28 July 2008 :: Monday :: Dinner
This evening, I brought my family to Hotel Intercontinental Singapore – Man Fu Yuan Restaurant. It was for a birthday dinner and the decision was made after consultation with one of the more popular foodie websites in Singapore -> HungryGoWhere. (http://www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/man_fu_yuan/)
Brief Description:
Man Fu Yuan serves sumptous Cantonese cuisine in a spacious setting. With well-set tables, delicate dinnerware and attentive staff, it was a pleasant dining experience.
Review
True to expectations, being a Monday night, there wasn’t a crowd. Well, still, to be sure, I made a reservation. By observing the dressing of the diners, I was already forewarned that the food isn’t going to be cheap. Since it was the first visit, I opted for the easy way out by ordering the set dinner.
I had to wait around 15 mins before the first dish came out. However, subsequent dishes were out fairly quick and it is obvious that the staff pays close attention to the diners to only serve subsequent courses only after you are done with the current.
I picked Shui Xian (aka Water Fairy) Chinese tea. Though more expensive than your average Chinese tea at local Chinese resturants (cost me $20 per pot), it was well worth a price. Shui Xian tea is variation of the strong and full-bodied Oolong, but with a refreshing floral aftertaste. The delicate aftertaste also indicates that it is an above-average variant.
1) First up, the slicked pork, spiced jellyfish and duck. The pork was well cooked and went well with the plum sauce. The jellyfish is chewy but not tough. The duck was excellent.. if only they gave more than a slice for each person.
2) The sharks fin soup was average. The portion is quite large, but then again, serves more in filling up the stomach then satisfying the taste buds. To be fair to them, I haven’t been able to experience satisfactory sharks fin soup from other restaurants in quite a while either.
3) The soon hock was very well done. It was fried to just the right crisp. I was initially worried that the salted fish may overwhelm the dish, but I was pleasantly surprised that the proportion was just right. In fact, I would rate it was the best dish of the day. I suppose I would enjoy it even more if I wasn’t feeling a little filled up by the earlier soup.
4) The prawns were sauteed with garlic. Though the ingredients were simple, the chef’s skill shined through. The prawns were tangy and you could savor the wonderful sauce with each bite,.
5) The braised toufu with xiao bai cai was a bit disappointing, considering how impressed we have been with the earlier 2 dishes. While it didn’t taste bad, it was distinctly average.
6) The fruits took quite a while to arrive. It was a pleasant surprise to see that they were sliced papaya, manago, cherries and rambutan. I was expecting to see the usual apple, orange and watermelon. The fruits were all sweet and fresh, bring a wonderful closure to the meal.
The bill came to about $58/pax. Luckily, there was a promotion for UOB credit cards. After the 25% discount, the final bill was $44.60/pax. All in all, a satisfying meal. With the discount, it really was quite worth it.
Ratings
Food : 4/5
Ambiance : 3.5/5
Service : 4.5/5
Value: 4/5
RTE (Return to eat) : Yes
Details
2nd Floor,
80 Middle Road,
Intercontinental Hotel
Singapore 188966
+65 68251062
Daily: 11.30am – 3.00pm & 6.00pm – 10.30pm
