Ngoc Suong Marina (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

Tôm sú chiên giòn rang muối tiêu (Deep Fried Prawns With Salt and Pepper) 205,000 VND (S$12.30)

Ngoc Suong Marina also known as Marina Saigon Seafood Cuisine is a Vietnamese seafood restaurant located along Nguyen Dinh Chieu road. It is less than 5 and 10 minutes walk away from the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace respectively. 

With its bright red signage, it would be hard to miss this restaurant. Ngoc Suong Marina is air-conditioned and has two levels. At the entrance, you would be able to see several tanks full of life seafood.

As my Vietnamese friends made reservations, we sat at the first level which was full (on a friday night)! I noticed on several occasions that foreigners were led up to the second level and that the first level seems to be mainly locals. I was curious and asked them. I was told that the second level had a different price and that there were more service staff there. Foreigners would normally be directed to the second level.

Hàu sống (Fresh Oysters) 31,000 VND (S$1.85) per piece

The first dish that was served was the Hàu sống (Fresh Oysters) 31,000 VND (S$1.85) per piece. The natural colour of these oysters were brown in colour as they were grown locally in Vietnam. The oysters were quite fresh, plump and juicy. Interesting, but if you are used to those air flown from Australia / Canada / USA, you might not be use to this.

Gỏi cá Ngọc Sương (Ngoc Suong Fish Salad) 142,000 VND (S$8.50)

Next, we had the Gỏi cá Ngọc Sương (Ngoc Suong Fish Salad) 142,000 VND (S$8.50) which we were told was a popular item in the restaurant. It was served with rice paper, fresh vegetables and herbs, slices of unripe banana, star fruit and a mixture of fish sauce with peanuts.

Gỏi cá Ngọc Sương (Ngoc Suong Fish Salad) 142,000 VND (S$8.50)

Slices of ginger, chilli and ground peanuts were sprinkled on top of the fish.

Gỏi cá Ngọc Sương (Ngoc Suong Fish Salad) 142,000 VND (S$8.50)

The fish salad, fresh vegetables and herbs, slices of unripe banana and star fruit would need to be added onto the rice paper. After that roll it up and the dip it into the sauce.

Chả giò hải sản (Seafood Fried Spring Roll) 43,000 VND (S$2.60) per piece

This Chả giò hải sản (Seafood Fried Spring Roll) 43,000 VND (S$2.60) per piece was delicious! The seafood was wrapped with beancurd and rice paper before being deep fried. Despite it being deep fried, the rolls were not oily at all! The exterior was dry and crispy while the interior was full of sauce and chunks of lobster and crab meat. Superb!.

Tôm sú chiên giòn rang muối tiêu (Deep Fried Prawns With Salt and Pepper) 205,000 VND (S$12.30)

Next, we ordered the Tôm sú chiên giòn rang muối tiêu (Deep Fried Prawns With Salt and Pepper) 205,000 VND (S$12.30). Vietnamese restaurant seems to like to cook their prawns with salt and pepper.

The outer shells of the prawns were deep fried till they were so crispy that some of us ate the whole thing without bothering to deshell the prawns so as to enjoy the combination of the salt and pepper. These prawns were so fresh. The shells could easily be deshell and its meat were firm and sweet. Shiok!

Cua rang me (Crab with Tamarind Sauce) 55,000 VND (S$3.30) per 100 gram

As my friend had stayed in Singapore for many years, she knew what we could find in Singapore. Hence, she decided to order something different; the Cua rang me (Crab with Tamarind Sauce) 55,000 VND (S$3.30) per 100 gram. The Crab with Tamarind Sauce, one of the restaurant signature dish was unique. It had a combination of sweet and tangy flavour. Again, the seafood here was very fresh! The crab meat could be easily deshell and were meaty. Very appeitisng and delicious! In fact, fingers licking good!

Miến xào cua (Glass Noodles Sauteed with Crab Meat) 147,000 VND (S$8.80)

As we were still hungry, we ordered another dish; Miến xào cua (Glass Noodles Sauteed with Crab Meat) 147,000 VND (S$8.80). This was another of their signature dish. The glass noodles had absorbed the seafood flavour and the addition of lettuce and onions gave a crunchy dimension to this dish.

