities (go figure the rest)! 

Yan Ting's Prosperity Yu Sheng with Norwegian Salmon also tops my yu sheng list. Restaurants really ought to stick with the traditional Chinese salad instead of creating strange sauces or throwing on a ton of gold flakes (it's not like it makes the dish tastier). 

Yan Ting's version is refreshing with juicy crunchy vegetables and it's also not too sweet. Plus, they have the best crackers hands down! We all know how important that is, if not the defining element of any yu sheng. 

The Chinese New Year Pun Choy was better than I remembered. The diversity of quality ingredients makes this a perfect meal in itself. We love that braising sauce that has been well absorbed by the ingredients. Bring us a pot of rice with this please! Special mention goes to the abalone and Chinese mushrooms which cut like butter. The only issue I had was with the duck that was a tad gamey.

If pun choy is too much for you, consider the Braised Boneless Short Ribs instead. I get how the radish could be infused with the superior sauce but i have no idea how they manage to get that flavor into the soft gelatinous cartilage. 

Normally I wouldn't approve of deep frying fresh dish but god.. Yan Ting's Deep-fried Sea Perch Fillet with Fermented Beancurd was glorious! That crispy airy crunch with fatty meat encased within, and the coat of wine-flavored sauce were irresistible. Don't be put off by the fermented bean curd, we didn't detect any funkiness in this one. A third pot of rice with the sauce please!