I do not have a good impression of Tung Lok as most of their restaurants seem bad but I was interested in My Humble House.
I like how the area is VERY big as I generally prefer big areas rather than small “cozy” ones which make me feel claustrophobic. Very perfect for events or meetings I’d say.
The view is quite beautiful too.
Before I start on the review, I’d like to share with you some mental preparations you should have if it’s your first time.
1. Come with the Palate card and get 50% of if you have 1 guest, or 35% if you come as a trio and so on.
2. Order ONLY from the main menu and avoid dim sum even if you’re tempted.
3. Order what you would like to have personally and forget about sharing because it is modern Chinese cuisine and portions are styled and portioned for single consumption (but not too puny); think a typical starter/ appetiser/ main course you order from say a French restaurant – just enough for 1 course. So just imagine you’re having a typical 3 or 4 course meal and order 3 or 4 courses for yourself.
4. Night time would be better since the menu’s the same and the view outside will be pleasant at night.
We had 35% for this meal so I’ll include discounted prices in the brackets.
We did order 4 dim sum items but they were so ordinary it was just sad. I am not going to post about it because it sort of ruined the experience. For restaurant standards I’d say it’s below average.
Crispy Fish Skin in Oatmeal – $8.00++ ($5.20++)
I really liked this. It is from the tapas menu actually so not really for a proper meal, but it was fun to munch on. The seasoning used in the oatmeal was very good and it didn’t taste too oily nor reek of any oil smell. The fish skin was crispy to perfection!
Bai Ling Mushroom with Truffle Jus – $12.00++ ($7.80++)
The bai ling mushroom had somewhat abalone texture. The truffle sauce was good and I liked this.
It really looks like abalone.
Poached Baby Spinach with Three kinds of Eggs in Superior Broth – $8.00++ ($5.20++)
This is my favourite type of cooking method for Chinese vegetables and I’ve had this at probably 3 other restaurants. The one here left be satisfied. I like how the spinach wasn’t the soggy wrinkly sort. The broth was flavourful too.
Crisp Fried Edamame Tofu Topped with Crab Meat and Roe – $10.00++ ($6.50++)
This is definitely my favourite. I must emphasise that I’m not a fan of tofu so when I praise tofu it must be different and delicious.
Sorry for the unsightly picture. The tofu is definitely homemade as its green in colour and the texture was not like the machine type. The tofu was fried to perfection and it had a thin crispy exterior with no nasty fried oil taste. The flavour of the beans went quite well with the tofu and the sauce was good.
Crispy Spiced Kurobata Pork Ribs in Sun-dried Tomato Reduction– $14.00++ ($9.10++)
I was hopeful that this would be very tender and stuff but sadly I didn’t think this pork texture was significantly different from the normal pork. The overall dish was quite average.
Roast Boneless Chicken marinated in Smoky Sauce – $12.00++ ($7.80++)
This chicken was alright but not very spectacular. Unless you really love chicken perhaps.
Perhaps on my next visit I’ll try stuff like the crispy tiger prawn, foie gras or the desserts, and bear in mind that I should order the food like how I would order for French or Italian food! The prices are pretty reasonable so for a 4 or 5 course meal I’ll probably be only $40++ – $60++ and with the palate discount up to 50% it will only be $20++ – $30++ per pax which is great value!
*****
Ambiance: 9/10
Food: 8/10
Value: 8/10 (with discount)
Overall: like most Chinese restaurants, they offer a wide variety on the menu so do choose wisely as it is impossible that everything taste equally good.
*****
#02-27/29 Esplanade Mall
8 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039802
Tel : 6423 1881
*****
Lunch: 11.45am – 3.00pm (Last order: 2.30pm)
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm (Last order: 10.00pm)
Hungry Bird 