Ngoc Suong Marina reminds me of Jumbo, Long Beach and No Signboard Seafood in Singapore. The dishes here were quite well executed and enjoyable. If you like seafood cooked in Vietnamese style, this would be a place to go to. However, do take note that this is a upmarket restaurant and that prices would be more expensive than those on the streets. Coming from Singapore, I thought that for the quality and taste of the food, the price was justifiable / value for money.

Do note, that the charges at second level are more expensive. And that if you want to sit at the first level, it would not be easy to catch the attention of any service staff. 

Ngọc Sương Sài Gòn (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

172 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, 

Phường 6, Quận 3, Tp.

Hồ Chí Minh

Tel: +84 (08) 3930 2379

Website

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3T Quan Nuong Vietnamese Barbecue (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

Tôm nướng muối ớt (Roasted Prawn with Salt and Chilli) (100g) 58,000 VND (S$3.50)

3T Quan Nuong (3T Quán Nướng) is a roof top Vietnamese Barbecue (BBQ) / Grilled restaurant. 

3T Quan Nuong is located along Ton That Thiep Street, a 5 minutes walk away from Saigon Centre. It is located just next to Fanny Ice Cream. It was not easy getting to 3T Quan Nuong. When we saw Fanny Ice Cream, we were knew that 3T Quan Nuong was next door. But yet we could not find it, we had to ask the locals. We were directed to the right side of Fanny Ice Cream.

3T Quan Nuong was located above Temple Club (an upscale fine dining Vietnamese restaurant where Brad Pitt and Angelina JolieBrad Pitt and Angelina Jolie once dine at). Hence, if you are going to 3T Quan Nuong, look out for the Temple Club Signage instead.

Once you located the building, you would need to walk pass a long narrow corridor which is dimly lighted to the stair case and proceed to the roof top. If we had not done any research before hand, we would not have walked through this corridor. It seemed sleazy and doggy! 

Tada, the reward! Open air roof top BBQ! About one third of the dining area was sheltered while the rest was not. I wonder what happens when it is the monsoon season (rainy season). When we reached at around 630pm on a weekday, the restaurant was not even half full. But by the time we left at around 8pm, the place was nearly full! We noticed that most of the customers were locals except for two other tables.

Menu

Menu

Menu

3T Quan Nuong had both Vietnamese and English menu available. I do wonder if there are any differences in price between both menus. Do note, not all the serving staff understand English. Whenever we had questions or wanted to order an item, they would always send a particular waiter who could speak and understand basic English.The staff were friendly and when they noticed we were foreigners, they would assist us and show us how to cook the food items.

Ceramic tiles table with a grilling stove in the middle.

Noticed the small container with a stick? It contain oil and the stick was actually the brush. You would need to oil the grill so that your food would not stick to it.

Cơm Trắng (Steamed Rice) 50,000 VND (S$3.00)

We ordered a Cơm Trắng (Steamed Rice). It was served in a cute little ceramic 'pot'.

Tôm nướng muối ớt (Roasted Prawn with Salt and Chilli) (100g) 58,000 VND (S$3.50)

As we did our research before hand, we knew what to order. The Tôm nướng muối ớt (Roasted Prawn with Salt and Chilli) was one of the highly raved about dish! As there was only the two of us, we decided to order 100g (4 prawns) which cost 58,000 VND (S$3.50).

The prawns were still alive when they were served on wooden skewers. Salt and chilli were sprinkled over it. These prawns were still alive as they were taken from the tanks full of prawns at the kitchen. To ensure the freshness, these prawns were taken out from the tanks only upon order.

Grilling the live prawns

Brush some oil over the grill and you are ready to grill the live prawns. I know this is cruel.. as the prawns were put over the grill, they were still moving.

Left to right: Grilling the live prawns, Lime with salt and chilli dip

Needless to say, the prawns were fresh. The shells came over so easily. In addition, the meat was firm and sweet.

To further enhance the taste, squeeze the lime over the salt and chilli powder. Then dip the prawn into it. The different dimension in taste of the prawn, lime, salt and chilli was just out of the world! Top notch! This is a must try! Wish that we had ordered more!

