Famous Kitchen Tasting Session 2021
54 Sembawang Road
#01-01 Hong Heng Mansions
Opening Hours:
Daily: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:40pm - 10:30pm
https://famouskitchen.sg/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, Chubby Botak Koala, msginginly, Purple Taste, Darren Bloggie, Emily.EatingThyme, Makan Warrior, and MsJaniceEats.
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| Double Boiled Herb Kampung Chicken (SGD $48) |
Comforting Nanyang Dining, Homely Style
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $42++ per person.
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Established in March 2009 by the Foo family (brother Jeffrey and sisters Jenny and Kristine), the Famous Kitchen in the Sembawang / Nee Soon area of Singapore has largely chugged along thanks to their fiercely loyal customers. Their innovative Chinese dishes, combining Teochew, Cantonese, and Singaporean cuisines so impressed diners, that a group of customers proposed a partnership - resulting in the Famous Treasure spin-off. Having previously visited both Famous Treasure and Famous Kitchen several times and leaving with a memorable impression, this return visit was to sample their new Chinese New Year 2021 menu.
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| Chickens Pecking Around |
Ambience at Famous Kitchen is homely and comfortable. Stepping in feels like you've stepped through a time portal, as the place retains an old-school 1980s Chinese atmosphere, from the white-clothed furniture to the striped grey carpet tiles, to the pale pastel colours of the walls. They even have old-school karaoke in the private rooms! The place is warmly lit, casting a soft glow over everything. There's both indoor and outdoor seating, and during peak periods, the place can be noisy and bustling.
Service at Famous Kitchen is professional and efficient. Staff strive to provide personalised engagement and attention to each table, akin to a good fine dining establishment. They demonstrate cursory product knowledge, introducing each dish as it's served. Staff proactively offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal, and quickly clean up and reset tables when diners leave. I note they periodically check and top up drinks, particularly if the table has ordered alcoholic beverages.
Food at Famous Kitchen is focused on traditional Chinese cuisine, including Teochew, Cantonese, and Mandarin, with some Singaporean influences. The menu is extensive, including off-menu items known only to regulars. Most dishes, from braised dishes to roasts, stir-frys to curries, are bold in flavour, well executed, and delicious. Portions are large and hearty, designed for communal dining. Prices are slightly higher, though you get good value for money. Budget about SGD $42++ per person for a meal here.
From now till 26th February 2021, enjoy the Prosperous Set Menus at Famous Kitchen, starting from the Sapphire Set (SGD $318++ for 4 people), the Jade Set (SGD $498++ for 6 people), the Crystal Set (SGD $698++ for 8 people), and the Diamond Set (SGD $898++ for 8 people). The Chinese New Year 2021 dishes are also available for ala-carte orders. We had the exquisite Jade Set (SGD $498++ for 6 people) with a whisky pairing.
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| Famous Kitchen Seating |
The Whisky Auchentoshan Triple Wood (SGD $108 per 700ml bottle) is an award-winning whisky brewed by the Auchentoshan Distillery in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Matured in 3 different cask types (American Bourbon Cask, Spanish Oloroso Sherry Cask, Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask), it has a medium copper brown colour, with aromas of caramel, toffee, stewed cherry, and smoke. The body is smooth, rich, and medium thick, with tastes of black forest cake, chocolate, redcurrent, and oak. Has a distinct smoky woody earthy fruity sweet flavour, with a superb rich finish.
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| Whisky Auchentoshan Triple Wood (SGD $108 per 700ml bottle) |
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| Whisky Auchentoshan Triple Wood |
The Cherry Tomato In Sour Plum Sauce (SGD $2) was lovely. The juicy rounds of cherry tomatoes have been marinated in sour plum juice, resulting in a big burst of vegetal sour sweet flavour. Rather addictive!
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| Cherry Tomato In Sour Plum Sauce (SGD $2) |
Welcome the Chinese New Year of the Ox this 2021, with the Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng (SGD $68 / $98). The tossing of yu sheng is a tradition that symbolises the welcoming of good health, wealth, and longevity. The version here makes for a decent salad, and an enjoyable start to the meal, as staff recite aupicious blessings to prepare the dish. With prevailing COVID-19 safety measures, you're not supposed to stand and toss or shout blessings, so we ended up quietly tossing while seated, which felt unusual.
