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Singapore, August 28, 2010 Chinois by Susur Lee Chinois by Susur Lee
Hotel Michael
Resorts World Sentosa
Over at Resorts World, tapas also feature prominently at Chinois, where the cuisine of celebrity chef Susur Lee is an extension of the modern Chinese offerings from the restaurant’s main menu.
The tapas concept has been applied to Chinese food – about 32 dim sum-style dishes ranging in price from $3 to $12 each – which can be ordered and eaten anywhere within the restaurant, whether at the large 14-seat bar counter in the middle of the restaurant or at a regular table.
Like the cuisine, the restaurant interior is thoroughly contemporary and in keeping with the TungLok Group’s array of themed Chinese restaurants – there are now some 26 restaurants in Singapore and several more in various cities around Asia.
The group’s collaboration with the Canada-based Lee dates back to 1997, when he introduced Club Chinois and his version of modern Chinese cuisine to the local dining scene.
The idea of having a quick-bites option within a fine-dining restaurant seems to be catching on. Chinois has resisted taking the set menu route, opting instead for a pretty extensive selection of items.
The original list of tapas dishes, which has been around since the restaurant opened at the beginning of the year, has now been embellished by 17 new dishes, introduced after Chef Lee completed a recent stint in Singapore and followed through by senior executive chef Ken Ling.
A recent lunchtime tasting session included an opening selection featuring three of the new dishes, including the interestingly-named Cheese Burger Spring Rolls ($5.50), a more traditional Steamed Beancurd Skin Roll ($5.50) and a sushi-style Duck Confit Rice Roll ($4.50).
This was followed by a single, delicate vegetable dumpling in a hot and sour consommé ($8), served in clear cup – and one of the clear winners on the tapas menu as well.
A dish of deep-fried soft-shell crab ($15) was larger than necessary, especially since it was further supplemented by a couple of dumpling dishes – Baked
Vegetarian Dumpling with chives cream cheese ($4) and Crispy Crusted Chive Dumplings ($3.80).
While the small dishes at Chinois bear little resemblance to more conventional Western counterparts that might also be described as tapas, there’s no question that the concept translates easily across culinary cultures.
In this context, tapas is a universally understood language. Perhaps the hardest thing to figure out about a meal at Chinois is how to get there – navigating your way through the Resorts World maze is a science in itself.
Hotel Michael
Resorts World Sentosa
26 Sentosa Gateway, Lobby Level
Singapore 098269
Tel: 68847888
www.tunglok.com
(Lunch from noon to 3 pm and dinner from 6.30pm to 11pm)
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