.Jing.Hua.Restaurant.(京华小吃).

I guess many of you may have already come to know of this awesome chinese eatery that’s cheap and yummy. I know I’m a ‘lil slow in discovering this gem but still, allow yourself to indulge in my delish food pictures and drop by the eatery again!!

This post is for my 2nd visit to the eatery, but 1st time to the Bugis outlet. Small but quaint, the eatery was surprisingly filled with many Japanese patrons, most of whom were white-collars.

We had a bowl of Hot & Sour Soup (酸辣汤) to kickstart the meal while waiting for the other dishes to arrive. Though I wished for it to be more sour and spicier, it still makes for a decent bowl of soup to warm your stomach.
Price: S$3++/pax
(ps: the powder thingy was pepper, in case you were wondering. You’re welcomed.)

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My bowl of Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面) came up not long after. It may look like a small bowl, but it was packed with lotsa ingredients and was surprisingly able to fill your tummy up quite a ‘lil (of ‘cos since you’ll be tempted to order other sides too so this size is decent enough).
I really like it! One of my must-order when I come here.
Price: S$5++/bowl

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Xiao Long Baos (小笼包s)! Skin was thin and the minced meat was marinated nicely. One minus point for me was I prefer my Xiao Long Baos with more soup stock in them, so I thought these didn’t have enough.
Price: S$7++/7pcs

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Lastly, one of my favourite Pan-fried Dumplings (锅贴) which I’ve tried so far. 1st time I see these dumplings that came with ‘open ends’. Marinated and pan-fried to perfection!
Price: S$8++/10pcs

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Special Appearance:
Tried this Red Bean Pancake (红豆饼) dessert during my 1st visit to Jing Hua. Super yums! Plus they only prepare upon ordering, hence you can be sure it’ll be piping hot when it’s delivered to you.
Price: S$10
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Doing up this post’s making me so hungry now. Please excuse me while I go hunt for food.

Till next time! Ciao!

Jing Hua Restaurant

Outlet 1
21 Neil Road, Singapore 088814
Tel: +65 6221-3060
Hours: Thursdays to Tuesdays 1130am-3pm; 530pm-930pm / Closed on Wednesdays

Outlet 2
159 Rochor Road, Singapore 188434
Tel: +65 6337-7601
Hours: Daily 1130-3pm; 530pm-10pm

Outlet 3
390 Orchard Road, Palais Renaissance, B1-04/05, Singapore 238871
Tel: +65 6733-8231
Hours: Daily 1130am-3pm; 530pm-10pm

.Food.Tasting.at.Paradise.Teochew.Restaurant.

Last week, I was invited by Paradise Group to a sponsored food tasting session at their new kid on the block, Paradise Teochew Restaurant (潮樂軒), located at the Chinese Swimming Club. With this, Paradise Group aims to extend deeper into its roots of being the experts in Chinese cuisine.

Teochew cuisine is famed for its deft handling of seafood and poultry, particularly in bringing out the natural taste of the fresh ingredients used. It is also known for being a celebrated source of healthy and light dishes, being light-handed on the seasonings and with minimal use of oil.

I was delighted when checking out their extensive menu of over a hundred dishes of Teochew style signatures, from appetisers and braised specialties to a full line-up of seafood, meat and poultries, and even coupled with an array of dim sum offerings. Diners will be sooo spoilt for choice!

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After deciding on my choice of dishes, I sat back and allow myself to soak in the happy atmosphere of the spacious and brightly lit restaurant. At the same time, nibbling on the peanuts side dish as well as having a Glutinous Rice Tea to help revv up my system before the awesome meal.

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Our appetiser was the Braised Trio Combination in Teochew Style (潮式卤味三拼盘).
Price: $22 for small / $33 for medium / $44 for large.

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Consisting of Braised Duck Meat, Braised Octopus and Braised Pork Belly, couple with Braised Beancurd at the bottom too. The meat was braised so nicely and I actually finished them together with the skin and fats (which usually I’ll pick them out and just eat the meat parts). It’s my first time eating octopus braised in this way too!

Next up for our Main No. 1, we had the Sautéed Pomfret Fillet with Tomato and Salted Vegetables (咸菜番茄煮鲳鱼件).
Price: $28 for small / $42 for medium / $56 for large

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The tomato soup base was rather refreshing when coupled with salted vegetables and onions. The pomfret used was really fresh too!

For our Main No. 2, we went for Stewed Pork Ribs with Bitter Gourd and Cucumber in Casserole (黄瓜凉瓜排骨煲).
Price: $18 for small / $27 for medium / $36 for large

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Warning: This dish is for bitter gourd lovers only.

