Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine 醉花林

Upon mum’s recommendation, dad’s birthday dinner took place at Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine
 (190 Keng Lee Road). Part of the JUMBO Group of Restaurants, Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine Restaurant is housed at the very impressive and newly renovated Chui Huay Lim Clubhouse along Keng Lee Road.

Perhaps it isn’t part of my heritage so the appeal of Teochew cuisine is somewhat lost on me; but then again, I love Cantonese cuisine (go figure). Compared to Hokkien or Cantonese cuisine, this meal, if a reflection of what quintessential Teochew cuisine is, is a lot subtler and less to get excited over. In that aspect, I guess nostalgia plays a major role in the seasoning of dishes.

Many obviously feel otherwise as there was much hustle bustle for a weeknight. However, that also meant it was hard to carry out a proper conversation throughout the evening.

We started out with a sampler platter: Ngoh Hiang filled with minced pork and chestnuts - as tasty as what you would expect from anything deep fried; Teochew liver rolls – less liver-y than expected and again, as tasty as what you would expect from anything deep fried; pig trotter jelly - tried it for the first time, no need for any further hobnobbing; seasoned jellyfish – better than those offered at Chinese wedding platters.

One of Chui Huay Lim’s signature dishes, braised goose, is a pre and must-order. I don’t usually get excited over braised meats but this was fantastic. Utterly tender, gamy and slightly fatty. The delectable tau kwa, silky and soft, was unlike any beancurd I’ve had.

Crunchy stir-fried Kai Lan aka token green. Not much introduction needed here, I suppose.

The steamed Soon Hock with preserved olive leaves was … Hmm, how do I put it? Inventive as it may be, fish paired with olives just don’t quite do it for me. It probably didn't do it for my younger sister (her instagram picture of the fish here) either even though she was absolutely famished.

Still hungry with just carbs to go, we threw in a last-minute order for the Teochew fried oyster omelet. The magnificent sheet of oyster omelet was gloriously gooey and crispy; the oysters were a little small but I’m all about the egg and flour batter anyway.

Texturally, the stir-fried lobster ee fu noodles wasn't the most pleasing dish around. Though the stir-fried lobster was sufficiently satisfying, the ee fu noodles really killed it for me.

I have long acknowledged my dislike for ee fu noodles and typing it out just makes me shudder. Moving on to the good stuff...

And, I mean THE REALLY GOOD STUFF...

Saying that I very much preferred the Teochew Fried Kway Teow is an understatement. I loved it. Every smokey, greasy, gossamer spoonful of it. I'd burp wok hei and dream about this all night. Classy.

My dress was starting to get snug when my mum informed us we still had desserts. We still have desserts?! However, good thing I managed to coax my tummy into accommodating the two yam desserts that we had.

The deep-fried Sugar-Crusted Yam arrived hot (yay!) and sweetened the deal with a thin, ethereal sugary crisp crust. So good but I knew it would sit in my tummy like a gold bar.

Behold the Orh Nee, Or-mighty Teochew dessert with a calorie count to match. By now my dress was getting uncomfortably tight but the one, ok may be two spoonfuls of Orh Nee I took was luscious and assertive.

Kung Fu tea... 

And I got to take the new dress out for a spin. Yeah, unfortunately I was in close proximity when the STABILO factory exploded. 

Russell couldn't make it for dinner but he/ I got a card for gong gong. 

Happy birthday, dad!