House of Lobster

The fantastic thing about living in Singapore is that you can find the most interesting food in the most unexpected places. Today, JT had a performance at ITE Simei and it gave me the perfect excuse to bring Mum, Uncle and FT to have lunch at the House of Lobster located right smack in the Business Block. Now, there have been numerous reviews about the lobster porridge and the lobster mee sua. But paying over $60 for what basically is a commonplace dish is just not my cup of tea.

First, the all important soup. According to finicky eater JT, it's a non-negotiable must have for all Chinese meals. (And he only takes clear soups). After studying the menu, we ordered the beancurd and chicken soup ($8).

It was a light and tasty broth with servings of fish maw, chicken slices, mushrooms, carrots, spring onions, ginger and beancurds. The mix of ingredients yielded a sweet tasting soup that whetted our appetites for the meal ahead.

 Next came the Hokkien Fried Rice ($8) which was akin to Mui Fun with rich brown gravy. It was well received by FT and JT who each took three large servings. Diced prawns, chicken, mushrooms, carrots and cucumbers made this a richly textured dish.

Look at how rich and inviting the rice looks in the serving bowl. Chinese risotto.

The Venison in XO sauce ($18) was highly recommended in food forums so I ordered it. Unfortunately, it was quite ordinary and tasted more like the usual black pepper version.

The Mongolian Chicken was much more interesting.Although listed under the snack menu, 5 juicy drumlettes cost only $5.80. Coated with an exotic mix of spices and fried, each bite seemed to take me away to a far flung desert land.

The arrival of the prawn and mango salad ($9.80) was a light and zesty break to an otherwise meaty menu. The prawns were large and the mango slices had the right level of tanginess.

We were so full by the time the last dish arrived - Prawn Bee Hoon ($8). The servings were much larger that we expected. The prawns were large and succulent and the Bee Hoon covered with a thick, eggy gravy.

Quite a satisfying meal and the service was very attentive. Next time though, I would just order the Fried Rice and a range of dishes from the snack menu. The 'snacks' are much more interesting that the main dishes and are much better value for money.

House of Lobster
ITE Simei
Business Block