PRIMA REVOLVING RESTAURANT

10 May 2009

Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant201 Keppel RoadSingapore 099419Tel: (65) 2728822

We reminisce nostalgia of primary school days at Prima Revolving Restaurant as ex-Convent classmates, seven of them drove down from Kuala Lumpur and Batu Pahat to visit us and including residents here, we numbered a total of 14, though for lunch we had a table of 11paxs.

We caught up old days tales and adventures of growing up in Batu Pahat, slowly graduating to stories of motherhood , beauty, work and women's talk just like the restaurant revolves 360 degrees over sweeping panaromic view of Sentosa and the surrounding waterfront, as we pick at our dim sum and sip our chinese tea. The full revolution takes 90-minutes and in between, we had our fill our of stomach with good dim sum and the exchange of conversation that kept us occupied not realising we had made one full circle as we go on our circle of life.

Prima Revolving Restaurant is an old establishment and this iconic landmark at Keppel Road has been around since 1977. It has since continue revolving non stop and the restaurant offers delectable good Beijing cuisince since. The unique feature is that it is nestled on top of a grain silo and you need to pass through some grits of the yards of the warehouse environment before the lift brings you to the restaurant on the 9th storey. You just leave to Hong Kong Master Chef Chan with a realife size caricature standing at the entrance to welcome you in.

We relish a simple yet special "THREE NON-STICK" dish also called "GUI HUA DAN" and I believe that this is the only place that serve this traditional food. With the continous stirring of eggs, starch, sugar and water, you get a golden brown clump of non-stick dough.

My frens has their respective views of this piece of history which dated back to the Chinese Qing dynasty. Emperor Qianlong visited the south and on his way passing An Yang, he stopped in an attempt of the local food for which the local county magistrate asked the chef to prepare the dish "Gui Hua Dan" for the Emperor.

Emperor Qianlong was overjoyed after tasting the dish and when he noted that the dish

did not stick onto the serving plate,
did not stick onto the chopsticks
did not stick onto the teeth,

he immediately decreed the dish to be called "Three Non Stick". Contrary to the Emperor's liking, our modern day palate has evolved and my frens commented that it is too eggy in taste and one abhored it and shows disinterest in such a famous historical dish. For me, I enjoyed it very much as it is light, not sticky and as a dessert, not too sweet and the taste suits me.

THREE NON-STICK At Usual Price of SGD60.00, this is expensive for simple ingredients though much effort and skill is required in stirring the eggs, flour and water to the right consistency of texture here. For promotion period, we had this for SGD32.00 only

Har Kau with strands of Scallops

Char Siew Pau is always a favourite

Siew Mai has succulent prawns

Xiao Long Pau with spouting juice when you bite,; served in a bamboo steamer basket, we ordered a few "long".

Steamed Yam Cake topped with fresh scallions and shallots is yummy

Chee Cheong Fun wrapped around Chinese Cruellers is a must have dish for Dim Sum

Chinese Souffle Balls made of egg whites with red bean stuffings is another interesting dessert

Peking Duck, already de-skinned and short of it's glimmer sheen on a crispy duck; Meat a bit tough though. Usual Price SGD60.00 now at SGD32.00

Plain flour crepe instead of egg crepe to wrap the crispy Peking Duck skin

E-Fu Mien stir fried with the duck meat from Peking Duck



CONVERSATION AND DIM SUM DOLLY

REVOLVES

WITH PRIMA REVOLVING RESTAURANT