Chijmes Lei Garden Restaurant
We ushered in 2011 with the January L.A. Lunch at Lei Garden. This is one of my favourite Cantonese restaurants and in my opinion, one of the best best dim sum restaurants in Singapore. If you're looking to impress your finicky grandmother, or are meeting your potential in-laws for the first time, or are bringing your VIPs out for a business lunch, this is a fail-safe, go-to place.
Having hailed from the land of dim sum that is Hong Kong, their food is exquisite, consistent and authentic. Prices commensurate with the quality of Cantonese cuisine here, of course, so expect to pay about $80 per person for a good meal, sans alcohol. Put it this way, if you are the type that constantly needs to use the calculator to keep track of the bill whilst ordering, this is so not the place for you.
We had the private room with 2 tables of 10 seats, which offers an adjoining open-air terrace for diners to take a quick smoke break between the courses. Please note that there's a spending requirement of at least $600 per table for reservations of a private room.
I'd previously blogged about Lei Garden so I'll only feature dishes that weren't blogged about before. We started off with some Peking Duck. Just look at the crisp skin glistening off the 2 ducks.
Lei Garden uses very thin egg roll wrappers, instead of the thicker flour-based ones. I like!
The skin was flavoursome and very indulgent, yet without the guilt of that layer of fat.
The rest of the duck meat was diced and fried with melons, red and green peppers and tossed onto crisp refreshing lettuce beds.
We also had the Double Boiled Soup of the Day, fish bones were simmered over a low fire with Chinese herbs to create a delicate and nourishing soup.
The staff plated all of the dim sum onto individual plates for us so each of us got a tasting portion of everything. The Steamed Fresh Shrimps Dumpling ($4.80) were succulent, and the skin was thin and chewy, just the way I like it.
The Steamed BBQ Honey Pork Bun ($3.80) was fluffy and moist.
The bun was nicely filled with sticky, sweet and tender pork cubes.
This Crispy Lobster Noodles are way better than Royal China's much lauded ones. The fleshy lobster is sweet and crunchy, and a luscious lobster essence and spring onions infused gravy is ladled onto the fried-to-a-crisp noodles.
The Boiled Almond Cream with Egg White ($6) is homemade goodness at its exquisite best.
Most of us opted for the Chilled Fresh Mango Juice with Sago Cream and Pomelo ($6), refreshing and light. The pomelo is different here. It's not too tart or bitter, it's almost plain to the point of the bitter border and provides a nice contrast to the sweet mangoes.
Chijmes Lei Garden Restaurant
Chijmes #01-24
30 Victoria Street
Tel: 6339 3822
Open daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm for lunch and from 6pm to 10.30pm for dinner
Website: www.leigarden.hk/eng/
Having hailed from the land of dim sum that is Hong Kong, their food is exquisite, consistent and authentic. Prices commensurate with the quality of Cantonese cuisine here, of course, so expect to pay about $80 per person for a good meal, sans alcohol. Put it this way, if you are the type that constantly needs to use the calculator to keep track of the bill whilst ordering, this is so not the place for you.
We had the private room with 2 tables of 10 seats, which offers an adjoining open-air terrace for diners to take a quick smoke break between the courses. Please note that there's a spending requirement of at least $600 per table for reservations of a private room.
I'd previously blogged about Lei Garden so I'll only feature dishes that weren't blogged about before. We started off with some Peking Duck. Just look at the crisp skin glistening off the 2 ducks.
Lei Garden uses very thin egg roll wrappers, instead of the thicker flour-based ones. I like!
The skin was flavoursome and very indulgent, yet without the guilt of that layer of fat.
The rest of the duck meat was diced and fried with melons, red and green peppers and tossed onto crisp refreshing lettuce beds.
We also had the Double Boiled Soup of the Day, fish bones were simmered over a low fire with Chinese herbs to create a delicate and nourishing soup.
The staff plated all of the dim sum onto individual plates for us so each of us got a tasting portion of everything. The Steamed Fresh Shrimps Dumpling ($4.80) were succulent, and the skin was thin and chewy, just the way I like it.
The Steamed BBQ Honey Pork Bun ($3.80) was fluffy and moist.
The bun was nicely filled with sticky, sweet and tender pork cubes.
This Crispy Lobster Noodles are way better than Royal China's much lauded ones. The fleshy lobster is sweet and crunchy, and a luscious lobster essence and spring onions infused gravy is ladled onto the fried-to-a-crisp noodles.
The Boiled Almond Cream with Egg White ($6) is homemade goodness at its exquisite best.
Most of us opted for the Chilled Fresh Mango Juice with Sago Cream and Pomelo ($6), refreshing and light. The pomelo is different here. It's not too tart or bitter, it's almost plain to the point of the bitter border and provides a nice contrast to the sweet mangoes.
Chijmes Lei Garden Restaurant
Chijmes #01-24
30 Victoria Street
Tel: 6339 3822
Open daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm for lunch and from 6pm to 10.30pm for dinner
Website: www.leigarden.hk/eng/
Comments
Wonder what the chef used to blow up the duck: his mouth or a pump?
j
Really? My fave way of eating peking duck is just with the skin alone, then followed by the method of using egg roll wraps. The less the carbs involved in pairing with the crispy skin, the better.
Is there really a difference between the different ways of blowing away the duck skin from the flesh? It was still really yummy!
The only thing is it's more sanitary to use a pump.
Have you tried the Peking duck at Paradise Pavilion in Marina Bay Link Mall? Heard it's good but $88 for a duck is quite pricey, imo.
j
Ahhh....because I've seen documentaries whereby some chefs in China use their mouths. Oh well, as long as it tastes good.
Haven't tried the peking duck in Paradise Pavilion, but have been wanting to try it for a while. It's usually just Buns and I eating together so it's not feasible for us to order a whole duck to ourselves. Will probably do L.A. Lunch there someday soon.