Hui Restaurant - Romantic, Idyllic and Chinese

Within the gem of Rochester Park, I found another gem in the form of Hui Restaurant, housed in a beautiful bungalow surrounded by lush forest. So picturesque that I took so many photos of just the exterior before stepping into the restaurant already 😄

More photo-taking ensured when I step into this restaurant and greeted by a scenery at a Chinese Lake, which is digitally created. The translucent curtain closed over the arched entrance, providing a veiled view of the classy inter dining area pique my curiosity further. Once inside the inner dining area, I'm wowed by the romantic, idyllic vibe of the place and impressed with the incorporation of distinctive Chinese elements in to the furnishings and decor.

Yes, it's a seamless sweet marriage of Chinese and French influences. Most importantly, the food is exactly that too. First time trying such combination–I think this is a rarity in itself, and I love it.

I order the 4 course Discovery Lunch to discover what the food here is all about.

First starter is a cute dish of cubed Japanese vegetable served in a paper-thin crispy wafer cup. Very refreshing in taste and good juxtapose of textures.

Second starter continue to impress with its ingredients of sweet juicy tomato tempered with earthy flavour of sesame sauce, nutty taste of cheese and honeyed sweetness of fig. So many harmonised flavours at work here.

Nice, warm, crunchy sourdough bread served, just like any good French restaurant will do. 

Watch me uncovering the treasure hidden beneath the sliced beetroot in the video.

Blue Crab, which is creamier than other types of crab, has me swooning in delight. This is amazingly good! Smoked caviar, with its umami, adds dots of excitement to the briny sweet crab. Beetroot adds the refreshing element and avocado puree introduces the buttery and earthy flavours. Absolutely love this. And they are very generous with the amount of crabmeat served 👍 

Orecchietta Pasta with Iberico Pork has the stir-fired goodness of Chinese Cuisine. The cup-shaped paste holds in the flavourful spicy sauce very well and it is more chewy then the usual pasta. A nice dish. The portion is real big. This can be shared between three persons. This is best eaten while it's hot or warm.

Barramundi is so fresh and succulent. The pliable flesh is moist, with a bit of creaminess. It tastes oh-so-good when dipped with the foamy fish bouillon that is slightly spicy and has hints of umami of the clams. I'm impressed by how well the fish here is prepared since based on my experience, not every restaurant can get this right. Oh yes, the crispy fish skin sprinkled with salt is a good treat and gives an extra texture to the overall dish.

Very creamy dessert due to the gelato-like homemade ice-cream and chantilly cream, with chocolate pudding of intense flavour. A nice way to end the meal. Though I will like it more if the chocolate pudding is more wobbly.

Enjoying life with a cup of hot chocolate.

The place is so beautiful, and unique too due to the Chinese influences, which is not commonly seen in bungalow restaurants. The service is very good: being polite and thoughtful. They confirmed with me if I want the Barramundi served while I'm still eating the pasta or after. A nice gesture.

Luckily I went at 11:30am, thus able to take lots of photos without the crowd. After 12:30pm, the place starts to get crowded. I saw quite a number of patrons trying to decide on whether to sit indoor or outdoor since the weather is cool, and the service staff patiently led them to see the seatings for both options.

This is a place worth a visit because of the novelty of amalgamation of Chinese and French cuisine/decor, the great food and awesome ambience.

Thoughts: Fusion can work beautifully when in the Right Hands

10b Rochester Park

Nearest MRT: Buona Vista