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Cheers To Good Health WHEN you think of healthy cuisine, and the words bland and boring come to mind, then perhaps it is time to re-think the places you're going to. And to try Doc Cheng's at Raffles Hotel. Its three-course Feel Good Menu was created to cater to the health-conscious or diners in search of something wholesome and refreshing. Offered from now till the end of August, the dinner menu priced at S$60+++ features nourishing ingredients such as harsma, ginkgo nuts, white fungus and ginseng. All good and all bundled up in an 'eclectic mix of East and West' for which the restaurant is famed. This special menu was devised by chef de cuisine Dave Heng who has cooked his way around the Raffles Hotel for eight years and was part of the team responsible for Doc Cheng's trans-ethnic cuisine. An unusual yet fitting appetiser was the shark's fin melon terrine with red date harsma and watercress coulis. Served cold, this refined and tantalising starter perked up my tastebuds in a minute. The slow-braised spring chicken, ginseng and white fungus broth had all the nourishment needed after a stressful day at work. Presented in the broth is a piece of chicken wrapped in beancurd skin and neatly tied with chives into a parcel. Accompanying the chicken were green vegetables, enoki mushrooms and red dates, which lent a subtle sweetness to the soup. Next, we had the crunchy water chestnut jelly served in a tall glass. A clever touch to a simple and superb dessert was the scoop of chrysanthemum sorbet and sprinkling of wolfberries. The blend of flavours and textures of this dessert was refreshing to the last drop. This menu comes with a cooling herbal tea at the end of the meal.
Also worth ordering is the incredibly fresh Hawaiian style ahi tuna tartare with wasabi truffle dressing, and the Indochine crab cakes served with smooth butter cream sauce. Otherwise, enjoy heftier items such as the Szechuan rack of lamb with mashed sweet potato nestled underneath. Marinated and grilled to seal in the flavour, and then oven-baked, the lamb is drizzled with the chef's special port wine ginger sauce and served with braised kailan. Although the meat was tender, I couldn't really discern the Szechuan flavour. One delectable dish that I would recommend is the char-broiled butterfish. Marinated in sake and miso, the thick slice of fish is prepared with a blend of spices and eel sauce. It is then placed atop yam paste, served with asparagus and shitake mushrooms and drizzled with lemon and parsley sauce. Doc Cheng's offers both casual outdoor and indoor dining - a good place to wind down. Finally, don't miss Doc Cheng's Tonic, a special fizzy concoction of ginseng, ginger and apple. This non-alcoholic in-house drink will supposedly boost your immune system and nourish your body. Cheers to good health! 2nd level Raffles Hotel Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6431 6156 or 6331 1612. Opening Hours: Lunch - Noon to 2pm, Dinner - 7pm to 10pm. Closed on Sundays. |
The
restaurant's notable signature dishes include Mongolian barbecued
pork rolls with avocado and kim chee dressing (drizzled with curry
oil). This is bathed in a Chinese-style marinade and presented wrapped
in filo pastry.