Chong Qing Grilled Fish

Chong Qing Grilled Fish
1 Liang Seah Street #01-05

18 Mosque Street

~~45 Geylang Lorong 27~~

2 Maju Avenue

https://www.cqgf.com.sg/

Grilled Grass Carp In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Lotus Root, White Radish, Enoki Mushroom, Frozen Beancurd (SGD $63.20)

Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan Charcoal Grilled Fish

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $27 / $35 per person.

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Named after the Chongqing region of Southwest China, Chong Qing Grilled Fish specialises in Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan cuisine, in particular, a charcoal grilled fish served in a spicy mala gravy, which is their signature dish. Founded in April 2010, Chong Qing Grilled Fish has become a popular late-night haunt for traditional Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan food.

Ambience at Chong Qing Grilled Fish is brightly lit and clean, though the sturdy dark wooden furniture is closely packed to maximise seating. As a result, the place is noisy and bustling, especially if guests start speaking really loudly. Ventilation is average, with only a faint smell of cooking that sticks to your clothing. There's minimal decor, the place isn't designed for aesthetics, and is rather functional in form. At least there's pretty paintings on the walls, of auspicious koi fish.

Service at Chong Qing Grilled Fish is pretty good. While staff mostly converse in Chinese Mandarin, at least they are friendly, courteous, and efficient. However, I have seen the senior staff conversing with non-Chinese diners / tourists in fluent English. The menu has English descriptions, and pointing at dishes works too. I note that staff are quick to seat diners and take orders, as well as clear empty / dirty tables or plates. Am actually rather surprised that the service is above average.

Food at Chong Qing Grilled Fish consists mainly of traditional Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan cuisine. The menu is small but with good variety, and the majority of food is naturally savoury, salty, and spicy. Portions are medium large, plated for sharing, and communal dining is highly encouraged. Prices are reasonable for individual dishes, but expensive for add-on options, budget about SGD $27 per person for a decent meal here.

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Chong Qing Grilled Fish Facade

Chong Qing Grilled Fish Menu

Chong Qing Grilled Fish Menu

They have a small variety of local China beers on the menu, like this Beer Tsingtao (SGD $7). This is an American style pale pilsner, brewed by Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd in Qingdao, Shandong, China. It has a straw golden colour, with aromas and tastes of rice, corn, metal, and grain. The body is light, thin, and carbonated, and has low bitterness and a hint of citrus sweetness.

Beer Tsingtao (SGD $7)

The Szechuan Mouth Watering Chicken (SGD $6.80) is a popular Sichuan appetizer, featuring chilled poached chicken in a spicy, oily gravy. This classic Chinese dish has tender, succulent chicken meat that is clean tasting, fresh, and sweet, while the gravy; fragrant with garlic, chili, and peppercorn; has a slow, lingering burn. Cool down with the chilled, crunchy slices of cucumber plated beneath! Highly recommended!

Szechuan Mouth Watering Chicken (SGD $6.80)

Szechuan Mouth Watering Chicken

The String Beans With Minced Pork And Dried Chili (SGD $11) is incredibly tasty, due to its savoury, salty flavours of fragrant minced pork, garlic, and chili. The string beans are soft, but not limp, retaining a bright freshness in the center. Really nice when paired with white rice. Pretty good dish!

String Beans With Minced Pork And Dried Chili (SGD $11)

String Beans With Minced Pork And Dried Chili

The Jiaozi Pork Dumplings (SGD $8) is an off-menu item, usually only available if you order a hot-pot. However, staff will accomodate requests for ala-carte, provided it's not reserved for hot-pot diners. I like the clean, sweet, fresh tasting pork meat within the lightly steamed dumplings, and the skin has the right thickness. Ask for vinegar as a dipping sauce for more flavour!

Jiaozi Pork Dumplings (SGD $8)

Jiaozi Pork Dumplings

Jiaozi Pork Dumplings

The Golden Fried Mantou (SGD $3.80) I felt was below average, as it's not as soft as I like. While it has a crisp crust, the bun itself is rather oily, and I fail to see why it should be dipped into a mala gravy then eaten. Not to my liking, as it's much too oily.

Golden Fried Mantou (SGD $3.80)

The Grilled Seabass In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Enoki Mushroom, Frozen Beancurd (SGD $45.60) is the signature dish here. The fresh, meaty, seabass fish with sweet, succulent white meat has been charcoal grilled, making the skin savoury salty, with a hint of smoky flavour. It's then served in a oily, spicy mala gravy, along with your choice of optional add-on ingredients. I got this with enoki mushroom and frozen beancurd, which soaks up the gravy beautifully.

