Archive for the ‘*Si Chuan Dou Hua’ Category
Begin the Year on a Bountiful Note with Si Chuan Dou Hua this Chinese New Year!
- Tasting Invite –
Si Chuan Dou Hua is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Singapore and I’m always very happy to be back to sample the chefs’ new creations every now and then. A few weeks ago, I was invited to Si Chuan Dou Hua’s Lunar New Year Dinner, which took place at the top of UOB Plaza, on the 60th floor.
Before we started the Lo Hei proper, we were introduced to the emerald green pea strips which are specially created to herald the Year of the Snake, in addition to the salmon.
Topped with crispy fried fish skin, the Prosperity Salmon Yusheng with Emerald Green Pea Strips ($88-4 to 6 persons, $108-8 to 10 persons) is a multitude of flavors and textures! The husband and I really enjoyed the emerald green pea strips that had an interesting jelly-like chewy texture.
The Six Delicacies Combination featured a variety of appetizers, namely the Spicy Pork Belly, Spicy Cucumber, Black Fungus, Sesame Chicken, Seasoned Jellyfish, Prawn Salad. Naturally, my favorites were all the spicy ones, especially the spicy pork belly which had an extra fiery kick.
Prosper in health with a wholesome version of this season’s traditional pen cai offerings. The Scarlet Fortune Pen Cai ($438 for 4-6 persons, $588 for 8-10 persons) is the traditional Cantonese pen cai reinvented with the drizzling of a light capsicum sauce over a bubbling pot that had been lavishly filled to the brim with delicacies such as abalone, sea cucumber, dried oysters, prawns, and many more.
The pen cai was also given a finishing touch with shimmering gold flakes for that extra wow factor.
The flavor of the broth was really sweet and robust, which is not surprising given the chock-full of ingredients in it, and was highly addictive. Nobody stops at just one helping! My favorite ingredients were the abalone and sea cucumber. Hehe.
Some of the other ingredients found in the pen cai.
The Stir-Fried French bean with Prawn in Garlic and Chilli, which was spicy and piquant, was pleasing to the taste buds.
As much as I would like to restrict my carbo intake especially during dinner time, the Fried Glutinous and White Rice with Waxed Meat was impossible to resist. The wholesome and flavorful rice grains, coupled with the sweet waxed meat, made this seemingly humble-looking dish a very delicious one.
We ended our dinner with Nian Gao which came in an assortment of flavors – Traditional, Red Bean Cake with Red Date, Water Chestnut Cake with Sugarcane and Osmanthus Cake. Definitely beats something overly sweet and nian gao represents good luck as it simply means ‘higher year’. A ‘Four Seasons’ Harmony Box ($28.80) with all 4 types of nian gao (each one is about the size of a large mooncake) is available for takeaway.
Si Chuan Dou Hua’s Chinese New Year promotional set menus start from $688 and are available from now till 24 February 2013. All guests who select set menus of $688 and above will receive a complimentary bottle of house red wine. The restaurant will be open throughout the 15 days of CNY and UOB cardholders get to enjoy 20% savings off its a la carte and set menus on the first three days (10 to 12 Feb).
Thank you Joyce, Pamela and Martina for hosting us.
Si Chuan Dou Hua
Top of UOB Plaza
80 Raffles Place
#60-01
UOB Plaza 1
Singapore 048624
Tel: 6535 6006
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: 6505 5722
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533
Tel: 6428 3170
Si Chuan Dou Hua: 50 Items Dim Sum Buffet at $25++ only!
Traipse down memory lane with 50 dim sum items from now till 31 August 2012 as Si Chuan Dou Hua celebrates its 1st anniversary at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road with a Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast (那些年，我们吃过的点心). Priced at $25++ per person, minimum 4 to dine, this is an extremely sweet deal!
The promotional menu offers a wide selection of 50 items, a mouth-watering repertoire of dim sum items, conceptualized by Master Dim Sum Chef Wen Xin Wen, that will trigger memories of the olden days. On top of that, look out for his new and creative dim sum dishes with a modern twist.
