Eat First – Great Zi Char Dishes

For our last makan session, M recommended this place. She said she has been wanting to try this place for a while. Of course, the foodie in me did a quick check on the place and found a detailed review of this restaurant by Singapore’s most popular Doctor blogger. In short, the chef is a second-generation chef, together with his brother they are trained by their father. Not sure why the father decided to split his cooking Kungfu and taught steaming skill to one son, and the wok skill to the other. Long story short, each of the brothers went their separate ways and honed their skills and open up different restaurants.

For first time diners at Eat First (“EF”) like us, please note that EF does not take reservations. It is based on a first come first sever basis and you are only allocated your table when all the diners in your group have arrived. The reason is the restaurant is small, so they need to turn over the tables and stop the inconsiderate customers from hogging the tables. They are very polite about this and once you tell them the total pax, they will take note, check on you from time to time and even ask you to place your order first, so you don’t have to wait long after seating.

Drinks Menu

While the place is small, its menu is even smaller with only 14 dishes. With the small menu, EF can focus on the execution, quality of each dish and the speed in churning out each dish.

Food Menu

Our first dish to arrive is Fried Kailan with Beef (Medium, $28). A perfectly executed dish. The Wok Hei just hits you once the dish arrived on the table. The beef is tender and juicy with that enjoyable chewiness to accompany the crispy and crunchy kai lan. It might look oily, but the flavour just hits the spot. Probably the best one that I ever tried. Yummy.

Fried Kai Lan with Beef

Fried Kai Lan with Beef

Black Chicken Soup ($28). The black chicken is cooked with Chinese herbs that include Yu Zu / Solomon’s Seal and wolfberries. The broth is sweet, light with a bit of herbal taste. Surprising, the chicken is tender, making it easy and nice to eat.

Black Chicken Soup

Steamed Fish Head ($28), the signature dish of EF. The fish is smooth, velvety and you can taste the gelatinous texture between the skin and the flesh. The black bean sauce is tasty and enhances the flavour of the fish, together with the pork lard adds the OMPH to this simple dish. Yum Yum. Do take note that some parts of the Song fish can contain a lot of bones.

Steamed Fish Head

Steamed Mince Pork w Salted Fish ($15). Don’t let the pale appearance fool you. The minced pork is fatty and flavourful. That mini slice of salted fish is enough to enhance the taste of the steamed mince pork and add the umami to this dish. Two thumbs up.

Steamed Mince Pork w Salted Fish

Fried Ginger Chicken (Medium, $26). The chicken is deep fried till crispy, then coated with dark soy sauce and pickled ginger that adds a nice sweetness and tanginess to the dish. We like this dish; however, the portion of this dish seems smaller compared to the rest.

Fried Ginger Chicken

Sweet and Sour Pork (Medium, $26). The pork pieces are super crispy, to the point that it was almost over-fried. Unlike the reddish sweet-sour version in other ci zhar, the version here looks coated with black vinegar or Worchester sauce. The sweetness level is very minimum, but I like the punchy tanginess in the dish.

Sweet & Sour Pork

Bean Curd with Prawns (Medium, $28). An old-school type of dish. The tofu comes with a smoky aroma in it, topped with solid egg gravy. LD says kway teow or hor fun will be good with the egg gravy as well.

Bean Curd with Prawns

Fried Kangkong with Sambal Belachan ($12). LD and I did not try the dish as we were recovering from Covid and the tongue is too sensitive toward spicy food.

Fried Kangkong with Sambal Belachan 

White rice is charged at $1 per bowl.

The restaurant is air-conditioned, while the décor of the place is very simple and functional. Service is friendly, with a touch of old-school flair. Almost feel like you are dining at your relative’s house. Once your table is overflowing with food, the service staff will change the older dishes to a smaller plate without fail.

