Famous Kitchen Tasting Session 2020
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, Mission SG Cafes, and MsJaniceEats.
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| Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken (SGD $58) |
Homely Nanyang Dining With Bold Flavours
(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 visited Famous Treasure several times and leaving with a memorable impression, I was excited to visit the more homely Famous Kitchen, and see what the fuss was about.
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| Famous Kitchen Facade |
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| Famous Kitchen Signage |
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.
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| Famous Kitchen Exterior |
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| Famous Kitchen Interior |
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.
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| Seating Outdoors |
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| Seating Indoors |
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 8th February 2020, enjoy the Prosperous Set Menus at Famous Kitchen, starting from the Sapphire Set (SGD $488++ for 8 people), the Jade Set (SGD $688++ for 10 people), the Crystal Set (SGD $888++ for 10 people), and the Diamond Set (SGD $1388++ for 10 people). The Chinese New Year 2020 dishes are also available for ala-carte orders.
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| Famous Kitchen Menu CNY 2020 |
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| Us |
They have a full bar at the side, with a decent range of drinks and bar snacks. They're planning to expand the menu to include Western style dishes as well.
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| Beer Stella Artois & Beer Fuller's Black Cab Stout |
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| Beer Stella Artois & Beer Fuller's Black Cab Stout |
The Cherry Tomatoes Infused With Sour Plum (SGD $2) were 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 Tomatoes Infused With Sour Plum (SGD $2) |
Welcome the Chinese New Year of the Rat this 2020, 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.
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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 |
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| Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng |
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| Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng |
Being old-school, the Braised Shark's Fin 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, crunchy spongy fish maw, and gelatinous shark's fin. Warm and comforting.
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| Braised Shark's Fin Soup (SGD $80 / $120 / $160) |
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| Braised Shark's Fin Soup |
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| Braised Shark's Fin Soup |
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| Braised Shark's Fin Soup |
The Braised Sea Cucumber With Beancurd & Mushrooms (SGD $48) is a hearty dish with comforting flavours, particulary with its deeply earthy savoury salty gravy, which pairs really well with white rice. The crunchy florets of broccoli have a fresh vegetal sweet taste, while the gelatinous sea cucumber chunks have a nice spongy crunch to texture with flavours from the gravy. The center is filled with tender carrots and white shimeji mushrooms, which are tender with earthy vegetal flavours. A lovely dish.
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| Braised Sea Cucumber With Beancurd & Mushrooms (SGD $48) |
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| Braised Sea Cucumber With Beancurd & Mushrooms |
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| Braised Sea Cucumber With Beancurd & Mushrooms |
A house signature, the Steamed Marble Goby With Preserved Vegetables On Hot Plate (SGD $Seasonal Price / ~$10 per 100g) is a unique Chinese dish, a modern fusion blend of traditional flavours spanning Hokkien, Cantonese, and Hakka cuisines. A fresh, whole marble goby fish, with tender flaky texture and delicate natural sweet savoury flavour, is partly steamed partly braised in a rich gloopy thick gravy which has bold earthy savoury salty flavour. Garnished with soft preserved mustard greens that burst with salty sour flavour, tender bouncy roast pork belly with savoury salty flavour, crunchy roasted peanuts, chili, and parsley. The combination of flavours is novel but familiar, and the delicious braising gravy makes this dish pair nicely with white rice.
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| Steamed Marble Goby With Preserved Vegetables On Hot Plate (SGD $Seasonal Price / ~$10 per 100g) |
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| Steamed Marble Goby With Preserved Vegetables On Hot Plate |
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| Steamed Marble Goby With Preserved Vegetables On Hot Plate |
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| Steamed Marble Goby With Preserved Vegetables On Hot Plate |
The Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken (SGD $58) is a showpiece, with staff first serving the whole oven-baked chicken to the table, strung upright and surrounded by crackers. At the table, they douse it with brandy and set it on fire, the combination of alcohol and the chicken's natural oils sparking a roaring flame that quickly burns out. The result is a crisp chicken skin, which has a light smoky salty taste. The chicken meat within is tender and juicy, with bold sweet savoury salty flavour. Served with a crushed coriander and mint dipping sauce, which lends a nice herbal minty fresh note. Loved this, will order again.
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| Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken (SGD $58) |
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| Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken |
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| Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken |
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| Oven-Baked Volcano Chicken |
The Caramel Prawns (SGD $30 / $50 / $70) are presented with a pretty arrangement of hardened noodles shaped like a fan. The tiger prawns are large, fresh, and juicy, with a bright natural sweet taste. But the addictive sticky caramel sauce, with its smoky salty savoury sweet notes, is the real star, lending a depth of robust flavour to the prawns. A little messy to eat, but well worth the effort.
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| Caramel Prawns (SGD $30 / $50 / $70) |
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| Caramel Prawns |
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| Caramel Prawns |
The Fried Rice With Waxed Meats Wrapped In Lotus Leaf (SGD $38) complete a satisfying meal nicely. The fragrant aroma of meat and rice entices gently when served. Infused with smoky earthy meaty savoury salty flavour, the fried rice contains garnishings of chewy lup cheong / dried Chinese pork sausage, tender shiitake mushrooms, and chunks of tender pork belly. Love how generous they are with the waxed meats, which really make this dish.
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| Fried Rice With Waxed Meats Wrapped In Lotus Leaf (SGD $38) |
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| Fried Rice With Waxed Meats Wrapped In Lotus Leaf |
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| Fried Rice With Waxed Meats Wrapped In Lotus Leaf |
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| Fried Rice With Waxed Meats Wrapped In Lotus Leaf |
The Soya Bean Milk With Snow Fungus & Gingko Nuts (SGD $12 / $18 / $24) is a straightforward, comforting dessert. The warm and rich soya bean milk has delicate milky sweet flavour, the nutty gingko nuts lend a crunchy contrast to texture, and the spongy crunchy snow fungus has a mild earthy herbal sweet flavour. Best eaten in small portions.
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| Soya Bean Milk With Snow Fungus & Gingko Nuts (SGD $12 / $18 / $24) |
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| Soya Bean Milk With Snow Fungus & Gingko Nuts |
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| Soya Bean Milk With Snow Fungus & Gingko Nuts |
I can see why regulars return time and again to the Famous Kitchen. 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