Relooking Teochew Cuisine
Paradise Group introduces their all-new restaurant concept – Paradise Teochew Restaurant at Chinese Swimming Club, in which Paradise Group aims to extend deeper into it’s roots of being the experts in Chinese Cuisine. They are the same company behind 12 brands in Singapore and Asia which includes; Taste Paradise, Beauty In The Pot, LeNu, ParaThai.
True to its core promise of “Creating new dimensions of dining pleasure”, Paradise Group is set to house yet another new concept under it’s wing. The company wants to continue offering patrons diverse Chinese dining options, and Teochew cuisine is a big part of it, which sparked off this new venture.
The main seatings in Paradise Teochew restaurant boasts a warm traditionally Chinese setting which most would find to be comfortable throughout their meal. It’s definitely an ideal place for a small family meal I would say, but they have seatings suitable for business lunches as well.
The seatings nearer to the huge windows (of course) have more natural light shining in, which could get a little warm if it’s during the afternoon. You know where to grab your seat if you want to take good photos of your food.
First up on our table was the appetiser; Teochew Four Varieties Combination ($10/pax, Minimum order of 3 pax). This dish consist of (from top left;clockwise) Teochew Pork Roll, Braised Sliced Duck, Teochew Prawn Ball, Pan-fried Scallop with Minced Garlic. This appetiser is a mini showcase of the restaurant’s forte – authentic and handmade. Pictured above is a portion for 5 people.
Teochew Pork Roll was juicy with every bite full of meatiness.
The Braised Sliced Duck was braised for up to 4 hours prior to being served, and that explains the flavourful braised taste behind each slice of duck. Teochew Prawn Ball had a texture similar to a sotong ball, which was a little tough on the initial bite but a burst of prawn flavour comes thru as you chew on it.
The Pan-fried Scallop with Minced Garlic, was my favourite because I love how the garlicky taste blends with the sweet seafood-nature of the scallop.
Next up we had the Teochew Style Braised Shark’s Fin in Casserole ($42/pax) which is found mostly only in fine-dining Chinese restaurants. Served in a flavourful thick broth with generous serving of shark’s fin, it’s going to be worth of every cent.
You can have shark’s fin in every mouthful of broth and probably run out of soup before the fin does. I prefer this without vinegar to be able to taste the wholesome flavour. This bowl of soup promises you a satisfactory tummy although not everyone will agree on the traditions of eating shark’s fin.
After that came the Steamed Diced Chicken wrapped in Egg White Crepe ($18).
This dish required lots of skill to prepare the thin-layered egg white crepe skin. Every bite promises a clean protein flavour, savoury mix of chopped chicken bits and Chinese Ham. Also consist of diced water chestnut and bamboo shoots to add crunchiness to the dish. Wholesome, I would say.
Something lighter would be the Sautéed Pomfret Fillet with Tomato and Salted Vegetables ($28). A clever use of simple ingredients like salted vegetables and tomato to bring out the natural sweetness of the fish.
There is a right balance between sourness and sweetness, and the fish made tastier from the enhancement of flavour from the ingredients. A must-order recommended by the restaurant.
Typical Asians like you and me would never do without carbs. Therefore the Crispy Sweet and Sour Noodle in Teochew Style ($14) was my staple. Said to be found only in Hong Kong, and only available in this restaurant in Singapore, it was brought back by one of it’s directors, Eldwin Chua.
The purpose was to allow diners in Singapore to savour the most original and authentic version of this dish. The noodle, pan-fried to a crisp on both sides, leaves the center to be slightly softer. Recommended to dip with vinegar and sugar for that sweet and sour mix.
I like how it remained crispy on the outside despite being dipped in vinegar, as well as the contrast in texture between the exterior and interior.
Don’t forget your greens. The key to a well-balanced meal at the restaurant lies in the Braised Mustard Green with Shredded Conpoy and Dried Shrimps ($18). It is braised long enough to rid the bitter nature of the mustard green.
The sweet tooth in me rejoices when desserts are served. Crispy Pumpkin, Yam and Sweet Potato Strips ($12), resembling slices of pizzas are easy to eat.
A more unusual dry kind of dessert in Singapore, textures of pumpkin, yam and sweet potato go well together in this fried state. I like how it is different from the conventional desserts that are served elsewhere, try this if you feel adventurous.
Other popular Teochew desserts they have on the menu is the Tau Suan and Mashed Yam with Ginko ($4.50 per pax)
Paradise’s new concept Teochew Restaurant is the place to satisfy all your Teochew Cuisine cravings with traditional yet uncommon dishes. Quality food and great ambience, you get the best of both worlds.
Expected Damage: $70-100/pax
