New Year at Crystal Jade Kitchen

Siew Mai with Mini Abalone (approx. $9.90++)

This CNY, we came back thrice for Crystal Jade new year menu.

The pics are the 2 dishes which are the must order. The third dish being their sautéed beef cubes; so good it gave you the satisfaction of a steak! Now if only they serve red wine here.

Braised Abalone with Brocolli (approx. $59++)

Paradise Dynasty, 乐天皇朝

Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken ($14.80++), Pan-fried Shanghai Pork Bun ($4.50++)

La Mian served with Double-boiled Chicken Soup ($11.80++)

After an enjoyable lunch at Paradise Dynasty, we returned to find out more.

Given their 8 flavours Xiao long bao (8 pcs, $14.80++), the group still pretty much preferred the original (6 pcs, $7.80++).

The recommended crispy chicken is something you would wish to pack back for Dad to go with his beer. The double-boiled soup is clear yet so flavoursome, you would want to nourish your hubby with. Their pan-fried pork bun is delightfully devilish. Be coming back.

Steamed Bullfrog with Pickled Chilli ($19.80++), Lettuce Roll with Homemade Sesame Sauce ($8.80++)

Return to Sushi Tei

Mekajiki ($10.80++), Hamachi ($12.80++)

Wasn't feeling like Japanese food today, because I was craving for something scalding hot. Like a soup. And was pleasantly surprised that Sushi Tei at the Serangoon Gardens actually serves their soup items hot!

Asari clams for my Udon were all plump, tasting overly of sea-freshness. Sushi was deliciously crunchy. The Wagyu beef steak was tender, but could do with a thicker cut.

Today revisit reminds me of our earlier dating days at Sushi Tei, when Ric always ordered their Sashimi salad ($9.90++) for me.

Asari Tamago Toji Udon ($13.50++)

Tochigi Wagyu Beef Steak ($29.80++)

Paradise Dynasty, 乐天皇朝

Lettuce Roll with Homemade Sesame Sauce ($8.80++)

Frankly, I have been shrinking from Paradise group of restaurants. Having visited their Canton Paradise; the meals left me much dehydrated. Paradise Dynasty today, is definitely a better experience.

Lettuce roll is refreshing for an appetizer. Then some light, nourishing pork bone soup, which pleasantly delighted me. Their signature meat dumplings are impeccable. The shredded pork to be wrapped with Chinese crepes are both engaging and flavory for our lunch group.

Fish fillets served in interesting bamboo basket raises up many of our handphone cameras. Haha. Just take care to order only their lighter dishes; i guess a visit to Paradise can still be enjoyable.

La Mian with Seafood in Signature Pork Bone Soup ($13.80++)

Signature Original Xiao Long Bao ($12.30++)

Fried Rice with Shrimps and Preserved Vegetables ($11.80++)

Stir-fried Prawns in Spicy Bean and Tomato Sauce ($18.80++)

Stir-fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce, with Chinese Crepes ($13.80++)

Steamed Garoupa Fillet served in mini Bamboo Basket

Ichiban Boshi

Swordfish, Kajiki Belly (2 serving, 13.90++ per serving)

Swordfish ($13.90++), Yellowtail ($6++), Salmon ($6++)

 Uni Chawanmushi, Sea Urchin ($9.90++)

Ichiban Boshi is fast becoming my favorite Japanese restaurant. There are variety, quality and quantity in their food serving - where possible we found potions to be large, and reasonably priced. As seen in their thick chicken cutlet and generous chasoba. With several ala carte, set options you could design your meal freely.

Now I know why the restaurant is always packed.

We enjoyed our food today. Only exception for the tired looking and tasting soft-shelled crab. And on our other visit, we had their Bluefin fatty tuna ($32++, 5 pcs) but it was not the best; our favourite is their Swordfish belly.

Always, service was impressive with helpful waitresses who knows their menu well.

Chicken Katsu ($10.90++)

Soft Shell Crab Tempura ($12.90++)

Fried Oyster with Spicy Cod Roe Mayo & Cheese ($10.90++)

Grilled Yellowtail (Hamachi) Head ($19.90++)

Una Jyu, BBQ Eel ($24.90++)

Tenzaru Chasoba, Cold Green Tea Noodle with assorted tempura ($13.90++)

Ice Shiratama Zenzai with Matcha Ice Cream (6.50++, Single scoop $3.50++)

Treasure Pot Lunch @ Crystal Jade Kitchen

Steamed Cheong Fun with Shrimp ($6.80++)

Deep-fried Beancurd Skin Roll with Minced Pork and Shrimp ($5.80++)

Mini Treasure Pot ($58.80++)

Planned a simple dim sum lunch at the Crystal Jade Kitchen. But colleagues dropped a bomb; with everybody voting for the expensive claypot dish which contains everything we like!

Delightful ingredients include baby abalones, quality fish maw, scallops, mushrooms, fresh large prawns, roast meat, roast duck and more. Well, it was worth it. Instead of having multiple little dishes, we had, and enjoyed this supreme pot.

