Shop Reviews

**2nd Visit:** January 7, 2023 11:45 AM Pre-CNY lunch Food was good all around: prawn roll (hay zhou), 大菜 (stewed mustard), roast chicken, deep-fried soon hock fish, stir-fried asparagus, 炒菜谱粿条, lo hei, and yam paste dessert. **First Visit:** One of the undiscovered Teochew restaurant gems in the North. They offer very good dim sum and other dishes. It's also a tea shop where you can order tea and have a nice chat.

Came here after I watched on YouTube a video series called Art Beyond Museum by Lotus On Water, a top-notch fengshui gallery in the world. Must try the steamed fish and the yam dessert. Their cai pok kwey tiao and fish maw soup were great too!

I've been to the Bedok branch before, but it was quite some time ago. I was here for a simple lunch 🍱, and ordered some dim sum 🥟, pork jelly, and cai po kway tiao. For the cai po kway tiao, be aware of its saltiness; I'd recommend ordering it for sharing, as the wok hei was fragrant. The food was decent, and you can tell they are very proud of their Teochew-style cuisine. The service staff were attentive and friendly. It’s located on Level 2 of Canberra Plaza; walk straight after coming up from Level 1 via the escalator. The whole place was spacious and comfortable. One thing that took a star ⭐️ away was the lack of clear information about the cover charge. Honestly, it's not a new concept for some restaurants, and I personally think it's reasonable, but customers should be briefed so they are aware of what they are paying for and what they are entitled to. Thanks to Manager Florence, she apologized and was willing to waive it for this time (as we had ordered aiyu ice, didn't drink tea or water, and returned the wet towel). I will return for the great food, tea, and service.

Here's the edited review: I was delighted when my friend told me that Chin Lee has opened a branch at Canberra Plaza. **Premise** Direct access to level 02 via Canberra MRT Station. The tables were arranged spaciously, with safe distancing measures in mind. The restaurant was modern, new, clean, and comfortable. **Service** The staff were much warmer, friendlier, more attentive, and more hospitable than the staff at Bedok, who came across as rude and impatient. The staff took the initiative to bring two bag stands for the four of us, so we could place our bags in them. This is commendable. Other than forgetting my request for toothpicks, the staff remembered our other requests. **Food** I enjoyed all the dishes we ordered. Their Teochew Yu Sheng is the best Yu Sheng I have ever tasted. It looked plain and simple at first, but do not be deceived by its appearance. The vegetables were so fresh and chilled. Simply refreshing! According to my friend, no ginger was added, which I also prefer. I also liked that the vegetables were not laden with artificial food colouring. My friend felt that it was the sauce that pulled the whole dish together. It had a nice plum sauce taste, but it wasn't too sweet. The top shells were cut into bigger slices, and they were satisfying. We paid extra to add the crispy crackers. It definitely enhanced the overall taste of the Yu Sheng. The crispy crackers did not taste commercially bought. The Yu Sheng tasted like a very delicious salad. I loved it! We also ordered the Prawn Ball, Braised Goose, Spinach with Minced Garlic, De-shelled Prawn with Mayonnaise, Roast Chicken and Crackers with Salt and Pepper, Oyster Flour Omelette with Chilli Vinaigrette, Fried Chye Por Hor Fun, and Orh Nee. Every dish was excellently executed. I enjoyed every dish. The Pu-er Tea and Oolong Tea were aromatic and delicious! **Tea Bar** Chin Lee Canberra has a unique tea bar that sells several types of tea, as well as teapots and cups. I feel that it is innovative of Chin Lee to introduce this tea bar concept. It caused some excitement in me, as I am an avid tea drinker. 100g of Pu-er Tea Leaves in a black tin costs $55, while the same amount of Tie Guan Yin costs $60. I look forward to buying the Pu-er Tea from them on my next visit. I will bring my fellow tea drinkers next time. **Gripe** The bill totaled about $280, including taxes. We paid S$70 each, including taxes. I wish that the price were lower or there were some credit card discounts so that I could dine at Chin Lee Canberra more frequently instead of only on special occasions.

The dishes were good. The dining area was spacious. Service was really bad, from the manager to the waitress. Well, if the manager is rude, what can we expect from the waitress?

Here's an edited version of the review: We have frequented this restaurant for many years. The first two visits were pleasant, as we enjoyed the dishes we ordered. Recently, we went for a family dinner and ordered braised duck, which tasted okay but wasn't fantastic. Also, the sweet and sour pork had a crispy outer layer and was quite well-balanced in sweetness and sourness. There was also a leafy green and prawn dish. The salted egg prawn was a letdown. I felt they may have used salted yolk powder, judging by the unnatural colour and taste, instead of 'fresh' salted egg yolk, as I couldn't find any bits of yolk. It was below my expectation, as there are much better salted egg prawn dishes served at other zi char stalls. Today, I ordered some noodles and fried rice for takeaway. The best among these dishes was the stir-fried bee hoon; I could taste that it had absorbed the broth well. The fried rice was not up to standard; it had a bland taste, lacked wok hey, and was too dry for my liking. It was very different from the fried rice that I tried before at the same outlet. The stir-fried hor fun was the worst of all; it had a doughy smell, and the noodles lacked the fragrance of broth. For a restaurant setting, I would definitely expect a higher standard of food. I really doubt if I will ever visit again.

Here's an edited version with minimal changes: Decent Teochew Chinese food at Chin Lee. It's quite a hidden gem, as it’s tucked all the way in a corner on the second floor. We ordered a set menu. Dishes we quite liked included the chicken, fish, and prawns. Service is good, and they were very accommodating with larger tables as we came with children. Overall, it was pretty good food and service.

Not salty, and this is good. Healthy cooking. It wasn't crowded, so the staff kept coming to our table. The food is good, but the business isn't attracting a big crowd. Maybe they could do more promotions.

Amazing dim sum place that's a hidden gem in the North. Specialising in Teochew dishes, they also serve a fabulous Dim sum brunch during the weekends. The Dim sum menu is a bit small, but all the classics are available and good. The har gow, Siew mai, and XO fried carrot cake are especially tasty. For an additional treat, call in advance to pre-order their oyster omelette (which is usually only available during weekdays) to complete the meal. Attentive and efficient service staff rounds off a delightful dining experience each time we are here. Highly recommended.

I took a long drive to try the dim sum at Chin Lee Tea and Dine. It was a long drive to Canberra Plaza from the East. It is conveniently located on level 3. The restaurant is bright and spacious. Customer service is good and attentive. We ordered the char siew bao, steamed Yam cake, fried bean curd skin, glutinous rice with chicken and fried sesame peanut ball. The steamed Yam cake is a winner. The texture is soft and chewy yet firm. The flavor is right. The glutinous rice is also very good. It is well seasoned and tasty. It is closer to a Lor My Kai to me. The char siew bao is just right but not exceptional. The fried bean curd skin is a tad too oily and the texture is crunchy. Another winner is the fried sesame peanut ball. It is coated with chopped peanuts. The texture is chewy and the peanuts are delicious. Overall experience is good. Will make a repeat visit.