Imperial Treasure – Super Peking Duck

Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck (“ITSPD”) does not need much introduction. A quick search for the best Peking Duck in Singapore, will easily come at the top 3 on most of the list. Located in Paragon, this classy establishment is always ready to offer you a treat. We made a return visit during this CNY period, therefore the price might be different from the regular price.

Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck - Store Front
Image Credit: Imperial Treasure

Roast Peking Duck ($108, served 2 way). Part of the experience of eating a Peking Duck is the showmanship. Meaning the Chef will roll the duck near your table, show you the duck and carved the duck in sight.

Ready to Dine - In The Saucer are Peking Duck Sauce and Sugar

1st cut, the prime skin of the breast. Done properly, it should be as thick as your A4 paper. It is crispy, almost without any fats attached to the skin. Usually eaten with a touch of sugar, the sweetness enhances the texture and flavour of the skin.

1^st cut, the prime skin of the breast

2nd cut, the breast. The crispy duck skin is accompanied by lean yet succulent duck meat. The meat is juicy, moist and succulent, due to the fats rendered during the roasting.

2^nd cut, the breast

3rd cut, the dark meat, from the thigh and drumstick. My favourite cuts as the skin are super crispy, followed by the duck fats and super juicy and succulent flesh. Yummy!!

3^rd cut, the dark meat, from the thigh and drumstick

The 2nd and 3rd cuts are usually eaten with the pancake, sliced spring onion, cucumber and duck sauce. ITSPD has a signature pancake that is different from other restaurants, the version here is light, fluffy, not sticky and in an irregular round shape. Kind of remind you of handmade popiah skin.

Spring Onion and Cucumber

The Pancake

Peking Duck Pancake

During the normal days, you will have several options on how the second serving of duck is to be done, such as soup, noodle or deep-fried. However, during the CNY period, they just chopped the duck and served it to you as it is. Of course, this is done in the kitchen and not leaving a pile of mess in the dining area. It is also drizzled with a bit of the duck au jus for that extra flavour.

The 2nd Serving, Balance of the Duck

Sauteed Diced Beef with Sliced Garlic ($38). A nice marbled diced beef, sauteed with a sweet sauce and topped with crispy fried garlic. The beef is juicy and slowly dissipate in your mouth. The sweet sauce is nicely balanced with the bitterness from the fried garlic.

Sauteed Diced Beef with Sliced Garlic 

Sauteed Diced Beef with Sliced Garlic 

Stewed Eggplant with Minced Pork & Spicy Sauce in Claypot ($26). Not an eggplant fan, so LD and I did not touch it. However, our MIL and aunty enjoy it very much.

Stewed Eggplant with Minced Pork & Spicy Sauce in Claypot 

Braised Goose Web with Flour Skin in Claypot ($68). Cook in Thai style with galangal, peppercorn and translucent flour skin. The goose web is gelatinous, soft and very tasty, I manage to remove the skin easily from the bones. The flour skin is a bit oily, but it absorbs the galangal and peppercorn. We absolutely enjoy this dish and I basically clean up the pot.

Braised Goose Web with Flour Skin in Claypot 

Sauteed String Bean with Minced Pork & Preserved Black Olives ($26). LD’s favourite vegetables. The Wok Hei just hits you when you bite into this dish. The string bean is crunchy on the outside, yet moist on the inside. Meanwhile, the minced pork added a touch of sweetness to the dish and the preserved black olive give it the OMPH. You can easily finish a bowl of rice with this dish.

Sauteed String Bean with Minced Pork & Preserved Black Olives 

Fried Crispy Noodles with Seafood ($57). The noodle is crispy, yet it has a strong alkaline flavour. The gravy is solid, filled with the essence of the seafood and topped with huge prawns and sliced fish. When you let the serving of the noodle sit for a while, the gravy will slowly infuse into the noodle.

Fried Crispy Noodles with Seafood 

Desserts were Pan-Fried New Year Cake ($12.50, complimentary) and Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Ball with Grated Peanuts ($11.50, 5 pcs). The Nian Gao is light, chewy and not overly sweet. Although it is good, I find it is lack depth in its flavour. Meanwhile, the glutinous rice ball is light, fully and topped with generous grated peanuts. It is perfectly executed and let’s just say 1 piece won’t be enough.

