feizhu's Reviews
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Taking over the space vacated by a chicken rice stall just next to Sushi Tei, Diandin boasts two levels of seating in a brightly lighted comfortable looking interior with heavy wooden chairs and tables. Nice place for casual family dinners or gatherings.
Pork Beancurd Soup - I quite fancied this soup as it came across as light yet tasty from the addition of tong cai. There were balls of prawn paste peppered with bits of meat and steamed egg tofu in it. Very traditional Teochew styled soup.
Pandan Chicken -
This was one of the better pandan chickens that I've eaten as it wasn't too oily or cloyingly sweet. The meat was tender and fibrous and of quite a sizeable chunk.
Stir Fried Broccoli with Scallops - A very simple dish and decently executed one at that. The broccoli wasn't overcooked while the thin silvers of scallop didn't carry the fishy aftertaste. However, I thought that the gravy was a little too bland for my liking. But on the upside, at least it wasn't too starchy.
Pineapple Fried Rice - A most mundane rendition of this Thai favourite. There were lots of meat floss, a few slices of shrimp, dried sausages and raisins but lacked the pineapple twang as well as the fragrance. Decent but I've definitely had better.
Phad Thai - The phad thai was of the dryer variant which I personally prefer and the noodles had a nice springy texture. It didn't come across as overly sweet as well and you had a choice of drowning the noodles in grounded peanuts, which I did. Pity about the small portions.
Durian Glutinous Rice - This dessert looked different from others that I've eaten elsewhere. The rice was seperated from the durian (which was real durian meat, not puree) and looked a total mess. Aesthetics aside, the durian was sweet while the glutinous rice wasn't overwhelmed by coconut milk. I did think that the rice was a little undercooked though because it came across as a little hard.
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The place is easy to miss, occupying just 2 units along Macpherson Road, where parking is a nightmare. The restaurant itself isn't big, probably squeezing in 50 pax or so and everything is kept no frills, from the tables and chairs to the ornaments that decorate the walls.
Shark's Fin Soup - If you are a fan of adding vinegar with your shark's fin soup, the staff at Wo Peng will advise you not to because according to them, the soup is naturally flavoured by herbs and don't require any addition of vinegar. I must conceed that they are absolutely right. The soup had cordyceps, ginseng and other unidentifiable (by me) herbs that made it light yet tasty with a mild herbal connotation. The fins weren't exactly of superior quality but acceptable nonetheless.
Smoked Duck - I simply love this dish. It has got to be one of the best duck dishes I've eaten since the start of 2009. The skin was crisp while the meat was smoked to a reddish hue and came across as very smooth and tender. There wasn't an overly generous salt content as well and tasted a little like ham. Nice!
Stir Fried Red Garoupa with Sweet Pea - This dish was rather normal though the fish was rather fresh and served up with dried mustard greens (梅菜), which gave it a salty tinge. I did like the sweet peas though, which were sweet (duh!), crunchy and not overly cooked.
Steamed Garoupa - This was actually a continuation of the the first fish dish, where the fish head was chopped up and steamed with pork slices, black fungus and red dates. Personally I preferred to the former as the whole dish was actually more savoury. But being only fish head, the meat was limited.
Peng Cai - This dish is usually sold and eaten only during the Chinese New Year period. But here at Wo Peng, its available throughout the year but only with an advance order of course. There were the usual suspects - dried oyster, prawns, mushrooms, broccoli, goose web, scallops, dried abalone, sea cucumber and surprisingly, radish, which is said to be found only in authentic HK peng cais. Although I am no fan of peng cai, I thought that this one was quite well done as the whole thing was stewed long enough for the flavours to permeate through to the various ingredients. And may I add that portions were huge for 5 people. 6-7 would have been a more manageable number.
Fried Noodles - The noodles were a thicker variant of mee suah and came across as soft but not too soggy. It was tasty and came loaded with lots of seafood but it got really nauseating after a while and I gave up after my 2nd bowl. This is the first time I'm feeling so overwhelmed by the amount of seafood thus far.