The soup tasted really nourishing, with the bitter gourd aftertaste lingering in your throat for awhile after you swallowed it. But it made me wanna keep sinking my spoon into the casserole for more. The pork ribs soaked in all the goodness from the soup, though I was wishing the meat can be a ‘lil more tender.

Next up was our vegetable choice of Braised Mustard Green with Shredded Conpoy and Dried Shrimps (瑶柱虾籽大芥菜).
Price: $18 for small / $27 for medium / $36 for large

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Frankly speaking, this was my first time trying mustard green, without any prior knowledge of how this vegetable was going to taste like. I have to say, this dish made me feel really healthy and for consuming my daily intake of 2 portions of greens. This crunchy vegetable has an aftertaste similar to that of bitter gourd, but with an even rawer taste. If you are not a fan of mustard green, do still have a taste of the clear and sweet stock base.

I can never do without rice for a day, and being a fried rice lover, I’ll definitely not miss out on Fried Rice wih Yam in Teochew Style (潮式芋头炒饭).
Price: $14 for small / $21 for medium / $28 for large

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Generous portion of various ingredients like prawns and yam in this fried rice! The small size can actually serve 2-3 pax, but it’s so yummy I think I can have the whole plate to myself.

Every meal has to end with a dessert, hence we chose a very Teochew style dessert of Crispy Pumpkin, Yam and Sweet Potato Strips (金银三宝烙) which we haven’t tried before.
Price: $12 (one size)

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Eat it while it’s hot! This dessert was sooo addictive, couple with the peanut bits sprinkled on top. Even though I was already very full from the previous dishes, I simply cannot not have more than one serving of this. Highly recommended!!

With a sweet ending to this food tasting session, the overall experience was really pleasant and comforting (to our satisfied tummies). The PR Manager of this restaurant, Leon Teh, had been really helpful and attentive to all our needs, patiently introducing and explaining to us about each dish that we ordered.
Although this place is a ‘lil far off for me since I stay in the North (Chinese Swimming Club is located near Parkway Parade), I’d loved to bring my family here one day for them to try the lovely and healthy dishes, and for me to give their a dim sum a go too.

Thanks again to the Paradise Group for this experience!
I hope you guys can go try it out too!! ^_^

Paradise Teochew Restaurant
Address: 21 Amber Road, Chinese Swimming Club, #03-01 (via Arrival Pavilion), Singapore 439870
Tel: (65) 6348 7298

Business Hours:
Mon-Fri
1130am to 330pm (last order at 3pm)
6pm to 1030pm (last order at 10pm)

Sat, Sun & Public Holidays
1030am to 330pm (last order at 3pm)
6pm to 1030pm (last order at 10pm)

.Food.Tasting.at.Paradise.Inn.


Couple of days back, Ving had the honor to be invited to a food tasting session at Paradise Inn at Marina Square.
Started 7 years ago, Paradise Inn is the third culinary concept initiated by Paradise Group and is currently the brand with the most number of outlets island-wide. As her brand tagline suggests, Paradise Inn aims to be an all-in-one dining concept — a restaurant, tea-house, as well as dessert place. Therefore, the focus of the menu is circled around these three main areas.

Paradise Inn‘s main menu offers nostalgic and familiar home-cooked dishes that are popular among local Chinese. One can easily call these ‘comfort food’ or ‘grandma’s dishes’. Think of them as simple, heart-warming and nothing pretentious. Like how a granny would have cooked it, the quality of the ingredients used and affordability are the main concerns when these dishes are concocted. 2014-06-19-11-37-04_deco[1]Paradise Inn’s current revamped menu’s version is already the fourth, combining the best and most popular dishes from all the past versions. Paradise InnSo let’s check out what awesome dishes Ving and buddy be served today!!!
Starting out with some lovely drinks… 2014-06-19-11-41-55_deco[1]Left: Floral & Herb-infused Hot Tea (S$3.80++ per person)
Our combination was Lily Flower + Forget Me Not + Dried Longan + Chrysanthemum.
Benefits: Nourishes lungs. Relieves cough. Detoxifies the body and has beauty enhancing properties.
It smells and tastes light and floral, with notes from chrysanthemum at the end.
Nice to have it after a heavy meal!
Bonus for the presentation aspect, whereby it comes in a nice little teapot and kept warm with a burning candle at the bottom.

Right: Fruit-infused Ice Tea (S$4.20++ per glass)
We chose the Elderflower and Melon combination, which was very refreshing and suitable for Singapore’s hot weather!
It was gone in no time!

