PUBLISHED October 5th, 2017 06:00 am | UPDATED October 23rd, 2017 04:10 pm
A silken, round flower floats in light broth – a delicate and seemingly live companion, almost too beautiful to eat. The collective “aww” around the table said it all upon being presented with the Chrysanthemum Tofu in Consommé at TungLok Signatures‘ new menu launch in Orchard Parade Hotel. In a dining scene chock full of Chinese restaurants and Cantonese food, the revamped menu at TungLok Signatures is a breath of fresh air.
With two menus catering to different kinds of guests – hosting a business dinner? Select from the large of the two, featuring impressive mains with premium ingredients – there’s a good mix of both the contemporary and traditional dishes from the restaurant, which TungLok Signatures drew out from an extensive cuisine library and developed.
As mentioned, a favourite of the table was the Chrysanthemum Tofu in Consommé, where a ball of silken tofu was cut into a chrysanthemum flower that sits slightly below the surface of the consommé. A chef demonstrated the cutting of the rectangular tofu, which was done with swift, precise strokes – an exquisite process that had everyone’s rapt attention, as a wrong slice could spell the end. The cut tofu was carefully manoeuvred to its shape in the soup, creating a floating puff-like bloom. The flavourful broth complemented the soft beancurd well, a comforting dish great for setting the mood early in the meal.
The Pan-seared French Foie Gras with Sliced Roast Irish Duck with Pancake and Fruit Jelly was a twist on the popular Peking duck. The crepe-like wrap of the original was replaced with a thicker pancake with a Chinese mantou-like texture – the soft wrap gives way to the crisp skin of the roast duck and creamy foie gras, giving the audible crunch that you should expect from such crispy skin. At the side is a fruit jelly, served in a mini carved watermelon ball. Topped with pomelo and salad dressing, it’s sweet and refreshing accompaniment to the duck that also serves as a palate cleanser.
We also enjoyed the Braised Bamboo Charcoal Beancurd with Green Vegetables in Pumpkin Sauce, where the beancurd took on a black hue due to charcoal. The star of the plate was the pumpkin sauce, with just the right amount of sweetness mixed with savoury, and giving the light-tasting beancurd and vegetables a flavour boost for your palate.
The finishing dish, the Roast Suckling Pig stuffed with Glutinous Rice beckoned for a more traditional taste – crunchy, thick skin with enough fat to melt in your mouth and tender meat from the plump pig. The glutinous rice with Chinese sausage and onion was tasty but utterly filling, and most of us could not finish our servings after the satisfying meal.
Whether you are here for an important meeting or just catching up with friends over a shared meal, TungLok Signatures’ new dishes are sure to fill you up with familiar Chinese dishes. A dash of their own style in each plate makes for good conversation (and photos for the #feedfeed) – TungLok Signatures is a place for all occasions.
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Cover image: Roast Suckling Pig stuffed with Glutinous Rice