Seafood Paradise - Changi Airport Terminal 2

The Paradise Group is one of the few restaurants that seems to be able to maintain a consistent standard be it at its more high end outlet (i.e. Taste Paradise) or even a simple stopover for desserts at its many Paradise Inn outlets.

Seafood Paradise, for those who recall, is the pioneer of the group which has its roots at Defu Lane industrial estate area. Despite its humble beginnings from the somewhat famous creamy butter crab, the 'paradise' is currently widespread islandwide.

With its latest branch (or so I think) newly opened at Changi Airport Terminal 2, the location definitely makes it all more convenient to bring the family out for a nice seafood dinner instead of the usual East Coast Seafood cluster.

The restaurant is well lighted and ventilated although like your typical chinese restaurants, the service runs very tight during the dinner crowd.

For a table of 7 adults, dinner comprised of 2 appetizers, 2 crabs and 5 main course. Considering we are relatively big-eaters, all of us were stuffed (in a good way) by the end of the meal.

Anyway, here's a quick recap of the meal.

Teochew Prawn Roll ($8.80)

Crispy-fried Baby Squid ($10.80) - These baby squids fried and coated with honey bagged a good punch in terms of smell and favour and was one of the dishes that we just could not get enough off.

 

Shark's Fin with Crab Meat Soup ($15.80 per serving)

Chilli Crab ($48.00/kg) + Deep Fried Buns ($3.60) - I have always been a fan of No Signboard when it comes to chilli crabs but this is a fierce contender with its fairly spicy and thick chilli gravy with a generous amount of egg stirred into its making. Dipped with some deep fried buns, what more can one ask for?

Creamy Butter Crab ($48.00/kg) - I was initially a little hesitant about ordering this dish worrying that it may be too fushion for comfort. Surprising, the sauce with a mild mixture of butter, cream, curry leaves and fried garlic was the highlight of the meal. I can't quite describe the taste but man, do go for this the next time you are at Seafood Paradise, it was that good.

Coffee Pork Ribs ($12.00)

Prawns with Salted Egg Yoke ($16.00) - A cholestrol busting dish but a perfect compliment to plain steam rice. One bite into the succulent salted egg yoke prawn with one mouthful of rice...yum....you get the idea.

Hot Plate Spicy Squid ($14.00) - We all love how soft and easily chewable the squid was drenched with some XO chilli sauce served on a sizzling hot place lined with banana leaf to aid its fragrance.

Coral Clams with Asparagus ($16.00) - The 'vegetable' dish of the day.

Stir-fried Mee Sua ($12.00)

I am sure for easterners, there is now another alternative to a more than decent seafood :)

That is all folks! I'll try to do more regular updates if schedule permits.

Changi Airport Terminal 2
Level 3
Singapore819643
Tel: 6214 9655

Gandhi Restaurant @ Chander Road (Part II)

It's Gandhi time again...my interim comfort food!

So...I have previously wrote about how Gandhi is one of the best indian banana leaf restaurant locally and my position still maintains.

Coming during the weekdays is always a good idea when the crowd is thinner and the ambience not as hectic.

This time round, we went directly after work at say 8 plus in the evening and unfortunately the fish cutlets were already sold out. Regardless, we ordered the usual rice with flower crabs, curry fish and sambal eggs.

Oh yes, food aside, service today was exceptionally friendly and a constant (almost instantaneous) refill of the papadum. 

For the clueless (i.e. me a couple of months ago), you will first be served with banana leaf with the standard 'side dishes' of vegeable dal, cabbage, indian style sambal, rice, curry and papadum.

Next, you can either go to the food counter to choose your additional dishes or order on the spot. Since I'm unadventurous, fish curry, sambal eggs and flower crabs it is.

Now, let's turn our attention to the flower crabs. It's strange how the gravy/sauce actually makes the dish taste like a rendang or rather, flower crabs rendang. And it's addictive given it's savoury and non-spicy nature. This is a must have.

 So there you have it. A splendid meal at all but approximately $16.00 with 2 drinks.

Durians @ Balestier

Tucked along Balestier Road (between Quality Hotel and a Chinese Temple), this inconspicuous durian stall offers one of the best durian I've tried.

 

For a start, you can choose your Mao Shan Wang  and inform the boss whether you like it bittersweet or just bitter.

And so bittersweet we chose.

As you can most probably tell from the photo, the flesh is rightly firm and tender with a strong structural taste of bittersweetness. 

Not your watery and/or hald-ripe and/or tasteless nonsense.

But for S$30 a pop (which may explain the 'value-added' service of bottled water and tissue boxes readily available), this is one durian that's meant for the occasional indulgence.

Royal China @ Raffles Hotel

Royal China used to be one of my favourite dim sum place until the makeover a couple of years ago.

I know the sky blue decor is supposed to look classy, but seriously sky blue for a chinese restaurant?

But anyway, since Royal China is relatively in close vicinity to my office, I decided to give it another go. And I am glad I make the trip, for the quality of the food at least.



We ordered a couple of staple dim sum and I pretty much enjoy the consistency of the dishes and the variety offered.

The Har Kaw (Shrimp dumpling) is wrapped is a thin layer of crystal like skin with each dumpling offering a generous amount of fresh, coarsely chopped shrimps.



(And please ignore the blurry photos...am still trying my best to figure out how to operate my new camera and the very silly focal point)

Next up was the deep fried beancurd roll with shrimps. Again, this was served with a generous amount of shrimp instead of minced pork as used by some other dim sum outlets.



The seafood porridge with bits and pieces of scallop, sliced fish and prawn is definitely the comfort food of the (rainy) day.



Maybe I was half expecting these to resemble their salted egg yoke custard bun counterparts, these salted egg yoke custard layer cake was quite mild in flavour and taste.



We also ordered the glutinous lotus rice and seafood dumpling which don't quite make it on the photos.

All in all, lunch for two sums up to a reasonable $40+ taking into consideration the quality of its food. It's just a pity that service was tardy quite an almost half filled restaurant.