The Fabulous Range of Good Eats at Orchard Central

Orchard Central continues to surprise with its wide range of dining establishments.  The last time round, we were impressed by the authentic Vietnamese from Tonkin and Milagro’s Spanish tapas.  This time, we were invited back again to try another three eateries, starting with a meatless meal that was so good I swore I could go vegetarian if I could eat like this every day.

Joie by Dozo

Tucked away on Orchard Central’s 12th floor near the rooftop garden, Joie by Dozo’s quiet setting and good view already hints that one is in for some fine dining (but at affordable prices). Those who have tried the now-closed Tao and Dozo Restaurants from the same owner would know.

The restaurant does prove to be so, from the chic floor to ceiling windows and plush velvet seats.  It serves a six-course set for lunch (S$38.80++) and a seven-course set for dinner (S$68.80++), but the multiple dishes are not heavy at all. Instead, they are light and refined.  Owner of Joie, Huang Yen Kun has been influenced by the new dining trends in the West which focus on “uplifting and innovative natural fare prepared with the freshest vegetables, fruits and herbs”.  Joie is a result of his inspiration when his wife, a huge meat lover, had a delicious vegetarian meal in Taiwan.

The first course was an amuse-bouche – the Chef’s Selection of Assorted Platter is a work of art, as is the rest of the meal.  There was some ‘sashimi’ with ‘caviar’, made from carrot, mayonnaise, other vegetables and a wafer.  There is even a brief flair of molecular gastronomy – out of a crimson ‘yolk’ with pistachio bits on top flowed tart raspberry puree after one had broken through the surface.

Next we sampled the side dishes, cold dishes and soups.  The Gratinated Champignon with Mozzarella is sure to be a crowd pleaser – melted cheese over mushrooms never go wrong.  The Tempura Platter on Mash is essentially charcoal-coated yam, eggplant, apple, banana with Japanese orange sesame dressing. It looks all black due to charcoal, which also has health benefits.

I was especially taken with the Vegetable Sashimi on Ice with Quail Egg Shooter Glass. It is an ingenious spread of aloe vera, konnyaku and coconut amid other ingredients which will keep you guessing. This fishless plate would not look out of place in a sushi restaurant.  All the dishes were meticulously presented, in particular the Zucchini Tower – a bite into its coiled up strip of zucchini revealed creme cheese and truffle mayonnaise within.

My favourite soup was the Snow Pear and Napa Cabbage Consommé, a flavourful double-boiled soup with both sweet and salty notes. There was an underlying rich taste which in my imagination was superior chicken stock, before I reminded myself again that all this was achieved through vegetables.

For those who prefer creamy soups, the Infusion of Cepes and Truffle and the Pumpkin Velouté with tomato ciabatta and edible petals will do well.

All this while we had a range of “potions” to try (it is one of the courses in the set menu).  The ones we sampled were cold and refreshing, and flowers are used in some of them in addition to fruits.  I liked the Ice Mallow Apple Melody, a blend of mallow flowers, apple and guava juice.

Mushrooms and eggplant typically form the replacements for bulk and it was no exception for the mains.  While the Wild Rice with Eggplant Terrine featured an interesting tasty rice variety I’ve not tried before and the more plebeian Duo Ravioli Platter also tasted good, the star of this course was the Grilled Bai-Ling Steak on “Pu-Ye” Hot Stone, a solid, dare I say ‘meaty’ slab of Bai Ling mushroom that dazzled with sound (sizzle!), smell and texture, together with its accompanying truffle dip. It was a succulent and delightful experience.

Joie is by no means the Michelin-starred Noma, but that very earthy presentation, mushroom, stone slab, leaf and pebbles made me feel like I was having one of those new-aged foraged meals close to a Nordic forest.  I spent a bit of time distinguishing what was inedible.

We rounded off with desserts, which to me were nothing to shout about, but perhaps it was because the real highlight for me was the food and how a restaurant like this could transform a purely vegetarian menu into a real gourmet treat.  While you may be a fan of meats, give Joie by Dozo a try for the sensory experience.  It is truly an innovator in Singapore’s vegetarian dining scene.

Shi Li Fang

Shi Li Fang is a Taiwanese hotpot restaurant which has already captured the young crowds, judging from the bustle when we got to the seventh floor.  It features excellent soup bases which promise to be tasty and nourishing without the addition of MSG.  Having just enjoyed a healthy vegetarian meal, I welcomed the meats, but was equally comforted that this binging was still going to be wholesome and natural.

At Shi Li Fang, you can choose from S$14.80++ set meals for one or ’boutique’ set meals for one to four persons with premium ingredients (ranging from S$16.80 to S$79.80++).  The set meals get you the soup, vegetables, noodles or rice, beverage and selected fish or meats, to which you can top up with à la carte orders.

There are six choices of stock, the tonic chicken soup, ravishing tomato soup, specialty mala soup, tasty mushroom soup, nourishing fish meat soup, tasty pickled vegetables soup and a vegetarian soup.  I tried the chicken, mala and fish soups and was amazed by the rich taste – the fish soup was almost an opaque white.  The restaurant also provides over 20 sauces for dipping your cooked food in.

While all hotpot restaurants offer a largely standard staple range of meat and vegetables, Shi Li Fang’s variety is exceptional and it really shines in the quality and cut of the meats.  It offers different “glues”, essentially pastes made from prawn or fish meats.  All the meats and fish slices were outstandingly fresh and sliced razor thin for easier cooking.  There are also exotic choices like offal, crayfish, cow lungs and fresh frog.

Shi Li Fang will now be my go-to place for a hotpot fix.  It is the best place I know of where one can dine on hotpot in a cool, clean setting, with outstanding cuts of meats at great value.  And its seating format means you do not have to go in a large group, like most hotpot places favour, but can zip in for a quick solo meal as well.

Yili Paopao Ice

Located at basement two, YiLi PaoPao Ice jumps on the shaved ice bandwagon. It was a welcomed stop after our hotpot meal which left us perspiring from the steam and spicy mala.  It provides a range of flavours ranging from Mango to Milo to its signature Milk and Egg, and a variety of toppings from rice puffs to fruits.

You can choose up to two flavours for S$4.95, or select one of the PaoPao Specials which already come with toppings.  These Specials are Boba Milk and Egg, Peanut & Oreos, Red Bean Milk and Egg (S$5.60 each).  There are also both fruity and milky drinks, such as Lemon (S$2.20), Winter Melon (S$2.20), Frog Bang Milk (S$3.80) and Boba Cappuccino (S$3.40).

The fun in Yili PaoPao Ice is in watching the staff build the shave ice up into a tall tower and press the toppings carefully into it from every angle, until yours becomes a gummy bear-studded mango tower, or cookie-studded Milo tower.  And shaved ice towers means you get to linger over your dessert for a longer time, knowing that you are probably taking in fewer calories than if you had a sundae, all while sculpting your treat into a leaning tower of Pao Pao.  Even though it’s just flavoured ice, it does provide a lot of fun.

So, the next time you are looking for food ideas in Orchard Road, be sure to drop by Orchard Central. There’s something for everyone.

Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
Singapore 238896