Bò nướng mật ong (Roasted Beef with Honey) 85,000 VND (S$5.10)

The next item we ordered was the Bò nướng mật ong (Roasted Beef with Honey) 85,000 VND (S$5.10). It was served together with a plate of vegetables (kang kong, lady finger, etc.)

Grilling the beef with vegetables

When the Roasted Beef with Honey was served, the waiter helped us to oil the metal grill again before helping us to put some of the beef meat onto the hot sizzling grill. The beef meat was delicious, but I can't detect any hint of honey if any.

Heo nướng sả ớt (Roasted Wildboar with Lemongrass and Chilli) with salad 110,000 VND (S$6.60) 

The Heo nướng sả ớt (Roasted Wildboar with Lemongrass and Chilli) which cost 110,000 VND (S$6.60) was served with a plate of salad.

When this was served, the staff replaced our metal grill with a new one without us requesting for this to be done. =D

Heo nướng sả ớt (Roasted Wildboar with Lemongrass and Chilli) 110,000 VND (S$6.60)

The Roasted Wild Boar with Lemongrass and Chilli was a little too tough. I wonder if its because of our 'cooking skill'. In short, this dish did not wow me.

Rau muống xào tỏi (Deep Fried Kangkong with Garlic) 100,000 VDN (S$6.00)

As we required some greens, we ordered a plate of Rau muống xào tỏi (Deep Fried Kangkong with Garlic) 100,000 VDN (S$6.00). It was well fried! The kang kong was crunchy and tasty. Do note that it was not deep fried as indicated in the menu. I was impressed that I could get such a decent dish in a Vietnamese restaurant.

As we were enjoying our meal, a big group of around 15 locals arrived and ordered a whole lot of prawns! They requested for the staff to grill it for them. And the staff had to heat up two metal grills and spent a good 20 minutes grilling all the prawns! What great service!

After the meal, the restaurant served us complimentary fruits (watermelon and pineapple) and tea. The highlight of the meal was definitely the Tôm nướng muối ớt (Roasted Prawn with Salt and Chilli)! The staff here were warm, friendly and attentive. They seemed to pay extra attention to tourist, coming over to assist and demonstrate how the cooking should be done, adjusting the temperature of the grill when it was too hot, helping to brush oil on the metal grill, changing of metal grills, etc. All the little things that matter!

Do note, you would smell of BBQ food despite it being very windy at the roof top. Nevertheless, this was worth it!

Ending off with a Instagram video (aka Instavideo) which I took. 

3T Quán Nướng Vietnamese Barbecue (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

29-31 Tôn Thất Thiệp

Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: +84 (08) 3821 1631
Opening Hours: Daily 5pm to 11pm

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Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles 華記大蝦麵 (Pek Kio Food Centre)

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles 華記大蝦麵  has reopened again!!

If you are a prawn noodle fanatic, you would have probably hear of Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles 華記大蝦麵. I heard so much about it that I knew I had to give it a try one day. Previously, I made two trips to Pek Kio Food Centre (where this stall is located) for this. However, on both occasions the stall was closed indefinitely as the owner had went for an eye operation. A few weeks ago, I heard that the stall had reopened! Hence, I made another trip down just for this. 

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles 華記大蝦麵 specialises in serving prawn noodles. The Prawn Noodles were available in $3, $5, $8 and $10. Big (Jumbo) prawns are served for the $8 and $10 versions.

When I got there at 930am on a weekday, I was surprised to see a short queue of just 6 person in front of me. I have read so much about the slow moving queue and mentally prepared to wait patiently. Thankfully, two persons in front of me dropped off. Hence, I just had to waited for around 20 minutes (4 person in front) before it was my turn. 

Prawn Noodles $10

I ordered the $10 Prawn Noodles with Mee Pok. It came with a packet of tissue paper. The jumbo prawns were served separately in a metal dish. 

Mee Pok (dry)

The owners were very generous with the fried shallots and pork lard. As a result, the Mee Pok (dry) was so tasty. In addition, the beansprouts at the bottom added a nice crunch. I understand that the owners fried the shallots and pork lard themselves as they wanted to ensure quality was not compromised. 

Jumbo Prawns

Three jumbo prawns were served together with the soup in a metal dish. 

Jumbo Prawns

One reason why the queue was so slow moving was because the owner only prepares the prawns when customers orders to ensure that the prawns remained fresh. He would then proceed and deshell the middle portion of the prawn. Moreover, slice it partially in the middle to devein it. 