Overall, we enjoy the classic Cantonese dishes. Most of the dishes are good, however, the Steamed Fish Head and Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Fish stands out above the rest. Totally enjoyed the dinner here and looking forward to our next visit. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 6.25/10

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

Eat First 食之為鮮

287 Geylang Road

Singapore 389334

T: +65 6443 8434 (No Reservation, for Take away only)

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

OH:

Wed – Sun: 11.45 – 14.30; 17.45 – 21.30

Closed Mon & Tue.

Background Story Credit: IeatIshootIpost.sg

[CLOSED] Central Thai ECP –Thai Food with An Awesome View [MEDIA INVITE]

Central Thai at East Coast Park (‘CT’) is a Halal Thai restaurant located within a short walking distance from East Coast Park Area F. If you are coming from the city direction toward the airport, it is at end of East Coast Park. It is not even close to the East Coast Lagoon or the East Coast Seafood Park.

Central Thai Entrance - Early Evening

Centra Thai Entrance - Evening

The “secluded” location offers a great view of the Singapore Straits. The crowd is minimum and the parking is also free, almost like your own private beachfront. Occupying a sole property, CT offers indoor and al-fresco dining settings. To avoid the hot scorching weather in the early evening, LD and I decided on air-conditioned indoor seating. However, once the sun set, I suggest you choose the al-fresco seating area to enjoy the cool breeze.

The View - Early Evening

We started the meal with Thai Prawn Cake ($9 for 2 pcs, $17 for 4 pcs). They are huge and each one of them is about as big and as thick as my palm. The exterior is crispy, while the interior is bouncy. The seasoning is sufficient, LD and I did not even dip it in the sweet chilli sauce provided.

Thai Prawn Cake

Thai Prawn Cake

Thai Prawn Cake

Clear Tom Yum Prawn Soup ($18 for Regular, $25 for Large). We have the regular size. The broth is robust and tangy but not overly spicy. The prawns, sliced fish and mushrooms are fresh. LD feels that the soup can be spicier and more sour, however, I like this mild version. It is acceptable to those who can’t take too much heat.

Clear Tom Yum Prawn Soup

Thai Spicy Basil with Minced Chicken ($16 for Regular, $21 for Large). At first, the dish looks super spicy, especially with the bright red colour covering the chicken. However, LD assured me that it is not the case. The minced chicken is juicy, while the heat is more of a sambal-like. Not that full-blown spiciness like in other Thai restaurants. It can do with a bit more basil though.

Thai Spicy Basil with Minced Chicken

Steamed Seabass with Spicy Lemon Sauce ($34 fresh, $42 Live). When this dish reaches our table, it just looks very appetizing. Once it reached our table, the smoke just keeps coming out from the boiling broth, giving this dish a mystical arrival and the WOW factor.

Steamed Seabass with Spicy Lemon Sauce 

The fish is so fresh, and the flesh is soft and velvety, while the broth is aromatic, tangy and acceptable spiciness for me. Basically, both of us devour the whole fish and left it with bones only. A complement to the chef!

The Flesh

Stir-fry Four Heavenly Kings ($16 for Regular, $20 for Large). Lady fingers, eggplant, petai and long bean, cooked with onion, capsicum and prawn paste sambal. It is aromatic, LD like it but I don’t like any of those vegetables.

Stir-fry Four Heavenly Kings 

Pineapple Fried Rice ($14). It was one of the best dishes of the night. The rice is al-dente, fragrant and evenly coated with the fried eggs. The diced pineapple is evenly spread, while the cashew nuts and prawns added different crunchy textures to the dish. A must-order dish here. LD commented that it is a childhood type of must-eat Thai dish when she is young and it has been a while since she had a decent one like Central Thai’s.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice

Our dessert is Mango Sticky Rice ($8.50). It is served with pandan-flavoured sticky rice. The mango is sweet and bursting with flavour. While the pandan sticky rice is a touch too soft (like being overheated in a microwave). The mango and sticky rice taste good with coconut milk.

Mango Sticky Rice

Mango Sticky Rice

For the drinks, I have the Iced Thai Milk Tea ($4.60) and LD ordered Thai Lemon Grass ($4.60). We ask for our drinks to be less sweet and they acceded to our request. Both the drinks tasted very solid and the portion is very big. If you come in a big group, you should order the drinks in a tower.