I hereby emphasize that there is a requirement of minimum 4 to dine. Grab as many friends and relatives as possible so that everyone can share and enjoy all 50 dim sum items!
Before the official dim sum feasting began, we were treated to four very appetizing dishes such as the Soya Chicken which are available only at a single serving at the buffet. Delicious soya sauce drizzled over tender slices of chicken!
My favorite has got to be the Crispy Roasted Pork. Tender meat with a crisp layer of crackling skin!
The Honey Glazed Char Siew wasn’t too bad as well. In fact, it was pretty addictive!
Cannot do without spicy food? The Seaweed with Shredded Carrot and Radish in Chilli Oil will keep you contented. This dish had a nice crunchy and rubbery texture.
I didn’t like char siew pau when I was a kid but I grew to like them as I got older. Here, we have Char Siew Bun with Preserved Vegetables.
I really couldn’t resist those soft fluffy buns and the sweet taste of char siew.
Of all the dim sum items that we had, I really enjoyed eating the Pork Belly Roll with Taro and Chinese Mushroom because it simply melts in the mouth!
Siew Mai with Quail Egg
Chicken, Chinese Mushroom, Dried Fish Maw and Duck Web wrapped with Chinese Marrow in Black Bean Sauce
A bit like eating Teochew soon kueh, the Hakka Dumplings with Turnip were generously stuffed with bits of turnip and gave a good crunch with every bite.
Rice Flour Roll with Spare Rib in Yellow and Black Bean Paste
Chicken Feet with Bitter Gourd
Resembling fried wontons from afar, these Crispy Glutinous Minced Meat with Shrimp Dumplings were served with a bowl of clear broth.
Dipping the shrimp dumpling into the stock helps to moisten the deep-fried batter a little, while still maintaining its crunchiness. I can’t decide whether I liked the dumplings with or without the stock. Try both and let me know what you think!
Beef Brisket Noodle Soup
Yes I know that this is a dim sum buffet, but there’s no harm in trying some yummy Casserole Rice! There are three types to choose from – Sliced Pork with Salted Fish, Spare Rib with Preserved Vegetable, and Chicken with Mushroom & Chinese Sausage. Absolutely yummy beyond words!
Pan-Fried Carrot Cake
Stir Fried Roasted Pork with Bean Sprout
Crispy Taro Ball with Minced Chicken and Mushroom
After sampling most of the savory dim sum items, it was time for the sweet ones! I’m a fan of fried sweet potato balls and the Deep-Fried Peanut Cake in Teochew Style came as a real treat for me!
Interestingly, the Honeycomb Cake topped with Chrysanthemum tasted like some kind of Malay kueh. It was fragrant, chewy in texture and not too sweet. I really liked this!
The Glutinous Rice Balls in Brown Sugar Syrup (Tong Bat Lat) resembled Japanese mochi and were very chewy!
Seriously, my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight of the Giant Deep-fried Sesame Ball! We heard that these are not easy to make. Think sesame balls without any filling in it. An advice: Stop ogling and just eat them while hot.
The Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast is only available during lunch time daily, till 31 August. Yes that includes weekends too! Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to sample all of Chef Wen’s exquisite creations!
One dines free with every 3 paying adults for UOB credit/debit cardmembers.
Thank you Joyce & Pamela from Si Chuan Dou Hua for the invitation and for hosting us during the session!
Si Chuan Dou Hua
181 Kitchener Road
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
Singapore 206533
Tel : 6428 3170
Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast
Daily
11.30am – 2.30pm
Adult: $25++
Child: $16.80++
Minimum 4 to dine, till 31st August 2012
Si Chuan Dou Hua: Vegetarian Discovery Feast till 30 June 2012
First established in 1996, Si Chuan Dou Hua is the pioneer of authentic Sichuan cuisine in Singapore which features traditional specialities ranging from mild soups and vegetarian dishes to fiery deep-fries and savoury dessert. Its extensive menu also includes the widely popular and authentic Cantonese cuisine and exquisite handmade dim sum dishes.
After the success of its first outlet, a second was opened at UOB Plaza 1 in 2002 making this the highest Chinese restaurant in Singapore, followed by a third at PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur in 2003 and a fourth in Tokyo in 2007. Its latest outlet was unveiled at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road in June 2011.
