Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
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I have to say, I feel fortunate that even with us having been on a stay-home mandate during the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period, we, as Singaporeans, still had access to our favourite restaurants and cafes via a simple touch of a button. And that is why, when Diamond Kitchen came up on my feed, I knew I had to take advantage of their crab promotion.
With two outlets—one in Marine Parade and the other at Buona Vista—Diamond Kitchen is currently offering a steal price for three Sri Lankan crabs at only S$49.90 (in either Diamond ‘Gan Xiang’ Style, Chilli, or Black Pepper).
Of course, I had to try their other highly-recommended dishes like Champagne Pork Ribs (S$16/S$24/S$32), Superior Stock Clam Bee Hoon (S$16/S$24/S$32), and Salted Egg Yolk Sotong (S$16/S$24/S$32).
The dishes from Diamond Kitchen may seem humble and simple, but hold on to your horses because I gotta tell you, they will really hit the mark if you haven’t enjoyed a hearty seafood spread since we went into ‘Circuit Breaker’ mode.
Their Salted Egg Yolk Sotong was still crunchy upon arrival, and the distinct aroma of curry leaves and salted egg wafted through the air the instant I popped open the styrofoam box lid.
Hearing an audible crunch, I was pleased to see that Diamond Kitchen’s squid-to-batter ratio was balanced, so I wasn’t simply eating fried salted egg batter with bits of squid. There was a concert of textures going in every mouthful—from chewy to crispy, to buttery, and even to powdery.
Perhaps some people don’t appreciate the powdery quality of salted egg, but because this batter was also creamy, the final mouthfeel of the Salted Egg Yolk Sotong was exceptionally enjoyable.
Champagne Pork Ribs, anyone? You’d think that cooking the champagne would simply diminish any remnant flavour of this prized alcohol, but it surprisingly still carried a muted taste on the sticky, flavourful pork ribs.
The meat was mildly chewy, but more importantly, it didn’t have the gamey smell that sometimes pork can have; it was pure sweet, sticky goodness with a bitter accent, all thanks to champagne!
Nothing is more comforting to me than bee hoon soup, considering I’m not a fan of porridge (which most consider the ultimate comfort food). So, I was naturally elated to be slurping on slippery bee hoon noodles in a silky, sweet broth. The lala clams are bouncy and sweet, which enhanced the soup even more.
Since Diamond Kitchen served up a rather large portion, we saved some for the next day, and it was almost better than the day before. However, I don’t recommend keeping it for more than two days as the noodles would bloat exponentially and as with all seafood, it’s best to eat as soon as possible.
The Sri Lankan crabs I had were cooked ‘Gan Xiang’ Style, which gets its name from a paste that originates from Malaysia. It’s made by frying dried shrimp, curry powder, dried chillies, shallots, and other spices to create a fragrant paste that is reminiscent of black pepper, but less spicy and more savoury.
My only feedback would have to be that the crabs didn’t seem as fresh as I would have liked, or perhaps they were overcooked; I struggled to pull the flesh from the shell easily, and there was an overall dry quality to the meat.
However, that aside, the paste tasted spectacular and I was informed that it’s their best-seller, so it now also have my vote as a highly-recommended dish.
Out of all four dishes I’d enjoyed, the Salted Egg Yolk Sotong remained my favourite; it’s not easy to get a salted egg dish right, given that it can sometimes taste underwhelming, and have a very gritty texture. The one from Diamond Kitchen, on the other hand, had a medley of powdery and buttery, creating a pleasurable mouthfeel and the portion was a substantial one.
For a limited period, Diamond Kitchen is offering 15% off if you choose takeaway and orders can easily be placed via Whatsapp. Delivery orders require a minimum spend of S$80 and delivery charges vary according to location. To ensure that the food arrives you in time, please remember to order at least two hours in advance, as well.
Expected Damage: S$40 – S$60 per pax