Jumbo Prawns

The star of the dish (i.e. the prawns) did not disappoint. They were oh-so extremely huge, fresh and succulent. Superb!

The soup was unique too. Besides being tasty and full of essence of the prawns, it was accompanied with a hint of sweet, spicy and garlic flavour. It was so good that I drank the whole bowl and brought the empty bowl requesting for a refill. I am sure they did not add any MSG in it as I did not feel thirsty after drinking two bowls of soup.

I left feeling satisfied and happy. Glad that I finally tried Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles.

As I was leaving, I was shocked to see that the queue had stretched to more than 10 persons long. I wonder how long they would need to wait. 

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles 華記大蝦麵 (Pek Kio Food Centre)

Pek Kio Market & Food Centre

41A Cambridge Road #01-15

Singapore 211041

Tel: 96883633

Opening Hours: Tue to Sun 730am - 2pm 

                         Closed on Mon

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Ban Khun Mae Restaurant at Siam Square (Thailand, Bangkok)

Ban Khun Mae located at Siam Square is just across the road (Zebra Crossing. Yes, they do have Zebra Crossings in Bangkok!) from Mango Tango. It is also located less than 5 minutes away from Hotel Novotel.

Ban Khun Mae when translated into English Language means "my mother’s kitchen". The restaurant opened for business in 1998 serving authentic Thai food has impressed many locals and foreigners. On its website, it claimed that the food it serves is made from secret recipes passed down from generation to generation. We visited the restaurant on a weekday for lunch.

The restaurant dimly lighted was clean, rustic with its timbre furnishing and Thai theme decorations (ornaments and paintings). 

Their timbre chairs were huge and heavy! Had a little struggle trying to shift it inwards. 

Menu

Ban Khun Mae's menu was in both Thai and English languages with prices clearly stated. 

Deep Fried Marinated Chicken Wrapped with Pandan Leaf 120 Baht (S$5)

Deep Fried Marinated Chicken Wrapped with Pandan Leaf 120 Baht (S$5)

The Deep Fried Marinated Chicken Wrapped with Pandan Leaf 120 Baht (S$5) served with sweet dipping sauce was superb. The chicken was well fried. Each piece was fragrant and incredibly tender and succulent. 

Green Curry Chicken 120 Baht (S$5)

Green Curry Chicken 120 Baht (S$5)

The Green Curry Chicken 120 Baht (S$5) was also top notch. It was creamy and had an appetising aroma and unique flavour. It had the right balance of sweetness and mild spiciness which hits the right spot making it a perfect combination with plain rice.  

Baked Prawn with Glass Noodles 280 Baht (S$11.67)

The most expensive dish which we ordered was the Baked Prawn with Glass Noodles 280 Baht (S$11.67). The prawns were all underneath the grass noodles. 

Baked Prawn with Glass Noodles 280 Baht (S$11.67)

Look at big the prawns are. The prawns were very fresh and the meat was firm. The glass noodles were pretty ordinary. Although the glass noodles were moist and springy, they were just way too peppery such that we could not detect any other flavours.. T&K Seafood's version was much better.

Every evening, there would be live entertainment / performance at the restaurant and that's the period when the restaurant would be most crowded. Although the Baked Prawn with Glass Noodles was a disappointment, the other two dishes were real good. Price wise, it was quite value for money for the quality of food. As for service, it could be improved. Sometimes, it could be hard to get the attention of the staff.  

Ban Khun Mae Restaurant at Siam Square (Thailand, Bangkok)

458/6-9 Siam Square Soi 8

Rama 1 Road

Patumwan District, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Tel. 66 2250 19523

Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 11pm

Website

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Café 2000 Seafood and Barbecue Buffet Dinner (M Hotel)

Café 2000, a restaurant located at M Hotel (Near Tanjong Pagar MRT Station) serves International Buffet Dinner at daily from 6pm to 11pm. On Fridays, Saturdays and Eve of Public Holidays, the restaurant serves Seafood and Barbecue Buffet Dinner.

We visited Café 2000 on a Saturday evening and tried out its Seafood and Barbecue Buffet Dinner. 

