Lao Beijing at Orchard Central
Craving comfort food on a rainy evening, Rachist and I went to Lao Beijing at Orchard Central for dinner. Eschewing the temptation of the restaurant's a la carte buffet dinner promotion (featuring a more concise menu), we decided to order from the regular a la carte menu instead.
Golden Sand Fried Fish Skin @ S$8++
Fried fish skin coated with salted egg yolk
I love salted egg yolks and fried fish skin, so Rachie recommended this dish that she had tried previously and loved. She was right! The crisp, non-greasy shards of fish skin were coated with golden, sandy-textured and savoury puree of salted egg yolk. Definitely a Must-Try!
Hot & Sour Soup @ S$5
The Hot & Sour Soup was tasty and had just the right amount of tang without being excessively sour. I wished it was a little more spicy though and that there were more Sichuan Peppercorns used in this dish to induce a tongue-numbing sensation. This is also a Must-Try!
Shui Zhu Yu @ S$18
I've been craving the tongue-numbing sensation and spiciness of Sichuan food for a while. The craving grew stronger after I heard a few weeks back that Chef Tang (my favourite Sichuan chef) had left Lao Si Chuan and returned to China. Sadly the Shui Zhu Yu here lacked the flavour, burn and the numbing effect that is characteristic of Sichuan Ma La dishes. The fish slices were overcooked and tough. Not worth a try.
Ma Po Tofu @ S$10
The Ma Po Tofu fared slightly better than the Shui Zhu Yu as the silken tofu cubes that were were a joy to bite into although the sauce lacked the depth and burn that I was yearning for.
Xiao Long Bao @ S$8 for 8 pieces
How could we come to Lao Beijing and not order the Xiao Long Bao? Served in 2 bamboo steamers, the piping hot, soup-filled pork dumplings were delicious although the dumpling skin was a little too thick for my liking.
Fried Mian Xian (aka Fried Mee Swa) @ S$10
It's never a good idea to let 2 hungry foodies order wantonly. We'd ordered too much food again. By the time the Fried Mian Xian (Fried Flour Vermicelli) were served, we were too full to eat anymore and nibbled on small mouthfuls of the carb dish. Even though I was feeling very full, I noted that the Fried Flour Vermicelli dish was flavourful and well-executed. This is a Must-Try!
8 Treasure Tea @ S$3
One of my favourite Chinese drinks is 8 Treasure Tea. The recipe varies from household to household but they generally contain ingredients such as Dried Chrysanthemum Flowers, Jasmine Tea, Chinese Red Dates, Chinese Wolfberries, Dried Longan, Rock Sugar, Figs, and Tremella. A soothing drink that's suppose to help balance the "heatiness" within the body, this was a perfect warm drink to wash down a rich and substantial meal.
Lao Beijing Orchard Central 181 Orchard Road, #07-14 / 15 Singapore 238896 Tel: +65 6509-1878 Operating Hours: Daily: 11.30 am to 3 pm & 6 pm to 10 pm