Chen Li Yuan Restaurant

Our dinner at 成利园饭庄 (72 Tanjong Pagar Road) reminds me of our many dining experiences in China.

Humble it may be this eatery boasts the kind of warmth and simplicity that would have you thinking you're eating in Chinese township.

The little plate of freshly roasted peanuts with ikan bilis ($1) had already made its impression on us as we munched on them greedily while reading its menu.

The extensive menu listed dishes from various parts of China, but we were mostly being recommended on northern cuisine that the restaurant does best.

Being unfamiliar with northern Chinese cooking, we do find their dishes too oily and tad heavy on taste.

Nevertheless, as compared with what we were served in China, foods here were already recreated to suit Singaporeans' palates, but gladly, not to the point where they lose their character.

Fried Mao's Spicy Pork ($8)

One of their signature dishes, purportedly the late Chairman Mao Zedong's favourite, hence its name, comprises thinly sliced pork belly stir fried with red, green and dried chilli. Spiciness was far from its description though, savory was more apt.

The thinly sliced pork was pan fried, making it a little crisp on the edges and chewy. While the health-conscious like me were mortified by the fatty content and was desperately seeking a neutralizer by eating up the chilli, Ric marks this a delicious dish.

Chen Li Special Fried Brinjal ($7)

This delightful dish of lightly deep fried brinjal topped with meat sauce is delicious. A vast variation from the heaviness of Porky dishes we had today.

The soft brinjal that we tore open with a stroke of our tongue practically melts in our mouth. The accompanied mildly seasoned meat sauce perfected the dish.

Claypot Pork Liver ($10)

For pork liver that gets over-cooked easily, the one here was cooked just right. By stirring the liver promptly when it's being served bubbling hot prevents it from over-cooking. A delectable dish for Ric.

And despite its seemingly heavy seasoning used, we were not at all feeling dehydrated after the meal. This is thus another good family restaurant that boasts good, simple food at down-to-earth prices.