When we arrived at 630pm, the restaurant was around 70% full.  The first few rows of the tables near the entrance were not occupied. Whereas those inside the restaurants were all occupied, most probably because everyone wanted to be strategically near the food since it was a buffet.

I was surprised to see so many people at the restaurant as I thought that we were early. The spread available included Cold Seafood, Barbecue, Bread, Soup, Salad, Zi Char (which was the month special), Satay, Sashimi, Sushi, Dessert and Live Cooking Stations. To sum it up, the spread was reasonable, enough to keep me busy eating for 3 hours. 

Cold Seafood

The Cold Seafood Section was impressive. There were Oysters, Prawns, Scallops, Crabs and even Crab Claws! In addition, each of them were fresh. I particularly like the Oysters (plump and juicy), Prawns (sweet and firm) and Crab Claws. It would have been perfect if they were more prompt in refilling the Oysters.

(Clockwise from the top left) BBQ Section: Lamb, Beef, Chicken Wings and Salmon

The Barbecue (BBQ) Section was a unique differentiation that makes Café 2000 stand out compared to most other buffets. There was a variety of raw meat; Lamb, Beef, Chicken Wings and Salmon. 

BBQ Seafood Section

In addition, there were also BBQ seafood section with Jumbo Prawns, Scallops, Crayfish, Fish, and Fish and Squid Otak. All you have to do is to select the raw food you want on a plate, then peg your table clip to the plate. The BBQ food would be cooked and served to your table. 

(Clockwise from the top left) BBQ Meat: Lamb, Beef Chicken Wing and Salmon

BBQ Seafood 

The BBQ food was delish. I was most impressed with the Jumbo Prawns. Look at the size of it. It was fresh and the shells were easily taken out. In addition, the meat was firm. The otahs were quite good too, slightly spicy, there were fish chunks in it.

Scallop Au Gratin

The beautifully cooked Scallop Au Gratin did not disappoint. The warm melted cheese complemented the scallop well. 

Pork Ribs and Bratwurst

Pork Ribs and Bratwurst

The Bratwurst was a tad too salty for our liking. However, the partner loved the Pork Ribs which were folk tender and flavourful. 

Angus Beef

The Chef’s signature Angus Beef. 

The Angus Beef was well executed by the Chef. The natural flavour and juices in the beef was retained. I have seldom been impressed with pizza during a buffet. But Café 2000's thin crust pizza certainly made an impression on me. So much so that I had to tell the partner to try it.

Laksa

There was a live cooking station for the Laksa. All you have to do is to select the noodles and items you want for your Laksa on a plate, then peg your table clip to the plate. The Laksa would be delivered to your table.  There was an extensive variety of items including seafood (squid, prawns, mussel), yong tau foo and quail eggs.

The laksa gravy was fragrant and rich with the right amount of spiciness. It was so delectable that I finished the whole bowl by myself and quite full by the time I finish this.

Royal Chocolate Cake

Desserts

There was a wide variety of Desserts available ranging from Assorted Nonya Kueh, Cakes, Durian Puree, Chocolate Fondue to Shaved Ice. The Durian Puree stood out. Made from fresh durian, it was thick (not diluted) and bittersweet. Durian lovers will definitely love this.

It was a pity, I was just too full and did not manage to try every single items. I did not even manage try the chilli crab!

Although this was a tasting session, I was impressed with the quality of food. The spread was less than Todai Singapore, but Café 2000's quality was way well better (which makes it more value for money). Most people would 'spam' on the Cold Seafood section to make their money worth while. At, Café 2000 beside doing that you can also 'spam' on the BBQ section (Something I would do if I go back again =P). In addition, I would also go for more servings of the Laksa and Anges Beef.

Would I be back? Yes, I can forsee myself going back! I already know what I want to go for when I am back. 

Thank you Lindy for the invite and hosting us.

International Buffet Dinner
Sunday to Thursday from 6pm to 1030pm
 $50++ Adult, $28++ Child

Seafood and BBQ Buffet Dinner 
Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays from 6pm to 1030pm 
$62++ Adult, $32++ Child

Café 2000 (M Hotel)

81 Anson Road, M Hotel

Singapore 079908

Tel: 6500 6112

Opening Hours: Daily from 630am to 11pm

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