Restaurant-Dining Critiques

#03-08, Lobby G, VivoCity,
take the lift to Lobby G
or escalator from level 2 cinema.
Email: herbal@pacific.net.sg

6337 0491
Hours: Lunch: 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner: 6:30pm-11pm
Credit cards: all major
wine (Chinese medicinal only)
Prices: Moderate -Expensive

(The following piece was written in 1989 shortly after Imperial Herbal opened in 1988, twenty years ago. It has been condensed and edited for posting. The restaurant has moved from its Metropole Hotel location and relocated to Sentosa.  I thought it might be interesting to include Imperial Herbal in my blog as it is such an unusual restaurant. Now it has a beautiful sea view although, I would have expected that the restaurant deserved more thought put into its decor and demeanor, after all it has a longstanding history to uphold. In any case, they have decided on brash commercialism and good luck to them, I mean that sincerely. I visit Singapore once in awhile and have decided to stay with my memories from the past rather than re-visit this highly touristic place). If anyone disagrees, please let me know via comments or my email on the sidebar by clicking on About; I am very open minded!

It is imperative to have a few words with Mrs. Wang-Lee Tee Eng before looking at the menu. She is the managing director and will put together a course by course menu specifically for you. At first sight, it may look like just another ordinary Chinese restaurant, after tasting the first dish the kitchen’s deft hand will become apparent. The restaurant specializes in serving dishes that combine good taste with herbal medicine. The dishes are designed to cure whatever ails you by balancing your Yin and your Yang. Subtle tastes come through because the over salty flavour usually present in Chinese cuisine is subdued. Soy sauce is used sparingly and MSG not at all. The Chinese medicinal wine served is sweet, but it is worth trying one glass at the end of the meal. Chief Chef Zhang Zhen Jin from Tianjin, China was in charge, at the time, of the medicinal preparations including: Lu Bian (The Whip) this is regarded as the ultimate dish for virility and is made from the reproductive organs of a deer braised and mixed with eight different herbs (it must be ordered in advance). Quick fried scallop with polygonatum and ladybell root served in little baskets is supposed to aid the development of stamina. Simmered pear with fritillary bulb is the restaurant’s special dessert, (served hot). The Chinese cuisine is excellent with exotic dishes such as fruit bat, civet, and deer penis available on request.

Footnote 2 April 2008:
Our party indulged in a few of these unusual items, and since I have resided in Southeast Asia for many years the opportunity to taste many bizarre dishes including dog, most favored by Chinese, have presented themselves. I will not go into further detail regarding this subject, as there are animal-activists lurking around these days that are sensitive to anything of this nature. Suffice it to say, that today, I would not partake in eating any of these jungle species or (raised) dog, especially dog, which has no particular taste on its own, and as a dog lover, I can find no acceptable reason to put “man’s best friend” into the pot.