HazelDiary

ChaoZhou Porridge is where epicureans can step back in time and relish the erstwhile Teowchew dishes. The head chef has over 10 years of experience and is learned in the way of Teochew cooking. Located at River Valley Road, the restaurant offer a range of dishes which include the Chaozhou signature and Chaozhou porridge. The restaurant is fully air-conditioned with marble round tables and wooden stools to enjoy the meal. There is also soft comfortable music that diners can enjoy throughout the session.


ChaoZhou Porridge S$0.70 (not available in picture) prepared by immersing rice into boiling water and then cooked under high heat. Such a process splits and separates the rice grains. Each rice grain then becomes softened. The water also turns into a light porridge base. When presented, the bowl of porridge reflects the divide between mountain and the sea. The porridge follows an authentic Teochew recipe. Little did I know that cooking a bowl of porridge takes a skill and knowledge as well. Sometimes small little things does make a difference in taste, texture and also in our life.

We started off with Steamed Meat Ball with Porridge Water S$5.50/ pc. It is my first time trying and the meatball served is big. It has the mixture ingredients of pork and vegetables. Although the meatball tasted slightly salty with the pork meat in it, it goes well with the porridge water.
 Big Sotong with Homemade Sauce S$6.90. The squids are first steamed and then chilled making it into a cold appertiser. It is served along the sweet sour sauce tinged with a spicy note. I enjoyed the chewy texture of the squid that goes pretty well with their homemade sauce. We even ordered for second servings.
 Cold Bean Curd with Preserved Radish S$4.80 is also one of the winning dish. It is best to pair with a bowl of porridge with the savoury sauce topped with spring onions.
 Clams with soy sauce S$6.90 served as a cold dish.
 Braised Delight Platter S$16.90 (Duck, Pork Belly, Large Intestines, Egg, Bean Curd, Tau Pok) is best for sharing and for those who wants to have more choices on the table. I enjoyed the large intestines with the sauce. Overall, it is a pocket friendly dish for sharing.
 Preserved Radish Omelette S$2.50 (S), S$4.50 (L). My favourite dish of the night. It’s my childhood favourite often cooked by my grandma and mother. And you will never go wrong with porridge. The dish here has the crispy bites from the fried egg at the edges and you can taste the preserved radish in between the spread. But if you are a huge fan of preserved radish, you will find it less enjoyable as the spread of the preserved radish is limited in my point of view.
 ChaoZhou Steamed Mullet based on seasonal pricing. The whole fish is steamed in the pot first before having its gut removed. The fish texture remains juicy and soft but I find it ordinary and no much of ‘wow’ factor in it. Vegetables are added in for crunchy bites as well.
 Crisp-fried Taro Rolls with minimum 3 pieces S$2.30/pc. Desserts are served with a crispy exterior that encases cotton ball, soft taro. I would think the taste would be great if it is served piping hot.

Overall, there are hit and misses dishes served here in ChaoZhou Porridge. The consistency of the taro/ yam needs to be improved. Other than this, there is a station in the restaurant which showcase a range of selection of Chinese side dishes to go with a bowl of porridge.

If you wish for visual references on dishes to order, you can walk over to the station to choose your selections. I still think that having Teochew porridge for breakfast or even supper would be ideal choice. It is a comforting and filling dish and best for a family sharing.

UPDATE:  ChaoZhou Porridge is having the brand-new supper buffet (S$16.80, UP: S$23.50). There are 30 over homespun Teochew dishes await at the display counter as mentioned earlier.

As part of the buffet, you will get to enjoy the Braised Delights Platter, which features braised duck, large intestines, pork belly, bean curd, tau pok and egg. These delightful favourites have been simmered in dark and light soy sauce for up to 8 hours, allowing the salty sauce to thoroughly seep through.

ChaoZhou Porridge
221 River Valley Road
Singapore
Operating Hours: Daily 10:30AM – 5:00AM
Tel: +65 6268 6763
Instagram: Hashtag #chaozhouporridge

[This is an invited media tasting session.]