Tian Fu Tea Room, by Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, boasts the first Chinese tea room concept within a restaurant in Singapore, carrying a wide selection of over 25 types of premium Chinese tea ranging from the ubiquitous green and red tea to more exotic variations of yellow, white and flower tea.
Guests can savour the art of tea appreciation with the guidance of knowledgeable Tea Connoisseurs or spend a leisurely afternoon relishing the delicate aromas from the finest teas. A perfect complement to Si Chuan Dou Hua, the elegant tea room is the most ideal prelude to a delectable meal or a sweet culmination of a memorable dining experience.
Stylish private rooms and spacious VIP suites that can hold up to 22 guests are also available for the discerning clientele and their private functions.
Available for a limited period every year, the Vegetarian Discovery Feast makes an anticipated return to Si Chuan Dou Hua from now till 30 June 2012. Combining their wealth of experience, Executive Chefs Zeng Feng, Leung Wing Chung and Consultant Peter Tsang (pictured above) have once again put their heads together to push the culinary envelope in carving a healthy gourmet experience that does not compromise on delectability. The result is a comprehensive array of flavorful vegetarian dishes that employ fresh and nutritious greens instead of deep-fried flour batter.
Dining at Si Chuan Dou Hua is also complemented with a skilled Tea Master display, in which hot tea is poured through a long-spout kettle into your teacup.
We started off the Vegetarian Discovery Feast with the Vegetarian Combination Platter which features four different dishes. At first glance, the Bean Curd Skin with Sichuan Hot and Sour Sauce kind of resembles pork intestines, given its bunched up form. Its soft and slightly rubbery texture, coupled with spicy sichuan sauce makes it a very palatable starter.
Some might find the Braised Bean Curd with Vegetable an acquired taste but I quite liked the contrast of soft beancurd and crunchy vegetables in this one.
Out of the four dishes in the Vegetarian Combination Platter, my favorite was the Vegetarian Ham Roll which was wrapped around a slice of cucumber and drizzled in salad dressing. I guess it’s because it has the same concept as the suckling pig roll and peking duck roll!
I’m not a fan of gingko nuts but since research has shown that there are a wide range of health benefits including boosting one’s memory, I eat them once in a while. The Spicy Gingko Nut with Mock Chicken was soft in texture and has a nutty, bittersweet taste.
I personally find that vegetarian cuisine encompasses flavors that are light and easy on the palate and this Double-boiled Carrot Soup with Bamboo Pith & Mushroom is a perfect example by being subtle yet refreshing.
Both misterchewy and I are potato loving people and this Mashed Potato with Preserved Vegetable has a very creamy texture and tasted simply heavenly! It was paired with crunchy corn bits and preserved vegetable which seemed like dried seaweed to us. Secretly wished we could have more of this!
Golden Marrow with Salted Egg & Vegetarian Sliced Beijing Duck Roll
Straight out of the pan, the Fragrant Vegetarian Fried Brown Rice smelled really tantalizing. On the overall, the fried rice wasn’t sticky nor dry. In fact, it was moist with the rice grains separate and distinct. I never knew brown rice could be this tasty!
For dessert, we had the Homemade Green Pea Soup with Orange Skin which was quite light on the palate. The faint yet noticeable hint of orange skin made this rather refreshing.
The Vegetarian Discovery Feast is available for lunch and dinner in a la carte menus starting from $48 per person from now till 30 June 2012 at PARKROYAL on Beachroad, Kitchener Road and TOP of UOB Plaza. DBS/POSB card members can either enjoy 20& off a la carte menu or one dines free with every 3 paying adults for set menus or 20% off set menus for groups of 3 or less.
Thank you Joyce and Pamela from Si Chuan Dou Hua for the invitation and for hosting us during the dinner!
Si Chuan Dou Hua
Top of UOB Plaza
80 Raffles Place
#60-01
UOB Plaza 1
Singapore 048624
Tel: 6535 6006
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: 6505 5722
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533
Tel: 6428 3170
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