Category: Suzhou

琼林阁生态面庄 (Qionglinge Noodle House)

China, Suzhou

Alright I reckon it’s time to write a little more on Suzhou food before I leave this place for good. 🙂 This noodle house was discovered by myself while riding around the secluded areas of this deserted Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). Came here many times already actually, just that never got down to write about them. I reckon they deserve to be recommended as the noodles here are awesome and at the same time, they are at an area where not many people will know due to the lack of public transport facilities. See my comments below the pictures attached.

Noodle house front
Noodle house front
Can get very crowded during weekends and lunch hours.
Can get very crowded during weekends and lunch hours… interns in front… 🙂
Display of all the additional ingredients to go with your noodles.
Display of all the additional ingredients to go with your noodles… not much left if you’re there after 1pm… like me… 🙁
白汤 (White Soup) RMB5 - Typical Suzhou noodles with clear soup. Don't think they use MSG as I couldn't detect the usual MSG taste. Soup is nice and thick, I believe was boiled with pork bones among other ingredients for hours/days/weeks/months. You'll never know. ;)
白汤 (White Soup) RMB5 – Typical Suzhou noodles with clear soup. Don’t think they use MSG as I couldn’t detect the usual MSG taste. Soup is nice and thick, I believe was boiled with pork bones among other ingredients for hours/days/weeks/months. You’ll never know. 😉
红汤 (Red Soup) RMB5 - Typical Suzhou dark soup noodles. I reckon they added a little of the braised sauce from the braised meat. I prefer the clear one still.
红汤 (Red Soup) RMB5 – Typical Suzhou dark soup noodles. I reckon they added a little of the braised sauce from the braised meat. I prefer the clear one still.
Assorted Mushrooms RMB8 - Very nice to go with your noodles.
Assorted Mushrooms RMB8 – Very nice to go with your noodles.
焖肉 (Braised Meat) RMB8 - A typical Suzhou dish to go with the noodles.
焖肉 (Braised Meat) RMB8 – A typical Suzhou dish to go with the noodles.
爆鱼 (Braised Fish) RMB8 - Typical Shanghai/Jaingsu dish where the fish is deep fried and then braised. A little sweet as usual in their cuisine but an excellent source of protein. But the fish from around here are fresh water, hence LOTS OF BONES...
爆鱼 (Braised Fish) RMB8 – Typical Shanghai/Jaingsu dish where the fish is deep fried and then braised. A little sweet as usual in their cuisine but an excellent source of protein. But the fish from around here are fresh water, hence LOTS OF BONES…
A meal like this is around RMB$22 (S$4.50)
A meal like this is around RMB$22 (S$4.50)
This is how I slurp up my soup... Trust me, the taste is a lot better than using a spoon.
This is how I slurp up my soup… Trust me, the taste is a lot better than using a spoon.
This is how you show your appreciation... by finishing the soup that took many hours to boil!
This is how you show your appreciation… by finishing the soup that took many hours to boil!

Rating: 5/5.

Taste: Really awesome… been here like more than 8 times since I came to Suzhou a  year ago. Brought my SG interns there as well and they loved it. Noodles are custom made for their 2 outlets, soup base is boiled for many hours and even the accompaniments taste good!

Portion: Above average. I can be filled with only 1 standard bowl of noodles.

Service: Pretty good.

Ambience: Traditional setting. Quite appropriate for a traditional dish of Suzhou.

Price: Really cheap and affordable. I tried one traditional outlet at Shiquan Street, costed me RMB200 for 3 pax! And this is so much better than that ‘popular’ place!

RTE: Yah, tomorrow. I’m serious. 🙂

Location: 工业园区独墅湖月亮湾星月坊商业街E03. Tel: 0512-62727699. Opening Hours: Daily 0700-1330hrs.

Katong Restaurant – Suzhou, China

China, Singapore/Malaysian, Suzhou

My first time here after finding out from weibo the location of their restaurant. Heard so much about it and finally found some time to visit this place. Of course with my diet going on right now, this place is not very healthy for me. Nevertheless, I was buying dinner for my staff who is leaving and at least there’s someone there to share the food with me.

The restaurant is located at a pretty centralised location where many expats are staying. I spotted Fraser Suites just beside this neighborhood center. Took a cab from my place to there is around RMB36 (S$7.50) and I believe it was more than 10km. found the restaurant at level 2 of the center but was full house. So had to go to ground level to their another shop space which they rented just opposite one supermarket/bakery/cafe. See my reviews below the pics:

Restaurant front
Restaurant front
The shop space downstairs named under Orchard... a famous shopping street of Singapore.
The shop space downstairs named under Orchard… a famous shopping street of Singapore.
They have projector screening their specialty... More than 200 items on their menu!
They have projector screening their specialty… More than 200 items on their menu!
They have durians from Penang too but frozen... A box of 6 seeds is at RMB198 (S$41)
They have durians from Penang too but frozen… A box of 6 seeds is at RMB198 (S$41)
Teh Tarik Peng (Ice Pull Tea)
Teh Tarik Peng (Ice Pull Tea)
Bak Kut Teh (Spare Ribs Soup) is actually quite close to the Founder one at Balestier. Peppery type with a light hint of chinese herbs.
Bak Kut Teh (Spare Ribs Soup) is actually quite close to the Founder one at Balestier. Peppery type with a light hint of chinese herbs.
Sambal Kangkong is not bad, the sambal chilli is nice.
Sambal Kangkong is not bad, the sambal chilli is nice.
Fried Carrot Cake Black - This one quite interesting 'cos I can taste the carrot cake is made by them. There's dried shrimps in there with loads of white pepper. then cut to pieces and fry till crispy on the outside. Pretty good!
Fried Carrot Cake Black – This one quite interesting ‘cos I can taste the carrot cake is made by them. There’s dried shrimps in there with loads of white pepper. then cut to pieces and fry till crispy on the outside. Pretty good!
Sambal Chilli to go with the fried carroy cake. Very nice.
Sambal Chilli to go with the fried carrot cake. Very nice.
Chilli Crab - Shell is around 12cm in length and this one crabs costed me RMB208. Taste is pretty good and crab is fresh.
Chilli Crab – Shell is around 12cm in length and this one crabs costed me RMB208. Taste is pretty good and crab is fresh. Comes with fried mantou which is crispy and goes well with the sweet chilli sauce. Didn’t finish this, had to pack home cos all small eaters.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Taste: Taste overall is pretty authentic Singaporean food I must say.