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| Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng (SGD $68 / $98) |
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| Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng |
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| Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng |
Being old-school, the Braised Shark’s Fin With Crab Meat & Dried Scallop Soup (SGD $80 / $120 / $160) here is rich and luxurious. The thick soup / broth is chock full of savoury sweet flavour, with generous garnishings of wispy egg, chewy dried scallops, tender deshelled crab meat, and gelatinous shark's fin. Warm and comforting.
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| Braised Shark’s Fin With Crab Meat & Dried Scallop Soup (SGD $80 / $120 / $160) |
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| Braised Shark’s Fin With Crab Meat & Dried Scallop Soup |
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| Braised Shark’s Fin With Crab Meat & Dried Scallop Soup |
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| Braised Shark’s Fin With Crab Meat & Dried Scallop Soup |
The Braised Sea Cucumber With Fish Maw & Mushroom (SGD $58 / $88 / $118) is a hearty dish with comforting flavours, particulary with its deeply earthy savoury salty gravy, which pairs really well with white rice. The crisp kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli has a fresh vegetal sweet taste, while the gelatinous braised sea cucumber chunks and spongy fish maw have a nice spongy crunch to texture, with flavours from the gravy. The large shiitake mushrooms are tender with earthy vegetal savoury flavour, completing this lovely dish.
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| Braised Sea Cucumber With Fish Maw & Mushroom (SGD $58 / $88 / $118) |
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| Braised Sea Cucumber With Fish Maw & Mushroom |
The Hong Kong Style Steamed Live Marble Goby With Superior Soya Sauce (SGD $12.80 per 100g, $102.40 for 800g) features a large, fresh marble goby fish, with tender moist flaky fish meat that comes easily off the bones. It picks up the rich superior soya sauce gravy well, holding salty savoury sweet flavour. The only quibble I have is the many small fine bones this has.
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| Hong Kong Style Steamed Live Marble Goby With Superior Soya Sauce (SGD $12.80 per 100g, $102.40 for 800g) |
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| Hong Kong Style Steamed Live Marble Goby With Superior Soya Sauce |
The Double Boiled Herb Kampung Chicken (SGD $48) is a homely, soulful dish. The whole chicken is tender and juicy, with the chicken meat pulling softly and easily off the bones. Served in a yummy herb gravy, with mild herbal earthy sweet savoury flavour. Accompanied by crunchy fresh broccoli florets, which lend vegetal sweet notes. Among the highlights of our meal here.
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| Double Boiled Herb Kampung Chicken (SGD $48) |
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| Double Boiled Herb Kampung Chicken |
The Wok-Fried Tiger Prawn With Tea Leaf (SGD $30 / $50 / $70) is a unique dish. The large tiger prawns are succulent and crunchy tender, with good natural sweet savoury flavour. The gravy of tea leaves lend an earthy herbal flavour that complements the prawns. Tried to brush off the tea leaves before eating, as biting directly into the tea leaf releases an initial bitter note.
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| Wok-Fried Tiger Prawn With Tea Leaf (SGD $30 / $50 / $70) |
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| Wok-Fried Tiger Prawn With Tea Leaf |
The Stir-Fried Ee-Fu Noodles With Straw Mushrooms (SGD $12 / $18 / $24) are straightforward, with the long slippery ee-fu noodles tossed with tender straw mushrooms, crunchy bean sprouts, and light soy sauce. This has a bold salty savoury grainy sweet earthy flavour. Needed some chili to lend a delicious spicy kick.
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| Stir-Fried Ee-Fu Noodles With Straw Mushrooms (SGD $12 / $18 / $24) |
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| Stir-Fried Ee-Fu Noodles With Straw Mushrooms |
The Water Chestnut With Snow Fungus & Egg White (SGD $28) is a lovely warm dessert, with tender water chestnuts, spongy snow fungus, and wispy egg white. The result is bold eggy sweet earthy nutty flavour, very nice. This is a seasonal dessert special, not usually available on the ala-carte menu.
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| Water Chestnut With Snow Fungus & Egg White (SGD $28) |
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| Water Chestnut With Snow Fungus & Egg White |
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| Water Chestnut With Snow Fungus & Egg White |
I can see why Famous Kitchen attracts so many regulars. Their combination of ambience, service, and food quality is great, and though prices are slightly higher than elsewhere, their consistent quality is an assurance. If you're in the area, a visit to Famous Kitchen is recommended.
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CONVERSATION