Roast Chicken - Finally a white meat dish and I thought that it was actually quite good. The meat was tender while retaining its flavours and moisture. The skin was a nice homogeneous golden brown but a pity it wasn't crisp.
Hasma - Also known as the poor men's bird nest, the Hasma came with dried longans and dates and tasted like hot cheng ting. To be honest, I am absolutely terrified of this dessert as it is made from dried fallopian tubes of frogs and somehow, ingesting an organ that plays a pivotal role in reproduction doesn't exactly settle well with me.
A satisfying, if not button bursting dinner cost the 5 of us to the tune of $350, which works out to be roughly $70 a head. Reasonable if you ask me, especially for the quality and quantity of food. Moreover, ingredients like shark's fin, abalone, sea cucumber etc don't come cheap. Service was great and even more commendable in the absence of any service charge.
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Aptly located at 53 Armenian Street, the restaurant is situated in a double story shophouse with the private dining room and kitchen located on the first level and the main dining hall and wine cellar on the second. The place is tiny and sparsely furnished with simple tables and chairs and the main dining area can probably only accommodate about 5 tables for a total capacity of 20. Hence reservations are of utmost importance. Try making them at least 2 weeks in advance.
I thought that the sky juice (no still or sparkling nonsense) deserved a mention because the serving jug has a piece of charcoal in it, which is said to remove the harmful particles in water and allow good minerals that are essential to the body to pass through. Reminds me of charcoal tablets.
Potato Crisps - A most interesting appetiser, the potato crisps were served on a charcoal holding stand and dusted with vinegar. The crisps were, well, crisp and not too dry with a light sourish hint of vinegar. Great way to start off.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary buckwheat (from Manitoba, Canada) bread came served in a sack that promised to keep the bread warm for 20 minutes. The secret lies at the bottom of the sack, which contains pebbles that are heated before the bread is served and dissipates heat to keep the bread warm. Ingenious! The bread looked like a muffin but outside was hard while inside was rather spongy. Served alongside was a dish of buttermilk butter that was sprinkled with buckwheat. Very nice!
Air Cured Wagyu and Hibiscus, Beetroot and Apple - I thought the pairing of cured wagyu and beetroot was rather interesting, if outlandish. 53 proved me wrong though. The wagyu had a nice salty tinge to it while the beetroot gave it a mild sweetness. Nice subtle contrast. The beetroot sorbet added an almost surreal chilling dimension to the dish. Mind boggling!
Scallop and Buckwheat, Chicken "Oysters" ( $10) - I'm guessing the chicken pieces look like oyster hence the name? And they were probably the best chicken pieces I've eaten in a long long time. They were extremely tender and tasty but the less then generous portions kept my cravings in check. The scallops were seared to perfection with the right texture and came across as very flavourful as well.
Beef Cheeks and Onion, Pearl Barley and Watercress - This dish was a little of a let down. I couldn't quite make out any inherent beefy taste and the beef cheek was all shredded and almost pulp like. It was just salty with a little sweetness, probably from the barley. A nausea inducing dish.
Barramundi, Blackberries and Green Beans - The fish was freshly sweet with the skin nicely crisp but a tad salty. I am guessing the extra salt is useful and delightful in contrasting the sweetness from the blackberry and pear jam thats smeared alongside. And the whole dish was topped with a slice of amazingly thin Ciabatta that rendered me speechless.
Szechuan Peppercorn Ice Cream, Roasted Figs and Olive Puree -
I've never been a fan of figs but this one was surprisingly acceptable to me (I only managed to finish 1 slice though). What was interesting was the ice cream, which came across as very "perfumy" so to speak with a mild numbing sensation from the szechuan peppercorn. The little black speckles atop were actually olive sprinkles that gave it a light savoury taste. Very interesting combination.
