Zi Char - Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin)

Zi Char - Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin)
290 Orchard Road
#B1-08 Paragon

252 North Bridge Road
#B1-37 Raffles City

80 Marine Parade Road
#02-14 Parkway Parade

http://www.imperialtreasure.com/

Treasures Signature Noodles With Pig's Trotter, Braised Beef Brisket, Wanton And Shrimp Dumpling (SGD $11.50)

Average Dim Sum

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 5
Service: 8
Value for Money: 3
Spent about SGD $30 per person.


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Opening in May 2016, Treasures Yi Dian Xin is the Chinese Cantonese concept of the Imperial Treasure Group, specialising in dim sum and roast meats. Actually, 'specialising' is possibly too generous a word to apply here, the quality and consistency of dishes leaves much to be desired, making Treasures Yi Dian Xin likely the weakest link in the entire portfolio of the Imperial Treasure Group. If you must dine here, go for the dim sum or the beef noodles.

Ambience at Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) is family-friendly, in fact, I observe many families with children dining here. The warm lighting and low ceiling, along with the closely packed, modern wooden cushioned furniture, lends a cozy feel. The booths are comfortable too. Splashes of black and yellow colours against wood lends some vibrancy, otherwise, everything else is vanilla.

Service at Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) is very good. The staff are attentive, coming quickly when beckoned, and accord each table personalised attention. Orders are taken and fulfilled quickly, and staff display great product knowledge when queried on the menu. I note they clear away empty / dirty tables quickly when diners leave. Good standards here, hope they can be consistent.

Food at Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) is not just focused on Chinese Zi Char, but rather, on Chinese Cantonese roast meats and dim sum. The extensive menu has good variety. However, the main problem is quality; most dishes are average at best, and even coffeeshop / hawker centre stalls have better quality and consistency. Portions are sized for communal group dining. While prices are affordable for family dining, it's still poor value for money. Budget about SGD $30 per person for a meal here.


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Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) Exterior

Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) Interior

Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) Menu Drinks

Imperial Treasure Group (Treasures Yi Dian Xin) Menu Food

The Home Made Barley Water (SGD $3) can either be served warm or chilled, and is fairly straightforward with its grainy sweet flavour. Has a semi-thick texture, which is nice.

Home Made Barley Water (SGD $3)

A straightforward Tea Pu-Erh (SGD $2), earthy in flavour and strong of body, with a smooth, calming texture. Best paired with dim sum.

Tea Pu-Erh (SGD $2)

The Crispy You Tiao Dough Fritter (SGD $1.20) is excellent. It's deep-fried till crisp, and holds up well within the congee, retaining its texture without going soggy. Also good enough to eat on its own.

Crispy You Tiao Dough Fritter (SGD $1.20)

What I like about the Congee Pork Meat Ball (SGD $9.30) is the rich, thick texture of the rice porridge congee, which has a silky smooth but not gloopy texture, with a light earthy flavour. However, the pork meat ball is the factory processed version, while not terrible, it's not what I expect from a premium restaurant. Fragrant with spring onions, it's still an overall good dish.

Congee Pork Meat Ball (SGD $9.30)

Congee Pork Meat Ball

The Twin Combination BBQ Meat (SGD $20) is the weakest link. The Barbecued Pork Loin Char Siew is lightly savoury with a soft semi-firm chew, and the quality is like a poor coffeeshop rendition, lacking sweetness, meaty savouryness, and smokiness. I like the Roast Pork Belly Sio Bak, with its crisp crackling skin, tender succulent pork belly meat, and bold savoury salty flavour. The Roast Duck is just decent, the tender meat comes easily off the bone, and the slightly crisp skin has a nice savoury salty touch, but I expect better from a restaurant.

Twin Combination BBQ Meat (SGD $20)

Twin Combination BBQ Meat

Barbecued Pork Loin Char Siew

Roast Pork Belly Sio Bak

Roast Duck

The Treasures Signature Noodles With Pig's Trotter, Braised Beef Brisket, Wanton And Shrimp Dumpling (SGD $11.50) is like a sampler platter for the undecided. The base features springy, chewy, thin egg noodles, tossed in a light soy sauce gravy, served with crunchy, vegetal sweet kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli.
The Wanton / Wonton Dumpling has tightly packed minced pork and prawn / shrimp, within a thin, fragile dumpling wrapper. Has a bouncy juicy chew, and a light savoury sweet flavour. I enjoyed this.
The Shrimp Dumpling / Shui Jiao Dumpling / Water Dumpling has loosely packed minced pork, prawn / shrimp, and black fungus, within a thin, fragile dumpling wrapper. Has a crunchy moist chew, and a light savoury earthy flavour. This didn't cut it for me.
Loved the signature Braised Beef Brisket, with a good ratio of succulent fat to tender lean beef meat. Bold savoury salty meaty flavour from the slow braised beef gravy, very satisfiying light chew to the meat. Really good, would return just for this.
The Pig's Trotter is alright, while I would have liked it to have a more bold savoury salty flavour, the slippery, chewy texture is nice. Imbalanced ratio with more pig's skin, fat, and collagen than pork meat though.

