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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Din Tai Fung Meet-and-Greet The Lion Men: Perform the art of making Xiao Long Bao/Steamed Pork Dumplings



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All prep and heading out to meet The Lion Men's Tosh & Wei Liang's meet-and-greet fans session as they perform the art of making Xiao Long Bao/Steamed Pork Dumplings.

Din Tai Fung is one of the sponsors of The Lion Men.

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Fans waiting patiently for the arrival of Tosh & Wei Liang.

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The host for that day is Charmaine Yee from radio Hot FM 91.3.

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Here they come! Wei Liang & Tosh arriving from upstairs and the fans were screaming away. YOOHOOO!

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The starts watched on as the Chef demonstrate the making of Xiao Long Bao.

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There were games with the fans and they were to be blindfolded, fed with the signature dishes by the stars and to guess what are the names of the food. I can feel the excitement of the girls.

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Next, we get a close up of Wei Liang & Tosh eating.

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Hello, are you star struck already?

Next up…. FOOD!


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Before we start enjoying the dishes, we were served

[Roselle Drink 洛神花冰 S$4.30] - a perfect accompaniment to the meal is the Roselle drink which is high in nutritional value and packed with wholesome ingredients known to reduce blood pressure, aid in digestion and refine complexion. 

Sounds too good to be true! And I have to tell you, this Roselle Drink taste so refreshingly good. Some liang-teh (herbal tea) shops sell Roselle Drink, however they are very bland in taste, too much water. 

However I really love the Roselle Drink here, full of punch, gao-gao (thick, non diluted). 

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I am sure this is not unfamiliar to you! This is almost everyone's favourite, including my mum!


[Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing 小菜 S$4.00] - a simple and refreshing chilled starter comprising a mix of julienned seaweed, bean sprouts, chilli, beancurd strips and rice vermicelli tossed in an appetizing light tangy dressing. 

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[Red Dates with Glutinous Rice 红枣圆 S$4.80]- enjoy a healthy and light starter with these fragrant red dates that are generously filled with steamed glutinous rice fillings.

If you love red dates, I am sure this is the one for you. I popped one into my mouth, its like nian gap red date. Chewy chewy texture with the mouth full of red date taste. Its sweet too!

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[Fragrant Pork with Crushed Garlic 蒜泥白肉 S$7.30] - a delightful cold dish consisting of crunchy cucumbers encased in thin layers of succulent poached pork and steeped in a fragrant garlic sauce with sesame and green onions. 

Not my first time eating this, I love it. As maybe you already know, I don't like pork due to that porky taste, but this don't have such smelly pork taste. The slice of pork is used to wrap the crunchy cucumber and eat it with the garlic sauce, it taste awesome!

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When K first fall in love with duo miao, is when we were dining at Din Tai Fung and i wanted to order 1, because I love it so much. Since then this is a must-order for us whenever we dine at Din Tai Fung.


[Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic 蒜炒豆苗 S$12.00] - a deceptively modest dish made with only premium young, tender shoots. Every batch of specially selected vegetables is almost identical in length and quality, and is trimmed with precision before being tossed in the wok with just a teaspoon of sunflower oil, bringing out the natural sweetness of the vegetables. 

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Actually this is also our must-order :X


[Crispy Golden Prawn Pancake 酥脆腐皮虾饼 S$9.30] - consisting of fresh prawns wrapped in a delicate layer of bean curd skin and deep-fried to perfection, the Crispy Golden Prawn Pancake makes a scrumptious side dish that will leave one coming back for more.

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[Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤 S$6.00 (Small) / S$8.00 (Regular)] - striking a perfect balance of spice and tang, the Hot & Sour Soup which contains mushrooms, bean curd strips, bamboo shoots and black fungus seeks to warm the belly with its comforting flavours. 

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Take a closer look, each exquisite Din Tai Fung Xiao Long Bao undergoes 6 precise preparatory stages before being presented to you.

1) Silky smooth dough is made in small batches to maintain freshness.

2) Dough is rolled out and cut into identical pieces. Each piece is then weighed, to ensure it meets the requirements of 20.8g - 21.2g.

3) Cut-out pieces of dough are rolled out, transforming into silvers of thin, smooth skins.

4) Dumplings are stuffed with premium minced pork.

5) Pleated with a minimum of 18 exquisite folds, the dumplings are finished with a twist at the top.

6) Dumplings are then steamed at the perfect temperature, and served piping hot.


[Steamed Pork Dumplings 小笼包 10 pcs S$9.80 / 6pcs S$7.30]

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[Fried Rice with Shredded Pork & Eggs 肉丝蛋饭 S$9.80] - a classic dish comprising simple ingredients such as rice, shrimps, eggs and spring onions. Every grain of the premium Taiwan pearl rice is coated with egg and stir-fried with minimal seasoning so that the natural fragrance of the eggs and spring onions shine through. 

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Something that we seldom see, I didn't even realise they have this dish!


[Steamed Red Bean Dumplings with Chocolate Lava (巧克力豆沙小笼包) | S$10.00 (10pcs) / S$7.30 (6 pcs) For a sweet finish, bite into the thin dumpling skin and savour a divine pairing of luscious chocolate and
premium Taiwan red bean paste filling. 

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Thanks to hand model Carlyn.

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Chocolate oozing out of the red bean dumpling.

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Lastly, a box of pineapple tarts from DIn Tai Fung.

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Perfect for afternoon tea, don't you think so.

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Thank you Din Tai Fung for the invite!

