Singapore Eats: Taste Paradise

Shark's fin and foie gras advocates be warned:  this particular post DOES contain shark's fin and foie gras.  So no bashing please.  Let's just respect the fact that everyone has the freedom to choose what they want in life :)  That being said, let's move on to the next restaurant on our recently concluded Singapore trip, shall we?

If you've read up on my previous post, I've mentioned that Ion Orchard houses 2 of the must-trys in my Singapore restaurants list.  First was Paradise Dynasty, and the second, Taste Paradise.  If they sound oddly the same, it's because they both do indeed belong to the same Paradise Group in Singapore.  I'm actually no stranger to Taste Paradise, having tried it long before they moved to their current location in Ion Orchard.  Two years ago, Hubby and I also had the pleasure of dining here.  So why do we keep on coming back?  Read on.

Classic Superior Shark's Fin in Supreme Broth accompanied with Crispy Spring Roll served in Japanese Stone Pot

Yep.  THIS is the reason why we keep on coming back.  To tell you that their Shark's Fin Soup tastes wonderfully amazing would be an understatement.  If I can only drink one soup for all eternity, then this is it.  While it may look normal, I assure you, it is not.  Taste Paradise's shark's fin is cooked with the shark bone itself making the soup extra thick and lip-smackingly good kind of sticky.  

Combination of Pan Seared Foie Gras, Wasabi Mayonnaise Prawn & Sliced Peking Duck with condiments

While we normally order the restaurant's set menu, this time, we opted to go ala carte.  And knowing me, Hubby ordered the tasting plate that had the foie gras in it.  Let me tell you, my eyes widened the moment the server laid down the plate on our table.  It was by far the largest serving of foie gras I've ever seen in a restaurant.  Fabulous!

Baked Fillet of Cod with Chef's Miso Recipe

...and this must be one of the best fishes I've ever tried.  Soft, succulent and creamy.

Wok Fried Pasta with Black Truffle Sauce accompanied with Assorted Seafood

Plus the smallest yet tastiest bowl of truffled noodles.  See the small black bits?  Truffle!  I'm in heaven.

BBQ Combination

Their BBQ combination did not disappoint either.  Every single piece of skin was crunchy, with the meat tender and oh so flavorful.

So... what's not to love?  Absolutely nothing.  Dining in Taste Paradise is like coming home after months of being stuck in a desert.  Sheer, pure bliss.  5 out of 5 stars!

Taste Paradise is at Ion Orchard No.2 Orchard Turn, #04-07 ION Orchard, Singapore

Singapore Eats: Paradise Dynasty

Going to Singapore on a short 4days/3nights trip, I made sure that all shopping and dining itineraries were in order before we even left.  And since we arrived in Singapore pretty early, I dragged Hubby to Ion Orchard before we even had the time to check in at the hotel!  Reason?  Ion Orchard has most of the stores I want to visit and it also houses two of the must-dine restaurants on my list!  First up:  Paradise Dynasty.

As mentioned in my previous post, it's been two long years since I last visited Singapore.  And in those two years, I've come across numerous drool-worthy posts from bloggers and friends based in Singapore, all raving about Paradise Dynasty's multicolored xiao long bao.  Those things looked like tiny nuggets of heaven and all I could do was just stare at my monitor, salivate and wish I was in Singapore every time someone posts a photo of the restaurant's most famous offering.  After that, I vowed never to leave Singapore again without tasting Paradise Dynasty's Signature xiao long bao.  

So... here it is.  We finally got to try Paradise Dynasty!  Scroll on to see what we had!

Baby Bamboo Shoot in Oyster Sauce

Crunchy and highly addicting.  It was a tad too oily though.

Signature Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (8 Flavors)
White (Original), Green (Ginseng), Orange (Crab Roe), Yellow (Cheese), Brown (Foie Gras), Pink (Szechuan), Gray (Garlic), Black (Black Truffle)

Ta-dah!  Signature Dynasty Xiao Long Bao!  Since there were only 8 pieces and each piece comes in a different flavor, Hubby and I decided to order 2 baskets to avoid war.  LOL.  And how did it taste?  Scrumptious!  Each flavor was distinctly different.  We particularly loved the black truffle and the foie gras flavors. (surprise, surprise!)

Sauteed Kai Lan with Ginger Sauce

I'm no veggie lover, but I find this palatable.  I guess it doesn't come as a surprise because vegetables in other countries are generally tasty than our local ones.

Crispy Sweet & Sour Pork

One of the fails.  I jumped on the chance when I saw this on the menu, thinking I'd get extra crispy outsides and tender insides of the sweet and sour pork.  Wrong.  The outside was just a tiny bit crispy because the batter was too thick.  And the insides?  It was a bit tough.

La Mian with Braised Pork Belly in Signature Pork Bone Soup

Another fail.  We thought that Paradise Dynasty's version of the pork bone soup would be comparable to Ippudo's, but there was nothing to compare.  The soup itself lacked the distinct pork bone flavor.

Radish Pastry

I've been a fan of the radish pastry ever since I can remember.  So in my quest for the best radish pastry, I make sure to order it every time I see it on the menu.  

The insides of the Radish Pastry

See the strips of radish?  Kudos to Paradise Dynasty for not coming up with the mashed versions of the radish pastry.  But as good as it looks, sadly, the shell was too thick and not as flaky as I would want it to be.  Lei Garden in Hong Kong still wins as the best radish pastry I've tried.  

Souffle Egg White Balls Stuffed with Red Bean & Banana

Again, this was another disappointment.  Too thick.  I've had better local versions of it.

Overall, I'd say that Paradise Dynasty has some hits and misses.  But if there's one thing you must try, it's definitely the famed multicolored xiao long bao.  3 out of 5 stars!

 
Paradise Dynasty is at Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, #04-12A ION Orchard, Singapore