Chowing On Chinese

三杯鸡 is a classic Taiwanese dish and one of my must-orders at @tai_one_wei; a relatively new Taiwanese restaurant along North Bridge Road (reservations are a must as they’re usually packed!).

Named as such as the gravy is usually made with just three ingredients; rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil, @tai_one_wei’s version is the best I’ve tasted! Glossy and glistening gravy coating amazingly silky and tender chunks of chicken, easily the best dish of the night, and we’re already looking forward to visiting again.

Smokey, spicy, numbing and just a friggin’ party in yo mouth. This seabass from @yunnanssg is just amazingly tasty and tender! They usually bring it hot off their charcoal grill, so drizzle that lime all over to temper that heat and dig in to enjoy it in all it’s sexy, smoldering glory.

Can’t decide which to get? Then this combo is for you! There’s the crunchy potato strips, cut tofu sheets and seaweed. All pretty much what you’d expect, but the seaweed was a tad too garlicky.

Indeed, I’m back! My favourite China food store, the variety of awesome skewers and Chinese dishes are always a pleasure to come back to. The list of things to try are long; lamb, beef, chicken hearts & bacon enoki skewers, deep fried intestines and a lot more interesting dishes. It’s fun to experiment but ordering smart is important – the portions here are huge and not all items are hits (the fried rice is a little mushy).

Another one of these Chinese pancakes stores has opened, this time along the bustling Bugis Street. This was made fresh upon ordering and comes stuffed with the slightly salty, funky preserved veg. Once pulled from the oven, it’s smeared with a bean and spicy sauce. Yummo! (though I still think the Funan one was a little yummier).

Original. Ginseng. Foie Gras. Black Truffle. Cheese. Crab Roe. Garlic. Szechuan. You can paint me with all the colours of these XLBs! Always a fun item to share, my recommended flavours to fight over are the Black Truffle, Foie Gras and Ginseng (though I’m sure it varies for everyone). Got this at Paradise Dynasty’s new outlet at Paya Lebar Quarter!

Hot dam, that soup has all the salty, spicy notes of mala without the overbearing oiliness. The intoxicating heat was perfect for me, but if it’s too much for you, add in some of the pickled veg provided to cut through a bit of the heat. I’d opt for the QQ rice noodles with this; the silky noods picked up the poignant flavours very well. Also please don’t miss out on their deep-fried pig intestines.👌

Hand in Hand Beijing specializes in a wide array of dumplings; everything from guo tie, xiao long baos to hong you chao shou. This is one of their specialities, certainly eye-catching with that crisp skirt. Though a little bit burnt, it was still a tasty plate of dumplings with little chunks of prawn; great dipped into a saucer of vinegar and ginger.

This easily ranks high on the bizarre scale; black rice cooked in a sour vegetable and pickled ginger broth, Parmesan cheese, cream and butter are incorporated into the ‘risotto’ then a combination of soya sauce, mirin and sesame oil is added after the grains have absorbed all that zaniness. Sounds crazy, but this was our standout favourite from a night of amazing hits!

The sour broth was distinct, yet not overpoweringly infused into the chewy black grains. The cheesiness comes in after, distinctly different from the lingering taste of sour broth but somehow fitting in perfectly. Fresh seafood and vegetables helps to round out a very flavourful dish – something I’d definitely return for!

Affectionately known to us as fake Putien, this Putien stall in Broadway Coffeeshop also has pretty good zichar. While the picture in the menu didn’t have sambal all over the sizzling omelette, the sweet, slightly spicy chili paste was a welcome addition, making this a great side dish to their fried Heng Hwa bee hoon or even a simple bowl of white rice.

Took me long enough to come here. Been eyeing their chee cheong funs for quite some time now and I’m happy to report I’m now a huge fan! We had a wide variety of their freshly steamed rolls, and they were all silky smooth and slightly chewy, with added egg for a different kind of bite. The soy sauce wasn’t too salty, with a light sweetness to it. Their noodle dishes here all impressed too, especially their dry dumpling noodles which I’ll be back for that amazing texture of their QQ noodles! 🍜

Having had this three times so far, I think it’s safe to declare this my favourite dish on their menu. It’s got everything a bowl of comfort should have; slurpy QQ noodles, a robust broth, and that fork-tender beef brisket! Those thick slices of meat are pure bliss, pulling apart easily with just my chopsticks coupled with that great texture of cartilage marbled into the moist beef. Love how the soup has a slight spice to it and the little bits of preserved vegetables that give each mouth a nice bite to it. Plus points: this set also comes with a small side of century egg tofu. Ahhh, takes me right back to Taiwan. 🇹🇼