Grilled Seabass In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Enoki Mushroom, Frozen Beancurd (SGD $45.60)

Grilled Seabass In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Enoki Mushroom, Frozen Beancurd

The Grilled Grass Carp In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Lotus Root, White Radish, Enoki Mushroom, Frozen Beancurd (SGD $63.20) is slightly larger in size, but the fish also has more fine, small bones. Also charcoal grilled, the white flesh and skin of the grass carp fish is sweet, savoury, salty, succulent, and fresh. Personally, I prefer the seabass fish over this, because it's easier to eat.

Grilled Grass Carp In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Lotus Root, White Radish, Enoki Mushroom, Frozen Beancurd (SGD $63.20)

The savoury smoky Hot Plate Mutton With Cumin (SGD $18) has sliced mutton and onions, done the way the Chinese like it; semi-firm and slightly dry, with a chewy texture. The taste is not gamey at all, thanks to the liberal use of cumin and chili, the meat is savoury without being overly salty, and incredibly fragrant and mouth-watering in aroma. Felt this dish was pretty good!

Hot Plate Mutton With Cumin (SGD $18)

Hot Plate Mutton With Cumin

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Update Apr-2019: More than 3 years later, Chong Qing Grilled Fish is still going strong with a loyal following. Have returned several times since. They've maintained consistently delicious dishes with robust flavours, but also expanded their menu offerings.

Ambience at Chong Qing Grilled Fish remains understated functional, with its black, metal, and concrete touches. Their outlets are usually warmly lit, with modern functional furniture, and a faint grilling odour lingering in the air... I usually choose to sit outdoors as a result. Service at Chong Qing Grilled Fish remains attentive, with staff still conversing mainly in Chinese Mandarin. They display good product knowledge, and efficiency at cleaning up. Food at Chong Qing Grilled Fish remains focused on Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan cuisine, with the highlight being their mala peppercorn grilled fish. Their portions are large, sized for communal group dining. Prices have risen to keep pace with the market, budget about SGD $35 per person for a meal here.

Chong Qing Grilled Fish Facade

Menu - Types Of Fish

Menu - Fish Cooking Styles & Sides

Menu - Beer

Menu - Staples

Menu - Vegetables & Beancurd

Menu - Meat

Menu - Seafood

Menu - Appetizers

The Beer Harbin (SGD $7.50) is brewed by their namesake Harbin Brewery, in Harbin, in the Heilongjiang province of China. It has a bright straw golden colour, with faint aromas of wheat, cereal, lemon zest, and bread. The body is thin, light, and crisp, with a high amount of carbonation, and tastes of biscuit, steel, grain, and corn. Refreshing, but weak and uninspired.

Beer Harbin (SGD $7.50)

The Beer Tsing Tao (SGD $9) is an American style pale pilsner, brewed by Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd in Qingdao, Shandong, China. It has a straw golden colour, with aromas and tastes of rice, corn, metal, and grain. The body is light, thin, and carbonated, and it has a low bitter grainy flavour with a faint hint of citrus sweetness.

Beer Tsing Tao (SGD $9)

The most popular beer in the world in 2017, the Beer Snow (SGD $8) is also a forgettable, bland beverage. Rather like alcohol flavoured water, yet, 101 million hectoliters of this were sold worldwide in 2017, more than double that of its nearest competitor and runner-up.

Beer Snow (SGD $8)

The Fragrant White Rice (SGD $1) has warm, fluffy steamed white rice, served in a bowl. I use it to soak up some of the excess oil from dishes.

Fragrant White Rice (SGD $1)

The Kou Shui Ji / Mouth Watering Chicken (SGD $6.80) or 口水鸡 is just as good as before. It features chilled poached kampong chicken in a spicy, oily gravy. This classic Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan dish has tender, succulent chicken meat that is clean tasting, fresh, and sweet savoury, while the gravy; fragrant with chopped garlic, chili, sesame seeds, and peppercorn; has a slow, lingering burn. Cool down with the chilled crunchy slices of juicy vegetal sweet cucumber plated beneath. Highly recommended!

Kou Shui Ji / Mouth Watering Chicken (SGD $6.80)

Kou Shui Ji / Mouth Watering Chicken

The Shuang Kou Mu Er / Black Cloud Ear Fungus Salad (SGD $4.80) or 爽口木耳 has bouncy slippery crunchy pieces of black fungus / cloud ear fungus, crisp white onions, and parsley in a gravy of black vinegar, chopped garlic, coriander, and chili. The vegetables lend a deep vegetal earthy sweet woody flavour to the sharp sour bitter tangy notes of the vinaigrette. The garlic herbal spice taste is especially strong. Served chilled, this is a refreshing appetizer.

