Peach Blossoms at Marina Mandarin Singapore has recently launched a new Abalone Set Menu. Helmed by Chef Francis Chong, the restaurant is not new to the dining scene having been around for close to 30 years. Despite the changing landscape of Singapore F&B, Peach Blossoms manages to stay fresh, especially after it relaunched in 2011 following a renovation.
Trio of appetizers
We started off with a trio of appetizers, arranged quite beautifully on a long rectangular plate. It consisted of Chilled Japanese Cucumber Rolls filled with Jellyfish, Deep-fried Prawn coated with Mayo and Mixed Nuts and Deep-fried Scallop and Banana wrapped with Mashed Taro. Of the three, I was personally quite intrigued with the Deep-fried Scallop and Banana wrapped with Mashed Taro as it is a combination I’ve never seen or tried before. It was also the most visually appealing dish among all. The fruity banana taste was palpable even from the first bite and surprisingly complemented the decadent richness of the scallops.
braised shark’s fin in supreme broth
The Braised Shark’s Fin in Supreme Broth was curiously served in a stone bowl. The broth was carefully boiled for eight hours prior to serving and came to us satisfyingly thick. Make sure to add in some bean sprouts for some extra crunch to this hearty soup.
braised six-headed whole abalone
An Abalone Set Menu would of course be incomplete without at least one abalone dish. The Braised Six-headed Whole Abalone in Superior Oyster Sauce certainly did not disappoint even though it’s normally tricky to prepare. At the other extreme, this highly-prized mollusk has a tendency to become too rubbery and difficult to chew. My abalone came plump and tender – and gave off a smooth finish to the taste bud. The same goes for the adjoining broccoli and mushrooms which were soft without being soggy.
Steamed silver cod
The Steamed Silver Cod in Penang Style was probably my favourite item in the menu. The fish alone was succulent, slippery (a sign of freshness) and amazingly fleshy, but when combined with the sweet chili sauce – made from Chef Francis’ own recipe – makes it such an outstanding dish. I would say that this was the best fish dish I’ve tasted so far this year.
dong po pork ribs
The Dong Po Pork Ribs was a bit of a departure from my usual encounter with the dish. Instead of using the fatty “Dong Po” pork, Chef Francis used spareribs instead. This is a more guilt-free option to health-conscious folks, as the ribs were likewise highly flavourful.
stewed rice vermicelli with assorted seafood
The noodle dish that’s served towards the end of any long Chinese meal has a tendency to be a filler in case the diner is still hungry from the previous dishes. However, I must say I really enjoyed the Stewed Rice Vermicelli with Assorted Seafood. There was a distinct zi char quality to the dish with its rich and sweet “soupy” white sauce and toppings made of shrimp and scallops.
chilled coconut jelly with mango puree and coconut ice cream
The chilled dessert looked like one of your usual sweet endings at first glance, but a closer look beneath the typical mango puree revealed slices of luscious coconut jelly that provided a good counterpoint to the mango’s sweetness. The coconut ice cream was another highlight in the dish and while many would mix it with the mango puree, I happily devoured my scoop on its own.
The Abalone Set Menu at Peach Blossoms is available at S$128++ per person.
Peach Blossoms
Marina Mandarin Singapore
6 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6845 1118
