Hey Kee – HK Style Seafood in Singapore

Hey Kee HK Seafood (“Hey Kee”) is a Retro HK Dai Pai Dong-style live seafood restaurant located in Guillemard Village in Geylang. Hey Kee occupied the ground floor of the main building, setting a lively retro Hong Kong theme complete with fish tanks filled with live seafood such as lobsters, crabs, prawns, clams and fish.

Hey Kee

The restaurant dining area is divided into “Indoor” and outdoor. Although you are seated indoors, it is decorated like you are seated outdoors, just like a Dai Pai Dong in Hong Kong. Filled with bright lights, signboard and they even include a barber shop for the fun of it. The outdoor seating is simpler, filled with round tables and red foldable chairs. There are huge air conditioners and retractable awnings to the diners cool and dry.

Outdoor Dining Area

This review is based on our two visits to Hey Kee.

Menu P1

Menu P2

Double Boiled Pig Stomach Chicken Soup with White Pepper [$36.80]. Hongkongers are known for their love of the soup. Therefore, we decided to order one to start our meal. The pig stomach soup is robust, sweet and with a hint of pepper. Unlike the Singapore version, the pepper taste is very mild, it is more soothing than spicy awakening. Meanwhile, the pig stomach is soft with a bit of chewiness.

Double Boiled Pig Stomach Chicken Soup with White Pepper 

Live Clam Black Bean Sauce [$25]. The clams are fresh, plump and juicy, while the medley of cut chilli, onion and a generous dollop of black bean sauce infused a familiar flavour in this dish.

Live Clam Black Bean Sauce 

Deep Fried Cuttlefish with Salt & Pepper [$20.80]. This is probably the dish that I associated closely with Hong Kong’s style of food. The cuttlefish is tender, brownish, and coated with aromatic salt and pepper that almost looks like a curry powder. The version here is very good

Deep Fried Cuttlefish with Salt & Pepper 

HK Street Style Shark Fin [$12.80]. A very generous portion of the HK Street Style Shark Fin. Don’t expect to be served real shark fin here, but the robust and gooey soup is very comforting. LD enjoyed this dish.

HK Street Style Shark Fin 

Signature Braised Lamb Stew with Beancurd Skin [$42.80]. A dish commonly served during the cold season in HK. The lamb is tender, not gamy and fork tender. I like the fermented taste in the gravy, the aroma and it blends nicely with thick cuts of radish. This beancurd stick is still a bit though, it needs more braising time to soften it and absorb the gravy.

Signature Braised Lamb Stew with Beancurd Skin

Temple Street Crispy Roast Chicken (L) [$39.80]. It is one of the dishes that you need to pre-order during reservations. The skin is paper thin, super crispy and coated with crispy garlic. The flesh is tender and succulent, even for the breast. It is one of the yummiest roast chickens I ever tried.

Temple Street Crispy Roast Chicken (L)

Steamed Fish with Chopped Yellow Chilli - Turbot [$108]. This is the first time I have a turbot for steamed fish. The fish is very fat and covered with the chopped yellow chilli. Surprisingly, the yellow chilli tasted sweet and tangy, almost pickled-like. Together with soy sauce, it infused sweet, savoury and umami flavour to the fish.

Steamed Fish with Chopped Yellow Chilli - Turbot 

Red Grouper – Steamed Hong Kong Style. The red grouper is different compared to the turbot. The flesh is firm and bouncy and it did not absorb much of the superior soy sauce.

Red Grouper – Steamed Hong Kong Style

HK Style Sauteed Chives with Dried Shrimp [$23.80] & Sizzling Kai Lan with Dried Prawns in Claypot [$23.80]. Two types of vegetables we tried at Hey Kee. They both have the same characteristics, crunchy and a bit oily. The dried prawns were supposed to add more flavour, but it seemed to be an overkill for me.

