Multi-award celebrity Chef Peng founded Tasty Loong at Orto Park and Link Hotel in 2018 and 2019 to let Singaporeans enjoy his award-winning recipes.
Tasty Loong at Orto Park is located right beside the large pond that used to be part of Bottle Tree Park. I love the peaceful and serene ambience of this restaurant.
I recently had dinner with a group of friends at Tasty Loong (Orto Park). We were there during the Chinese New Year period so we got to try the New Year set menu. We chose Set B (for 8 persons) which costs S$468++ per table.
Chinese New Year sets always starts with yu sheng (we call it lo hei in Singapore). It is made up of shredded vegetables, slices of raw fish and a variety of condiments with different auspicious meanings. You have to mix and toss the ingredients as high and as loudly as possible to signify prosperity. Tasty Loong’s yu sheng is named Salmon Fish Prosperity “Lo Hei” 迎春团圆齐捞起 (三文鱼生).
Next on the menu is almost always shark’s fin which is named Braised Shark’s Fin with Crab Meat and Dried Seafood 金银玉满堂 (蟹肉海味鱼翅).
I was hoping this is fake shark’s fin but this seems like the real deal. It is thick and gooey with shreds of shark’s fin, real crab meat and mushrooms.
The garoupa fish used in Steamed Garoupa in Hong Kong Style 年年胜有馀 (港式蒸海斑) is really fresh. I can tell from the firmness of the flesh. Hong Kong style of cooking please preserves the natural sweetness of the fish.
Braised Baby Abalone with Mushroom 包君行好运 (红烧花菇珍珠鲍) is a simplified version of the Cantonese poon choi. This is another common Chinese New Year dish. Baby abalone and juicy shiitake mushrooms lie on top of sweet poached cabbage.
Crispy Fried Roast Chicken 金鸡鸣报喜 (脆皮炸烧鸡) is the signature dish of Tasty Loon. It’s not so much the chicken itself but rather it’s the presentation that makes it memorable.
The pre-prepared roasted chicken stands on a stand. The staff pours rose rice wine onto the chicken and torches it. The alcohol in the rose rice wine fuels the flames and it looks like the chicken is on fire. The staff cuts the chicken into smaller pieces and serves it to the table. Each piece of the chicken has a slight rose aroma which is pretty unique.
The prawns used in Deep-fried Prawn with Creamy Pumpkin Paste 金碧展颜笑 (金瓜奶黄虾球) are huge and crunchy. Golden-hued pumpkin paste coats each prawns making them look like nuggets of gold.
Fried Rice with Waxed Meat Wrapped in Lotus Leaf 丰衣添足食 (腊肉荷叶饭) is another classic Chinese New Year dish. The juice from waxed meat infused into the rice during steaming, giving the rice an alluring fragrance.
Our dessert is Chilled Mango Purée with Pomelo and Vegetable Bird’s Nest 金湖玉汁显奇珍 (血燕杨枝甘露). It is sweet and creamy with pieces of vegetable bird’s nest and pomelo inside. This chilled dessert is perfect for Singapore’s hot weather and the perfect ending to a meal.
I find Tasty Loong’s Chinese New Year menu well-worth the $68.50 we paid each for the meal. This is the perfect restaurant to have traditional seat-down dinner with family. Grandparents and parents will enjoy these time-honored dishes.
Tasty Loong (Orto Park)
Address: 81 Lorong Chencharu, Orto Park, Singapore 769198
Telephone: +65 67577887
Tasty Loong (Link Hotel)
Address: 50 Tiong Bahru Road, Link Hotel #01-04, Singapore 168733
Telephone: +6569095700
Website: https://www.tastyloong.com