Nian Gao

Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Ball with Grated Peanuts 

The service is a combination of professionalism and old school charm. The head waiter and waitress are very efficient and professional. Meanwhile, the servers make up by more senior staff deliver a rustic “aunty” service. The décor of the restaurant is elegant and classy.

Part of the Dining Area 
Image Credit: Imperial Treasure

Overall, Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck restaurant is one of the restaurants you must visit for an authentic Peking Duck experience in Singapore. The rest of the dishes will leave you in culinary heaven, however, it will also make your wallet lighter as well. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.75/10

Value: 6.5/10

Service: 7.5/10 (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8.5/10

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

Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck

290 Orchard Road

#05-42/45 Paragon

Singapore 238859

T: +65 6732 7838

W: https://www.imperialtreasure.com/restaurant/ImperialTreasureSuperPekingDuck-2

F: FB/ITSuperPekingDuck

IG: @Imperialtreasuresg

OH:

Mon – Fri: 11.30 – 14.45; 18.00 – 22.00

Sat: 11.00 – 14.45; 18.00 – 22.00

Sun: 10.30 – 14.45; 18.00 – 22.00

Menu Available on their website

Fu Lin – A Modern Chinese Local Street Bar [MEDIA INVITE]

Fu Lin Bar and Kitchen (‘Fu Lin’) is a unique dining concept. By day, it serves their ever-popular Fried Yong Tofu since 1995, when the sunset, Fu Lin transforms into a modern Chinese local street bar. Accompanying the extensive list of alcohol, are the menu filled with delectable Asia cuisine and Sichuan creations, on top of their signature Fried Yong Tofu.

The Bar

We started the tasting with Crispy Pork Belly ($14). This deep-fried pork belly has a crispy exterior, followed by a juicy and rich blend of fats interior. It is absolutely delicious, #porkgasm. It is served with a mustard dip, to balance the richness of the pork belly. This reminds us of the Bangkok Street food, though a bit pricey.

Crispy Pork Belly

Crispy Pork Belly

Smoked Duck Peking Wrap ($16, 6pcs) - Grilled duck breast slices, spring onion and popiah skin. The duck breast has a nice smoky aroma, followed by a tender and juicy texture. You suppose to eat it with popiah skin, shredded spring onion and sweet sauce. It is similar to eating Peking duck wrap; however, I feel the popiah skin is too dry and the flour taste is very strong.

Smoked Duck Peking Wrap 

Smoked Duck Peking Wrap

Chili Sauce, Duck Sauce & Mustard

Baby Back Ribs ($15, 5 pcs). The ribs are marinated with cumin powder, similar to Xinjiang bbq spices. The meat is tender, with a nice resilient bite in it. Watch out for the spicy kick in the rub, it was a bit too spicy for me, but LD enjoy the pork ribs very much.

Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs

Fulin Sling, the signature cocktail of Fu Lin. The presentation is bright and inviting. LD says it has a rose flavour, which is aromatic and refreshing. Kind of remind you of the famous Singapore Sling.

Fulin Sling

The dishes above are part of the Media Tasting. However, LD and I want to explore their menu further. So, we decided to order more and pay for ourselves.

Fried Yong Tofu ($10, 8 pcs). The signature Fu Lin Fried Yong Tofu. 8 different types of yong tofu, deep-fried and bask in signature minced chicken and mushroom gravy. LD tried the stuffed chilli, she said it is super spicy. While the stuffed lady finger is well executed. I like those with beancurd skins and also the fish cake version. They are very tasty, bouncy and the gravy accentuate the flavour of the fish nicely.

Fried Yong Tofu

Fu Lin Noodles ($4.5). The thick and chewy bee hoon is swimming in the minced chicken and mushroom gravy. The gravy is robust and packed with Umami flavour, however, it feels a bit water down compared to the yong tofu gravy. Plus, if they are more generous with crispy silverfish, it will be awesome.