Thai Lemon Grass & Thai Milk Tea

The décor of the restaurant is simple, functional and Thai-inspired. I like the natural light entering the indoor dining area during the day.

Indoor Dining Area

Al Fresco Dining Area

Overall, we like the food at Central Thai. They are tasty and delicious. However, for those who like their Thai Food bold and super spicy, you need to inform the service staff when you ordered. The current spiciness level is targeted towards a family-friendly level. Our picks are Thai Prawn Cake, Steamed Seabass with Spicy Lemon Sauce and Pineapple Fried Rice. Cheers!

Evening Atmosphere

Thank you very much, Parveen for the invite and Central Thai team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7/10

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

Central Thai – East Coast Park

1300 East Coast Parkway

East Coast Park Area F

Singapore 468964

T: +65 6443 5510

W: https://www.centralthai.com.sg/

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

IG: @Centralthai

OH: Daily, 11.30 – 22.30

Menu Available here

Goldleaf Restaurant – Mother’s Day Take Away Menu 2022 [MEDIA INVITE]

Celebrate this Mother’s Day with a sumptuous menu from Goldleaf Restaurant from the comfort of your home or anywhere you want. While there are no more restrictions, you might want to enjoy the celebrations without squeezing with other people at your favourite restaurant.

The team at Goldleaf Restaurant has designed this delicious and comforting menu to cater to your needs.

Goldleaf Mother's Day Take Away Menu

We started the meal with Cold Dish Trio. Consists of cold tofu, jellyfish with Chinese cabbage and sliced abalones with mala sauce. Each of them has its unique taste and texture, appetizers to start your meal.

Cold Dish Trio

Steamed Seabass in Superior Soy Sauce. A signature dish at Goldleaf and they have perfected the steaming time to the seconds. The seabass is smooth, silky and flaky, while the soy sauce accentuates the flavour of the fish nicely. If you wonder, will the quality of the fish still be good for home delivery? I can tell you that I received a home delivery from Goldleaf a few years back, and the fish is one of the dishes that finished first on that day.

Steamed Seabass in Superior Soy Sauce. 

Steamed Seabass in Superior Soy Sauce.

Braised Duck Thigh. Tender and succulent duck meat, well-infused with the thick, robust and umami golden brown braising sauce. I like the fatty duck skin that just melts in your mouth. A nice dish to go with a bowl of white rice.

Braised Duck Thigh

Braised Mushrooms with Seasonal Vegetables. The robust braised mushrooms are poured on top of the crunchy Nai Bai. It’s like having a 2-contrasting flavour. A crunchy, clean and slightly bitter vegetables mixed with bouncy, intense and robust braised mushrooms. Simple combo yet packs with flavour.

Braised Mushrooms with Seasonal Vegetables (Nai Bai)

Golden Porridge. This is the second time we tried this dish. The porridge is cooked with seafood stock, together with big tiger prawns, mussels and scallops. Each scoop of the porridge is filled plump grain of rice infused with solid seafood flavour. Yummy!

Golden Porridge

Mussels in Golden Porridge

Scallops

Kam Heong Flower Clams. A fresh and juicy flower clams cooked with fragrant and spicy Kam Heong sauce. I like the texture of the clams; however, I find the sauce is a bit too spicy for my liking. However, LD does not have any issue with the spiciness. In case you don’t take spicy dishes well, you can ask them to lower the spiciness level.

Kam Heong Flower Clams

Kam Heong Flower Clams

Goldleaf’s Mother’s Day Take Away Menu is priced at $238 (4 to 5 pax). You can place the order through take.app/a/goldleaf or call 6346 1088. You can also add other signature dishes through the app. If you have a bigger group, don’t hesitate to contact them to arrange bigger portions.

Steamed Pork Patty

We also tried their Omelette with Chye Por and Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Egg, and we just love it.

