Li Bai Mooncakes

I may have ranted about this before, but really, it's become frustratingly difficult to hunt down snow skin lotus paste mooncakes these days. I'm a traditionalist, so like rice dumplings, I like my mooncakes traditional. But wow, has it become near impossible to find lotus paste-flavoured mooncakes, with just about every restaurant trying to out-do the other with new-fangled creations. Aren't these durian/ice-cream/chocolate/alcoholic mooncakes just mooncake-shaped cakes?!

Anyways, we managed to find my favourite snow skin lotus paste mooncakes at the venerable Li Bai, a Cantonese restaurant that's the very bastion of classic traditionalism. Even so, out of the 10 or so mooncake options, there was only one that was of the snow skin lotus paste variant.

These White Lotus Seed Paste Mini Mooncakes with Salted Egg Yolk ($56), dotted with golden raisins, were perfectly nuanced. These mint green babies were so addictively good, I devoured half the box in one sitting.



Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant
39 Scotts Road
Sheraton Towers Singapore Hotel Lower Level (the hotel sometimes calls it the "ground floor" or "level 1" but for the avoidance of doubt, it's actually the basement 1)
Tel: 6839 5623
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 2.30pm for lunch;
Daily from 6.30pm to 10.30pm for dinner;
Sundays from 10.30am to 2.30pm for lunch

Comments

BERNICE said…
Exact sentiments on "mooncake-shaped cakes"! I do enjoy the mini snowskin white lotus seed moon cakes from the Ritz Carlton. Give it go!
9.9.15
Anonymous said…
exactly!! all the sales people give me a funny look when i ask for snow skin lotus paste, no special flavor.. Thanks for hunting this down. Is this better than tai chong kok?
10.9.15
Bern said…
Hello my namesake!! Thanks for the tip!! Now...i just have to brave the Taka Mooncake Fair crowds to get a box of those babies!

@Anon: I've to confess...I haven't tried Tai Chong Kok. But I hear they use a heavier "porky" oil to make their mooncakes, which makes their flavour more pronounced. These Li Bai ones are subtly sweet, I like the balance and nuance here.
11.9.15
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ABC Brickworks Food Centre

Image
싱가포르에 호커 센터 중에서 에이비씨 브릭워케 호커 센터를 우리가 제일 좋아해요. 실제로 싱가포르에서 가장 크고 유명한 호커 센터 중 하나예요. 가끔 외국인 여행자들이 이 호커 센터에서 식사하고 관광도 해요.  호커 음식은 내가 우리 나라 싱가포르에서 제일 사랑하는 것이에요. 호커 푸드는 내 컴포트 푸드여서 내 마음에 들어와요. 음식도 싸고 맛있고 종류도 많아요. 해외여행 가면 그리운 음식이 호커푸드인데 싱가포르에 돌아와서 가장 먼저 먹는 음식이 박초미예요.  박초미은 아마도 내가 제일 좋아하는 호커푸드예요. 나는 식초맛을 좋아하고 버섯볶음이 제일 맛있고 용기가 제일 맛있어요.   =========================   ABC Brickworks is one of the more well-known, and beloved, hawker centres in SG. The fact that tourists can sometimes be seen traipsing down the rows of neon-lit stalls is testament to its fame.  We hit up ABC a couple times a month, at least; the hawker centre is central enough that satisfying a local food craving here doesn't require an hour+-long round trip (unlike with Fengshan Bedok); there's ample enough lots that parking doesn't require the patience of a saint (unlike with Serangoon Gardens); seats are plentiful enough that large groups are able to find a table fairly easily, and stalls are varied enough that multipl
Read more

Janggut Laksa vs 328 Katong Laksa, Queensway Shopping Centre

Image
Queensway Shopping Centre , where locals flock to for all things sports and optical-related, is also known for good laksa. There are 2 laksa stalls, within a stone's throw of each other, both claiming to serve up the best. Both tout to be affiliates of world-famous Katong ones, and the accolades, writeups and publicity plastered all the utilitarian facades will attest to the fierce competition. Seating at both eateries is cramped and constrained, so dining is really a touch-and-go affair. Both are manned by efficient, if a little curt, bevy of staff, and so turnover is high. Good news for the 5-minute-on-average long line of diners waiting their turn. The menu is similarly limited, with laksa being the primary dish of choice, and its fixins' like otah and lime juice as regular side orders. Curry chicken, Chinese-style, is also a popular option. Janggut Laksa  The Laksa ($3.50 for small) here was disappointingly lackluster. It was insipid, and the milk had obviously cur
Read more

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, City Square Mall

Image
The BF was craving a sweet treat, so we headed to the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at City Square Mall to get some of their cakes. After 5pm, the prices of their cakes are slashed by 50% with any drink purchase. We got the Chocolate of a Thousand Leaves Cake ($5.90 usual price), which was decadent and indulgent. Light chocolate sponge is layered with fresh hazelnut chocolate cream. The best part, the chocolate wasn't too sweet and it didn't give me a headache. Coffee Bean does really good cheesecakes that are very affordable. I used to buy their cheesecakes everyday when I was on my cheesecake craze. The Cappuccino Cheesecake ($5.90 usual price) was a nice balance of aromatic coffee flavours with cheesy overtones. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 180 Kitchener Road #B1-04 City Square Mall Tel: 6509 6202 Open daily from 8am to 10pm Website: www.coffeebean.com.sg
Read more