Cuisine: Asian
Location: Tampines 1, Singapore
Craving Score: 3.5 / 5 (You'll come back for more)
Tampines 1 has made a name for itself for being a high end specialty mall that caters to a wide group of audiences. Naturally, being the cheapskate that I am, I have always turned a blind eye to this restaurant at the basement of Tampines 1. That, is Kim Gary's Hong Kong Restaurant.
One day, my wife and I finally ran out of places to eat (that happens a lot if you live in one place too long), so we decided to finally try out HK Kim Gary. We were not really sure what to expect because the pictures of the menu are quite a varied sort. But eventually, we have come to classify it as Asian Fusion.
The first thing you will notice (considering you are a foreigner like me) is that the people here seem to have a problem speaking english. Not that it's a big deal, this is a foreign country after all, but it would be helpful to tourists if the staff did not have any apprehensions speaking English.
However, all that becomes history as you are greeted with an old school way of ordering your food. In typical Chinese fashion, food is conveniently labeled by number and sometimes come with a picture. Thankfully, some English has been spared here for names and descriptions of the food. Once you have chosen your food, it's then time to jot down your order on the order slips provided. Again, this is fine and all, but then the staff takes the slip of paper and repeats your order. What would be the big difference if the staff took the order in the first place?
That's how they operate so I don't have anything more to say about that. It's about the food after all. And since that is what counts the most, it's a relief that HK Kim Gary scores on this part of the scale. And it scores big. Asian Fusion is normally defined as a conglomeration of traditional food and a touch of modernization to appeal to today's taste buds.
Today I ordered the Korean Noodle with Beef and Lychee with aloe. The serving was big enough for two, which was a big plus. Although I normally do not eat that much anymore, it's a welcome touch to today's shrinking plates. I have not really been to Korea to tell if the dish is authentic or not, but it is good enough to warrant another visit. The flavor was rich and the beef was just tender enough to start melting in your mouth, but not completely disintegrate. It had enough flavor and yet just enough available space to personalise it. The lychee drink was nothing to write home about, but I had been itching to try the drinks served in a candy bottle and not a standard glass.
We had eaten at Kim Gary's before and the baked rice I had back then was a great meal on it's own right. This second helping just makes it a fact that this place is good. Redundant service not-withstanding, Kim Gary's is a place that is worth your dollar.
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