HK Style Sauteed Chives with Dried Shrimp 

Sizzling Kai Lan with Dried Prawns in Claypot 

Stir-Fried Lobster with Potato Noodles in Superior Broth – Australia Lobster [$148/kg]. This was a treat from our Thai Friends. The noodle is smooth, silky coated in rich and creamy superior stock. The lobster flesh is firm and bouncy. Well, I enjoy the noodle and the gravy, instead of the flesh of the lobster.

Stir-Fried Lobster with Potato Noodles in Superior Broth –
Australia Lobster 

To the carbs, we tried Supreme Soy Sauce Fried HK Noodles (S) [$12.80] and Signature “Wok Hei” Hor Fun with Beef [$12.80]. Both of them are excellent. The fried HK noodles are thin, silky and loaded with umami flavours from the Supreme Soy Sauce.

Supreme Soy Sauce Fried HK Noodles (S) 

The Hor Fun is just heavenly. Solid “Wok Hei”, yummy seasoning, while the egg, beansprout and sliced beef complement the silky rice sheets nicely.

Signature “Wok Hei” Hor Fun with Beef

Signature Claypot Seafood Porridge [Market Price]. A signature Hong Kong Congee. The porridge is smooth, silky and infused with the sweetness of the seafood. The prawns and clams are fresh. It is a very comforting dish, though it is missing the you tiao.

Signature Claypot Seafood Porridge 

Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple [$22.80 Large]. We ordered this as the finale during our second visit. The deep-fried pork is crispy, while the sauce is sweet and tangy. The use of hawthorn in the sauce shows that they are not messing around with this dish.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple 

Service is good, friendly and efficient. However, once all your dishes are served, it can be difficult to get their attention. The boss also comes out to check on the quality of the food and to get feedback from the customers.

Menu P3

CBK verdict: Hey Key serves solid Hong Kong Dai Pai Dong dishes, plus the overall quality of the food is very good and very close to the taste that we get in Hong Kong. Don’t miss out on their Signature Claypot Seafood Porridge, Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple, Steamed Fish with Chopped Yellow Chilli, Temple Street Roast Chicken and the Supreme Soy Sauce Fried HK Noodles. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Menu P4

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80

Hey Kee HK Seafood

102 Guillemard Road

#01-01, Guillemard Village

Singapore 399719

T: +65 9891 0950

W: https://www.heykee.sg/en_SG/

F: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554594802997

IG: @Heykeesg

OH:

Daily 11.30 – 15.00; 17.30 – 22.30

Fortune Court – Great Chinese Cuisine [MEDIA INVITE]

Fortune Court is a new restaurant set up by ex-Peony Jade Clarke Quay restaurant manager Connie Chee and executive chef Lee Hee Min. It’s all started when they were let go after PJ Clarke Quay closed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The journey has not been smooth sailing at first, however, things start to look brighter after they shift to this new location and rebranded their restaurant to Fortune Court (‘FC’).

Fortune Court

We started the tasting with Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab ($11.80). Deep-fried soft-shell crab, coated with pork floss, mixed with cereal and spices. The crab is crispy and juicy, while the pork floss rub has a touch of curry seasoning that delivers a spicy kick at the end.

Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab

Chef’s Signature Soft Shell Crab

Chef’s Three Cup Beef ($17.80). A variation from the usual three cup chicken. The beef is tender and succulent, while the sauce absorbs into the beef nicely and created a nice caramelisation externally. You can taste the flavour of the rice wine as well. Together with capsicum, onion and basil leaves, this dish is surely a “rice thief” dish.

Chef’s Three Cup Beef 

Chef’s Three Cup Beef 

Chef’s Three Cup Beef - The Beef 

Deep Fried Grouper (800 – 900 gram) – Deep fried drizzled with Superior Sauce ($51.80). We like the presentation as the deep-fried till crispy and reach the curving shape. The exterior is crispy followed by flaky and moist flesh. The superior sauce definitely uses a top-grade soy sauce, as you can taste the depth of the flavours in it. For the finishing touch, the chef put a bunch of coriander, spring onion and minced garlic. I don’t usually like minced garlic on my food, however, the usage here is perfect. It added a touch of sweetness and remove the oily flavour from the fish. What a great dish!!

