Immersed with tranquility in the early hours, Sunset Way becomes an area like no other place in Singapore. In some ways, you might find similarities in the bustling night areas such as Holland Village or Dempsey Hill, however the uniqueness of Sunset Way lies in its al-fresco dining within the residential area of Clementi. Just imagine the privilege of finer dining just below your flat. Convenient eh?
Tze Char restaurant, Tian Jia Fu is among one of the few tenants which was opened for business on the third day of Lunar New Year, so we decided to walk in to see what they have in-store for us. Hotplate Beancurd (S$12.00) was a delight for sure. Filled with big chunks of beancurd, crunchy vegetables and fresh shrimps, but somehow I thought that the omelette was pathetic, in terms of quantity.
Crabs cooked with savoury salted yolk sauce, yes, but to be honest, it was my virgin experience with eating Salted Egg Prawns (S$27.00). Quantity for the pricey tag was a minus as well, but I liked how they infused the salted yolk flavour into the juicy prawn meat.
If you prefer Indian curry over the Chinese's version, you would probably love their Curry Fish Head (S$20.00), which has a higher curry powder to coconut milk ratio than normal. Tantalizing enough.
Their signature Golden Dragon Chicken (S$28.00 for whole) was over-rated. One, the price was too hefty for what was served. Two, we felt cheated when we saw that the chicken was in thin slices (like how roasted suckling pig is served). Three, there is nothing to rave about this dish, except the incorporation of shrimp meat in it, or so it tasted.
The total bill was S$138.60 for 6 persons. Affordable? Might be, but definitely a no-no for value. Looking at the vast dining area with lots of tables, it would've attracted more of the dinner crowd. Perhaps the chef wasn't in a good mood previously. But looking at the current state, it would be a long climb before we visit it again.
Tian Jia Fu
Tel: 6872 5860
106 Clementi St 12
#01-38A/B