Chinese 🍲🥟

Le Shrimp is Paradise Group‘a way of jumping on the new age novelty ramen bandwagon. The broth is thick, creamy, suffused with crustacean goodness and distinctly prawny. Wontons were silky, prawns were fresh. You have the options of Chinese la mian (perfectly soft, not that al dente crap), rice vermicelli or flat rice noodles. Would’ve liked to pay a bit less thoug, for just 4 wontons a bowl.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

The Gold Standard: Thin and translucent dough exterior encompassing a small mound of savoury pork filling, bathing in a generous quantity of sweet, sapid broth.

Baos are usually banal elements of a standard dim sum spread. But not this impressive creation! Each bun houses a sizeable gobbet of finely chopped BBQ pork, marinated in honeyed sauce which strikes a good balance between sweet and savoury. The skin was crisp and airy, perfectly browned in the oven but not excessively greasy. I still prefer Tim Ho Wan’s rendition (just for that crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture), but this certainly puts up a good fight.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

This is a sophisticated version of the chee cheong fun. Nestled at the core were fleshy shrimps (whole and minced), sheathed in a paper-thin layer of crispy flour batter and rice noodle roll. Skin could be thinner though.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

One of my favourite congees ever: lightweight, silky texture, amply populated with diced pork and century eggs. (Nothing more repulsive than close-fisted vendors unwilling to spare ingredients.) Each mouthful brings to light the depth and evenness of flavour. Perfect pick-me-up.

🏅 10/10
💭 Must try

Not bad, but I’ve had better. The rolls were unevenly marinated (because they were served separately from the gravy) and could afford to be thinner. But I enjoyed the delicately-flavoured gravy and the tender collops of BBQ pork.

🏅 7/10
💭 Can try!

This platter far exceeded my expectations! (Proof that commercialised joints don’t invariably mangle roasts.) The char siew was tender and unstintingly coated with honeyed BBQ sauce. I enjoyed the lightly scorched edges, but some might want it crispier and smokier. The roast pork was equally succulent, interlaced with fat, and quickly won my heart with its brittle golden skin. I’ll be back, just for that satisfying crackle and the juicy hunks of meat.

🏅 9/10 (Char Siew)
🏅 9/10 (Roast Pork)
💭 Must try

For $5, I got briny slabs of ribs bathing in an oily broth. What little meat I could muster was tender, but fatty. The taste of black beans was palpably absent – unsurprising, since the ground beans were used only as a garnish. It’s a real pity because this dish lacks pungency and spiciness, which, really, is the essence of the attraction behind steamed pork ribs.

🏅 5/10
💭 Can try