Chocolate Caramel, Enoki and Raspberries - Another interesting piece of dessert. The chocolate caramel was gooey and came with enoki mushrooms which surprisingly accentuated the taste of the caramel. Dried raspberry cubes by the side complemented the dash of peanut butter very well and was almost reminiscent of the peanuts in a peanut butter spread. And to top everything off, there was the raspberry sorbet for a sourish and chilled finish.
Apple Risotto and Rosemary - Tiny cubes of apple cooked the risotto way, with constant adding of apple juice - that's how this dessert was made. I thought that it was nice and mildly sweet with a subtle lingering taste of ginger. The risotto texture was crunchy and the rosemary foam was light as air and hinted of rosemary. Interesting to say the least.
Petit Fours - The perfect Gin and Tonic sweet is what 53 calls its petit fours and rightly so. How the sweet works is this. You place it on your tongue and let it slowly dissolve to release the gin tonic taste. When you decide that its too strong for you, just wash it away with water. Quite a novelty I must say.
It was without a doubt, a most excellent lunch that definitely warrants revisits, especially for dinner. But prices are steep, with lunch costing the 2 of us just over $140 and that's with 2 pots of complimentary tea that would have gone for $12 a pot from the menu. Quality of food is top notch and so is service. And there is an air of exclusivity around it as tables are limited.
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Located at the upmarket Capella Hotel at Sentosa (where rooms start at $650/night), Cassia sits on the 3rd story of this stunning colonial style hotel complete with a sprawling driveway. The restaurant in itself is another work of art, with its lime stone lined entrance and intricately cut black lamp shades that provide a nice warm glow to the place. Seats are comfortable with plush cushions and the cutlery reads Narumi and Christofle - really expensive stuff.
Amuse Bouche - Served chilled, the amuse bouche of dragonfruit, pork belly and mango was quite a novel way to start off. The pork was surprisingly firm with a mild hint of barbecue sauce but the fruits didn't quite feature in the overall taste.
Steamed Milk Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk - The custard bun didn't come in the customary bun shape but in a oblong dumpling shape. It was evidently hand made from the nips in the skin. The custard filling was smooth with traces of egg yolk sediment but reminded me uncomfortably of kaya(coconut jam). There was an overload of flour as well.
Deep Fried Spring Roll with Prawn, Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese - I thought this dish was quite decent, with the spring rolls crisp without coming across as too oily. The prawns were crunchy but I couldn't quite make out the taste of cheese though. Nice as a finger food.
Pan Fried Bean Curd Skin Rolls with Chicken and French Foie Gras - Foie gras is the key here but sadly, I couldn't quite make out any in the rolls. The beancurd skin was limp and not the least bit crisp but at least the prawns were evident and crunchy. Now where's my foie gras?
Wok Fried Carrot Cake with Crisp Garlic in Pi Fong Tang Style - Honestly, I have no idea what constitutes Pi Fong Tang Style but I do know this. The carrot cake was too soft and mashy. And honestly, it could really do with a little more flavour. On the upside, it wasn't excessively oily and deep fried garlic is always nice, albeit irritating as it tends to stick to your teeth when chewing.
Steamed Barbecued US Berkshire Pork Buns - I must admit that I enjoyed the pork buns aka char siew bao. The char siew filling wasn't cloyingly sweet and the meat pieces were plump and juicy. The skin was soft and moist too, just that there was a little too much flour.
Crispy Prawn Dumplings with Wasabi Mayo - Comfort food to say the very least, the crispy prawn dumplings weren't out of the ordinary but competent enough to warrant a decent grade. The wanton skin was crackling crispy and the prawn huge and sweet. It was served on a cucumber spread with a thick layer of wasabi mayo that didn't threaten to overwhelm.
Steamed Crystal Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoot and Celery - The quintessential dim sum dish - har gao. The skin was thin and slightly elastic while the whole prawn was fresh and crunchy. The addition of bamboo shoots and celery gave it an extra crunch but thats about it.
Deep Fried Thai Papaya Puff - This is actually quite interesting stuff and I must admit that its the first time I'm having something like that. The pastry was flaky and inside was mashed papaya that came across as mildly sweet. Would probably be more suitable as a dessert in my humble opinion.
