The Cathay Restaurant: Chef’s Creations (May/June)

“Chef’s seasonal creations at The Cathay Restaurant”

Donning a mostly contemporarviay grey and white interior infused with elements of red and traditional décor, The Cathay Restaurant is also a fusion of past and present with the cuisine that it caters. Previously reviewed for the go-to list of dim sum restaurants, the restaurant has an established menu of Cantonese food and desserts. The Cathay Restaurant launches a special menu every two months under ‘Chef’s Creation’ that is overseen by the Head Chef Lim Swee Hock, also affectionately known as Chef Long due to his resemblance to the actor Bruce Lee (Li Xiao Long). The team has created traditional dishes with a modern twist for May and June. Deep-fried Prawn with Lemon Grass ($8.80). The prawn balls have a firm and crisp texture with a hint of lemongrass, overpowered by the surprising aftertaste of wasabi. Together with mango bits and the aforementioned wasabi kick, this dish makes a good appetizer however lacking the Lemon Grass taste. Baked Fillet of Sea Perch with Raw Salt ($12.80). The fillet was tender and simply cooked. A adaption of western styles using simple flavorings with fresh ingredients. Stir-fried You Mai with Preserved Bean Paste ($18). I have nothing but praise for this impeccable dish – the vegetables had a fresh crunch and the bean paste sauce was flavorful yet not too salty. The additional sweet peppery taste from the capsicum slices was a nice finishing touch. Cathay Roasted Crispy Chicken ($24). This is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. The meat was succulent and the skin was roasted well The fried crumbs had me wishing for a bowl of rice to complement it. Overall it is an enjoyable dish indeed. Vermicelli Soup with Sliced Garoupa and Crab Meat ($38 per order). This dish was from a previous batch of ‘Chef’s Creation’ and it was so popular with customers that the team decided to bring it back for this season. The sliced fish and shredded crab meat were fresh and sweet, although I would prefer the broth to be more rich and flavorful. If you are craving for a light serving of broth noodles, you can try this premium version of the traditional bowl of Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Soup. Yam Ice Cream with Pumpkin Puree ($4.80). This dessert is suitable even for those who claim to not have a sweet tooth. The yam ice cream and pumpkin puree were sparingly sweet, and the almond bits gave the dessert a nice savory texture (by gibbs). This can be found in the ala-carte menu as well.

Overall, the ‘Chef’s Creation’ dishes were satisfying; the only drawback we experienced was that we waited for quite some time between dishes to be served, so it might be a problem for office workers with a limited lunch period. If you are not rushing off somewhere and wish to have a good time catching up with your family and friends, this is your choice venue for exquisite Chinese food. Chef’s Creation will be available from 1st May to 30 June 2014.

Related Guide: The Cathay Restaurant: Singapore Food Review

Expected Damage: $42/pax

The Cathay Restaurant 国泰: 2 Handy Road, #02-01, The Cathay, Singapore 229233 | Tel: 6732 7888 | Website