Before the mains were served, a strong supporting actor came into the scene…
Stewed Pork Belly served with Lotus Bun, S$2.60++ per piece 2014-06-19-11-43-11_deco[1]I’m usually not a fan of pork belly, but gosh Paradise Inn sure knows how to do this dish well.
Having been simmered for hours, the meat is so tender with the right amount of fats melting in your mouth, coupled with the homemade sauce and sweet soft lotus bun.
My gosh. Every bite feels like heaven.
Can I have one more piece, please?!

Then came one of our main leads for the day…
Traditional Double-Boiled Black Chicken Ginseng Soup, S$23.90++ per pot 2014-06-19-11-53-52_deco[1]Ingredients used:
Black Chicken + Ginseng + American Ginseng + Spare Ribs + Lean Meat + Chicken + Chicken Feet

Benefits:
Nourishes lungs. Improves blood circulation. Rejuvenates the body.
Every spoonful of it oozing with goodness! 2014-06-19-11-57-38_deco[1]It was light and very flavorful, no doubt that it had been double-boiled for hours.
Plus it doesn’t cause your mouth to have this greasy feel at all.
I can totally have at least 3 bowls of this!

Hot-Plate Tofu with Preserved ‘Cai Xin’ and Minced Pork, S$11.90++ 2014-06-19-11-47-37_deco[1]I’ve always been a fan of hot-plate tofu (a must-have for me during zi-char sessions).
Generous portion of bursting flavors, coupled with a big tofu that’s crispy on the outside but soft and silky on the inside.
I can literally consume the whole thing by myself! >.<

Sauteed French Beans with Dried Shrimps and Preserved Turnip, S$12.90++ 2014-06-19-11-52-32_deco[1]Only one word to describe this dish: CRUNCHY
It was actually rather addictive to keep munching on this dish ‘cos of its crunchiness.
But of ‘cos the yumminess played a big part too!

Crisp-Fried Crystal Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk, S$18.90++ 2014-06-19-11-51-08_deco[1]One of my all-time favourite (though very sinful) dishes in Paradise restaurants.
I first tried this in Canton Paradise, and have never gotten enough of its taste.
Was so happy to find it in Paradise Inn too!!
The richness of the salted egg yolk you can never forget, couple with big prawns crisp-fried to the right degree

. Supreme Seafood Fried Rice, S$12.90++ 2014-06-19-11-55-27_deco[1]I’m super love fried rice, and this is what I would call the “Golden Fried Rice“.
Paradise Inn isn’t stingy with the ingredients at all, with chunky bits of fresh prawns and scallops.
Plus point which differentiates this from other fried rice:
They added in fish roe, which contributes to this slight crunchiness when u are chewing your rice.
Gosh…. I can eat this everyday.

The spread!!
2014-06-19-12-04-26_deco[1]Happy and satisfied (and super full) us after the treat!!
2014-06-19-12-26-27_deco[1]Thank you very much for the sumptuous meal, Paradise Inn!!! ^_^ *throws confetti*

.Chingay.2014.

Warning: Beware of upcoming flood of images!

Went for the recent Chingay Parade last Friday, courtesy of my dad for the free tickets! My 1st time watching it live! Just nice we were able to film it too!

Man, were the performers awesome!

On the way to the audience seats. 

Waiting for the show to start! 

Opening act! 

Arrival of PM Lee and Mrs Lee! 

Super long banner!! 

Lotsa white horses….. 

…… paved way for the big guy! Trojan much??? *kidding* 

Pegasus came too! 

Then we had a float with some of Singapore’s iconic spots! Merlion / Gardens By The Bay / Marina Bay Sands / Esplanade / Sentosa / Changi Airport 

With a bunch of Gods of Wealth following behind! 

Performers on stilts! 

Lion dance troupes! 

Huge banners which even the performers had difficulty keeping them up. 

Confucius came too!

Dragons and fire crackers! 

More Gods of Wealth! 

Me like Black Horse. 

Malays’ float. 

Indians’… 

Ballerinas! 

There were many… 

Many… 

MANY of them! 

Cha cha! 

PAYM’s float! Broadway style! 

NUS’s float! 

Japanese’s float! 

Performers from Indonesia! 

Love their costumes!!! 

Koreans in traditional outfits. 

Cute! Circus style! 

The dragon playground! 

Getai’s float! 

Sea of gold performers with the getai float. 

CDCs’ float! 

Finally! The one which my dad participated in! 

Nearing the end! 

Waiting for the moment…… 

Revealing the end products! 

Hand-knitted by 12,000 people! 

SPECTACULAR! ! ! ! !

Till next year! ! ! *throws confetti*