The American Club - Good food, reasonable prices...but there's a catch

Fish & Chips-great with a beer!

The American Club in Singapore is a "members only" club. Members are allowed to bring guests for meals but the public just can't walk in. Security is high here. On-site parking is only for members. So guests would have to park along the road or any of the buildings located along Claymore Hill.

Cuban Mojo Sandwich

The food here is good - portion, price and quality. For casual dining, one has a choice of eating in the Eagle's Nest, which is similar to a hotel's coffee house, or the no-smoking Union Bar. In the Eagle's Nest, you may have the daily buffet or choose your meal from the ala-carte menu

Mission Taco Salad-It's as big as your face!

You may order food from the ala-carte menu, which will be served in the Union Bar. The waiters here know how to serve the beer - in iced cold glasses. Beers on draft include Tiger, Kilkenny and Erdinger. Of course, one can also find uncommon beers like this Old Scratch Amber Lager...

Old Scratch Amber Lager

So, what's the catch? The catch is if you want to eat at the club, you need to find someone who is a member and is willing to bring you in for a meal. If you like food like Botak Jones, you will like the food at the American Club.

Ah Orh Seafood-Hearty Teochew Food

There is another Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant along Jalan Bukit Merah, which I have tried a few times. However, I usually come to this branch at Block 22, Sin Ming Drive, since it is much nearer to home.

There is only one cook, assisted by 3 ladies. They are organized but when it is busy, you must be prepared to wait for at least 20-30 minutes. From observation, I think they prepare dishes for one table at a time so that all dishes are served piping hot. The food is certainly worth the wait!

Sauces and more sauces...

I do recommend bringing your family here, as I did in this occasion, so that you can order a variety of dishes. If there are only two of you, I recommend ordering, the most, 3 dishes as the portions are rather generous.

Clams stir-fried with bean paste

My favourite dish is always the steamed pomfret Teochew-style. Fresh pomfret simply steamed with pickled plum, tomatoes and garnished with "tang-oh" (crysanthemum leaf). Every time I come here with friends or family, I will definitely order this dish. This will usually be the last dish to be served as it takes time to steam it.

Pomfret steamed Teochew style

The other dish to order is the "Hea Zho" (prawn roll), which is minced prawn, minced pork and finely chopped water chestnut, wrapped in beancurd skin. Then it is steamed and before serving, cut into thick slices and deep fried. Eat it with the sweet sauce...and a small slice of bird's eye chilli for the extra fire.

Hea Cho is located above the steamed fish

No reservations are taken but there are plenty of tables in the coffee shop. Be prepared to wait for 30-45 minutes if the place is very crowded. There is only one chef and he cooks dishes one table at a time. Have a beer and wait. It is worth it.

Red Star - Good old fashioned Dim Sum

We've been so busy that we have not been able to update this greedy blog. Here's something I've wanted to share for a while.

notice at foot of block 54

Went to Red Star Restaurant ( Blk 54 Chin Swee Road #07-23 ) with 2 greedy friends some time ago. Wah.. you! eat dim sum? they asked... better go quickly before change mind hor. Yes, and why Red Star? Well, it's really old school dim sum, with the original "dim sum dollies" pushing carts of all things yummy. Ordering fancy dim sum from a menu without eyeballing the item just doesnt do it for me. Some are really sweet old dears - be careful now.. the bowl is hot... to cantankerous ones who have seen better days (or more gentile customers!) - want carrot cake or not (take it or leave it) On the whole, they were lovely, these dim sum ladies.


We decided to be beat the crowd by appearing at 1030am - after being told that one could not make reservations. Huh! seems like everyone had the same idea and had been there since breakfast (they open at 7am on weekends). The queue extended from the cashier's counter cum reception all the way to the tiny cramped lift lobby. Fortunately the queue moved quickly we managed to make our way to a table tucked in the far corner within 15min.

har gow (prawn dumplings)

The whole place has a fantastic hum and buzz. Families, several generations all enjoying a Sunday brunch.. yuppies in berms and polo Ts.. . Old fashioned uncles having a slow tea and chat. This place has appeal for everyone.

lotus leaf rice

Hungry, we waved a trolley over and greedily accepted whatever they had to offer - in this case lotus leaf rice dumplings. Hot, fragrant and staved off hunger pangs whilst we scanned the room for more offerings.

Self service!

Soon we realised that people were walking about holding their "yellow cards" and hunting down the trolley that conveyed their desired food item. Quite fun it was, and provided some exercise, allowed me to "kay poh" other table's food at the same time.

pei-dan chok (preserved egg porridge)

The salted pork, preserved egg porridge was pronounced the BEST we have eaten - smooth yet retaining a semblance of rice grains, creamy preserved egg melting into the base porridge, shreds of salty pork and delicious savoury crumbs of dried oyster. Wah.. so good we quickly had a second bowl.

Egg tarts were very elusive. In fact so elusive that after I had waylaid a waitress to obtain the prized morsels, we wolfed them down so quickly that there is no photographic evidence! (you need to stand outside the kitchen door and catch a waitress on her way in - ask for egg tarts and on her way out again, a plate of freshly baked ones are handed to you).

Writing this has made me so hungry I shall stop now - and plan another visit.

By the way, do not ever go there later than 1030-1100h unless you are really patient. By the time we left at 1230hm the queue had snaked past the lift lobby and down the stairs to the level below!