[CLOSED] Xin Haifu Crab Porridge

The porridge is a tad bland, I was hoping for more sweet flavour from the crab itself, but I guess it wasn't simmered enough, or the porridge wasn't cooked in any superior broth to bring out more taste. At $25, for a pot, the crab they used was decent but mushy, the meat isn't firm and flaky like how crab meat should be. They are supposed to be the crab porridge expert, but they failed on their signature dish ever since they revamped their menu. Did their head chef just got changes?

This dish can never go wrong. It's such a classic Zichar dish. I always rave about this similar dish at my favourite zichar place, which made perfectly. And this restaurant is not different, crispy tofu fried til it's in the perfect hue of gold (but soft on the inside), drenched in its absolute divine thick sauce and enoki. Simple but utterly delicious perfect for people who love anything saucy on plain rice.

Supposedly quite delicious, according to my family, so we went back after they revamped their menu (and maybe head chef). While the sides we ordered were not bad, their supposedly star dish: the crab porridge lacks something. The porridge just tastes like any old boring porridge to cook for the sick. Quite or rather tasteless, the soy sauce and pepper on the side helps. They should used some superior stock to add a hint of taste into the otherwise plan porridge.

Well, the serving is rather generous for this dish and the tofu is of a unique colour. But other than that, I wouldn't recommend ordering it.

What I really look forward to having at HK style restaurants is the Char Siew and Roast Pork Belly. The Char Siew here was really unique in the sense that it was made with salted egg yolk. I felt that this was just a novelty and that the Char Siew wasn't worth shouting about. Kim Heng located nearby serves way better Char Siew. The Roast Pork while flavourful, was lacking in terms of the crispness of the skin. Maybe the dish was just cold given that it was the end of the day. The roast pork definitely has potential to be one of the better ones in Singapore.

This dish immediately caught my eye on the menu and I knew I had to try it. I've never actually had beef done this way before in a Chinese restaurant. The meat was slightly dried and it was served a little too cold for my liking. The seasoning that was found coating the bone marrow that came with the dish was really nice for sucking though. I think this dish can be given a miss if you've tried it before elsewhere. Hopefully improvements can be made in terms of the flavour that this dish packs.