denise tan blogs

Had a super evening out – first, the wonderful Kung Fu Panda sequel in 3D – please watch it – it’s as hilarious and heart-warming as the first, if not more! Inspired by Panda Po’s noodle-making father, for my post-movie dinner, I went in search for noodles and other Chinese delicacies that could also give the ole taste buds a kung fu chop! How fortuitous that the building I was in also houses a classic cantonese restaurant… I’ve known of it, walked by it, but never tried it till yesterday. And the looming question is, why on earth did it take me this long to discover how great the food here is?!

Welcome to the legendary Cathay restaurant! Where refined cantonese cuisine gets a modern makeover and is served western-style (see mostly individual portions in elegant, minimalist dishes).

The first thing that catches my eye at the entrance – their (as I soon discovered) awesome signature shrimp chilli sauce for sale!

This is special, addictive stuff – not particularly spicy, but with just enough bite to lift its supremely shrimpiness to another level! This went on everything we ordered!

Celebrating 端午节 (Dragon Boat Festival) early with their unique bak chang (rice dumplings).

Behold the ginormous smoked duck bak chang! Never heard of such a variation before, had to try it!


Close-ups: Whole chestnuts, huge chunks of gamey, meaty smoked duck, whole shitake mushroom, salted egg yolk and dried scallop – wow! This bak chang is chock-a-block full of good things to eat!

Fresh prawn on winter melon with kailan in superior stock. A yummy little snack before the big boys of the meal arrive, made even better with the sprinkling of fish roe on top.

Baked cod with egg white & conpoy – beautifully cooked, fresh, smooth and glazed with a sticky-savoury-sweet sauce.

Look at the gorgeous thick flakes of cod!

Time for the red meats…
Pan-fried lamb chops with special sauce, crunchy snowpeas, sweet onion and earthy mushooms. Another winner!

The sauce lived up to its name – fragrant, spicy, sweet, salty and absolutely delicious. The lovely pink chops were gone in a few seconds!


And under the lamb, perfectly crisp and light battered onion rings!

US Ribeye with a fried quail’s egg and raisin sauce.


Rare and super tender on the inside, with a nice sear on the outside. Love those crispy charred edges of beefy goodness!


I’m not one to mix sweet with salty, fruit with meat, but this was a great complement to the meat – plump raisins in a tangy-sweet elixir. One tender bite of beef, slathered in the creamy-runny quail’s egg, chased down with a touch of sauce and raisin, finished off with a crunch of the prawn cracker – perfection! A sublime contrast of flavours and textures.

On to the carbs… Chef’s recommendation: Braised mee sua in superior chicken stock with scallops. Small individual portions, but hit the spot. The natural sweetness of the caramelised scallops went well with the clean taste of the noodle & the salty stock.


And what’s this? A magical surprise, hidden beneath the stock, camouflaged by the white plate…

A soft, smooth tofu/ egg white/ custard/ pudding! MMMMMMMMM!!!

Dessert! So many to choose from, finally settled for the hot almond cream. It didn’t disappoint – very smooth and not too sweet, with plenty of almond fragrance & flavour, but thankfully not of the artificial kind.

We’re already discussing how soon we can return to try all the other mouth-watering dishes on their extensive menu – from braised beef shortribs in red wine to stewed vermicelli with szechuan vegetables and smoked duck, I can’t wait!
This place isn’t cheap, but I wouldn’t say it’s pricey either. I reckon we got what we paid for in terms of food quality, presentation and service and I was happy to fork out my $50 share of the meal for two.

The Cathay Restaurant
2 Handy Road #02-01
The Cathay
Weekdays & Saturdays
• 11.30am – 3.00pm (Lunch)
• 6.00pm – 10.30pm (Dinner)
Sundays
• 10.00am – 3.00pm (Lunch)
• 6.00pm – 10.30pm (Dinner)
Reservations: 6732 7888
Special promos: 20% off weekday dim sum lunches, $28++ executive set lunches, $75++ dinners for 2, Birthday discount equivalent to your age if you dine on your exact birth date (Whoo-hoo! Bring grandma and you’ve got yourselves a GREAT deal)!

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