Omelette with Chye Por

Omelette with Chye Por

If you have not made any arrangements for the upcoming Mother’s Day, get in touch with Goldleaf. Other set menus are also available. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Kristine, Karen and Goldleaf Restaurant for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.75/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

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

Goldleaf Restaurant

88 East Coast Road

#01-05/06/07 Katong Square

Singapore 423371

T: +65 6346 1088

W: https://goldleaf.com.sg/

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

IG: @Goldleafsingapore

OH: Daily 11.00 – 14.30, 18.00 – 22.00

Goldleaf Restaurant – Goldleaf Reunion Feast 2022 [MEDIA INVITE]

Reunion Dinner 2022 looks like it is going to be a homely affair. With the current dine-in restrictions, it will be more comfortable to have our reunion dinner at home. This year, Goldleaf Restaurant (“Goldleaf”) offer Goldleaf Reunion Feast Takeaway at $288 nett, good for 4 to 5 pax.

Goldleaf Reunion Feast Takeaway

Goldleaf Reunion Abalone Yu Sheng. The vegetables are crunchy, the abalones are of a good size, the candied vegetables are very subtle in their sweetness, while the fragrant plum sauce binds all the ingredients together nicely. Also, watch out for the bursting sweetness from the lychee bubbles.

Goldleaf Reunion Abalone Yu Sheng

Goldleaf Reunion Abalone Yu Sheng

Steamed Seabass in Hong Kong Style. It might be a common dish in a Cantonese restaurant, however, Goldleaf perfected the steaming time to the seconds. The seabass is smooth, silky and flaky, while the soy sauce accentuates the flavour of the fish nicely. If you wonder, will the quality of the fish still be good for home delivery? I can tell you that I received a home delivery from Goldleaf a few years back, and the fish is one of the dishes that finished first on that day.

Steamed Seabass in Hong Kong Style

Housemade Roast Chicken. The marinate is just spot on, while the flesh from the breast is juicy and succulent. Without saying, the flesh on the thigh, drumstick and wings are perfect. I was hoping that the skin to be crispier, however, this can also be resulting in the meat turning dry.

Homemade Roast Chicken

Homemade Roast Chicken

Mushrooms with Seasonal Vegetables. A beautifully plated dish and tasty as well. The mushrooms are well braised and plump, while the gravy adds a robust flavour to the crunchy vegetables.

Mushrooms with Seasonal Vegetables

Signature Golden Porridge. The grains of rice are cooked with Goldleaf signature seafood stock. The porridge itself is loaded with seafood such as prawns, scallops, mussels and abalones, resulting in naturally sweet, robust and comforting porridge. Yumz!!

Signature Golden Porrdige

Signature Golden Porrdige

Overall, the Goldleaf Reunion Feast takeaway menu is value for money. The dishes are delicious and comforting, suitable for a homely reunion dinner.

Goldleaf Reunion Feast Takeaway

If you have a smaller group, you can also order Festive Set (Individual Bento Set, $68.80) per set. This set includes individual portions of Abalone Yu Sheng, Seafood Porridge, plus 9 Signature Goldleaf dishes: Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables, Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Egg, Omelette with Chye Poh, Goldleaf Prawn Rolls, Cold Japanese Beancurd with Chye Poh, Curry Leaf Chicken, Braised Beancurd, Stir-fried Seasonal Green and Tiger Prawns with Garlic. Do take note that you need to Pre-Order and the minimum order is 2 sets.

Festive Set

Goldleaf Reunion Feast Takeaway & Festive Set available for order through take.app/a/goldleaf or call 6346 1088.

Goldleaf Restaurant

Thank you very much Kristine, Karen and Goldleaf Restaurant for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.75/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and Above

Goldleaf Restaurant

88 East Coast Road

#01-05/06/07 Katong Square

Singapore 423371

T: +65 6346 1088

W: https://goldleaf.com.sg/

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

IG: @Goldleafsingapore

OH: Daily 11.00 – 14.30, 18.00 – 22.00

For Takeaway Order:  take.app/a/goldleaf