One thing i enjoy and appreciate about chinese cuisine is the intricacy and the variety the chinese are able to think up just using very simple ingredients.. Dim Sum is a real test of the chef’s creativity in being able to re-invent dishes that appeal to the masses tastes now and as well as retain the traditional tastes in dishes that has been circulating the world for a long period of time..

not sure about your families .. i guess our family doesnt fit into the normal conventional family that is happy sharing probably .. the normal amount of dishes .. hahaha.. we really enjoy our food to the max .. in our own way that we can find enjoyment.. or however you put it …

anyway, prior my dad’s operation, we went to eat dim sum at East Ocean Restaurant at Shaw Centre .. because he wants to eat dim sum .. and dim sum in my family is always a green light .. especially at this restaurant for most of the dim sum does satisfy our fussy tastebuds .. nonetheless, its always very crowded and hard to get seats, so always make sure you do make reservations before hand otherwise, you can just give up going there …

What we thought were not ok ( only 1-2 persons out of the 5 of us that liked it)

Dish no# 1. Papaya Fungus soup

Only my parents liked it .. maybe its just a dish that is more popular with ole pokes .. ok .. but i mean if you like this kinda real authentic cantonese soups then maybe you will like it … when i took 1 spoon of it, the whole thing just tasted like the fish maw water – aka the water that the fish mall is soaked in until its ready to be put into soups –  didn’t go down well with me but my dad enjoyed it ..

Dish No. #2 Prawn Cakes

prawn cakes - fish cakes wannabes

Okk.. i personally do not consume any prawn items .. but my siblings are really good prawn critics .. according to them, its a little too oily and bland … they always like real prawns items.. like har gao or like min har gok .. so this also didnt go according to their standards .. my mum wanted to try it .. but good try  .. nehhhhhh ;p

Dish No. #3 Feng Zao ; Chicken Feet

Feng Zao - Chicken feet

According to my Feng Zaos monsters, some how this place’s one is not as nice as the ones they have tired before. .. something about the thing itself mashy and the sauce is not really nice … they had better

we also tried prior this trip the statay you yu (cuttle fish) and didnt really like it because it was too oily…

What we thought were Ok …(2-3 out of 5 people liked it)

Dish No. #5 Sa Po Lo Mai Fan

    

Sa Po Lo Mai Fan

My mum sis and I enjoyed this.. although i wished it has that chao ta burnt taste even more .. but i liked the presentation of this dish and i liked it that its not too saltish and dry at the same time? sometimes some places while cooking it on high heat like over brunt it until it becomes dry and all .. this one’s moisture is just right and the rice is grainy? its not those mashed up dontknowwhat the rice become , not rice not porridge kind of tragic state ..

Dish No. #6 Po Lo Char Siew Pao

po lo char siew pao

only a few of us liked it .. i think the po lo is just not as ‘crispy’ enough .. and a little too overpowering over the char siew.. nonetheless as Singaporeans, we should feel proud of this dish because we re-invented this po lo char siew pao .. hahahaa.. for the many times i go hong kong, when we order this dish in restaurants, they claim to not have it or not heard about it before ..

What we thought were Good:

Dish #7 Pei dan shou yoke zok ( century eggs porridge)

My favourite dim sum must have .. i like my porridge watery and every scoop there is meat .. though my bowl had more meal than century eggs .. but its especially good when accompanied with my dad’s must have :Dish #8. Xi Yao Chao Min(soya sauced fried noodles)

soya fried noodles

do not understimate this plate of simple fried noodles .. it totally completes a typical hong kong dim sum or normal home cooked/ bought back breakfast … according to my friend that asked a hongkonger how do they eat this plate of breakfast noodles, it is mentioned that noodles are dipped into porridge.. yeah DIPPED .. and i tried it.. not too bad.. like just eating porridge and noodles at the same time .. although i must say this noodles here is just awesome and makes me feel like i am in hong kong eating dim sum …Dish #9 Har Gao (Steamed Prawn Dumplings)

har gao

a big big must have for my siblings .. they enjoy the har gao here because its 1 big prawn inside the thing and not those minced up nonsense prawn paste cheater of feelings (literally and figuratively)  … so its a big wack for the prawnie lovers .. i would highly recommend this to prawn lovers …  as well as … another must have :Dish #10 Min Har Kok ( Fried Prawn Dumplings)

ming har kok

again.. they actually came in 4s.. but my hungry and starving sister couldnt wait to eat it so she took one off the plate before i can even snap a picture of it …oh wells… but that is another highly recommended dishi personally would recommend this if you enjoy carrot cake and yam cake,Dish #11. Zeng Lo Bak Gao ( Steamed Carrot Cake)

lo bak gao (zeng)

This was one of my favourites .. and a must have for me .. i loved the sauce and i like the carrot cake that its not starchy? and you can like bite into radish slices which i totally enjoy .. and of course we must have :Dish #11 Lo Pak Gao ( Fried Carrot Cake)

lou bak gou

it goes down really well with me 🙂 and everybody .. 🙂 another one that came surprisingly good to us was …

Dish #12 Yu Tou Gao(Pan fried Yam Cake)

yu tou gou

Dish No. #13 Zeng Pai Guat (Steamed Pork Ribs)

zeng pai guat

everyone enjoyed this 🙂 i liked how they put like mini tofu puffs at the bottom to absorb the essence of the pork ribs .. salty-ness level is controlled well and the ribs are like just nicely cooked.. not too tough or not too mashy .. the meat was not so readily stuck on to the bones, hence the higher rating 🙂Dish #14 : Cheong Fan ( Pan fried plain Cheong fan)

cheong fan

this is another delicacy some how i cannot seem to find else where.. its just very simple pan fried cheong fan with egg.. and dipping sauces include sweet sauce ( those that used in yong tau fu) and peanut sauce .. very tasty and simple delight indeed 🙂 we also did order Shrimp and Char Siew Cheong Fan , the normal steamed ones, and of course it all also got wiped out before i can take a picture of it 😦  the Scallop ones were not as nice because it was the cheap scallops they used ..Dish no.#15 Char Siew Sau( Sweet BBQ Pork Pastry)

Char Siew Sou

and of course another must haves .. with or without charsiew pau, this is another must have .. i think they do it really well also in singapore and the pastry really crumbles into your mouth 🙂 nice flakish crumbly feeling totally goes :)and finally of course, the star of the place.. the pioneers that discovered this wonderful dish that made my sister so round … and inspire other restaurants to come up with it .. they are really the masters of it ….Dish no. #16 Lau Sar Pau ( Custard Salted Egg Yolk Pao)

ehh?? a normal pauuu??

one bite and you know ...

okk.. hope you all enjoyed my dim sum entry as much as i enjoyed writing it .. will post more to come ..

I think its a hit for me, for the memories, as well as the liu sha bao – i think its one of the best and original starters of it in Singapore
East Ocean Teochew Restaurant
 1 Scotts Road 
Singapore 228208
6235 9088