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Boxing Crab: Buy One get One Free
For diners who like crabs, the latest promotion at the Boxing Crab restaurant is a great attraction which offers a free crab dish whenever they order any crab dish from the menu.
This promotion is “Back by Popular Demand” from the regular customers and will be for 2 months, ie. from 1st March 2013 to 30 April 2013.
The Boxing Crab Restaurant is located next to the Sentosa Underwater World; it is the latest seafood establishment created by Food Junction, which provides Chinese, Balinese, Western seafood and ambrosial dishes as well. Although it was opened in August last year and located on Sentosa Island, it already has a good customer base through media coverage and word-of-mouth introduction. It has become a new favorite place to dine infront of a fantastic seafront, away from the city.
|||||Alternative creative restaurant
The magnetic temptation of Boxing Crab arises from its unique seaside location and the elegant, simple style decor. In fact, the birth of the restaurant itself is a manifestation of its creativity. At the beginning, the owners rented out the place to Food Junction for a food court concept. However Food Junction thought it was really a waste of this beautiful seaside scenery and hence decided to develop a creative seafood restaurant instead.
The décor in the Boxing Crab restaurant is very unique, and it is distinctly different from the other Chinese restaurants. Manager Mr. Tan Lu Ping said when interviewed; usually Chinese restaurants normally use round tables, however in Boxing Crab, long trendy tables are used instead. Additionally, there is a high dome central restaurant, a bar and an open kitchen. There is also a unique small blackboard wine menu which is permeated with details of the petty bourgeoisie atmosphere.
Manager Tan pointed out that it is not easy to find a second restaurant which has identical breath-taking Singapore sea view as the Boxing Crab restaurant. The sunset view is magnificent which can spellbound the diners while they enjoy the delicious meals. To attract and accommodate more customers, Mr. Tan informed that they may allow group guests to engage in special annual celebrations during the festive period, eg. in the company of lion or dragon dances for the Chinese New Year period. Because it has a spacious premise, the boxing crab restaurant has a seating capacity for 250 diners and it also has 2 VIP rooms which could sit 40 pax.
|||||Inexpensive crab delicacies
Since it is based on the crab theme, the crab dishes in the Boxing Crab restaurant have its own tasty selling points. Even Manager Tan go to the market to choose the fresh Sri Lankan crabs every morning.
The style of cooking and preparing the crab dishes include the chili crab, black pepper crab and braised claypot crab with superior broth and pumpkin. The black pepper crab is very special created from a secret recipe of the chef; the taste is not spicy but very fragrant. The braised claypot crab with superior broth and pumpkin is also very popular. The unique flavor of mixing both the superior broth with pumpkin gives it a rich flavour with thick golden sauce that compliments well with the fresh steamed crab. The chili crab is even more particular. First boiled the crab, then steam it in wrapped fresh lotus leaves; the purpose is to let the scent of the lotus leaves sink into the crabs. When the waiters carry this dish to the tables and cut open the leaves, diners can straight away smell the lovely fragrance.
Crab cooking is not easy as it look; in fact it is rather tedious and complicated. For the crab lovers, they will be pleased to know that the prices at the Boxing Crab restaurant are very affordable.
In addition to the crab dishes, the restaurant also offers other dishes such as tasty shrimps, Indonesian grilled fish and other seafood. Even non seafood dishes like the duck satay accompanied by homemade sauce is a must-try dish. During tea-time, the restaurant also offers an interesting afternoon tea menu. You can order some snacks with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the afternoon sea view in the Boxing Crab restaurant. （■Singapore360°）
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About us：
- Address: 80 Siloso Road (Next to Underwater World), Sentosa
- Open Hours: 11am - 11pm daily
- Phone: 6274 7760
Silk Road Restaurant: The taste of food stretches a long way
To celebrate the spirit of Chinese New Year, Singapore Moutai Baijiu Pte Ltd (SMB), the exclusive operator of the China-Singapore Moutai Specialty Shop, has provided lucky members from the Chinese Baijiu Association (Singapore) or CBAS the opportunity to win & enjoy a specially arranged dinner valued at $828 at the Silk Road Restaurant located in Amara Hotel. The lucky member will be announced on the CBAS website on 25 January 2013 and the validity of the special dinner is from 29 January to 7 February 2013.
In order to allow the CBAS members to know more about this unique culture restaurant, CABS has the opportunity to meet up with the manager Mr. Ralph Ng. To the credit of the SMB, Mr. Ng complimented the originality and creativity of the members’ loyalty program. It is also a new marketing approach for the restaurant and he shall look forward to the exciting challenges.
|||||Secret: retaining customers with signature dishes
Silk Road Restaurant is located inside Amara Hotel along Tanjong Pagar road. It acquired inspiration from the great Marco Polo who travelled to the East in search and exploring the Asian feelings. Silk Road Restaurant is a full-service restaurant concept featuring selective cuisines that stretch along the historical Silk Road in China namely the provinces of Sichuan, Shanxi, Liaoning and Beijing. The guests can enjoy the different flavours of urban food while savouring the ancient traditional Chinese culture.
