It has been a while since I set foot in Quayside Isle so I was excited to visit Blue Lotus, the only Chinese restaurant on that stretch. Started in 2013 by Emmanuel Stroobant Group and Ricky Ng (former Chief Operating Officer of Tung Lok Restaurants Group), Blue Lotus is named after the opium den from one of the volumes of The Adventures of Tin Tin. It is pretty obvious their vision and strategy is for diners to get hooked on their food and come back for more.
Facing the idyllic view of the marina, you can’t miss the array of colorful Vietnamese lanterns hanging in front of this chic Chinese eatery. It was surprisingly breezy (thanks to the ginormous ceiling fans) enough for us to sit at the alfresco area without breaking into a sweat.
This is a view I could get used to. 😛
The items I got to sampled that night was an interesting mix of their crowd-favorite signature dishes and newly conceptualized items.
Crispy Fried Salmon Skin with Salted Egg Yolk, $16
Crispy Fried Szechuan Style ” La Zi” Eggplant, $12
Smoked Truffle Wonton Lobster Bisque, $18 (new item)
The lobster bisque and Barramudi were home-runs: unlike most lobster bisque which is doused with butter and cognac, this was so light and velvety with the right amount of lobster flavor.
Josper Grilled Barramundi Fillet with Pickled Chilli Sauce – 2 pieces, $34 (new item)
The barramundi fillet was grilled beautifully. Not only was the skin superbly crispy, the flesh was flaky, moist and perfectly seasoned. The Josper oven has definitely done justice to this dish. Accompanied with the addictively sweet and tangy pickled chilli sauce, every bite was sensational.
Slow Roast Spanish Style Suckling Pig with Preserved Beancurd Sauce, $238 (pre-order 3 days in advance)
While the lamb short ribs were a little too gamey for our liking, the crispy suckling pig definitely hit all the right spots. The skin was wonderfully crispy and yet the meat remained moist and juicy. I did not detect any hint of “porky-ness” and that was an excellent sign.
Roast Australian Baby Lamb Short Ribs with Five Spice, $34
Wok Fried “Prata” Seafood Char Kway Teow, $20 (new item)
Blue Lotus Signature Chilli Pomelo Stuffed Crab Claw, $24 (new item)
The pièce de résistance came in the form of this Chilli Pomelo Stuffed Crab Claw. If you are fan of chilli crab, you MUST and I repeat MUST order this signature dish. No doubt the Sri Lankan crab was super fresh, it was the sauce that made me fell in love with this dish.
The sweet and spicy sauce was expertly well-balanced with the right amount of tartness from the tamarind, aromatic ginger flower and tongue-numbing chilies.
Chilled Durian Puree Shaved Ice, $12 (new item)
This Chilled Durian Puree Shaved Ice was a big hit at the table. If you like Bingsu (Korean Shaved Ice) and durian (such a lethally amazing combination), this dessert will send you to seventh heaven. Using D24 durian flesh with no additional preservatives, the durian puree is as pure as it gets. The shaved ice was so light and soft, it disintegrated almost instantly the second it hit my tongue. This meal left me with little to complain, only a happy belly.
* This is a collaborated post in partnership with Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House.
Blue Lotus Chinese Eating House
31 Ocean Way #01-13, Quayside Isle, Singapore 098375
Tel: +65 6339 0880 | Website
Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (last order 9:30 pm)
Weekends: 11:30 am – 3:00 pm (last order 2:30 pm) and 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (last order 9:30 pm)
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