I refuse to strike Summer Palace off the list after a glorious start and a plummet from grace over CNY. Normally, set lunches aren't my thing but I made that exception for Summer Palace...going for tasting menu. I was looking forward to rekindling the love affair with much anticipation and well, these were promised Chef's signatures!
The same window seat as before...watching people suntan is not exactly the most entertaining activity over lunch..not when the folks in question are not beach babes and hunks calibre.
Chef Liu's Dimsum Selection
I've heard raves about their dimsum being top notch so I reckon these were three "best ofs" from their limited dimsum menu.
Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Bird's Nest
Presented in what looked like a bamboo cage, the bird's nest did not last beyond ornamental while the dumpling was ordinary at best.
Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling with Vegetables
Delectable one! The shrimps were so fresh and succulent..fully embodies how good things come in small packages
Barbequed Pork Bun
Decent honeyed bun here!
Braised Bird's Nest with Crabmeat, Winter melon and Dried Scallops
I was grinning widely when the huge bowl was served...great value I thought!
A pricier alternative to shark's fin with everything else tasting the same but it was just different...even with a dash of pepper and vinegar. Psychologically, it was hard to reconcile bird's nest with shark's fin soup and ended up tasting like white fungus soup.
The portions filled me up so much, I started to think it was not such a great value afterall...having struggled to finish the bowl.
Steamed Fish Fillet with Beancurd and Vegetable in Black Bean Sauce
Clearly reheated in the microwave, oil stains were found from the spluttering sauce and not much attention was paid to cleaning them off. Fish was a tad tough, tofu was ordinary but vegetables were thankfully not overcooked. A dish my Mom could have replicated too easily.
Stir Fried Rice Vermicilli with Roasted Pork and Preserved Vegetables
Soggy roasted pork with bee hoon, I did not fancy this too much.
Combination of Dessert
Lemongrass jelly
Sweeter than the last, this did not serve its refreshing purpose as well as the last.
Baked Mini Egg Tart
Bland base with an equally lacklustre filling to match, sheer disappointment.
Steamed Bun with Salted Egg Yolk ($5, 3 pcs)
I had to order this though the set lunch was filling. An overload of all things good caused the downfall of this.
Peeling open the top to unveil the most enticing daffodil coloured filling.
While the pau texture was done right, the filling was too thick for comfort. It amused me when the manager offered to replace them...would it not be the same batch that I'll be getting? Nonetheless, brownie points for trying.
Summer Palace once again failed to pull off the initial hat trick...not too sure if I should give the benefit of the doubt that these just were not a good showcase of its prowess? Contradicts the purpose of a tasting menu, if you ask me. Until I warrant enough guts for a potentially disappointing dimsum lunch...I'm laying off Summer Palace.
$38++ (5 course set)
Summer Palace
Regent Hotel
The same window seat as before...watching people suntan is not exactly the most entertaining activity over lunch..not when the folks in question are not beach babes and hunks calibre.
Chef Liu's Dimsum Selection
I've heard raves about their dimsum being top notch so I reckon these were three "best ofs" from their limited dimsum menu.
Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Bird's Nest
Presented in what looked like a bamboo cage, the bird's nest did not last beyond ornamental while the dumpling was ordinary at best.
Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling with Vegetables
Delectable one! The shrimps were so fresh and succulent..fully embodies how good things come in small packages
Barbequed Pork Bun
Decent honeyed bun here!
Braised Bird's Nest with Crabmeat, Winter melon and Dried Scallops
I was grinning widely when the huge bowl was served...great value I thought!
A pricier alternative to shark's fin with everything else tasting the same but it was just different...even with a dash of pepper and vinegar. Psychologically, it was hard to reconcile bird's nest with shark's fin soup and ended up tasting like white fungus soup.
The portions filled me up so much, I started to think it was not such a great value afterall...having struggled to finish the bowl.
Steamed Fish Fillet with Beancurd and Vegetable in Black Bean Sauce
Clearly reheated in the microwave, oil stains were found from the spluttering sauce and not much attention was paid to cleaning them off. Fish was a tad tough, tofu was ordinary but vegetables were thankfully not overcooked. A dish my Mom could have replicated too easily.
Stir Fried Rice Vermicilli with Roasted Pork and Preserved Vegetables
Soggy roasted pork with bee hoon, I did not fancy this too much.
Combination of Dessert
Lemongrass jelly
Sweeter than the last, this did not serve its refreshing purpose as well as the last.
Baked Mini Egg Tart
Bland base with an equally lacklustre filling to match, sheer disappointment.
Steamed Bun with Salted Egg Yolk ($5, 3 pcs)
I had to order this though the set lunch was filling. An overload of all things good caused the downfall of this.
Peeling open the top to unveil the most enticing daffodil coloured filling.
While the pau texture was done right, the filling was too thick for comfort. It amused me when the manager offered to replace them...would it not be the same batch that I'll be getting? Nonetheless, brownie points for trying.
Summer Palace once again failed to pull off the initial hat trick...not too sure if I should give the benefit of the doubt that these just were not a good showcase of its prowess? Contradicts the purpose of a tasting menu, if you ask me. Until I warrant enough guts for a potentially disappointing dimsum lunch...I'm laying off Summer Palace.
$38++ (5 course set)
Summer Palace
Regent Hotel
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