With their all time favourite fried rice and beancurd roll, our lusting palates were satisfied.

天翼海鲜, One Ocean Seafood Restaurant

Taiwanese 3 Cup Chicken

$48.80+ Set Menu (Weekdays only)

This was lunch at One Ocean, which ran a brisk zi-char business at the Toa Payoh Industrial Park before relocating to the Mandai Connection building at 7 Mandai Link. At Mandai, they operate a air-conditioned restaurant beside their al fresco Kopitiam.

For the love of steamed fish, i selected Menu B from their weekday set menu (Available for lunch and dinner). But friend was skeptical, and warned if the affordable pricing could deliver a fresh fish for steaming? She has a point.

So when the fish arrived, we quickly took a bite and was relieved. It was very fresh. So good, i could enjoy the sweetness of the tender fish's stomach without any bitter tasting. We wiped off everything on the plate, except for the three cup chicken because of the heavy seasoning. Nonetheless, we are definitely looking forward to return.

Steamed Pomfret 'Hong Kong' style

Chinese Spinach in Superior Stock

One Ocean Home-Style Beancurd

Tonkichi (とん吉) Tonkatsu - Our best.

Hire & Rosu Katsu Set, deep fried Pork fillet and loin ($27.90++)

Chawanmushi ($6.90++, Add to set meal $4.50++)

Our best experience of Tonkatsu was at Tampopo where they serve juicy and flavorsome Black Pig, regrettably without freshly crushed sesame seeds.

Saboten and Tonkichi were the two others we tried - no black pig option, just your normal pork serving dipped into their traditional tonkatsu sauce with crushed sesame. We had thought Saboten was good enough, but until we do Tonkichi today.

The meat is simply juicier, than all our visits to Saboten. Even the lion portion which was deemed to be always drying, was wonderfully flavorsome. It even comes with a thin strip of fat that tastes oishii! We were pleasantly surprised to have found an alternative.

And we had the Deals promotion to thank for today - $15 for 1 set. It's a steal!

Cathay Restaurant, 新国泰冷气酒家

Chicken Yam Ring

Cathay Restaurant in Johor Bahru was where we ended our 2 days trip; dinner has to be early as we were rushing to beat the Causeway jam to Singapore. We even joked that dinner would be only 30 mins!

With this mentality and early timing, our plates were barely cleared although food has been decent. The strong air-conditioning in the old restaurant also had most of us scuffing about... but i made sure i pecked extra portion of the delicious braised chicken, before scrambling back to the warm outside air. (Yes, we did beat the Causeway jam.)

Shark's fin Soup

Beancurd Fish Cake

Braised Herbal Chicken

Mayo Prawns

Nyonya Sayang Restoran - Homely & Unpretentious

Beneath the secluded doorway of Nyonya Sayang hides a bustling kitchen, all geared up for the lunch crowd that swarm in steadily. The restaurant looked a little too new for good food, but we settled in comfortably in their airy dining hall.

Singaporeans do love Nyonya food, for its many spices used. Fresh from our hotel buffet breakfast, just some 3hrs ago, the group is all ready to wallop up these plain looking dishes?

Sometimes, you really don't judge a book by its cover. Nyonya Sayang definitely isn't the best Nonya restaurant in Malacca; we had had better, but we appreciate home-styled cooking, especially after all that restaurants' feasting on this trip. We like the taste of food - genuinely fresh ingredients, apt seasoning and their obvious culinary efforts. The most popular dish being the braised Cabbage! And the Otah just reminded me how mum used to prepare it at home!

Just when we thought we had too much Chendol-ing? Sorry, we finished their bowl of watery and not-too-sweet Chendol! It seems to satisfy everybody's taste buds. We liked it! 

Ikan Goreng Cili (Deep fried fish with a sprinkling of deep fried fresh Chilies)

Homemade Otah and Udang Masak Lemak Nanas (Prawns with Pineapple in spicy Coconut milk gravy)

Nyonya Chap Choy (Signature Nyonya braised Cabbage)

Ayam Pong Teh (Chicken braised with preserved soya bean paste, Mushroom and Yam)

Sambal Petai with fried Ikan Bilis

Sambal Bendih (Ladies finger with Chilies, dried prawn and a squeeze of lime juice)

Gula Melaka Chendol

Restoran Pei Zing (Melaka), 北京楼

Dinner was at Pei Zing, another long-standing Chinese restaurant in Malacca. And despite of our early dinner, i was surprised that everyone seemed hungry; even the kids were asking for seconds! Alright, we really enjoyed this dinner more than our lunch at Restoran L.T.P.

On the overall, we were impressed with the spicy dishes of pork in satay sauce and sambal squids, while the children finished the plate of sweet sour pork - i had earnestly helped too. 

Shark's Fin Soup

Cantonese Steamed Tilapia

Cereal Butter Prawns

Sweet & Sour Pork

Pork in Satay Sauce

Sambal Sotong with Ladyfingers

Choy Sum Vegetable