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If fresh seafood and zi char are your thing, then you’ve probably heard of or dined at Yang Ming Seafood, which has 2 branches at Bishan and Ubi. Lo and behold, from 26 Sep 2024, the establishment will be having its grand opening for its 3rd and largest outlet in VivoCity.
As you enter, you’ll be greeted by tanks of live seafood on the left. Stroll through the rustic kelong decor as you make your way into the restaurant, enhanced by LED displays of sea waves and fish swimming around, creating an immersive experience.
For photo opportunities, props like fisherman hats are readily available for you to accessorise with— snap away!
The restaurant has a sitting capacity of about 250 which includes 4 VIP rooms, 2 of which offer sea-front views (min. spend of S$1,000) with Sentosa on the horizon. For the uninitiated, Yang Ming Seafood is renowned for its live seafood and has an arsenal of over 90 seafood dishes.
To start off your meal, check out the Chef’s Special Small Plates. These appetisers, priced at S$5 each, are on rotation and are changed regularly to keep things fresh. The Iceplant Salad was refreshing whilst the Plum Cherry Tomato was tangy and worked up my appetite.
I also found it hard to resist the Salt & Pepper Prawn Shell, which was crispy and had a hint of umami.
After sampling the delicious starters, we were fired up for what was next. Let me begin by introducing the outlet-exclusive main dishes, starting with the Chicken Broth with Baby Cabbage (S$88, must pre-order). The broth is boiled and simmered for an entire day with pig trotters, pork bones and old mother hen.
The result? A viscous and robust elixir, bursting with collagen goodness and flavour. The baby cabbage is soft and the tender chicken is seasoned well. A very hearty and comforting dish, I must say!
Cereal crab is nothing new and innovative to me (yawns), but when I spotted the fried rice crispies in the Fragrant Crispy Rice Crab (S$11 per 100g – Sri Lankan Crab), it immediately grabbed my attention.
Fried with dried chilli and curry leaves, the crispy rice puffs were fragrant and addictive, with a mild curry undertone. Even the crab’s flesh managed to absorb the seasoning beautifully. This dish is truly one-of-a-kind, 10 out of 10 for innovation!
At first glance, my inner thoughts were screaming, ‘SALTED EGG SAUCE!’ when the Milky Sea Prawn (S$28/S$42/S$56) arrived. Boy, was I wrong! The simple yet genius addition of a citrusy punch completely transformed the flavour profile. It cut through the richness, and the tangy brightness of the gravy elevated the dish to a whole new level.
The Braised Whole Tripe & Brisket (S$108) was a work of art. The honeycomb-like beef tripe was stuffed to the brim and served with a rich brown gravy.
The service crew then expertly cut open the tripe with a pair of scissors, revealing the treasures inside — beef brisket and abalone.
The dish was decadent and tender with a luscious sauce, and all it needed was a bowl of plain rice to perfectly complement it.
We also tried the new Claypot Fried Dace Fish Kai Lan (S$18/S$25/S$30) and Dry Braised Pork Ribs (S$20/S$30/S$40).
You can also find familiar crowd favourites like the Crab Stewed Bee Hoon (S$11 per 100g – Sri Lankan Crab) and Minced Garlic Steamed Clam (S$35 for 100g).
As an opening promotion (26 Sep to 31 Oct 2024), you can enjoy 50% off these selected signatures on weekdays: Minced Garlic Steamed Clam, Dry Braised Pork Ribs, Stir-Fried Wagyu Cube and Milky Sea Prawn.
Longing for wine? The restaurant has a sleek in-house wine cellar with over 100 labels starting from S$29++ per bottle. If you’re thinking of bringing a bottle from home, you’ll be glad to know that Yang Ming Seafood offers free corkage, so it’s the perfect time to clear out your stock!
