Binge - CNY Festive Eats Part 3 - Swoon-Worthy Porkilicious Bites, Etc...

Ooh – this spells added excitement to the bak kwa wars out on Singapore streets during the lead up to CNY. Kim Joo Guan, a long time supplier of bak kwa to ‘leading bak kwa outlets’ (hint hint!) and F&B establishments is muscling in from being a quiet back-end supplier to front line presence, just in time for the Tiger Year. Wraow! Having been around since 1977, looks like they finally got tired of working behind the scenes and setting up its first shop to finally grab some credit where it’s due.

In its press release, the company also promises that we “will be swooned over” by their tasty bites of fully handmade barbecued pork slices, 100% grilled over charcoal and freshly produced at the retail outlet on a daily basis.

We can’t wait “to be swooned over” by their Traditional Sliced Pork ($43 per kg), Traditional Sliced Pork Chilli ($45.00 per kg) and Premium Pork Belly ($63.00 per kg). Hopefully, the queue won’t be too long either, or there’ll be another reason to swoon.

To be swooned over, swan on to:

257 South Bridge Road

Tel: 6225 5257

Another long standing brand, our beloved Polar Puffs have rolled out a new version of their super soft Swiss Rolls. Called Prosperity Rolls, they are coated in halal chicken floss and freshly delivered to Polar Puff outlets only once a day. Then of course there are their traditional CNY cookies, with a few new (yet traditional) offerings this year: cornflake cookies, frosted coffee cookie, melting almond cookies, and honey hole sesame cookies (hmmm….I must admit to having some brow-raising reservations about the latter name). Cookies range from $11.80 to $15.80 per container.

Delivery is free for orders above $160, or $12 per location of less than that. The last day for advance orders is 6 February.

Visit www.polarpuffs-cakes.com or call 6269 5877 for details.

For more contemporary bites, I have always liked the macarons at Gourmet Carousel, at Royal Plaza On Scotts. They do unique, seasonal ones throughout the year. For CNY, they have whipped up Yam Ganache, Mandarin Orange Ganache and Pandan Ganache macarons for a local/Chinese touch ($11.50 for 5). There's also a pineapple galette ($48), no doubt a take on the pineapple tarts, with a suitably Chinese-y red 'chop' on the top, and an orange semolina (aka sugee) cake ($55). For yu sheng, Carousel is offering a Japanese twist to welcoming the great ‘hu’. Consider mekajiki (swordfish) and salmon accompanied with tatami iwashi (sheet of processed baby sardines), salmon roe, bonito flakes, tonsaga seaweed and deep-fried baby shrimps. This is tossed with a goma miso (sesame miso) sauce. ($60 for a small; $90.00 for large).

Tel: 6589 7788 or gourmet@royalplaza.com.sg

Another Yu sheng of note, the yu sheng platter at Hai Tien Lo, Pan Pacific Singapore's sky high fine dining Chinese restaurant, is one of the most decadent. Good if you want to impress your gazillion-dollar, goldbar-bedecked Chinese businessman client. The Golden Harvest Yu Sheng gets you tossing toro sashimi (tuna belly - the best part of the fish), sharks fin, birds nest, abalone, Japanese Hokkigai scallops, live lobster (hope it's not still moving!!), salmon and silver anchovies. Cost $388 for 10. Best downed with Remy 'Hey Big Spender' Martin cognac and then off to Volvo karaoke club. (errr....or at least that's what I think it's called, no?) Available all February.

Tel: 6826 8240

Low-key Conrad Centennial Singapore also has some quaint offerings this time. Pastry Palette, their deli store, has a lotus seed pound cake ($8.80 for 300g), Hong Pao Mandarin Orange Chocolate Gâteau ($38 Nett for 500g) and Prosperity Nian Gao ($38) in 18 mini versions. The Lobby Lounge also lets you do a little CNY afternoon tea (30 Jan - 28 Feb), a dainty blend of east and west, with festive goodies either in buffet style ($28) or as a restrained afternoon tea set ($24).

CNY takeaways available from now until 28 Feb.

Tel: 6432 7309

- Ee Waun