Din Tai Fung
Please click here for DTF outlets



Saturday, June 28, 2014

Dian Xiao Er partners with Health Promotion Board - Healthier Dining Programme

Partnering Health Promotion Board, Dian Xiao Er recently introduced healthier set meals as well as lower calorie dishes with the launch of HPB's Healthier Dining Programme - debunking common conceptions that healthier dishes compromise the taste factor.

This was my first time to the Dian Xiao Er at NEX. I always go to Vivocity, Tampines One & Bedok Mall. Wow and it was pretty big. Much bigger than what I thought, good for holding mini birthday, engagement parties etc.

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Look at how spacious the restaurant is. There are other smaller seatings outside, as you walk along a narrow pathway, it leads you here to the bigger dining are. Usually they will close this section unless its occasions like Chinese New Year, Mother's Day, Father's Day.

Always love Dian Xiao Er's layout and inn-like feel.

Reprinting of menus
Dian Xiao Er will be reprinting their menus because their menu will feature healthier recommendations, and addition of informative features such as calorie contribution label, logos for healthier choices, recommended calorie allowance. They are collaborating with Unilever to develop a full selection of Healthier Set Menu by July 2014.

Reprinted menu will be out on 18th July 2014, together with the opening of new outlet at Junction 8!

Healthy set meals for two & promotion on lower calorie dishes
Look out healthy set meals for 2 pax for only S$21.90-S$29.90++
and also enjoy 30% off selected Lower Calorie Dishes. (Check in store for more details!)

Switching to healthier cooking method
Dian Xiao Er is the first amongst restaurant chains to do a switch-over to rice bran oil. Rice bran oil reduces risks of cardiovascular diseases and amount of free radicals in the body. Enjoy a tasty yet nutritious meal! I have tried the dishes and they still taste the same, still as delicious!

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[Signature Herbal Roast Duck in Angelica Herb S$13.60]
[Signature Herbal Roast Duck in Ten Wonders S$13.90]
[Signature Herbal Roast Duck in Wild Ginseng S$14.30]
770kcal for small portion. 

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[Fish Maw Thick Soup with Seafood S$16.90] - 260kcal for small portion

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We love the top shell (slices you see on the soup), sweet and flavourful unlike abalone.

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Medium size cod fish.

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[Hong Kong Style Steamed Silver Cod Fish S$26.90] - 320kcal for small portion. 

I love cod fish, and it seems like i now love cod fish more than salmon! Cod fish is smooth, with a buttery taste. 

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[Seafood Combo with Assorted Vegetables S$15.60] - 360kcal for small portion

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Spot the logos for healthier choices, calorie contribution label, ask for less oil & salt logos when flipping through the menu. 

[Stir Fried Seafood Bee Hoon with a Fish Sauce S$9.90] - 390 kcal for small portion. 


Wilson love this so much, he wanted to replicate this at home. 😋👍

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(Picture credit: Dian Xiao Er)

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(Picture credit: Dian Xiao Er)
Do you know that they have a [Herbal Roast Duck Meat Rice S$7.90]? 
Its 530kcal and is one of the healthier set meal choices! 

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[Baby Kai Lan with Salted Fish & Lime S$9.90] - 230kcal for small portion. 

Pleasantly surprised by the taste of lime in this dish, unlike the usual Kai Lan we have in Chinese restaurants. Couldn't taste much of the salted fish which is good for those who don't like salted fish smell or taste. 



Soups!

[Stewed Crocodile Soup with Sweet Almonds & Chuan Bei S$7.60] - 120kcal for small portion

If you ask me how crocodile meat taste like, its very much like pork, but much more tougher and dry.


[Double-boiled Wintermelon Soup with Conpoy S$7.30] - 130kcal for small portion


[Double-boiled Black Chicken Soup S$7.30] - 160kcal for small portion

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[Claypot Braised Sea Cucumber, Mushroom & Pork Tendon S$26]

I know my mum will love this!

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Dian Xiao Er decided to pamper us and let us try a not so healthy
[Mongolian Spare Ribs S$13.90] - 960kcal for small portion

I am not a rib person but I should just try it. It is fried to a slight crisp, and coated with a layer of mildly spice sauce, balanced with a sweet and sour tinge of plum to give a unique flavour.

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[Marmite Superior Chicken Wings S$10.90] - 860 for small portion

It kind of taste like Bonchon Chicken, crispy and tasty, fingers licking good.

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An exclusive Ice Lemon Tea made by the head waitress there. Feels so refreshing after a hearty meal!

Healthy Go Lucky Stamp Card

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Starting from now till 25th Oct 2014, order any healthier choice dishes (from participating partners) and earn a stamp. (Look out for the Healthier Choice Symbol in the menu) 

Collect 5 stamps and stand a chance to win up to S$300,000 worth of prizes in this HEALTHY GO LUCKY draw! 

1st prize: travel vouchers worth S$8,888.

2nd prize: luxury cruise for 2 worth S$5,000.

3rd prize: 3D2N spa Staycation for 2 worth S$2,000.

Other prizes include:
200 X S$200 shopping mall vouchers, 500 X S$100 supermarket vouchers & 800 X S$50 dining vouchers! 


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My card all stamped and ready to win! MUAHAHA!

#healthycanbetasty campaign
Apart from eating healthy and the HEALTHY GO LUCKY stamp card, there is another campaign! 

1) Order any healthy choice dishes
2) Take a photo
3) Upload the picture to Dian Xiao Er's Facebook page 

First 50 to get 50 likes win S$20 dining vouchers! 


From 26th June till 25th July 2014.

Thank you Dian Xiao Er for the invite!
Dian Xiao Er

Click HERE for their outlets & opening hours.