Shuang Kou Mu Er / Black Cloud Ear Fungus Salad (SGD $4.80)

Shuang Kou Mu Er / Black Cloud Ear Fungus Salad

Ordered the Grilled Sea Bass Fish In Spicy Fragrant Broth (SGD $32 / $38) or Kao Lu Yu Xiang La / 烤鲈鱼香辣. The large sea bass fish is fresh and meaty, with few bones. It has a clean, sweet savoury flavour to the fish meat, while the fish skin has a slight smoky aroma, and picks up the gravy well. Served in an oily, spicy mala peppercorn gravy, whose level of spicy heat can be customised to your preference. You can also choose to add-on several other side dishes, to give your meal more depth and breath. Over several visits, I've realised freshness of the fish can sometimes be inconsistent, but the mala peppercorn gravy and vegetable aromatics (parsley, spring onions) typically mask this sufficiently, coming off as above average in taste.

Grilled Sea Bass Fish In Spicy Fragrant Broth (SGD $32 / $38)

Grilled Sea Bass Fish In Spicy Fragrant Broth

Grilled Sea Bass Fish In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Hand Made Noodles, Chinese Cabbage, Lettuce Leaf, Pork Luncheon Meat, Silken Tofu Beancurd

Grilled Sea Bass Fish In Spicy Fragrant Broth, With Hand Made Noodles, Chinese Cabbage, Lettuce Leaf, Pork Luncheon Meat, Silken Tofu Beancurd

There's a wide variety of add-on side dishes that you can choose to dunk into the spicy gravy. Those I've tried include crunchy Chinese Cabbage (SGD $3.80), crisp Lettuce Leaf (SGD $4.80), wobbly soft Silken Tofu Beancurd (SGD $3.80), tender Pork Luncheon Meat (SGD $4.80), and chewy Hand Made Noodles (SGD $5.80). Don't add on too many side dishes, as price escalates quickly and value goes down. Instead, stick to 4 or less add-on side dishes per meal, and if you must, order some of their other dishes. Personally, I usually order at most 2 add-on side dishes.

Add-On Sides - Chinese Cabbage (SGD $3.80)

Add-On Sides - Lettuce Leaf (SGD $4.80)

Add-On Sides - Silken Tofu Beancurd (SGD $3.80)

Add-On Sides - Pork Luncheon Meat (SGD $4.80)

Add-On Sides - Hand Made Noodles (SGD $5.80)

Since I last tried the Gan Bian Si Ji Dou / String Beans With Minced Pork And Dried Chili (SGD $12) or 干煸四季豆 over 3 years ago, the quality of this dish has improved. The string beans have a bright, juicy crunch to texture, with good vegetal sweet earthy flavour, enhanced by the salty savoury minced pork and spicy notes of the dried chili. It's also less oily than before. Pairs well with White Rice.

Gan Bian Si Ji Dou / String Beans With Minced Pork And Dried Chili (SGD $12)

Gan Bian Si Ji Dou / String Beans With Minced Pork And Dried Chili

The Fan Qie Chao Dan / Stir-Fried Tomato Scrambled Eggs (SGD $9) or 番茄炒蛋, is a popular dish in China, because it's quick and easy to prepare, delicious, and affordable even for students. Features eggs, scrambled in a bowl, then stir-fried with sugar, salt, and tomatoes. This has soft, juicy textures, with delicate vegetal eggy sweet savoury flavours. Highly recommended!

Fan Qie Chao Dan / Stir-Fried Tomato Scrambled Eggs (SGD $9)

Fan Qie Chao Dan / Stir-Fried Tomato Scrambled Eggs

The Shuang Kou Xiang Yu / Wok Fried Fragrant Yam Sticks (SGD $9.90) or 爽口香芋 has thinly sliced yam / taro sticks, coated in a sugar syrup, stir-fried with coriander, garlic, and fresh green and red chilies. It has crunchy firm textures that yield with a bite, and delicate earthy sweet savoury flavour. Despite the use of chili, this isn't spicy at all. Nice, I like it.

Shuang Kou Xiang Yu / Wok Fried Fragrant Yam Sticks (SGD $9.90)

Shuang Kou Xiang Yu / Wok Fried Fragrant Yam Sticks

Loved the Shou Si Bao Cai / Hand Shredded Cabbage (SGD $11) or 手撕包菜, with its deep salty savoury vegetal sweet flavours. This features hand pulled crunchy Chinese cabbage, wok tossed along with tender pork belly slices, garlic, and dried chili. Actually tasty enough to eat on its own, or paired with white rice.