Treasures Signature Noodles With Pig's Trotter, Braised Beef Brisket, Wanton And Shrimp Dumpling (SGD $11.50)

Soup / Broth

Treasures Signature Noodles With Pig's Trotter, Braised Beef Brisket, Wanton And Shrimp Dumpling

Treasures Signature Noodles With Pig's Trotter, Braised Beef Brisket, Wanton And Shrimp Dumpling

The Braised Beef Brisket Noodles (SGD $9.30) packs bold savoury salty meaty flavour. Yes, I returned just to eat this. The springy, chewy, thin egg noodles and crunchy vegetal sweet kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli are tossed in a tasty slow braised beef gravy, garnished with their signature braised beef brisket. The tender and lean beef meat is interspersed with succulent fat and sticky chewy tendons, nice. Best paired with warm tea, as it's robust and full flavoured. Highly recommended!

Braised Beef Brisket Noodles (SGD $9.30)

Braised Beef Brisket Noodles

The Steamed Pork Rib With Black Bean Sauce (SGD $5.30) is very good. The tender pork ribs have a good ratio of fat to lean meat, and the black beans lend a touch of earthy sweet flavour to the savoury salty pork ribs. Good!

Steamed Pork Rib With Black Bean Sauce (SGD $5.30)

Steamed Pork Rib With Black Bean Sauce

While the Pan-Fried Carrot Cake (SGD $5.30) has a soft, easy to eat texture and bold savoury salty earthy meaty flavour from the preserved pork sausage, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms within, the daikon radish cake itself has an oddly sour bitter sweet flavour. Not cooked or prepared properly.

Pan-Fried Carrot Cake (SGD $5.30)

Pan-Fried Carrot Cake

The Pan-Fried Chive Dumpling (SGD $5.50) has a thick chewy rice dumpling wrap, which envelops a warm, moist filling of garlic chives, shiitake mushrooms, and dried shrimp. Bold earthy vegetal sweet savoury flavour, but I find this lacking that delicious edge. A below average rendition.

Pan-Fried Chive Dumpling (SGD $5.50)

Pan-Fried Chive Dumpling

A fairly average Steamed Prawn Dumpling Ha Kau (SGD $6.80) here. The skin has a balanced thickness, holding the filling well, yet isn't overly chewy. However, the filling is a blend of diced prawn / shrimp and prawn paste. While the steamed prawn dumpling ha kau has a moist, delicate sweet flavour, it lacks the bold, juicy sweet burst of fresh prawn / shrimp. Decent at best.

Steamed Prawn Dumpling Ha Kau (SGD $6.80)

Steamed Prawn Dumpling Ha Kau

The Steamed Pork And Prawn Dumpling Siew Mai (SGD $6.20) is best eaten when served piping hot. I rather enjoyed the meaty, bouncy, juicy texture of the pork and prawn / shrimp dumpling siew mai. This has a fresh, meaty savoury sweet flavour. Satisfiying, would order again.

Steamed Pork And Prawn Dumpling Siew Mai (SGD $6.20)

Steamed Pork And Prawn Dumpling Siew Mai

The Deep-Fried Yam Puff (SGD $5.30) is well executed and delicious. The crisp, golden brown pastry crust is crisp, giving way to soft, smooth, earthy sweet yam taro paste. The hollow center is filled with a warm, juicy, savoury salty earthy filling of minced pork and shiitake mushrooms. Good!

Deep-Fried Yam Puff (SGD $5.30)

Deep-Fried Yam Puff

The Steamed Beef Ball With Vegetable (SGD $5.30) is below average in quality, thanks to the beef meat ball lacking that bold savoury meaty flavour, and missing the tender satisfying bite, instead, it's way too soft. Plated over silky tofu beancurd skin, even the filling of crunchy water chestnuts and spring onions can't help this along.

Steamed Beef Ball With Vegetable (SGD $5.30)

Steamed Beef Ball With Vegetable

I enjoyed the Deep-Fried Porcupine Bun With Red Bean Paste (SGD $6.30), which is a fried mantou bread / bun, filled with a smooth, creamy rich, sweet red bean paste. Great as an appetizer or a dessert, the warm soft crunch of the bread / bun is satisfiying. Love the cute presentation too; they're shaped like little porcupines!

Deep-Fried Porcupine Bun With Red Bean Paste (SGD $6.30)

Deep-Fried Porcupine Bun With Red Bean Paste

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