Portion: Average

Service: Very good. Boss is there to make sure all customers are happy and attended to. Staff are trained to go around filling up water in empty glasses. Cooking time is all within 10-20mins.

Ambience: Pretty ok… aircondition can be a bit more cooler during summer. Pretty comfy though.

Price: Total bill came up to around RMB325. The crab is a little pricey though for that size but like I said before, in China, Singapore/Malaysian food is not cheap as compared to back home.

RTE: Yes, when I have cravings for Singapore food! Didn’t try to laksa and char kway teow…

Location: 师惠坊领里中心师惠大厦2楼204室（近星海街）Tel: +86 512 67614557

花丸乌冬面 – Suzhou, China

China, Suzhou

Never been a big fan of udon noodles cos I prefer thinner noodles like ramen or any fine noodles per se. Nevertheless, I was at this mall to reward myself for losing 22kgs to date (http://wp.me/p3Hprw-2Q) and wanted to have some noodles to curb my cravings. Couldn’t find a proper ramen restaurant, hence went for this instead. They have an ordering process which I thought was quite canteen style, which is, get in the line on the left, take a tray, take what you want and order your noodles at the last station, then pay for your food, then head to the sauces station to mix the sauce you like for the side dishes and perhaps your noodles and also equip yourself with the big wooden ladle-spoon-thingy. Then you find a seat to wallop your noodles! See my comments below for the food with the pictures.

Restaurant front
Restaurant front
this is where you collect your tray and pick the fried side dishes you want to eat with your udon.
this is where you collect your tray and pick the fried side dishes you want to eat with your udon.
then go down this line to pick other sides like salads, sea kelp,
then go down this line to pick other sides like salads, sea kelp,
This is where you order your udon and pay on the right side of this station
This is where you order your udon and pay on the right side of this station
Behind the scene are 2 workers making fresh udon and in front is the sauces station and free cold water on the right
Behind the scene are 2 workers making fresh udon and in front is the sauces station and free cold water on the right
白玉牛肉乌冬面 - The noodles are tasty as it is, no need to add extra sauce.
白玉牛肉乌冬面 – The noodles are tasty as it is, no need to add extra sauce. RMB28
Fried chicken pieces (RMB8) and squid tentacles (RMB6).
Fried chicken pieces (RMB8) and squid tentacles (RMB6).
This kelp is really nice and tasty RMB8
This kelp is really nice and tasty RMB8

Rating: 5/5.

Taste: Noodles are springy and very tasty without being too salty. No need to add extra sauces. I ordered the cold version and really good. Side dishes are warm and still crispy and the kelp is really awesome! You can ask for a bowl of hot soup as the noodles is dry version.

Portion: Average. Noodles are around 250-300grams. But filling enough for me actually.

Service: Excellent. The staffs there will educate all blur first time customers like me the ordering process. Only set back is they sweep the floor at the areas where customers are still eating… dust do fly you know?

Ambience: It’s alright, standard cafe style.

Price: Total bill came up to RMB50 which is pretty affordable.

RTE: Yup definitely would at one of my reward days!

Location: 久光百货 basement 1.

莎廊坊 – Suzhou, China

China, Suzhou

A Korean friend invited me for dinner to celebrate his wife’s birthday. This is perhaps one of the best Korean restaurants I have visited in China and I thoroughly enjoyed the dinner, not because of the company but also the ambience and the food. According to my friend, he said that this is probably the closest to what they eat in Seoul. Really mesmerized with the cuisine they have to offer and not that expensive also.

Restaurant front
Restaurant front
Using real charcoal for BBQ
Using real charcoal for BBQ
Love the decor
Love the decor
Quite full at night
Quite full at night
Beef Ribs
Beef Ribs
The veg is free flow... to wrap and eat with the meat
The veg is free flow… to wrap and eat with the meat. Salads we ordered.
Some fried pancake
Fried kimchi pancake
Service staff will be BBQing for you
Service staff will be BBQing for you
Kimchi soup comes with a bowl of steamed rice
Kimchi soup comes with a bowl of steamed rice
Cold Noodles... This one is damn awesome... The noodles are chewy like what you eat in Korea!
Cold Noodles… This one is damn awesome… The noodles are chewy like what you eat in Korea!
Complimentary dessert
Complimentary dessert

Rating: 4.5/5. Service could be a little better.

Taste: Really good. I would wanna visit again but on diet… maybe after my diet to reward myself!

Portion: Average

Service: Service is not that good ‘cos you have to call them to get things done. Some things have to be automatic like topping up the water when the glass is empty, etc.

Ambience: Very nicely decorated.

Price: I didn’t pay but I believe it’s around RMB500 (SGD$100) for 4 pax.

RTE: Hell yeah!

Location: 工业园区旺墩路268号圆融时代广场天幕东街11幢1-2楼(华池街口). Tel: 0512-66966277