Shou Si Bao Cai / Hand Shredded Cabbage (SGD $11)

Shou Si Bao Cai / Hand Shredded Cabbage

The Gu Lu Rou / Sweet And Sour Pork (SGD $13) or 咕噜肉 has tender chewy pieces of pork cubes, stir-fried with juicy cucumber, crunchy bell peppers / capsicum, and crisp red onions, in a sticky sweet and sour sauce / gravy. The sauce is rich, lending bold sweet sour flavour to the sweet savoury taste of the pork cubes, and the vegetal sweet notes of the vegetables. Lovely in presentation and delicious on the palate, so well executed. Worth ordering!

Gu Lu Rou / Sweet And Sour Pork (SGD $13)

Gu Lu Rou / Sweet And Sour Pork

The La Zi Ji / Spicy Chicken Cubes (SGD $16) or 辣子雞, translates to 'Spicy Chicken That Causes Death', and is an iconic Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan dish. Features marinated then deep-fried chicken cubes, which are then stir-fried with dried Sichuan / Szechuan chili peppers, spicy bean paste, dried peppercorn, garlic, ginger, roasted peanuts, white sesame seeds, and chili oil. It has chewy, crunchy textures, with intense spicy savoury salty flavours, and a sharp lingering burn. I like that the version here isn't overwhelming. Pairs well with beer. Good!

La Zi Ji / Spicy Chicken Cubes (SGD $16)

La Zi Ji / Spicy Chicken Cubes

The Feng Wei Tiao Tiao Wa / Pickled Chili Bull Frog (SGD $18) or 风味跳跳蛙 features 4 bull frogs, which is said to be highly nutritious in protein. The bull frogs are simmered along with young bamboo shoots till succulent and tender, in a sour spicy gravy of pickled red chili, pickled green chili, white vinegar, Shaoxing Chinese rice wine, sugar, salt, ginger, and garlic, then garnished with crunchy roasted peanuts and parsley. Fragrant and appetizing, though the bull frog doesn't absorb the gravy well.

Feng Wei Tiao Tiao Wa / Pickled Chili Bull Frog (SGD $18)

Feng Wei Tiao Tiao Wa / Pickled Chili Bull Frog

The Hui Guo Rou / Twice Cooked Pork (SGD $13) or 回锅肉 is a traditional Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan dish, where the pork is cooked twice. The thinly sliced pork belly meat is first simmered in a broth of water, Chinese Shaoxing rice wine, and ginger, then stir-fried with garlic chives, sweet black beans, dark soy sauce, and fresh green and red chilies. It has tender crunchy oily textures, with decent savoury salty spicy flavour. Not overwhelming, but more oily as a dish compared to other items on the menu.

Hui Guo Rou / Twice Cooked Pork (SGD $13)

Hui Guo Rou / Twice Cooked Pork

The Zi Ran Yang Rou / Hot Plate Mutton With Cumin (SGD $16) or 孜然羊肉 seems improved from the last time I had it. This time, the mutton pieces were nicely tender and moist with a slight chew, contrasted by the light crunch of the white onions, and the soft red and green chili peppers. Spiced with cumin powder, this has a bold meaty savoury salty spice flavour, with a light lingering burn. Good!

Zi Ran Yang Rou / Hot Plate Mutton With Cumin (SGD $16)

Zi Ran Yang Rou / Hot Plate Mutton With Cumin

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Update Jul-2020: Visited Chong Qing Grilled Fish after the COVID-19 circuit breaker measures in Singapore had eased off slightly, and was pleased to find they're still doing relatively well. The menu remains largely the same as before, and they still draw quite a number of diners, but they are practising the necessary safe distancing and hygiene measures.

Ordered the Grilled Patin In Mushroom Herb Broth, With Sliced Pork, Frozen Beancurd (SGD $50.60) or Shi Li Jun Xiang Shui Guo Yu / 十里菌香水果鱼. The large patin fish is silky smooth and flaky in texture, with copious fatty healthy fish oil, and has few bones. It has an oily, savoury salty sweet flavour to the fish meat, while the thick fish skin has a slight rubbery texture. Overall has a luxurious, rich feeling to it. Served in rich mushrooms and herbs gravy, garnished with willow mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms, fresh shiitake mushrooms, garlic, salt, mushroom powder, green pepper, red pepper, parsley, and optional chili. This gives the gravy a lovely earthy sweet savoury herbal spice flavour. You can also choose to add-on several other side dishes, we chose tender sliced pork which had savoury fatty sweet flavour, and spongy frozen tofu beancurd which had delicate grainy sweet flavour and absorbed the aromatic gravy so well. Highly recommended!