Dim sum with Chinese tea is a fail-safe pairing.

Dim sum with cocktails and sake is a different thing altogether.

However, the unusual pairing is the basis of Goodwood Park Hotel's latest FnB offering.

Dim Sake Bar (DSB), which offers both indoor and alfresco dining, came about when the hotel decided to offer its highly popular dim sum spread at Min Jiang beyond the operating hours of the restaurant. It wanted to redefine traditional dim sum dining by presenting it as a bar concept, and the result is a chic, airy dining space that offers dim sum and drinks until late.

While the concept is certainly interesting, it was the quality of the food and drinks which impressed the AsiaOne team at the media launch last week.

Generally, the food we sampled was delicately prepared and prettily presented. I particularly liked the Lobster & Scallop Kadaifa ($12.95) which was very well-fried, with a crisp yet light batter on the outside, and succulent seafood within. I liked the fact that the Chinese Bread stick ($6.95), despite being fried, was not at all greasy, and goes excellently with the chilli dip that accompanies the platter.

 
L-R: Lobster & Scallop Kadaifa and Steamed Fish with Sweet Mango & Herbs

My colleagues raved over the Tri-Partridge ($6.95, main picture) - a serving of hard-boiled quail eggs coated with sesame and seaweed flakes. The blend of tastes and textures was sublime. The quail eggs were perfectly boiled - neither mushy nor too hard - and the umami flavour of the seaweed flakes was perfectly complimented by the subtle aroma and texture of the sesame.

A very well-received item was the Steamed Fish with Sweet Mango & Herbs ($8.95). The herbs gave the smooth codfish added flavour, and the soup was a delight to sip. One colleague particularly enjoyed the thin slivers of mango between the slices of cod, as its sweetness cut through the rich taste of the cod and gave the dish an added zing.

Another popular item was the Tofu Trio ($8.95). The silky egg tofu topped with prawn meat was an enjoyable contrast of textures, while the chicken in fried tofu skin gave a little more weight to the otherwise light dish.

A fun dish is the Xiao Long Bao Shooter ($7.95). Each xiao long bao is served in a shooter glass, and apparently you are supposed to "shoot first, eat later". This novel way to enjoy the sweet and juicy dumpling would probably appeal to the young and hip.

Dim Sake Bar also offers a range of sashimi, makimono and sushi. The Japanese offerings are prepared by chefs from the award-winning Tatsuya Japanese Restaurant, and the quality shows. A colleague who adores sashimi was raving over the freshness of the sashimi we had while I enjoyed the makimono, with its chewy rice grains and roe.

  
L-R: DS Brew, O-Toro sashimi, Espresso Martini

As its name applies, Dim Sake Bar offers over 130 sake, shochu as well as cocktails and other drinks. Try the DS Brew ($18), which is a smooth, heady blend of green tea, whiskey, champagne, vodka and lychee juice. This light refreshing concoction goes down very easily and leaves a faint fragrance which is rather soothing. This is a signature drink of Dim Sake Bar and is a perfect way to unwind after dinner.

Another hit with the AsiaOne team was the Espresso Martini ($18). This smooth blend of espresso, creme de cacao and kahlua had a strong espresso flavour, yet had no trace of bitterness.

The prices at Dim Sake Bar may not be the cheapest in town, but one is paying for premium ingredients, exquisitely-prepared cuisine and excellent service - not to mention the luxury of being able to enjoy dim sum at midnight.

» Vodcast: Dim Sum + Sake = Dim Sake

Dim Sake Bar
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
(S) 228221
Tel: 6730 1825
Opening hours: 6pm-1am (Sun-Thurs); 6pm-3am (Fri, Sat and eve of public holidays)

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