With recent wine boom in Asia, many restaurants had actually opened up to the idea of BYO. Some fine dining places also promote free corkage if you get a bottle from their cellar, making it a win-win situation and the local eateries (Zi Char) in Singapore are not lag behind too.
From the word of mouth, I decided to pay a visit at "De Classic Golden Spoon".
Once entered, I saw almost all tables has a bottle of wine and of course their signature dish.
Located 15 minutes walk from Tiong Bahru MRT, it was not a difficult place to find. Another good eatery, Por Kee Eating House is just a road across as well.
The signature dish here: Crab Been Hoon -
Simmered whole Sri Lankan crab whole in thick broth with fried lardons, it is certainly a dish not for someone with high cholesterol. (laughs) Bee hoon (vermicilli) soaked up the goodness and flavour but not soggy. Crabs are priced by weight and fresh from the tanks.
The first taste gives a smoky flavour then the aroma of the lardons, I find it quite unique.
Home-made fried tofu with cereals and pumpkin sauce -
Tofu smooth and silky, well-coated in the sweet golden pumpkin sauce and the crispy cereals added texture and flavour. Tasted almost like eating the classic cereal prawns. (I heard the chicken had this version too.)
Deep-fried baby squid in Rojak sauce -
Baby squids fried to crisp and tossed in the rojak sauce, reminds me of my childhood as this will be the must-have dish at wedding dinners. Over here, they added a bed of cucumber cubes and it balanced the sweet sauce well.
Local spinach simmerd in three eggs -
This dish seems popular here and I think it gets popular at zi char eateries only in recent years.
It does taste better than other zi char eateries however they cooked it too salty and I requested for a re-cooked. They did. Wonderful.
I brought along a bottle of white from Portugal and it was brought in to chill in an ice bucket.
Besides, free corkage, they also offer a variety of glasses (Chilled/Normal) and to me that is quality service.
Cod Fish, steamed in soy and radish -
Cod fish here is measured by weight, 100g at $9, cook in any style you prefer.
A good portion of 300g is just nice for four pax.
Fish was steamed perfectly, savoury fried radish (chai po) and light soy sauce was added.
Seafood Mee Sua -
For the whole dining session, this dish caught my attention and even until now I still remember the taste. A simple dish and yet difficult to find a good one in Singapore. The seafood added in were very fresh, prawns so crunchy and so were the firm and thickly sliced fish. The shredded lettuce balanced the dish addinf refreshness and crunch. It is a must order dish at De Classic Golden Spoon.
In summary, De Classic Golden Spoon is a place where foodies must visit. The prices are reasonable and the freshness of seafood here is guaranteed fresh. Wine corkage is free plus they offer really good wine accessories so it is a good place for wine lovers. It is also a good place to bring tourist along.
It is a place I will visit many times.
Note: Reservation is strictly recommended to avoid queue.
De Classic Golden Spoon
Cuisine: Local Singapore cuisine
62 Seng Poh Lane #01-11, Singapore
Tel: +65 6536 2218
Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am–2.30pm, 5.30pm–11pm
Tue: 5.30pm–11pm
Tue: 5.30pm–11pm
Viva Vino
214 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207747
Tel: +65 6291 7866
Fax: +65 6291 7366
Email: general@vivavino.com.sg