Fu Lin Noodles

Fu Lin Noodles

Xiao Long Bao ($9). Let’s put aside of familiar texture of Din Tai Fung xiao long bao. The version at Fu Lin has a thicker skin; however, the fillings are juicy, succulent and come with that burst of the meat juice. It reminds me of the version that we usually eat for breakfast in the Northern part of China. It is served with thinly sliced ginger and vinegar dip.

Xiao Long Bao

Fresh Whole Squid ($17) – Chargrilled, garlic breadcrumbs, teriyaki glaze, garlic oil. The texture of the squid is just perfect, tender with a bit of bounciness. The fine texture of garlic breadcrumbs, together with teriyaki glaze and garlic oil, accentuate the squid flavour nicely. Yummy.

Fresh Whole Squid - Chargrilled

Do note that Fu Lin is also popular for their Sichuan and Mala dishes. We did not order them as we are not a big fan of Sichuan and Mala dishes.

Menu P1

Menu P2

The service is friendly and efficient. The décor of the restaurant is industrial mixed with a variety of themes; however, black, dark wooden brown and red are the dominant colours. The tables and chairs are black. The 2 columns of the dining section walls are displaying Mao Ze Dong pins and plagues collections, where red is prominent. The bar has a red tabletop and mural of happy children at the bottom. Fu Lin was packed during our visit on a weekday and we were told they are usually fully booked on the weekend.

Part of Dining Area 1

Part of Dining Area 2

Part of Dining Area 3

Overall, it was a good experience dining at Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen. The fried yong tofu is one of the best that we ever tried and their evening menu is well executed. The crispy pork belly, fresh whole squid and baby back ribs are a must-order. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Protegie PR and Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

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

Fu Lin Bar & Kitchen

127 Telok Ayer Street

Singapore 068596

T: +65 6423 0311

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

IG: @Fulinkitchen

OH:

Mon – Fri: 11.00 – 22.30

Sat: 16.00 – 22.30

Closed on Sunday

La Belle Epoque – Modern European Cuisine in Boat Quay [MEDIA INVITE]

La Belle Epoque, which means ‘the golden age’ in French, is a brand-new European Restaurant and Bar located in Boat Quay. Helmed by Executive Chef Firdauz Nasir, with more than 15 years experience under the tutelage of fine dining Master Chefs in Singapore. At La Belle Epoque (“LBE”), Chef Firdauz will showcase his culinary creation using old-school techniques and herbs cultivated from his very own herb garden.

La Belle Epoque

We started our tasting with Oyster & Iberico ($26, 3 pcs, keto). Oysters lightly torched, topped with crispy iberico ham, tomato salsa and Avruga caviar. It is smooth and silky, followed by a sweet and tangy flavours from the salsa, mixed with the bursting umami flavour from the Avruga caviar and crispy texture of the iberico ham. A great start to the meal.

Oyster & Iberico

Charcuterie Platter ($28 for any 4 selections of cold cuts and cheeses). Our platter consists of black Forest Raw Ham, Collar boneless (Cabecero) Iberico, Taleggio DOP Cheese and Comte Rivoire. On top of the 2 cold cuts and cheeses, we also have salad, gherkins, olive and dried nuts.

Charcuterie Platter 

While the presentation looks good, LD and I just don’t like the flavour. The black forest raw ham is too gamy for my liking and the iberico is just too waxy. The cheeses, gherkins, nuts and olive are great. I find it is missing the fruits / dry fruits component on the plate.

Skins ($8, gluten-free) – Crispy Fish, Chicken & Pork skins, seasonal vegetables served with black garlic aioli. The fish and chicken skins are delicious, while the vegetables and black garlic aioli bind the whole ingredients together. The touch of edible flowers to this dish made the plating looks beautiful. Unfortunately, the pork skin let down the dish as it tasted like stale oil. Hopefully, they can fix this and turn this dish to become everyone’s favourite dish here.

Skins

Hummus Taco ($10, vegetarian & keto) - Smoked chickpea mashed & blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic served in a corn taco shell, roasted capsicum, romaine lettuce & pickled shallots. A vegetarian flavour bomb here. Earthy, creamy and robust. It is best eaten with your hands. You might want to remove the chilli if you don't like spicy stuff like me.