Deep Fried Grouper with Superior Sauce

Deep Fried Grouper with Superior Sauce

Salted Egg Prawn ($15.80). To be exact, it is Salted Egg Prawn Balls. Instead of using a whole giant prawn, Chef Lee uses homemade prawn balls. The texture is softer, not as bouncy as using the whole tiger prawns, yet it has a lot more flavour as it is mixed with fish paste. Although the salted egg sauce is good, but it is still missing some OMPH.

Salted Egg Prawn

Salted Egg Prawn

Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs ($9/100g). WOW! That was our first reaction. This gigantic Sri-Lankan crab weighs 1.3kg. It is steamed to perfection with egg white and topped with coriander, fried and fresh garlic as well.

Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs 

Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs 

The crab is fresh and the flesh is velvety and smooth. When we turn over the shell, we strike gold, as it is loaded with solid crab roes. We dig out the roe and eat it with the egg white and garlic. Yummy!!

Steamed Crab with Garlic and Eggs 

The Roe

XO Lobster Eefu Noodles ($42.80). A signature dish by Chef Lee from his days at PJ. The lobster is juicy and succulent. However, the Eefu noodle is the star here. The thick silky noodle absorbs the essence of the lobster, the XO sauce and the pork lard. You need to get to the bottom of the dish to find the pork lard. I must say the combination of the pork lard and XO itself is just a gastronomic delight.

XO Lobster Eefu Noodles 

XO Lobster Eefu Noodles 

Singapore Fried Rice with Silver Fish ($13.80). An underrated dish, but it just showcases the great skill of the chef. It is aromatic and exudes a subtle wok hei. The rice is al-dente, well-seasoned and incorporates a multi-texture derived from the eggs, cucumber and prawns. The topping of crispy silver fish is perfect. I will be happy if I order this dish alone.

Singapore Fried Rice with Silver Fish 

FC has two seating areas, indoor and out. The décor for the indoor is modern and bright. I find the place to be warm and cosy. The outdoor seating is limited to two tables; however, it will be a great place to sit when the crowd starts to flow back to Chinatown.

Part of Indoor Dining Area

Part of Indoor Dining Area

During the media tasting, I realised the other tables are occupied by their regulars and they are there to enjoy the XO Lobster Eefu Noodles. This is just a testament to the relationships built over the years between the manager, chef and customers.

Overall, the food at Fortune Court is great. A lot of care and attention goes into each dish and the flavours are awesome. We clean up all the dishes, to show our compliments to the chef. We look forward to our next visit here. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25; $26 - $50

Fortune Court

31 Pagoda Street

Singapore 059190

T: +65 9234 9969

W: https://www.fortunecourtsg.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/fortunecourtsg/

IG: @Fortunecourtsg

OH: Daily 11.00 – 15.00; 17.30 – 22.00

Wine Mansion Bistro – New Yummy Menu [MEDIA INVITE]

Pan Seared Scallop

Wine Mansion Bistro is an extension of Wine Mansion, a boutique wine company that sourced, picked and distribute quality wines from worldwide and distribute them in South East Asia Market. At Wine Mansion Bistro, the customers can have the pleasure to try these quality selections together with the exquisite curated Western Fusion Menu.

Wine Mansion Bistro (“WMB”) is located in Keong Saik Road, a heritage location near Chinatown Singapore, yet boosting a vibrant and trendsetting F&B scene.

Wine Mansion Bistro

We started our tasting with the oysters Fresh Oysters and Baked Oysters ($24 for 6 pcs). This time around WMB uses Irish oysters. The oysters are fresh; however, it is on the mild side. It is neither sweet or briny. I normally like my oysters simple just with a bit of lemon juice, but in this case, it is best eaten with the vinaigrette.

Fresh Oysters

I am not a baked oyster fan, but I enjoyed the version served here. The oysters are baked just right, the mild mozzarella added the much need savoury flavour to the oysters plus the spark come from the spring onion as well. A good starter.

