Lunch @ Paradise Inn

Step into Paradise Inn and be greeted with a whole range of matching Chinese cutleries and furnitures. As you sit down on little red stools, you'll be served freshly steamed peanuts. This is irregardless of whether you've placed any orders for it or not. Of course, at the end of the day when the bill comes, you'll then realised that the yummy peanuts which you so hungrily devoured while waiting for your food to arrive is not complimentary.



One of the items which you definitely have to order while you're there is what the Chinese call the "Kong Ba Bao", which is translated as the fatty meat bun. Paradise Inn is supposedly (according to my colleague) famous for them.



You'll be served a plate of fatty meat in stew, and a basket of buns. For those unfamiliar with Chinese cuisine, you're supposed to pick up a piece of the fatty meat with your chopsticks, and then stuff your bun with it. Don't forget the parsley as that is what bring out the refreshing taste of the meat without it being too sickeningly oily. Before you start munching on the bun, remember to scoop up a little of the gravy and pour it into your bun together with the stuffing and parsley.

Yes, it's definitely a messy meal. But the process of D-I-Y-ing is part of the fun of eating the "kong ba bao". My verdict for the "kong ba bao" is that there's nothing to rave about. I believed I've tasted better ones at home. The essence is the "kong ba bao" actually lies in the fatty-ness of the meat, and the flavour of the stew itself. Of course, the bun must be steamed just right such that it is fuwa-fuwa soft.

Next up, we have the salted vegetables and duck herbal soup. This is one of my favourite herbal soup.





Other dishes we ordered...



Typical Chinese sweet and sour pork



Black pepper beef with bittergourd



Broccoli with mushroom



Steamed fish Teochew-style

This feeds about 7 of us, with each of us having a bowl of tapioca porridge. I must say my favourite has got to be the salted vegetables and duck herbal soup, and the black pepper beef with bittergourd.

Lastly comes the dessert.



Mango pomelo sago. Thick enough, yes, sweet enough, yes. But not enough mango or pomelo!

If you're looking for somewhere new for Chinese food, this might be the place for you. But don't expect a fantastic fare.