Salad You Tiao

Here’s a real Singapore gem. I first went with friends not long after I moved to Singapore and I haven’t been back since – until recently. This has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the food, and absolutely everything to do with the fact that Sin Hoi Sai is not really in my locality. But a friend was recently back in town from her new life in Sydney and suggested we go along for a feed at her old favourite haunt, and I was more than happy to accompany her.



There were only four of us so we couldn’t order too much, but what we did order was oh so good – Baby Kailan, Fried Rice,



Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs



Butter Prawns (some of the tastiest prawns I have yet had in Singapore) and… wait for it… Salad You Tiao.



Now I make a big thing about the Salad You Tiao because it was the first time I had tried it… Where have I been and what have I been doing?? I mean, how good does this taste?



For those who don’t know, you tiao are fried dough sticks that are usually eaten with Congee for breakfast (if you eat congee for breakfast that is…) This salad you tiao – or “a heart attack on a plate” as my friend called it – came stuffed with squid, and smothered in mayonnaise/salad dressing. Yes indeed, not very healthy… hmmm no wonder it tasted so good! This place is open until 4am too… man I bet those You Tiao taste even more amazing after one too many Tiger beers!

So yes, Sin Hoi Sai, definitely a real little gem and one I hopefully won’t wait another year before trying out again…

Sin Hoi Sai Eating House, 187 East Coast Road

Dim Sum at Raffles

I know, it’s been a long time since I actually wrote about anywhere in Singapore – so I thought I’d come back in style… with a visit to somewhere I’ve been planning on going to for ages: Royal China at Raffles.

It’s certainly a beautiful setting, worthy of its location in Singapore’s most famous hotel. High ceilings, ornate pillars and those distinctive duck-egg blue walls combine to give it a rather regal atmosphere.

We’d heard good things about their dim sum, so a few of us met up for lunch one day to give it a go. They don’t have a huge dim sum menu – only 12 items all together, so that made choosing a bit easier, although we did manage to stop ourselves from just taking one of everything (and only because we quite fancied checking out some additional items off the a la carte menu).

We kicked off with the Steamed Shark’s Fin Dumpling with Chinese Parsley, which were simply stunning and definitely a good start to the meal.



We went on to pig out on the Deep Fried Spring Roll with Seafood & Cheese (sounds a little odd, tasted delicious)



Steamed Crystal Dumpling with Mushroom



Steamed Minced Pork Dumpling with Abalone, Steamed Barbecue Pork Bun and Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Black Moss



Crispy Prawns Roll with Sesame



and Crispy Yam Roll with Dried Oyster



All of it was pretty exceptional, except for the soft shell crab we ordered a la carte - the egg yolk coating was way too strong and the crab a little mushy, I don't think anyone finished theirs, which is saying something considering how small the portion was.

The dumplings though were definitely worth coming back for - my only complaint would be that perhaps they were a little fussy – the flavour of the black moss overpowered the freshness of the prawn in the dumpling for example. But really – I’m nit-picking… in all fairness it was some of the best dim sum I’ve had in Singapore… although I still think Yan Ting at the St Regis pips it at the post. (What? I haven’t written Yan Ting up yet? Damn, I’d better get back there quick…)

Royal China at Raffles - http://www.raffles.com/EN_RA/Property/RHS/Restaurants_Bars/Royal_China_at_Raffles.htm