Yan Kee Noodle House at BK Eating House

I have heard about a noodle stall in a coffeeshop at Circular road which specialises in Dry Mee Sua. This is unique to me as Fishball Noodles and Bak Chor Mee (mee pok or mee kia) nearly always take the limelight in any noodle stall, not mee sua.

The stall is called Yan Kee Noodle House at BK Eating House located at the junction of South Bridge Road and Circular Road. Another factor which makes it so unique is that the stall is open 24 hours and is only closed on Sundays.

When I visited on a weekday noon, the eating house was surprisingly empty. There were only a handful customers. There was also no queue at Yan Kee Noodle House.

Needless to say, I ordered their Speciality Dry Mee Sua, made payment and waited for the food to be served to my table.

Speciality Dry Mee Sua $3.50

The Speciality Dry Mee Sua cost $3.50.

Speciality Dry Mee Sua $3.50

Speciality Dry Mee Sua $3.50

The Speciality Dry Mee Sua was served with fishballs, meatballs, minced meat, lean meat, a whole mushroom, ikan bilis and pork lard. What stood out was that the mee sua which was amazingly springy, not soggy. In addition, each strand of mee sua when well mixed was well coated with the chilli and vingear sauce which is bounded to entice your taste buds. The two handmade fishballs, bigger than what you get else where also deserved a mention. They were bouncy and firm with no fishy taste. The smaller things to note which made this such a wonderful dish was the crunchy ikan bilis and pork lard which gave an additional dimension to the texture and oomph of the dish.

For just $3.50, they were so generous with the ingredients. Value for money and yummy! 

Yan Kee Noodle House at BK Eating House 
BK Eating House
21 South Bridge Rd (Junction of South Bridge Rd & Circular Rd)
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 24 hrs
                         Closed on Sun

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Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant (Jalan Besar)

Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant in operation for more than 50 years is a well-known dim sum restaurant which is extremely popular among Singaporeans and tourist. It has been featured on many newspapers, magazines as well as food shows. Unlike most other dim sum restaurants, Swee Choon's operating hours are from 6pm to 6am catering ensuring that Singaporeans have an extra option for supper and are well-fed throughout the night. Lucky for us, now we can all have dim sum even at midnight or in the wee hours of the morning! 

Swee Choon located at Jalan Besar opposite Berseh Food Centre is so popular that it occupy 5 units of shophouses along this stretch of road. It is in the between both Farrer Park and Lavendar MRT stations, a good 10 to 15 minutes walk away from either stations.

Occupying 5 units, Swee Choon offers both alfresco dining and air-conditioned (indoor) dining. In addition, it has a unit which cater only to walk-in customers who order takeaways. 

As we already knew that there would be a long queue if we arrived late, we made it a point to arrive at 630pm on a Friday for dinner. Luckily for us, we got the last available table at the indoor (air-conditioned) dining area. 

Menu

Menu

Menu

The menu with the prices. As you can see, Swee Choon offers a wide variety of Hong Kong and Shanghai dim sum, and local zi char dishes. 

Chrysantheum Tea $1.30 per pax

For drinks, we ordered their Chrysantheum Tea which cost $1.30 per pax. It was served in a metal pot and is refillable. They mixed the tea bags themselves. The Chrysantheum Tea was quite good as it was light, refreshing, fragrant and help to wash down the grease. 

Century Egg Porridge $2.50

The Century Egg Porridge $2.50 was served in a small bowl. It was decent, but not the best. There were chunks of century egg and chicken meat in it. 

Mee Suah Kueh $2

Swee Choon's signature Mee Suah Kueh $2; deep-fried vermicelli cake (mee sua) which can only be found at Swee Choon. Show this kueh to anyone and they would associate it with Swee Choon. Almost every table ordered this. I thought that this was unique and not bad. But  I will not rate it as a die die must try as the standard seemed to be inconsistent and it was a little too greasy. One of the kueh could have been fried a little longer. The texture was unique. Crisp, rough texture on the outside while the interior was moist. 