Pan Fried Australian Minced Wagyu Beef Bun with Truffle and Water Chestnut - I have mentioned this countless times and I shall say this again. Mincing wagyu beef is a blatant and shameful waste of good beef. And this was no exception. The bun was speckled with sesame seeds and then pan fried till the seeds turned golden brown. There was no inherent beefy taste and in its place, a strong taste of spring onion. The water chestnut gave it a nice crunchy texture though. In case you are questioning where the truffle went to, I have that same question in mind.
Steamed Sui Mai Dumplings, topped with Norwegian Salmon Roe - The filling in the siew mai was probably part pork, part prawn paste, hence the noticeable absence of the porky taste. However, the salmon roe proved to be a little too fishy for me and this dish in general. I wonder if the roe could have been better utilised?
Baked Farm Egg Tart - I thought that the egg tarts were quite decent, albeit rather smallish in size. The crust wasn't too flaky and had a oat aftertaste (oat flour?) while the custard was quivery and not too sweet. Nice, but not that nice.
An uninspiring and partially filling dim sum session set the 3 of us back by about $72, which isn't alot of money. Food hovers around average to slightly above average but with the quality and quantity, I'll be hard pressed to find a reason to return. Maybe only for the ambience and exclusivity? And even if I do, I'll probably just stick to the dim sum. I mean, with prices like $12/pax for tea or $5/bowl of rice, one would be either have to be obnoxiously rich or simply deranged to actually do dinner.
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Wedged right at the end of the upmarket Rochester Park, Eden shares the compound with Body with Soul, a health care centre that offers physiotherapy treatment, nutrition advice and the likes. So in a certain sense, both outfits complement each other. Eden comprises mostly al fresco seating with probably about 3 -4 tables indoor. The entire place exudes laid back comfort amidst the shadow of the HDB flat towering behind, a small oasis next to the urban jungle.
Creamless Mushroom Soup - This has got to be the healthiest mushroom soup that I've ever drank. Its essentially 4 types of mushroom and chicken stock blended together and served with 2 small strips of wholemeal bread. Not that it tasted bad. In fact, I found it very satisfying with chunks of mushroom and the pure unadulterated mushroom taste sans the creaminess.
Pear Rocket Salad - The salad was huge and could have passed off as a main for a relatively moderate eater. Its a simple salad with slices of pear, orange, arugula, feta cheese and drizzled with a calamansi, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and honey concoction. The sauce was noticeably light and all in all the salad was a good way to start off.
Ginger Leek Peanut Butter Fish - To be honest, the fish didn't look the least bit appetising. However, it was actually quite good even though I really hate ginger to the core. At least the ginger wasn't too prominent in the peanut butter sauce. Whats interesting is that the sauce is coated onto the butter fish and baked, leaving a semi solid paste that hinted of ginger and peanut butter.
Tarragon Garlic Chicken - Tarragon is actually a relative of the sunflower family and carries a somewhat bitter anise flavour to it. This was not very evident in the chicken and I couldn't quite make out any garlic as well. But to give credit where its due, the chicken was deboned thigh meat that came across as very tender and juicy. Great execution but probably a little too light for my preference.
Tofu Cheesecake - The sour cream in this cheesecake is replaced by tofu, which gives it an interesting tofu taste and ups the health factor. Throw in a base made solely from digestive biscuits and you have a light yet tasty cheesecake that wouldn't pose too much of a problem to your health.
Chocolate Banana Oreo Cheesecake - As sinful as this dessert sounds, its actually not that rich. On the contrary, it was rather light on the palate even with the bananas and chocolate. You get the nice soft texture of banana coupled with a mild chocolaty sweetness amidst layers of foamy light cheesecake. Very good!
With a 10% discount, the bill came up to almost $109 for a soup, a salad, 2 mains and 3 desserts, which is a little on the high side but take away the cost of the teas and the price drops to a more manageable $90. Food quality is decent and I can forsee future visits when my health conscious side appeals to me.
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