Established in 1963 by two of Singapore Cantonese cuisine's 四大天王 (Four Heavenly Kings) —and no, not those Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings 😆. Lai Wah Restaurant is one of Singapore's most storied Cantonese restaurants as they are widely recognised as one of the pioneers behind iconic local dishes such as yee sang (鱼生), yam ring (佛钵飘香) and Mandarin Stewed Chicken (京都镡子鸡).
I heard a lot about this restaurant from my husband. My in laws used to dine here during the good old days. Since it was my father in law's birthday, we suggested to come here and it also give me a chance to try it out.
Reservation
The restaurant is not huge and have limited tables, so it's best to plan ahead and call them for reservation. We made the reservation a week ahead and only managed to get a table outside. Oh well...better than nothing right? 😜
Food!
Here are some of the dishes that we ordered:-
The fish is definitely fresh. However, we find the steamed version was a little on the bland side. What really caught our attention was the chef's skill in wrapping the vegetables with the sliced fish 😅. As for the fried version, well...anything fried is yummy especially when you have mayo on the side as a condiment. For the price I'm paying, I don't think this dish is value for money. Unless you really want to have a fish dish and don't mind splurging, then go for it.
The most anticipated dish of the night — and I must say, it was well worth the wait. The yam ring was crispy with a light, delicate texture and definitely not oily at all compared to some thick and dense version which is commonly found in many restaurants. The best part is actually the taste of yam in every bite instead of being overwhelmed by flour, which is often the case elsewhere.
Another point I would give to Lai Wah is the option to choose a different protein fillings for the yam ring instead of the typical diced chicken stir-fried with mixed vegetables. We opted for the sweet and sour pork and it did not disappoint. The pork was crispy, while the sweet and sour sauce was just the right balance of sweetness and tanginess. The overall dish was absolutely worth the calories!
The Golden Cage Chicken with Sotong and Prawn Paste is another specialty dish that is not commonly found these days. The dish features a whole chicken skin carefully stuffed with a mixture of sotong and prawn paste, then flattened and roasted till golden brown. The crispy chicken is served atop a bed of stir-fried chicken with mixed vegetables, resulting in a dish that is both crispy and juicy.
That said, I've had a better rendition of this dish at another restaurant, which I'll be writing about soon. Perhaps its because of the stir-fried chicken and vegetables beneath the crispy chicken allow moisture to build up, causing the skin to lose some of its crispiness over time. Nonetheless, this remains an exceptional dish and its a must try if you are ever in Lai Wah, especially given how uncommon it has become.
I must say, this dish was quite a letdown for me. The plate was piled high with a mountain of cereal but there were only six prawns hiding underneath 😅. At 28 bucks, I don't think its value for money.
As for the taste, it was too salty for my liking. Normally, I'd happily whack the cereal because it's the best part of this dish but this time I could barely manage a second bite.
We needed a vegetable dish to make ourselves feel just a little healthier 😆. We ended up ordering this because it caters to almost everyone's taste buds. It was a decent dish but nothing particularly memorable.
We also ordered the Yong Chow Fried Rice, which I found rather average. If you are expecting a wok hei-packed kinda fried rice, this isn't it. Perhaps, wok hei wasn't as heavily emphasised back in the day (I'm not sure) but I definitely had better versions elsewhere.
So, is Lai Wah worth visiting? Yes! If you are looking to experience authentic Cantonese cuisine with nostalgic, old-school flavours that have stood the test of time, then Lai Wah is worth a visit. Eventhough not every dish was a standout, its signature specialties are worth the try.
Lai Wah Restaurant
44 Bendemeer Rd. #01-1436
Singapore 330044
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