Lunar New Year 2019 is coming and in the days leading up to the eve of the Lunar New Year, most Chinese restaurants are usually very busy preparing and promoting their Lunar New Year specials and offers. If you have not made any reservations, you got to hurry because you don’t want to be caught in a situation where all the restaurants are fully booked.

If you are residing around Serangoon and Hougang and you don’t want to travel too far out for your reunion dinner, East Bistro is one Chinese-Hong Kong restaurant that you should consider because here, you can get 5-star quality dishes at wallet-friendly prices!

With renowned Lei Garden’s former Head Chef Tony Wong at the helm, East Bistro serves one of the best Dim Sum around and uses only the freshest ingredients to whip up some delicious Authentic Hong Kong Cuisine.

In this post, we will be sharing with you some highlights from our recent dining experience at East Bistro and what we think of it.

The Dishes We Had

Chinese New Year Menu
We tried some of their dishes from the Chinese New Year Menu and here are some of the highlights that we will like to share. If you are wondering which Chinese New Year Set Menus to get, we will actually recommend the 8-Course Set B ($528++ for 6 pax) Menu which includes Abalone “Lo Hei” Platter, Braised Shark’s Fin Soup with Sea Treasure, Steamed Garoupa Fish in HK Style, and many more!

Steamed Garoupa Fish in HK Style

Personally, we love this dish and we wouldn’t mind having the entire fish to ourselves. Prized by the Cantonese for steaming, Garoupa is known for its delicate, tender and firm white flesh. The whole fish is steamed and then dressed with julienned green onion and ginger. Hot oil is then drizzled over the green onion and ginger. Light soy sauce is then dressed on the side of the fish. A clean and simple, yet incredibly delish dish.

Smoked Chicken in Ginger

Based off a traditional Hong Kong Recipe, the Smoked Chicken in Ginger has an exquisite and unique smoky taste. Using only Kampung chicken for its tender meat, the chicken is steamed to retain the moisture and its natural flavours. Having said that, it would really be lovely if the chicken was juicier as we felt that it was slightly dry.

Chilled Double Boiled Snow Lotus Seed

The Chilled Double Boiled Snow Lotus Seed is a rather special dessert and we really enjoyed it. Specially imported from Hong Kong and rarely found in Singapore, the high-quality Snow Lotus Seed is first boiled and then added to the dessert that is made from dried longans and large red dates.

Red Dates Cake, Price: $28.80 per KG

The Red Dates Cake is a traditional delicacy enjoyed during Chinese New Year. Using only large red dates, it is first boiled and subsequently made into a puree with some coconut added into the mix. The sweet fragrance of the red dates works beautifully with the creamy flavour of the coconut.

Normal A-La-Carte Menu
The dishes from East Bistro’s normal a-la-carte menu are really delightful and they are really good on its own. Here are some of the dishes from their a-la-carte menu that we tried and would recommend.

Crispy Rice with Crab in Soup, Price: Seasonal

A must-try at East Bistro. Keep your eyes peeled for the crackling of the golden fried rice crisps when they are tossed into the porridge. The broth is made up of chicken and pork bone, that is simmered for up to five hours. Chef Tony only uses Sri Lankan crabs for this dish, preferring their inherent tenderness and sweetness. The bright orange hue of the crustacean adds an extra sweetness to the clear soup. 

Iced Sweet & Sour Pork, Price: from $9 onwards

Unlike the typical Sweet and Sour Pork in Tze Char stalls that uses tomato-based sauce, the signature orange sauce at East Bistro is made from Hawthorne. The pork is first deep-fried to create the crispy skin, stir-fried with the Hawthorne sauce and presented on a plate of ice.

Chilled Mango Sago Cream with Pomelo, Price: $4 per serving

A refreshing chilled dessert using mango puree as a base enriched with evaporated milk for a creamier texture and served with a generous amount of freshly cut pomelo and mango

Overall

We had an enjoyable time at East Bistro and we will definitely be back for more. In fact, we are really glad to have found this hidden gem that’s quietly tucked away in Serangoon Garden because having tried their dishes, we really want to bring our family there for our usual weekend dinner gatherings.

Opening hours

Mondays to Sundays: 11.00AM –3.00PM, 5.00PM –10.00PM

Contact Details

Address: 1 Maju Avenue, #02-01, Singapore 556679

Telephone: 6634 2998

Getting There:

By bus –73, 136, 315 or 317

By car –enjoy free valet service every Friday evening from 6.00pm to 10.30pm and weekends and Public Holidays from 10.00am to 10.30pm.