saw this in the papers.... kekeke
Business Times - 26 Mar 2004
The chef's new clothes
By GEOFFREY EU
AFTER two years hidden away in the culinary hinterland of Toa
Payoh, where he nevertheless catered to a constant stream of loyal
admirers of his Cantonese cuisine, Master Chef Chan Chen Hei has
hit the Central Business District with all grills blazing - the
impressively opulent Chef Chan's Restaurant in Odeon Towers in
North Bridge Road will open for business on Monday.
Not one to do anything by half measures, Chef Chan has secured a
massive 8,000-sq-ft glass-fronted space facing the Raffles Hotel.
There may be room for over 300 people, but the restaurant resembles
nothing like a typically charm-less large Chinese restaurant.
Instead, one half of it is the epitome of Oriental Club Chic -
complete with black slate floors and exposed black ceilings more
commonly found in trendy nightclubs - while the other half, which
can be cordoned off for banqueting purposes, can accommodate small
private functions as well as larger parties.
Large pink-lit lanterns hang from the ceiling, and the room is
thoughtfully decorated with Chinese antiques chosen from the chef's
massive personal collection, much of which previously adorned the
Toa Payoh premises. Chef Chan wisely resisted the urge to overwhelm
the room with his furnishings, and although it may be some way from
the stylish and design-conscious China Club, the result is still a
visually effective and splendidly welcoming eating space.
At a preview luncheon for members of the local press yesterday, the
chef himself was elegantly attired in black, looking more like a
slick Jackie Chan or Jet Li disciple than the proprietor of a
highly anticipated new eating spot. In addition to the tried and
tested signature dishes - which will continue to be listed on the
unique wooden 'fortune sticks' that were such a hit in Toa Payoh,
the new restaurant will feature up to 100 dian xin dishes for
lunch. Of the 16 chefs in the kitchen, five have been imported from
Guangzhou specifically to cater for the dian xin menu.
The cold starters featured several potential winners, including
crispy fish 'ribbons' with black beans, crunchy bitter gourd and
the refreshingly creative winter melon slices dipped in fresh
orange juice. The traditional boiled chicken and pumpkin soup that
followed was rich, if a little bland, but the restaurant's
well-known beef tenderloin dish with snow peas and celery strips in
black pepper sauce still deserves respect, although the beef is now
exclusively from Australia. This was one of the more popular dishes
from the Toa Payoh menu and it figures to remain so, along with
other favoured standbys like the crispy roast chicken and -
political correctness be damned - the braised shark's fin supreme
with crab roe.
The individual steamed lobster with minced garlic was somewhat
heavy on the garlic, but the desserts that followed, especially the
crispy fried dumplings with sesame, were exquisitely light and
tasty.
There is an extensive menu to choose from, but if you're planning
on eating in a large group, you'll have to order in multiples - the
dishes only come in one size, suitable for between two and five
persons.
Prices are in keeping with its new location, from the $12
appetisers to mains in the $16-to-$24 range.
It's no longer necessary to make the pilgrimage to Toa Payoh, and
Chef Chan's Restaurant will be keen to attract its share of the
increasingly discerning lunchtime crowd as well as the more formal
dinner set.
Given its new location and new look, and assuming that the food
quality prevails, Chef Chan's is in danger of becoming fashionable.
Before you know it, he'll be thinking of opening in Orchard
Road.
Chef Chan's Restaurant, 331 North Bridge Road, #01-02 &
01-05/08, Odeon Towers, Singapore 188720. Tel: 6250 3363/4