The Silk Road restaurant was founded in 2001 in response to a demand opportunity from the market. Mr. Ng who had worked in the catering business for many years, said the emergence of Sichuan style restaurants was both sudden and rapid in Singapore. Although Sichuan cuisine is the restaurant concept but some adjustments have been made to cater to the health conscious local diners.
Visitors to the Silk Road Restaurant are usually guests who are on business trips to Singapore. The Japanese forms the majority while the rest are from China, USA and Europe. Even local diners are also fast becoming a dominant fraction of visitors to the Silk Road restaurant. How to retain these visitors and diners? Mr. Ng claimed that the trick is in the formulation of unique signature dishes.
Mr. Ng is proud of his restaurant Mapo tofu. Although it seems to be a normal dish, he claimed that the Mapo Tofu here is the best in Singapore. He further added that the Japanese guests usually like to order this dish whenever they visit the Silk Road restaurant.
The Silk Road restaurant is also special in another way such as whenever the guests are in Singapore, they will opt to dine at the restaurant for the purpose of wanting to eat their favourite dishes. For example there was a Swedish guest whose favourite dish was the restaurant’s Spicy Chicken. Candidly, the serving staff will privately remember the Swedish guest as Mr. Spicy Chicken. This dish is unique for the chili imported direct from Sichuan. However, due to the closure of the local supplier of the Sichuan chili, the restaurant has temporarily stop providing this dish. As of now, the loyal guests can only wait for Silk Road’s notice in order to resume enjoying this mouth-watering dish.
All the signature dishes are from the impressive efforts of the restaurant chefs. The restaurant will start to introduce tasty Sichuan snacks to the guests every month. The talented chefs from Chengdu will review and introduce an interesting range of home town styled dishes to enable the guests to enjoy a greater taste of the ancient Silk Road. Such tasty Sichuan snacks will be presented to the guests every month. Mr. Ng also added that once every two or three years, the restaurant will revamp its menu.
|||||Objective: service is always first
Besides retaining the guests with signature dishes, the Silk Road restaurant also emphasized on its staff to provide good customer service; the best service affordable to honoured guests. As a matter of fact, the restaurant has won the Service Class Award presented by Spring Singapore in October 2012; it also has a long accolade of awards as well. Interestingly the waiting staff here is from China.
The overall design of Silk Road is very Zen. The restaurant seems quaint under the soft lights which allow the diners to enjoy the food and the pleasant feeling of dining with friends and family in a relaxed environment.
There is a VIP room that can accommodate up to 16 people and even has a VIP butler that specializes in providing services to the guests. Despite the current tightening of the local foreign labour policy which invariably affects the employment of waiters and waitresses, Mr. Ng still insist on recruiting the right waiters and waitresses from China. On the subject of F & B industry in a rapid technological society, Mr. Ng said that although many restaurants are using high technology to increase productivity, such as allowing guests to order dishes with the IPAD, he felt that there is no substitute for a service-oriented industry like a restaurant. He also felt that face to face communication and enthusiastic service will provide a high degree of service to the diners.（■Singapore360°）
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About us：
- Address: Amara Hotel, Level 2, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539
- Open Hours: Lunch 11.30 am - 3.00 pm Dinner 6.00 pm - 10.30 pm
- Website: www.silkroadrestaurants.com/rest.html
More details about the Members’ Loyalty Program, please visit Loyalty Programme II
Celebrate Lunar Chinese New Year with Moutai baijiu to match with Luo Hei festivities
Traditionally Singaporeans like to celebrate Lunar Chinese New Year with Luo Hei. In line with this year “Bountiful Bundles of Nines” organized by Lianhe Zaobao and Maybank, a Moutai baijiu Luo Hei will be organized to greet the Snake year.
It was reported that the event “Bountiful Bundles of Nines” will be held on 26 January in a ballroom at the Resorts World Sentosa. Renowned Resorts World Sentosa restaurants such as Feng Shui Inn, Forest森 and Boulangerie have joined hands to create 9 gastronomic delights – including the Flambé Salmon ‘Lo-Hei’.
This is indeed a rare opportunity for foodies to taste the culinary skills from these 3 must-try restaurants at one go!
In addition, the organizers will also arranged guests to taste the Moutai Baijiu to wish them a good Golden Snake year in advance. Moutai is the top baijiu brand in China and it is customary to have this brand during the joyous celebrations to mark major events in China. Moutai baijiu is known for its prominent, full-bodied, elegant and delicate taste coordination plump features. Guests will have the chance to taste the luxurious Moutai baijiu and can also take back the exquisite small glass home.
