[Media Invite] Taste of age-old Teochew cuisine, ChaoZhou Porridge

ChaoZhou Porridge offers a gamut of Teochew-style cuisines which hark back to a simpler time. Juxtaposing this is the restaurant's modern vibe and well air-conditioned setting. To learn the ins and outs of Teochew cuisines, the head chef has connected with and picked the brains of diners and chefs in Chaoshan. During his travels, he also picked up authentic local recipes that he is now sharing with epicureans in Singaporeans. My visit to the restaurant was a pleasant experience! =)

I brought Jasmine along to dine with me as we both love comforting Teochew Porridge! =)

Diners get to choose their dishes from the menu or walk over to their open kitchen to see what's available from the neatly display of wide variety of vegetables! I really love how clean and bright the restaurant is, which i don't get from other Teochew Porridge eating venues.

They have quite a number of selection in their drinks menu. Jas had Cold Barley while i had Ice Lemon Tea!

At ChaoZhou Porridge, you can discover seven types of dishes to savour: Cold; Steam; Braised; Deep-fried; Boiled Vegetables as well as the signature ChaoZhou Porridge!

- ChaoZhou Porridge $0.70. It is prepared by immersing rice into boiling water, and then cooked under high heat. Such a process splits and separates the rice grains. Each rice grain then becomes softened. The water turns into light porridge base. This reflects the divide between the mountain and the sea in Chinese. This was how working men in the past would cook their staple as it allowed them to save money and still have a gratifying meal. ChaoZhou Porridge follows an authentic Teochew recipe.

- Steamed Meat Ball with Porridge Water 【入乡随俗】 $5.50 per piece. The meatballs are a medley of different ingredients such as pork and vegetables. The slightly salty pork and bright vegetable lend an extra dimension to the subtle taste of the porridge. The vegetable gave a crunchy experience and the meat texture is just right. Is quite a big piece i must say but i feel that $5.50 for one is still a little too pricey.

- Big Sotong with Homemade Sauce $6.90 makes a great appetiser. Pillowy squids are first steamed and then chilled, making it a cold dish. Served alongside with artisanal sweet-sour sauce tinged with a spicy note. All of us at the table agrees that their Homemade Sauce is good that we even asked for extras!

- Cold Bean Curd with Preserved Radish $4.80 is another winning dish that is steeped in simplicity. Atop the tender white chinese bean curd is a charming combination of spring onions and a savoury sauce. A dish that brims with so much flavour! One of my favourite dish in the restaurant!

- Clams in Soy Sauce $6.90. I am not a person who enjoy eating clams but i gave it a try anyway and to my surprise, the clams in this dish tasted really good thanks to the dark soy sauce with garlic and chili which spices up the whole dish. I guess because the clams were fresh and of good quality too so the texture is great! Well-prepared dish like this is worth-ordering!

- Braised Delight Platter (Duck, Pork Belly, Large intestines, Egg, Bean Curd, Tau Pok) $16.90 is another enjoyable dish to have on the table where there's tender duck meat! I like that it is not too oily and sticky.

- Preserved Radish Omelette $2.50 (S), $4.50 (L) is fried to a resplendent golden giving it the crispy finish.

- ChaoZhou Steamed Mullet (Seasonal Price) where Mullet is chosen for its meatiness. The whole fish is steamed in the pot first before having its gut removed. This step retains the juicy and original taste of the fish oil. Preserved vegetables are then added for a crunchy bite which pair well with the tender white meat!

- Crisp-fried Taro Rolls $2.30 per piece (Min. 3pcs) is crispy and tasty with cotton-ball like, soft and warm taro inside. Yummy!!

Having tasted so many nice dishes, we continued to order more dishes to try. Baby Squid, Braised Tau Kee, 三蛋菜 or 3-eggs vegetables, Braised Pork in Soy Sauce and Braised Duck with Ginger! They love the Braised Tau Kee here, soaked in herbal gravy, giving full thumbs-up to the taste while Jasmine and i love the 3-eggs vegetables which is very tasty with just the right mix!

- Braised Pork belly in Soy Sauce $15.80 is done by marinating and cooking the meat over a small fire for more than a day. Boasting the right proportion of fat and lean pork meat, this dish is one of the best dish we had that night!

-  Braised Duck with Ginger is expertly stewed with various spices and ginger. Due to the long cooking process, the duck simply falls apart when bitten into which melts in the mouth!

You may also go for their Braised Duck dish which we didn't get to try. They mentioned the duck meat is braised to a rich taste, before being repeatedly soaked in brine to lock in the fragrance!

The restaurant is located at 221 River Valley Rd, Singapore 238279 and its operating hours is from 11am - 5am daily. For more information, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ChaoZhou-Porridge-%E6%BD%AE%E7%B2%A5-891568184242691/timeline/