George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer Tasting Session 2021
81 Boat Quay
Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 11pm
https://www.facebook.com/georgetowntzechar/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, Chue On It, msginginly, Purple Taste, Nikolai Wee, and Chubby Botak Koala.
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| Live Oyster Omelette (SGD $15) |
Delish Malaysian Thai Zi Char
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $27++ per person.
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Opening in September 2020, George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer is a casual gastropub specialising in Malaysian Thai fusion Zi Char dishes. Having visited several times for their delightful full-flavoured dishes at wallet-friendly prices, we returned this time to sample a selection of their new dishes on the menu.
Ambience at George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer is casual and relaxing. The open place, sheltered overhead, has touches of Oriental decor that lend an Asian feel. The comfortable furnishings are neatly spaced thanks to prevailing health and safety measures, and the warm lighting lends an intimate feel. Perhaps the biggest draw is the tranquil Singapore River just beside, great for watching the sunset.
Service at George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer is friendly and efficient. Staff quickly greet and seat guests, and possess basic knowledge of dishes. They offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal, and clean up efficiently when diners leave. The general staff don't quite seem to be able to draw from the beer taps, instead waiting for the owners to perform this, really odd for a drinking place.
Food at George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer features fusion Malaysian Thai cuisine, done Chinese Zi Char style. Think bold flavours, with heavy use of sauces or spices, and ingredients either being stir-fried or deep-fried. The kitchen has consistent execution, and they've introduced more fried snacks since our last visit. Portions are sized for communal group dining. Prices are relatively affordable, budget about SGD $27++ per person.
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| George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer Facade |
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| George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer Seating |
The Beer Hitachino Nest Dai Dai IPA (SGD $12) is a unique India pale ale, brewed by the Kiuchi Brewery in the Ibaraki Prefecture, in the Kanto region of Japan, with Fukure Mikan mandarin oranges. It has a mellow, amber orange colour, with aromas of orange peel, lemon, ginger, and nutmeg. Body is light, sticky, and fresh, with lively carbonation, and tastes of tangerine, pine, coriander, and bread. Nicely fruity sweet with faint lingering bitter notes. Finish is crisp and hoppy, pretty refreshing.
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| Beer Hitachino Nest Dai Dai IPA (SGD $12) |
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| Bucket Of Craft Beer |
A serving of Assorted Peanuts & Crackers (SGD $Complimentary), setting the tone of full-flavoured dishes crafted to pair with drinks. The assorted peanuts and crackers have a crispy crunchy texture, and bold salty savoury nutty flavour.
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| Assorted Peanuts & Crackers (SGD $Complimentary) |
Most folks will order a bowl of White Rice (SGD $1), to accompany all the tasty dishes. The white rice here is sticky and lightly fluffy, with grainy sweet flavour, absorbing gravy or curry pretty well. Worth ordering!
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| White Rice (SGD $1) |
The Salted Pepper Eggplant (SGD $10) features tender soft strips of eggplant / brinjal / aubergine, tossed with salt, black pepper, garlic, and spices. The result is a bold vegetal salty sweet savoury peppery spice flavour, that's incredibly addictive. Good!
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| Salted Pepper Eggplant (SGD $10) |
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| Salted Pepper Eggplant |
The Chestnut Tofu Beancurd (SGD $12) didn't quite appeal to me, with its soft texture and nutty savoury flavour. I think the others enjoyed it, but I prefer my tofu beancurd to be less nutty in taste. Served with creamy mayonnaise with milky sweet flavour, and a sticky Thai chili dipping sauce with sweet spicy flavour. Could be improved.
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| Chestnut Tofu Beancurd (SGD $12) |
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| Chestnut Tofu Beancurd |
Having previously tried their awesome black pepper sauce on other dishes, I was confident the Black Pepper Angus Beef (SGD $28) would be great. And it was. The tender smoky succulent pieces of black angus beef have a tender chew, and robust peppery meaty savoury salty spice flavour from the excellent black pepper gravy. Highly recommended!
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| Black Pepper Angus Beef (SGD $28) |
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| Black Pepper Angus Beef |
The Salted Pepper Pork Ribs (SGD $18) features chunks of bone-in pork ribs, coated in a blend of salt, black pepper, and spices. The pork has a light tender moist chew, with exciting meaty salty sweet savoury peppery spice flavour on the palate. Not as tasty as some of the other dishes, but above average. Worth ordering!
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| Salted Pepper Pork Ribs (SGD $18) |
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| Salted Pepper Pork Ribs |
The Thai Floss Soft Shell Crab (SGD $15) features crunchy spongy deep-fried soft shell crab, tossed with crisp curry leaves and wispy pork floss. A definitive and unique bar snack, this holds deep savoury salty spice flavour, making it perfect when paired with drinks. Worth ordering!
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| Floss Soft Shell Crab (SGD $15) |
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| Floss Soft Shell Crab |
The Butter Prawns (SGD $20) features medium deshelled prawns / shrimp coated in a batter of butter, salt, and curry leaves. This was juicy and fresh with a sweet savoury salty buttery flavour, perhaps overly salty on occasion. We sent a piece back to the kitchen, which received an ambivalent response. Could be improved.
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| Butter Prawns (SGD $20) |
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| Butter Prawns |
The Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head (SGD $28) features a large meaty white snapper fish head, garnished with tender vegetables and fruits, including cucumber, pineapple, red onions, and mint leaves. The fish meat is clean-tasting, flaking off easily from the bones. The largely tamarind and spice-based gravy has bright sour sweet savoury flavour, but I prefer the version I had last time to this. Worth ordering!