Driven by DJ Lin Anna, the guests will have the chance to win lucrative products payable through Maybank credit card. There will also be a calligraphy competition and games which includes the Moutai baijiu, other wines and tea gift baskets.
This original admission fee is $ 298 per person; however there will be a discount of $ 129 (including GST) for readers of Lianhe Zaobao. Readers can sign up through http://www.zaobaofoodfestivity.com.sg
（■Singapore360°）
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About us：
- Date: Saturday, 26 January 2013
- Hours : 12.30pm – 3.30pm
- Resorts World® Sentosa, Compass Ballroom East
Huat Kee: Old Teochew Taste
The Huat Kee culinary reputation has been around for almost three generations. The current restaurant is situated along quiet Amoy Street in the downtown area since 1993. And the aromatic Teochew flavour has remain unchanged throughout this time. To most food lovers and critics, the Huat Kee Teochew Restaurant is regarded to serve the most authentic Teochew cuisine in Singapore.
Mr. Lee Chiang Howe is a third generation descendant from the Huat Kee clan. Today he oversees the running and growth of the business. Mr. Lee revealed that at a young tender age of 5 years old, he has already stepped into the kitchen and even experienced the role of a kitchen helper. He said that the most important feature of Huat Kee is its capabilities of retaining the traditional Teochew taste. Traditionally overseas Chinese are stubborn and that includes not making changes to cooking recipes.
Typically, Teochew cuisine is categorized into 3 major categories: Chaoshan Local, Hong Kong and Nanyang. And the Nanyang category is best exemplified by the popular Huat Kee Teochew. In the past, the Teochew people who sailed to Nanyang in search of fame and fortune generally turned out to be successful businessmen and that resulted in their preference for good and delicious food; even though it can be very expensive. Through time, the Nanyang Teochew cuisine became popular and naturally remain authentic than the Chaoshan local.
Mr. Lee said that Huat Kee has never tried to change the menu. He said, “I will never cook braised tofu because it is not a Chiu Chow.” Because of such display of insistence, the flavour of the old Teochew has been retained in Singapore.
Most visitors to Huat Kee are regular diners who have grown with Huat Kee and always cherished the familiar traditional Teochew taste. As media has caused fragmentation in the consumer market, the health conscious younger generation is fast losing track of the traditional gourmet in Singapore and that includes authentic Teochew dishes. Mr. Lee said that he has factored this trend into his dishes such as less making the food less greasy. This approach is an attempt to find a balance between the traditional greasy but delicious dishes and the modern health conscious young diners.
Apart from the taste, the quality of food is very important for Huat Kee. Exotic and expensive items such as abalone, sea cucumber, shark’s fin and fish maw; which could days to cook and prepare are testimonial to the excellent culinary skills of the Teochew chefs. Mr. Lee is very proud of his abalone dishes and rightfully so as its exquisite preparations and taste are befitting for an Emperor.
Mr. Lee is a firm believer that the popularity of Teochew cuisine is on par, if not even better than the Cantonese cuisine in Singapore.
Huat Kee has no other branches and has no plans to do so. Mr. Lee remarked that unlike opening outlets which involve administrative and operational efforts, he has chosen to develop some products which are portable and good to eat. Take for example; his exclusively packaged abalone and shark's fin. The customers can buy and bring home to cook, enjoying the delicious meals as if they are enjoying it at the Huat Kee. "The product is my branch”, Mr. Lee laughed.
Recommended dishes:
|||||Abalone buckle sea cucumber
The signature dish is boiled with dry abalone and pork bones, pig and chicken feet and some other ingredients. The three generations of Huat Kee are all abalone experts. Mr. Lee Chiang Hoew’s grandfather was the chef of the Singapore Drunk Flower Forest Club which established in 1829 during 60s-80s last century, who was regarded as the best at preparing dried seafood. Mr. Lee has inherited the ancestral secret recipe and this dish is a must try item.
|||||Roast suckling pig
Roasted suckling pig is another famed signature dish. Once considered as a “lost dish” in Chaoshan, this dish is in high demand at the Huat Kee. The chef will paint the pig’s body with balsamic vinegar and a little Shaojiu , then it is coal baked for 20 minutes. A thin coat of fermented bean curd is applied and this dish is ready. It is a must try item.
|||||Steamed pomfret
Teochew Style steamed pomfret can no longer be found in Chaoshan. For this dish, it needs tomato, mushrooms, pickles, plum, Tang Artemisia and water. First puts plum and red peppers into the pomfret maw, then steam the fish over high heat for five minutes till the water becomes very delicious soup with fresh salty plum taste. The taste of the pomfret is very smooth and sweet and the soup becomes a natural flavour.（■Singapore360°）
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About us：
- Address: 74 Amoy Street, Singapore
- Phone: 64234747
- Opening hours: 10:30 pm to 2:30; 18:00 to 10:00
- Transportation: Tanjong Pagar (EW15) G Exit
- Website: www.teochewrestaurant.com