Baked Oysters

Crab Cake ($12) served with chilli crab sauce. A round shape of crab cakes, filled with cheese. It is crispy externally, moist and cheesy internally.

Crab Cake

Crab Cake

Pork Belly ($10). The version here is deep-fried like Thailand crispy pork belly. The external part, including the crackling, is crispy and crunchy, while the meat is nicely seasoned and tender. It is served with mustard and a must-try homemade pickled cabbage. Yummy.

Pork Belly

Pork Belly

Pan Seared Scallop ($19). Perfectly seared scallops that are juicy internally. The asparagus added a contrasting crunchy texture while the garlic butter sauce binds all the ingredients nicely. The sauce was superb and we polished the plate clean. The best starter for the night.

Pan Seared Scallop

Tomato Lobster Pasta ($28). A very generous serving of lobster in this pasta. Instead of serving half portion of the lobster WMB served the whole lobster. The flesh of the lobster is tender and springy, while the pasta is al-dente and well coated with the tomato sauce. Although both ingredients are good individually, I don’t feel the connection between the lobster and pasta. It’s like eating two separate dishes.

Tomato Lobster Pasta

Baby Back Ribs ($25, monthly special). Glazed with maple tomato sauce and served with pasta and homemade pureslaw. The exterior is charred, crisp with a combination of slight bitterness with sweet maple tomato sauce glaze. The flesh is juicy, succulent and well marinated. The pasta is al-dente and the pureslaw is crunchy and helps to balance the fattiness in this dish.

Baby Back Ribs

Pulled Pork Cheese Melts Quesadilla ($14). A super tasty pulled pork, tender and juicy. Coated with cheese melts and wrapped with a soft and fluffy tortilla. It is served with crispy fries and sour cream dip. This dish is also good for a quick lunch or as a starter for dinner.

Pulled Pork Cheese Melts Quesadilla 

Duck Leg Confit ($18). Duck confit is not an easy dish to prepare and execute. The best one normally comes delicious super crispy skin, followed with juicy and fall of the bone meat. The version here has juicy meat; however, the skin is not crispy and the gamy flavour is very strong. On the upside, the mash potatoes are delicious, rich, buttery and paired well with the bitter rocket leaves and grilled tomato.

Duck Leg Confit 

Tomahawk ($98). A jumbo main dish for sharing. Grilled to medium rate and you can expect a superb meat enjoyment here. The texture of the tomahawk here is meatier, chewier with solid beef flavour. Don’t expect the wagyu or dry-aged standards that melt in your mouth version. The side dishes of grilled tomatoes, garden salads, onions, together with mustard and chimichurri sauce make a good companion to the tomahawk.

Tomahawk 

Tomahawk 

With all the dishes that come before us, I was surprised that we still have some space for dessert. A must-order here is the Ricotta Puff ($8). Made with filo pastry and ricotta cheese, this dessert sway towards savoury instead of sweet. It is topped with a mini scoop of ice cream (hint: a bigger scoop will be nice), but it was warm and delicious, we just polished it off. Yum Yum.

Ricotta Puff

There are a few dining and drinking areas for WMB. First floor indoor and outdoor, plus the 3^rd floor. We were seated on the 3^rd floor during the Media Tasting. This area is normally used for a private function or only open during the peak period.

Overall, we enjoy the food at Wine Mansion. The food is nicely executed and will go well with any wine. Our recommended dishes are Baked Oysters, Pork Belly, Pan Seared Scallops, Baby Back Ribs, Tomahawk and Ricotta Puff. Cheers!!

Thank you very much for Alvin and Wine Mansion Bistro team for the tasting invitation.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7 /10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50, $51 - $80

Wine Mansion

26 Keong Saik Road

Singapore 089133

T: +65 6225 4468

W: http://www.winemansion.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/WineMansion/

IG: @Wine_mansion

OH:

Mon – Fri: 12.00 – 14.30; 17.00 – Midnight

Sat: 17.00 – Midnight

Menu Available Online