“Peach Blossoms has been a pace-setter for the past 2 years, and remains so. Dining at this restaurant is like gazing into a crystal ball in which the future direction of contemporary Chinese cooking is foreshadowed. 

Executive Chinese chef Edward Chong trained under chefs Sam Leong and Yong Bing Ngen when the duo were spearheading the transition of traditional Cantonese cuisine into its modern incarnation in the late-90s.

Now Edward has taken it a step further—his flavours are more focused and refined; his plating boasts greater finesse. As a Chinese growing up in a pan-Asian food environment, Edward is steeped in local knowledge and shaped by international trends and sensibilities. He makes the classics current and reinterprets new dishes he comes across, putting a strong personal stamp on them.

This is most evident in his famed char siew, where pork belly is given new flavour profiles through a special roasting method; and in his fan-favourite cigar-like crispy spring rolls. I also enjoyed the ‘omakase’ approach highlighting seasonal produce and hard-to-find ingredients.”

Read more: Peach Blossoms executive chef Edward Chong on redefining Chinese cuisine for a new generation

“Finely-made Beijing duck in Singapore is hard to come by; I usually head to Imperial Treasure for mine. Here, the duck is well-executed with ultra-crispy skin and succulent meat that works well with the ‘pancake’ and accompanying condiments.

I find the restaurant’s seafood extremely fresh, perhaps because of its brisk business. The seafood comes cooked in various styles; and while prices can be hefty, I am almost never disappointed. 

Being Cantonese, I found comfort with their version of sweet and sour pork as well as the poached chicken in shallot and ginger sauce.” 

“Asked to describe the food of Famous Treasure, one of the founders of the restaurant candidly proclaimed, ‘My business partners love to drink and eat; and we eat at places that serve good food for the price point. So we patronise hawker centres, zi char stalls, and fine restaurants.’

And proving the point, the menu does range widely; taking in well-executed zi char as well as refined ‘restaurant’ dishes. I loved their salt-baked flower crab, whose core ingredients were literally scuttling and swimming mere minutes before ending up on my table. I must say for the quality offered at such prices, there is little to fault even if I tried.

As the restaurant owners are wine-lovers too, try to get yourself on their mailing list as they organise wine pairing sessions frequently.”

Famous Treasure, 13 Stamford Road, 02-28 Capitol Singapore, S(178905), +65 9730 7548

“Finding good dim sum in Singapore is challenging; and even so in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. After all, young chefs are reluctant to join the dim sum section as it takes patience, nimble fingers and speed to perform the daily tasks. And worse, dim sum chefs are regularly overlooked and neglected when it comes to recognition and promotion. 

For dim sum, Wah Lok has been my go-to Chinese restaurant for more than two decades. While it offers less variety than Hong Kong restaurants, its items are well executed and tasty. I’m especially particular about texture; for example the filling of the siew mai should have the right ratio of fat to meat. In addition it should not taste like steamed paste but be finely chopped with the right crunch. 

The har gao (prawn dumpling) should have the right ratio of potato flour to wheat flour so that the skin is translucent and not transparent. Ideally each parcel should not weigh more than 20 grams. 

The skin of the char siew bao, too, must be soft with a slight bounce resulting from the method of proving the dough commonly practised by the northern Chinese. 

These three dim sum items are my absolute favourites; and Wah Lok does them very close to my expectations. That’s enough reason for me to visit it often.”

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