Taste Paradise, ION Orchard

I've finally got to visit the much talked about Taste Paradise (2 Orchard Turn, #04-07 ION Orchard, tel : +65 6509 966) , the flagship restaurant of the Paradise Group. This place was a little pricier than I had expected, even for dim sum. While the food was quite tasty, the cost of eating here didn't quite commensurate against the taste for regular visits. Not when there are plenty of other more affordable options around.

century egg with lime sherbet

These spoonfuls of chopped century eggs came with coarse bits of ice and were more like granitas rather than sherbet. It was also quite sour and tasted much less interesting than I had imagined. I'm positive that they're something I will not be ordering again. The execution was just poorly thought out.

har gou

The har gous from this place were decent, but I really couldn't say much more about them. Somehow, I was expecting better from a place like this.

steamed prawns and golden mushrooms wrapped in seaweed

The steamed prawns wrapped in seaweed were quite good. The prawns were fresh and crunchy and the pairing of the savory superior sauce with seaweed simply clicked. The bonus for me here was that I like golden mushrooms as well.

steamed chicken claws with black bean

Not a mediocre rendition of steamed chicken claws here, but I know I've had better. The flavor of the black beans were sadly lacking. They looked and tasted like there were there for decoration rather than flavor.

siew mai

The dainty siew mai was again like others, pretty decent. I can never help but to compare these dumplings against the memorable ones.

foie gras

I like foie gras. These were pretty okay. I can understand that since this item is probably not their forte.

la mian with truffle oil and bacon bits

Yes, I've been reading on how truffle oil are brewed through food alchemy. That doesn't stop me from liking the aromas and the truth is, their noodles were firm and provided very nice texture for both chewing and slurping. And there's truffle oil and bits of crispy bacon in there.

char siew sou

I think here lies a decent rendition of char siew sou. The pastry was soft and packed a generous portion of the hot and sweet roasted pork and sauce. The true masters of this light and delicate skinned pastry, at least in ION, are however found seven floors below.

steamed pork ribs with black bean

Again, the black bean in the steamed pork ribs seemed more for presentation than flavor. These were okay, but I would not consider ordering them again if I came back.

duo of roasted pork belly and duck

Not bad, but didn't blow me away there.

X.O. sauce stir fried chee chong fun

These rice rolls took a very long time to arrive after repeated reminders. They were actually not bad, but the sauce a little too damp than I'm used to.

salted yolk custard buns

Everyone creates a rendition of these buns these days. I've to admit that the ones here in Taste Paradise are pretty good with a nice balance of custard and yolk.