Have a spot of yum cha in the halcyonian surroundings of the Red House Seafood Restaurant At The Quayside.
Contributed By Jeremy Chua
One would be hard-pressed to find a more idyllic urban enclave in Singapore than Robertson Quay, and with the introduction of Red House At The Quayside’s all-day dim sum menu, this tranquil corner of Singapore now has all the trappings for a lazy afternoon yum cha session. Red House is an established name in the Singapore food scene, with more than 30 years of experience serving up delectable seafood dishes. But dim sum is a whole different ball game; does Red House’s offerings pass muster?
For a clear answer to that, you would have to look somewhere else—as I was too busy slurping up the Seafood Dumpling In Clear Broth (S$7.50). The essence of the clear broth was infused into the dumpling, which was chockfull of quality ingredients such as shark’s fin, crabmeat chunks, bits of scallops and prawns, fish maw and, strangely enough for a seafood dumpling, pork and mushrooms. But I couldn’t care less even if it were a bit of misnomer; yes, it is that good. The Steamed Chilli Crab Pau (S$8) was a study in convenience; instead of having to dip a mantou into a chilli crab sauce, the pau comes stuffed with its famed chilli crab, sans shell of course.
Dim sum staples such as the Steamed Ha Kau (S$5) and the Baked Flaky Char Siew Pastry (S$3.80) were commendably executed—the ha kau’s skin was thick enough to contain the springy and tasty prawns, yet silky enough to slide down the throat smoothly. The pastry’s char siew filling was savory on the inside, while the fragrant pastry topped with sesame seeds provided just the right tinge of sweetness to the dish.
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| PHOTOS COURTESY OF RED HOUSE AT THE QUAYSIDE |
The Steamed Pork Ribs With Yam (S$4) was tasty enough, and while the pork ribs leaned more toward ribs than pork for my liking, the yam chunks were superbly done, having soaked up all the flavors of the dish, which included the nostalgic taste of fermented black beans. The Deep Fried Beancurd Rolls With Prawns (S$4.80) was another pleaser—I was especially impressed with the subtle aroma of the beancurd skin, which is sorely lacking in other interpretations of this dish.
The sleeper hits, however, were the Steamed Cheong Fun With Shrimps (S$4.80) and the Steamed Custard Buns (S$3.80). The palatable, crunchy prawns made another much-welcomed appearance in the steamed cheong fun, but the star of the dish had to be the humble soy sauce. Reminiscent of the sauce used in Hong Kong-styled steamed fish, it was only the fear of high blood pressure and propriety in public which held me back from gulping down the sauce. The custard buns, with molten centers wonderfully textured and flavored by fragrant salted egg yolk, were a delight as well.
The entire yum cha ended satisfyingly enough with the Homemade Lemon Grass Jelly With Lime Sorbet (S$6.80). The dessert was sublime (pun intended) with the jelly being just the right consistency, dashed with a subtle whiff of lemon grass. The mint leaf garnish provided a burst of freshness that complemented the tangy lime sorbet to perfection. Look no further the next time you’re hankering for some quality dim sum in the city center.
To mark its 34th anniversary and to launch the new dim sum menu, Red House is offering a weekday-only set lunch special for two at S$34 (comprising four dim sum dishes, including signatures such as the Steamed Chilli Crab Pau and Seafood Dumpling In Clear Broth, as well as a meat dish, a vegetable dish, noodles and dessert). Available till Oct. 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Red House Seafood Restaurant At The Quayside
60 Robertson Quay #01-13/14
The Quayside
Tel: +65 6735 7666