Fried Golden Doufu (Tofu) $3.50

This Fried Golden Doufu (Tofu) $3.50 was surprisingly good. Despite the simplicity, it was well executed. The tofu was fried till it was crispy on the outside. The addition of the pork floss at the top was the icing on the cake.

Carrot Cake $2

The Carrot Cake $2 was not bad too. There were a good mix of radish, dried shrimps and chinese sauages in it. It was also a little too greasy. 

Pan Fried Pork Dumpling $4

The Pan Fried Pork Dumpling $4 was pan fried till it was so crispy. In addition, they were so generous fillings. Dipping it into the vinegar along with slices of ginger made this just so delectable. 

Beancurd Prawn Roll $2.80

The Beancurd Prawn Roll $2.80 with minced meat and prawns in it was ordinary.

Steamed Pork Ribs $2.50

The Steamed Pork Ribs $2.50 was a let down. The part of the pork served was not pork rib and it was either too fatty or was all bones.

Overall, Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant is worth a try. There were hits and misses in the dishes we ordered. Service wise, despite the restaurant being full, the staff were efficient. It was easy getting the attention of the staff. Do note that this restaurant only accepts cash or nets. They do not accept credit card. Also, they do not take any reservation. 

As we left Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant at close to 8pm, we saw a queue! It was very thoughtful of the restaurant owner to provide chairs outside. If you are planning to visit this restaurant during dinner time, do remember to come early. 

Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant (Jalan Besar)
183/ 185/ 187/ 189/ 191 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208882
Tel: 62257788
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 6 pm - 6 am 
                          Close on Tuesday
Website

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Yixing Xuan Teahouse 怡心軒 (Tanjong Pagar) 2nd Post

Yixing Xuan Teahouse 怡心軒  located along Tanjong Pagar Road, is just a few units away from 2D1N Soju Bang. It is essentially a teahouse that specialises in conducting tea appreciation and tea tasting classes. In addition, they serve chinese cuisines and dim sum too. 

Yet again, we were surprised that we were the only one! Not a single customer except for the two of us. 

This time, we noticed the decorations on the ceiling. Quite nice and fits the oriental theme of this eatery. 

Menu Cover

As you may recall, we were quite please with the foodie experience during our first visit. This time, we decided to try different dishes while still sticking to ordering Carrot Cake again.

Carrot Cake $3

The Carrot Cakes was steamed before serving. Most probably to make it hot, as it would be quite impossible for them to make from scratch only upon customers' orders. The Carrot Cakes were not oily or salty. They were topped with lots of spring onions and scallions that enhanced the taste further. $3 for only 3 pieces, this was so value for money. 

Steamed Chicken Rice $5

The Steamed Chicken Rice would be sufficient for one person. Marinated chicken, sausages and mushroom were added on top of the rice and steamed. It was also drizzled with chicken sauce. It was an average dish with nothing great in particular. 

Mee Sua $6

The Mee Sua on the other hand was well executed. The taste of the different ingredients were extracted out into the Mee Sua. And the vegetables provided a different texture to this dish. Delicious! Thumbs up! 

Soup of the Day $5

The Soup of the Day was Watercress Soup. It came in a small bowl that did not justify the price tag. Moreover, the watercress stems were hard, could have been cooked for a long period.

Overall, still a positive dining experience. We had the whole place to ourselves again! Food-wise, it was delicious! Service was good and the staff brought out extra smaller plates for us so that we could share the dishes. In addition, they had actually  use 2 plates to hold the carrot cakes. This was because, they had steamed the carrot cakes with the plate. Hence, when they served this dish, they added another plate so that customers will not be scalded when they shift the plate. To add the icing on the cake, there was no service charge or GST. The prices shown on the menu are all NETT. So affordable considering the quality and taste of the food. 

