Whampoa Food Street Keng Fish Head Steamboat Restaurant

Found this restaurant that serves fresh and delicious fishhead steamboat by chance! Located just around the corner of Rangoon Road, we happened to sight this little restaurant one evening while zipping past the area and thought we will try. We knew later that this was a branch of the main restaurant at Balestier Road.

When we stepped into the air-conditioned restaurant, we could see many accolades and pictures of personalities that had visited the place on their walls. This place was also recognised as one of the 4 heavenly kings of Fish Head Steamboat and voted as Food Fest Top 10 Favourite Restaurants too. We really had to try to find out for ourselves.

We went for the famous fish head steamboat - ordering the Red Garoupa fish steamboat (@ S$30) for 2 person and we were not disappointed. They have choices of fish like pomfret or garoupa. Its all your choice. If you are there in bigger groups, you can also order tzechar or other dishes from the menu. But for the 2 of us that evening, the steamboat would be enough! (Refer to picture above) The fish slices were very fresh and there were lots of fresh ingredients in the steamboat too including green vegetables, cabbages, seaweed and fried yam slices. My favourite was the fried yam slices which were crunchy on the outside yet soft inside. Really well done! The soup base is another worth commenting - if you love great tasty soup, this one is it! And I believe there must be some chinese herbs used in the preparation of this delicious soup which gives its great flavour! After tasting the soup, we now know why its known as the 4 heavenly king for fish head steamboat. We just had to have an extra refill. It was a great meal for 2 person and the best part is to have the steamboat in an air-conditioned environment where you dont have to sweat. Really no sweat!

Real freshness and goodness recommended for the fish head steamboat found at Whampoa Keng's! They are located at 116/118 Rangoon Road or if you prefer, there is another more convenient outlet at No 556 Balestier Road, Singapore 329872.

Raffles Hotel Bar and Billiard Room

Happy Birthday to me! Lovely Ted brought me to Bar & Billiard Room for a feast to celebrate my birthday. Raffles Hotel has a really nice ambience. Beautiful and tranquil. A symbol of the strength of Singapore.

We were attracted to the Bar & Billiard Room’s international lunch buffet from 1130am – 2pm @ S$58++ per pax. So in we went.

We were met with a fantastic buffet spread! Our eyes feasted on the beautiful presentation of the food and cutleries, of course. Seated within the classic, elegant restaurant of grandeur, two of us started to pig out. The natural start was to have our appetisers and cold dishes. The bar offered very fresh oysters, flower crabs, mud crabs, prawns and also deliciously cooked clams.

There was of course the enticing salads and greens with its various salad dressings & creams, which we took heaps and heaps of it!

The mains were cheesy gratins, wild rice, vegetables, pommes, scallops, chicken cooked in tomato, seabass and others. They were a lovely sight and delicious to feast on. We were spoilt for choice. In addition, there were lamb shanks, beef stranogise, ratatouille, pastas and such. I could not cope with so much delicious offerings that I had to forgo trying some of the wonderful delights as I had to keep my stomach for the sweet desserts (my favourite yum!)

I was so happy to find my favourite Crème Brulee!! And it was really great and well done! Soft and sweet. I can still remember its flavour now. The chef has done this dessert very well. Does not look ugly and dark – which means it is not over baked and the top layer still retains its sweet crisp with its softness at the bottom of the layer. There were other heavenly desserts on the dessert bar like tarts, kueh-lapis, chocolate-strawberry mousse cake and many chocolate delights. Even ice-creams!

We ended the meal with aromatic coffee and tea each. The beverage came with cute, square little cubes of brown or white cane sugar (brand known as “La Perruche” – an exceptional sugar brand synonymous with authentic pure cane sugar, mostly served at elegant restaurants and used by top chefs around the world) which I love it so.

It was a lovely birthday treat and we had a great time together! It was a simple treat but time well spent at a great place with wonderful food and ambience. Thank you Ted and Happy Birthday to me again!

Raffles Hotel Bar and Billiard Room is at 328 North Bridge Road Singapore 189719 Tel: 6337 1886.