If ever you are craving for Teochew cuisine in the CBD area, Chao Shan Cuisine or 潮山林 is an option, especially if you are looking for a spot to entertain business associates. It is 5 minutes' walk from Raffles Place MRT station and is directly opposite the Yueh Hai Ching Temple.
Opened by a local Teochew, the boss shifted from Beach Road over to this place a few years back. It's a simply-decorated eatery with private rooms that are neither elaborate nor fanciful, with perhaps a greater focus on the food. Here, you can try a variety of Chao Shan cuisine that you can pair with a tipple from their wine list. Additionally, they do not charge corkage, something that regulars appreciate as I spot more than a few tables bringing a myriad of reds and whites as they tucked in to the dishes.
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| Liver Rolls/Jellyfish/Prawn Balls/Pork Aspic ($38) 潮式炸肝花/ 凉拌海蜇/ 虾枣/ 猪脚冻 |
The others on the platter such as the Chilled Jellyfish and Prawn Balls were frankly mediocre. The Pork Aspic - a well-loved, traditional Teochew delicacy - was a little too stiff and firm rather than having a more jellified texture, though I must say that taste-wise, it was good. But for my next visit, I'll zoom in on just the liver rolls.
Chai Poh Hor Fun is a simple dish prepared with humble ingredients such as kai lan, eggs and of course chye poh (preserved radish). It is fair to say that what makes this dish stand out is the skill of the person behind the wok to bring out the flavour in everything such that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Over here, it's decent but a little too oily and for this, I'd prefer the one by Chef Ng at Poh's in Chinatown Food Centre.
Best dish of the meal for me. The Crab Bee Hoon was quite awesome - fried and simmered until the bee hoon had absorbed the crab juices such that it was full of umami. There were chunks of lard croutons hidden within the dish for added flavor. We had the added bonus of snaring a female crab, so there were slivers of crab roe too.
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| Braised Pork 扣肉 ($16) |
Yes I know - kong bak pau is typically associated with the Hokkiens. But the Teochews are famous for their braise, too, so it's not entirely out-of-the-ordinary to find this Braised Pork dish here, if you think about it. While the braised pork here was tasty, it was not stewed tender enough for us - even the skin was slightly rubbery today. A one-off, perhaps?
Like I mentioned before in a previous post, authentic Teochew-style Oyster Omelette tends to have a gummier texture. This version at Chao Shan is close to that, but with a crispier exterior. The result is something that resembles a disc, somewhat like a crispy pancake. Alas it was a little bland for our liking, and could have done with bigger and more plentiful oysters.
From what I understand, Green Dragon Chives are nutritious vegetables that are low in calories yet high in vitamins and antioxidants. They are popularly stir-fried with bean sprouts for an added texture but here it's simply stir-fried on its own. Garlicky and just slightly savoury, which I enjoyed as a contrast to all the other heavy dishes on the table.
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| Oyster Omelette 鲜蚝煎蛋 ($20) |
Like I mentioned before in a previous post, authentic Teochew-style Oyster Omelette tends to have a gummier texture. This version at Chao Shan is close to that, but with a crispier exterior. The result is something that resembles a disc, somewhat like a crispy pancake. Alas it was a little bland for our liking, and could have done with bigger and more plentiful oysters.
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| Sauteed Green Dragon Chives 清炒青龙菜 ($14) |
From what I understand, Green Dragon Chives are nutritious vegetables that are low in calories yet high in vitamins and antioxidants. They are popularly stir-fried with bean sprouts for an added texture but here it's simply stir-fried on its own. Garlicky and just slightly savoury, which I enjoyed as a contrast to all the other heavy dishes on the table.
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| Chai Poh Dry Hor Fun 干炒菜蒲河粉 ($12) |
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| Crab Bee Hoon 螃蟹米粉 (Seasonal Price) (Recommended) |
I'd get this again, anytime.
Personally, while the fare at Chao Shan Cuisine is good, I'd still prefer Chui Huay Lim or even Sin Chao Gardens when I'm looking for authentic Teochew cuisine. Taste is subjective of course, and I still think it's a very convenient place to head to if you're looking for Teochew food in the business district.
Address: 17 Phillip Street #01-01/02 Grand Building S(048695)
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm daily
Date of Last Visit: 10th October 2023
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