Yixing Xuan Teahouse 怡心軒 (Tanjong Pagar)

30 Tanjong Pagar Road

Tel: 6224 6961

Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 10am - 9pm

                         Sun 10am - 7pm

Website
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Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant (Gardens By The Bay)

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant is the third and newest baby of Chef Yong Bing Ngen. It is located at Gardens By The Bay, just below the Flower Dome, opposite the entrance of Cloud Forest. 

Exterior

Interior

The 110-seater restaurant is cozy with a nautical theme to resemble a ship deck. Rounds mirrors line the wall to resemble the potholes with light oak floors and the corporate colour is auqamarine. 

Private Room

There is also a private room available for booking for up to 14 diners. 

As you walk into the restaurant, you will be greeted by a wide variety of live (fresh) seafood in the water tanks ranging from Crabs, Fish (Empura, Turbot), Geo Duck Clams, Bamboo Clams to Lobsters. 

I like the setting of the restaurant. Neat, clean, modern and elegant! Just the place to go to if you need to impress someone without breaking the bank.

Assorted Seafood Soup (Whole Young Coconut, Bamboo Piths) $18

Assorted Seafood Soup (Whole Young Coconut, Bamboo Pith) $18

The Assorted Seafood Soup was served in a whole young coconut. In it, there were mushroom, prawn, scallop and bamboo pith. The soup was tasty with the sweetness of the scallop and prawn extracted into the soup. In addition, there was a light mushroom and coconut flavour. The ingredients used were fresh. The mushroom used was fresh and not the dried version. Similarly, the scallop used was the fresh version. It was big and chunky, so much so that when I bite into it, the flavour of the scallop could still be savoured. I would have though that the prawn in this case would be overcook. But I was wrong. It was cooked just right and was firm and fresh. The best part is that after drinking all the soup, you can use a spoon and scrap off the coconut flesh easily. =)

Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab

You would not have been to Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant if you did not order their signature crab;  Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab. Having said that, of course there are other ways to savour your crab if you prefer; Chilli Sauce, Black Pepper, Steamed with Shao Xing, Sauted with Spring Onions and Ginger or Stewed with Bee Hoon. 

Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab was created by Chef Yong and there is no doubt that this is a uniquely created in Singapore Dish. It is cooked with a blend of 3 varieties of coffee beans, along with apple jam, orange juice and marmalade. At the serving table, it is set alight with a alcoholic mixture to give an extra oomph of  fragrance and caramelisation. 

Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab

I must say that this is a very unique way of cooking a crab. Although I am not a coffee person, I found the 'Kopi' sauce extremely addictive. The intense coffee flavour couple with the sweetness left me longing for more. The crab was fresh and meaty. Its meat could be easily pull out and was firm. Coffee lovers (addicted to coffee/ requiring at least a cup of caffeine fix a day) will definitely love this! 

Braised Baby Abalone Mee Sua ($24 for 2-4 pax, $36 for 5-8 pax)

The Braised Baby Abalone Mee Sua stole the show. It was simple yet delicious. The braised baby abalone was so soft, tender and flavourful. The Mee Sua was tasty having absorbed the rich, tasty and creamy broth. It was so irresistible that I finish the whole bowl (including the broth). Mee Sua is my type of comfort food! 

Doubled-boiled Peach Gum and Chinese Pear (cold) $5

Doubled-boiled Peach Gum and Chinese Pear (cold) $5

The Doubled-Boiled Peach Gum and Chinese Pear was served cold. The sweetness from the different ingredients were extracted. The Peach Gum deserved a special mention as it was soft yet flavourful and sweet.

Glutinous Rice Dumplings with Fresh Cream Stuff ($4.50 for 3 pieces)

Although I am not a fan of fresh cream, the Glutinous Rice Dumpling was saved by the skin of the Glutinous Rice Dumpling (Yes, you read this correctly! The skin!). The skin was extremely soft. It was made from scratch by Chef Li Shou Tao who is their Dim Sum Chef with over 20 years of experience! Wow man! I can't wait to try their Dim Sum one day!

