Sichuan and Cantonese delights at Si Chuan Dou Hua
PUBLISHED November 8th, 2012 01:12 am | UPDATED June 2nd, 2016 02:43 pm
There is something about Si Chuan Dou Hua that really makes you feel like you could be in Hong Kong. Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s situated on the 60th floor of one of the towers at UOB Plaza, the sleek interior, and the view out to the cityscape which feels particularly ‘Hong Kong-like’ on a grey day.`
We decided to visit this outlet of Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant (the first of three in Singapore) because we were craving some Cantonese cuisine (it is known for both this and Sichuan)…and as usual it was the need for weekend dim sum that was a driving force.
We settled in our seats and wowed at the Tea Master display, where hot tea is poured through a long-spout kettle into your teacup – it is quite an impressive way to set the scene, adding some welcome drama and flair to the dining experience.
The dim sum menu is an interesting read with plenty of twists on old favourites and some interesting lesser seen dishes amongst the 30 choices. Add to that, the dim sum prices are extremely reasonable given the standard and superior quality and we were happy punters.
The first order of the day was the Congee with Baby Abalone ($12). This is how all congee should be. Perfect consistency, a distinct flavour and a great way to enjoy a spot of abalone. Only a small dash of soy sauce needed to finish off this comforting dish.
The Minced Meat Dumpling in Superior Broth ($5 for 3 pieces) certainly gave the famous Xiao Long Bo a run for its money. It did just as it was supposed to and burst in your mouth with tasty savoury flavours.
The Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling with Celery ($5 for 3 pieces) was delicious. Plump juicy prawns in a casing of perfect texture, the addition of celery was a nice touch which gave this dim sum a subtle crunch and an interesting play on textures.
Fancying something sweet along the way, we ordered the Crispy Sweet Potato Pancake ($5 for 3 pieces), though they were not quite what we expected – more like sweet potato croquettes. Nevertheless these will be a hit for anyone who loves sweet potato – creamy and a little bit sticky on the inside, crispy on the outside, with a slight nutty flavour. Delicious.
From the main dishes, I would highly recommend the Stir-Fried Spicy Chicken with Wild Mushroom ($23 for a small – which is more than ample for two to share). The chicken is tender and juicy with delicious savoury flavour and while the wild mushrooms may seem like strange fruit with an almost chewy consistency, we just couldn’t get enough of them and the excellent texture contrast they provided.
Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant is now firmly on my list of great places to go for dim sum, but also to enjoy delicious Chinese cuisine. For dim sum lovers in particular, if you haven’t tried it already, for the quality and price point, this really should be next on your list.