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| Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head (SGD $28) |
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| Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head |
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| Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head |
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| Penang Laksa Steamed Fish Head |
The Live Oyster Omelette (SGD $15) is among my favourite dishes here. The egg omelette is fluffy and soft, with beautiful eggy sweet savoury flavour. Studded with large fresh live oysters, juicy and succulent, with bright briny salty sweet flavour. Polished it off. Highly recommended!
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| Live Oyster Omelette (SGD $15) |
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| Live Oyster Omelette |
The Salted Egg Yolk Crab (SGD $15 per 500g crab, limit of 1 for every 2 diners) features a decent sized crab, with a good amount of meat. The creamy salted egg yolk sauce lends a bright sweet salty savoury flavour to each bite of the succulent crab meat. Messy, but so yummy. Good!
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| Salted Egg Yolk Crab (SGD $15 per 500g crab, limit of 1 for every 2 diners) |
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| Salted Egg Yolk Crab |
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| Salted Egg Yolk Crab |
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Update Dec-2021: We returned to George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer for their year-end festive menu and new dishes!
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| George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer Facade |
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| George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer Seating |
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| Metal Jacket Drumlet Me |
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| Us |
Had another round of the Beer Hitachino Nest Dai Dai IPA (SGD $12), but this time on tap!
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| Beer Hitachino Nest Dai Dai IPA (SGD $12) |
As before, the Assorted Peanuts & Crackers (SGD $Complimentary) is served at the start of a meal here. Goes great with drinks!
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| Assorted Peanuts & Crackers (SGD $Complimentary) |
They now offer a range of Skewers, seasoned with a special spice blend sourced from China. Flavours are punchy, making this a tasty snack to pair with drinks!
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| Skewers |
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| Skewers |
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| Skewers |
The George Town Fried Kway Teow (SGD $10) channels the Malaysian Penang style of Char Kway Teow, with the thin flat rice noodles / kway teow carrying a fragrant wok hei / breath of the wok. Tossed with crisp bean sprouts, wispy egg, fresh garlic chives, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, chili, and garlic cloves, the dish has an addictively yummy sweet savoury salty eggy spice flavour. Highly recommended!
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| George Town Fried Kway Teow (SGD $10) |
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| George Town Fried Kway Teow |
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| George Town Fried Kway Teow |
The George Town Chye Sim (SGD $12) was appealing, with the fresh crunchy stalks of chye sim / choy sum / Chinese flowering cabbage tossed with garlic, shallots, and oyster sauce. Simple but well executed vegetable side dish, with lovely vegetal sweet spice flavour, best paired with other dishes. Good!
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| George Town Chye Sim (SGD $12) |
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| George Town Chye Sim |
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| George Town Chye Sim |
The Metal Jacket Drumlets (SGD $18) are named for the aluminium foil wrapper that makes each individual chicken drumlet easy to eat without any mess. Coated in a beautiful marinade, with its tender juicy texture and sweet savoury flavour, these chicken dumlets are rockin' it on deliciousness. They were most excellent, would order again. Highly recommended!
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| Metal Jacket Drumlets (SGD $18) |
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| Metal Jacket Drumlets |
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| Metal Jacket Drumlets |
We loved the Garlic Fried Tilapia Fish (SGD $35). This features a medium sized fresh tilapia fish deep-fried till crisp, served in a soy sauce and fish sauce gravy, dressed with a potent diced garlic, spring onions, and red chili garnish. The tilapia has small bones which can be removed with some effort, and has a crisp crunchy exterior fish skin, with tender flaky moist interior fish meat. It picks up the gravy and garnishings, with a bold yet pleasant sweet savoury salty spice flavour. The garlic lends good potency, with the aroma lingering on the palate. Good!
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| Garlic Fried Tilapia Fish (SGD $35) |
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| Garlic Fried Tilapia Fish |
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| Garlic Fried Tilapia Fish |
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| Garlic Fried Tilapia Fish |
The Hotplate Black Pepper Wagyu Beef With Parmesan Butter (SGD $28) has tender juicy slices of wagyu beef, served with a righteous black pepper gravy and rich parmesan butter sauce. Served with a satisfying sizzle, each bite of the beef carries robust meaty savoury salty peppery spice buttery flavour. Slices of crisp red onion with sharp vegetal spice flavour round out the dish. Good!
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| Hotplate Black Pepper Wagyu Beef With Parmesan Butter (SGD $28) |
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| Hotplate Black Pepper Wagyu Beef With Parmesan Butter |
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| Hotplate Black Pepper Wagyu Beef With Parmesan Butter |
This Christmas 2021, George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer is offering a Festive Dual Flavoured Turkey (SGD $28). One side consists of the Braised Turkey With Guangxi Sauce, which reminds me of poached chicken, except the texture is a little firmer. Still moist with a light chew, the bright sauce lends a vegetal sweet earthy spice note to the clean-tasting savoury sweet turkey meat. The other side consists of Deep-Fried Turkey, with the turkey having a crisp crunchy batter coat. This was gently crisp chewy in texture, the turkey held pleasant meaty savoury salty flavour, with the sauce lending a touch of sweet sour savoury notes. Good!
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| Festive Dual Flavoured Turkey (SGD $28) |
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| Braised Turkey With Guangxi Sauce |
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| Deep-Fried Turkey |
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| Festive Dual Flavoured Turkey |
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| Festive Dual Flavoured Turkey |
Having been to George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer several times, I still think fondly of the place. From their relaxing ambience to the friendly service, the delicious Malaysian Thai fusion food and good range of beers, George Town Tze Char And Craft Beer remains a choice eating spot for me.
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CONVERSATION