What is one thing you really look forward to during Chinese New Year? Steamboat? We guessed just as much. Steamboat can be hugely satisfying, and also healthy, if you choose the right ingredients. Steamboat caters to many people because of the variety of ingredients – no matter what your taste, there will be something for you. With the appearance of many steamboat restaurants, the variety of soup bases has also increased exponentially. This year, STREET 50 Restaurant and Bar adds one more to the lot – BRAND’S Essence of Chicken broth.
To celebrate the New Year, STREET 50 Restaurant and Bar has collaborated with BRAND’S to give the public a refreshing new twist on traditional dishes by infusing them with BRAND’S chicken essence. Besides getting to indulge in a hotpot buffet, customers are also pampered with a wide variety of cooked dishes ranging from fish, meat and seafood, all of which is enhanced with chicken essence.
The Yu Sheng is a must at every Chinese New Year meal.
First, we were invited to try EssenTIAL YuSheng (S$38++ for a regular one for four, S$68++ for a large one for eight to 10) that is specially created in-house by Executive Chef Ricky. He cleverly paired chicken essence aspic with smoked salmon to create this traditional auspicious starter that symbolises tossing to ‘infinite abundance and luck’. The saltiness from the smoked salmon and the sweetness from the plum sauces worked well hand in hand to stimulate our palates and to prepare us for the slew of dishes that were to come. We do recommend starting your buffet with this. Also anyway, what’s a Chinese New Year celebration without lou hei?
On to the cooked dishes served as part of the buffet, the dishes that stood out particularly to us were the Platter of Eight Treasures, Herbal Chicken and Sea Bass.
Essence of Eight Treasures Platter is a plateful of delicacies.
This auspicious creation certainly lived up to its name. Laden with eight treasures – Pacific Clams, Prawns, Smoked Oysters, Sea Asparagus, U.S. Asparagus, Black Fungus, “Fatt Choy” and Roasted Pine Nuts, this combination makes a good warm salad after being tossed together. However, do be prepared to work your jaws a little as these cooked clams and sea asparagus do tend towards the chewy side.
Fortune Chicken with Essence Consommé has a pleasant herbal flavour to it.
This dish is made from chicken steamed with Old Ginger, Chinese Wine, Dried Longans, Red Dates and Chicken Essence. Those who are not fans of having a strong chicken essence taste in their dishes will enjoy this as the chicken only retains a slight hint of chicken essence while maintaining a pleasant herbal flavour. Also to our great delight, the chicken was very smooth and tender, making it all the more a pleasure to enjoy.
Sixth Happiness Seabass in Essence is a dish that will delight even non-fish lovers.
The star of the cooked dishes would undeniably be the Steamed Seabass. The filet is steamed with Carrots Pearl, Barley, Green Zucchini Pearl, Yellow Zucchini Pearl, White Fungus and Chicken Essence. Once again, the taste of the chicken essence is close to none, however the fillet boasts a clean flavour untainted by any fishy smell, which usually accompanies (and sullies) a fish dish. The fish was also well-cooked and tender. I dare say, even non-fish lovers may grow to enjoy this.
BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken broth and Buffet Spread
Now comes the highlight of the buffet – the steamboat. This is a new and unique take on steamboat unseen anywhere else in Singapore. The steamboat broth is also made with chicken essence, which makes the soup healthy and tasty to enjoy. On first taste, the soup may be a little bland and lacking, but the multitude of ingredients that are available in the buffet gives the soup a great boost. After a few rounds of added ingredients, you will be likely to get an aromatic soup boasting a herbal taste and a slight hint of chicken essence. Also, those who prefer having an individual pot of soup to themselves, will be delighted that each customer will get their own steamboat served in a unique Chinoiserie chic pot with customised designs of propitious dragons.
So, if you are looking for a fuss-free way to celebrate the Chinese New Year, you can consider STREET 50 Restaurant and Bar. You will get to savour cooked dishes and have a steamboat, all without having to go through the hassle of cooking and cleaning up. Also, they have an ongoing promotion where every 2nd diner for Citi Credit cardholders will get a 50 per cent off (discount is valid for adult prices).
The ‘Chinese New Year in ESSENCE’ Hotpot Buffet Dinner costs $38++ (Adult), $18++ (Child, 6-12 years old) on the following dates 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 21 Feb, 6.30pm to 10.00pm. On Chinese New Year eve (7 Feb), the prices are $58++ (Adult) and $28++ (Child, 6-12 years old).
