Name of restaurant: Seafood Paradise
Type of cuisine: Seafood, modern Asian cuisine
Located at Changi airport, this restaurant’s outlet location makes perfect sense if you’ve ever been that eager for seafood; even right after your flight home.
Seafood Paradise serves a wide range of seafood to meet your cravings for crabs, prawns and more sea crustaceans.
Founded by brothers Eldwin and Edlan Chua, the first Seafood Paradise at Defu Lane was a humble coffee shop in an industrial area. It’s also the first establishment of the Paradise group of restaurants; in the decade since, the group has expanded rapidly to include restaurants of varied Chinese cuisines all around Singapore.
In celebration of its zi char roots, coffee pork ribs, fish curry head and other Singapore hawker favourites are the mainstays on the menu, so a taste of home is easily within reach.
The best part? This restaurant offers seafood set meals suited for dining individually or in a small group; the set meals include a Singapore main dish with a seafood trio platter and a drink. You’ll be able to satisfy your seafood craving without over-ordering.
Featured on the right: The restaurant’s signature creamy butter crab (seasonal price)
Ambience:
In terms of its decor, the restaurant is by no means grand or particularly outstanding but it serves its purpose as a cosy, air-conditioned seafood restaurant. As the restaurant is enclosed in a comfortable setting, you won’t need to worry about getting stares from curious passerbys.
Crab dishes are admittedly messy dishes to consume; our dining companions have also unanimously agreed that it’s the last dish you’ll want to have on a first date. So feast on your crabs in peace; while you’re busy savouring these dishes, the other diners are the only ones privy to your less-than-glamorous moments.
The curry fish head ($18 per portion) and the crispy kang kong ($14.90 for a small portion)
Must-tries/specialties: Order up a hefty seafood meal, if you’re so inclined. These dishes are available in a variety of styles that include crabs with thick chili gravy, crabs stir-fried with black pepper, prawns sauteed, steamed or cooked crispy with cereal; and the tantalising list goes on.
While chili crabs may be a hot Singapore favourite, Seafood Paradise’s creamy butter crab will reward adventurous taste buds. The unusual creamy butter gravy is rich, sweet but not too thick; however, diners keen on a more savoury option may still prefer the popular black pepper or chili crab.
The restaurant’s curry fish head is another heartwarming hawker specialty at this restaurant. Although the curry is a bit thicker than expected, the dish does not disappoint with its rich flavours. It’s less sour and more sweet due to the coconut milk; a popular Chinese-inspired variation of the original South Indian dish.
Even if you typically hate vegetables with a passion, the crispy kang kong (Chinese spinach) with cuttlefish might just coax you into having some greens. Fried in a batter reminiscent of Japanese tempura, these crunchy vegetables have none of that bitter taste that deter some from munching on greens.
Complete your meal with the refreshing chilled lemon grass jelly ($4.50 a portion, featured on the right); the perfect end to a heavy seafood meal.
Price: Individual set meals start from $14.80++. As seafood prices are seasonal, diners are advised to make price inquiries with the waiting staff before ordering.
Verdict:
We love the inventive creamy butter crabs and we can’t wait to give the other seafood dishes a try too.
Seafood Paradise is located at Changi Airport Terminal 2, 60 Airport Boulevard, Level 3, #036-059 Level 3, Singapore 819643, Tel: 6214 9655; 91 Defu Lane 10, #01-01 Swee Hin Building, Singapore 539221. Ongoing restaurant promotions and the individual set menus will be unavailable during festive Chinese New Year period from January 9 to February 6, 2012.
For more outlet locations and restaurant information, go to www.paradisegroup.com.sg/seafood for more information.