Hummus Taco

Cauliflower Steak ($12, vegetarian & gluten-free) - Smoked & cured cauliflower pan-seared with vegetable butter herbs, served with purple pommes potato, braised & grilled purple cabbage with vegetable demi-glace. A lot of textures and flavours happening on the plate. The cauliflower is smoky and crunchy, the pommes potatoes are creamy while braised purple cabbage with demi-glace adds the tanginess to the dish. Total sensory overload in this dish. Yumz!

Cauliflower Steak

Cauliflower Steak

Smoked Pork Belly ($16) - Smoked pork belly marinated with Chef's selected spices, served with crispy pork crackers, grilled peach salad and pork velouté. A robust and enjoyable pork belly, with a gelatinous texture rendered from pork skin and fats during the smoking process. The pork velouté (pork sauce) compliments the pork belly, while the bitter purple cabbage helps to balance the richness of the dish. We had a nibble of the pork skin and did not touch it further as it still has the stale taste as before.

Smoked Pork Belly

Since LBE smoked the whole pork belly, maybe the customer has a choice of “Corner Cut” or “Middle Cut”. At first, I got the middle cut, where the pork belly is almost fork-tender texture. Meanwhile, our friend received the corner cut, which has a gelatinous texture. Since I loved the gelatinous texture, we exchanged our plates.

Smoked Pork Belly

Beef Short Ribs ($28). Aged short ribs, marinated with local spices, cooked for 48 hours served with light smoked fine haricot beans, aged port wine & romaine salad. An overly complicated dish. There is too much flavour going on with the beef ribs, we are not sure what to make of it. Surprisingly, the smoked fine haricot beans deliver the best flavour on this plate. Moving forward, it is best to simplify this dish and allow the ingredients to shine.

Beef Short Ribs

Beef Short Ribs

Moving to the desserts, we have Tiramisu, Lemon Tart & Guerre Stellari ($10 each). The tiramisu served tasted too light and not creamy enough for my liking. It is also lacking OMPH from the coffee and marsala wine. I like my tiramisu to be light, but creamy at the same time. On top of that, I want to feel the power from the coffee and marsala wine, just like the Italians like their Espresso. I just had a tiramisu recently that meet my description above.

Tiramisu

The lemon tart is great. Light torched meringue sitting on top of the smooth lemon custard and crumbly cinnamon tart. The tart is served on top of a “Surprise” bowl that contains homemade dried fruits.

Lemon Tart

Lemon Tart with "Suprise" Box

Guerre Stellari is inspired by Chef Firdauz favourite movies, Star Wars. Dark chocolate shell in the shape of Star Wars warship, stuffed with chocolate mousse served with raspberry sorbet. Solid and #Chocolategasm dessert. The raspberry sorbet is super sour cuts through the dark chocolate perfectly.

Guerre Stellari

LBE has alfresco seating of 25 and indoor seating of 31, spread over 3 floors. The furniture used is more suitable for alfresco seating, using rattan chairs and light colour wooden top tables. As it is located facing the iconic Singapore river, I recommend the alfresco seating to soak up the memorable dining experience.

Alfresco Dining Area

The Bar

Overall, the menu curated by Chef Firdauz and his team showcases some brilliant flair and daring flavours. However, there is a tendency of overindulgence, pushing the boundary too much. Sometimes “LESS is BEST” and the team need to pay attention to the consistency of their execution. The menu caters to a wide array of specific diet groups such as keto, gluten-free and vegetarian as well. I recommend the Oyster & Iberico, Hummus Taco, Cauliflower Steak, Smoked Pork Belly, Lemon Tart and Guerre Stellari. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 7/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7/10

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

La Belle Epoque

63 Boat Quay

Singapore 049851

T: +65 6732 1687

W: https://www.lberestaurant.com/

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

IG: @Labelleepoquesg

OH:

Mon – Sat: 15.00 – 23.30

Closed on Sunday

Menu available online