Entrance

Overall, I must say that I have tried several unique dishes during this visit, some of them for the first time in my life (now I sound like a suaku). It is interesting to see the innovative way the different ingredients are combined to create a dish. It is hard choosing the best 2 dishes I ate that day. But if I have to recommend 2 dishes, it would be the Braised Baby Abalone Mee Sua and Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab. I hope that I get to try their Dim Sum one day. If you have tried it before do let me know. 

If you are wondering where to eat at Gardens By The Bay, well this is it!

Thanks Janice and Sherman from Foodnews for invite and hosting. 

ps: It is advisable to make reservations during weekends.

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant (Gardens By The Bay)

18 Marina Gardens Drive, #01-10

Flower Dome, Gardens By The Bay

Tel: 6604 6604

Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 1145am - 230pm, 545pm - 930pm (last order)

                         Sat, Sun & PH 1130am - 230pm, 545pm - 930pm (last order)

Website

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Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood 万隆华和海鲜菜馆 (Casuarina Road) - 2nd Post

Another visit back to Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood 万隆华和海鲜菜馆. We visited the Zi Char restaurant on a Saturday evening too. The place was packed and all the tables were occupied.

Huge crabs in tanks. This is essential as almost every table has crab dish on it!

Menu (a)

Menu (b)

Part of the menu. As this was our 2nd visit, we had a rough idea on what to order and what not too. The first post can be found here.

Hot Plate Beancurd $10

 The Hot Plate Beancurd was as deletable as before. The sauce is best paired with plain rice. 

Prawn Paste Chicken Wing $12

Prawn Paste Chicken Wings (Har Cheong Gai) was served pipping hot. The chicken wings were coated and marinated with prawn paste before being deep fried. On the exterior, it was crispy and fragrant. In the interior, the meat was fragrant, tender and full of natural juice.

Birthday Noodles (Mee Sua) $12

The Birthday Noodles which was essentially Mee Sua fried with prawns, squid, beansprouts, quail eggs and fish slices. An interesting dish that suits our palate.

Stirred Fried Baby Kai Lan $12

Their stirred fried vegetables here are surprisingly good.  The Baby Kai Lan was still crunchy. The dish as a whole was tasty and not overly salty. Simple and good.

La La Clams $10

At last, we get to try the La La Clams. This dish was excellent! The la la clams were bigger than what is normally served in the other restaurants and were very fresh and 'meaty'. (Why did we order only $10? We should have ordered more!).

Black Pepper Crab

Huge Black Pepper Crab which did not disappoint. I like the sauce as it was finger licking good as what I described in my last post. The crab was very fresh and meaty!  

Butter Crab

Butter Crab

Leaving the best for the last. The Butter Crab was amazingly delicious! It was not the usual creamy version that most restaurant serves. Instead it was deep fried. Each piece of crab was well-coated with the butter batter and fried till fragrant. Despite being deep fried, the crab was still incredibly tender, juicy and sweet. Adding on, the crab was huge, meaty and fresh. Amazingly, meat did not stuck to the shells (which is not the norm for a fried crab dish). There were lots of buttery fritters at the side. They were crispy and sinfully delicious. The unique buttery fragrant made the buttery fritters so addictive that once you start, you can't stop. A must try! (Bern from The Hungry Bunny mentioned that this is their best dish. Totally spot on! Thanks for the recommendation!) 

The  Butter Crab and Black Pepper Crab cost $86. Well worth the price.

The food here is real value for money. There are two dishes that are a must try over here. They are the Butter Crab and  La La Clams. This time round, the service experienced was not as smooth sailing as before. The lady taking the order was showing an attitude and was impatient. It was also hard to get the attention of the staff. Worth coming down more often for the food here despite the service? The answer is a resounding Yes!

Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood 万隆华和海鲜菜馆 (Casuarina Road)

122 Casuarina Road

Tel: 6452 2824

Opening Hours: Daily 5pm to 130am

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