365days2playAnd just like that, Christmas and New Year are over and it’s time to think of how to celebrate Chinese New Year. This year, Chinese New Year falls on 28 — 30th January 2017 (Saturday — Monday), that’s like less than 4 weeks away! This means you have to start planning for your reunion dinner pretty quickly.
If you are looking for a restaurant serving casual homey fare that is affordable, for your reunion gathering, you might want to consider Gu Ma Jia restaurant located at Tai Thong Crescent. Gu Ma Jia prides itself on serving food with less oil and less MSG. Two set menus will be available during this CNY festive period.
The ”Peace” set at $599++ includes
- Yu Sheng
- Crab Meat and Fish Maw
- Steamed Red Grouper with Soya Sauce
- Braised Duck and Sea Cucumber
- Broccoli with Macadamia Nuts & Fresh Scallop
- Stir-Fried Prawns with Superior Sauce
- Steamed Lotus Leaves Rice
- Dessert — Longan Wolfberries Sea Birds Nest
The ”Prosperity” set at $768 includes
- Yu Sheng
- Cold Platter
- Sea Cucumber, Crab Meat & Bamboo Fungus
- Stir-fried Broccoli with Chinese Mushrooms & Abalone
- ”Ginseng Fortune Chicken” — Double-boiled Chicken, Roasted Pork, Scallops, Sea Cucumber and Fish Maw with Ginseng in a Claypot
- Steamed Prawns with Gu Ma’s Home Made Sauce
- Steamed Red Grouper with Soya Sauce
- Seafood Fried Noodles
- Dessert – Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts
Session Timings for set menu on Chinese New Year Eve (27th Jan 2017):
- 12pm — 2pm
- 2.15pm — 4.15pm
- 6pm — 7.45pm
- 8pm — 9.45pm
I had the opportunity to sample some of the dishes from the two CNY set menus. I have to agree that the cooking style is more homey and less seasoned as compared to other Chinese restaurants in Singapore. If you want to taste the natural flavours of the food and not have them obscured by heavy sauces, Gu Ma Jia would be up your alley.
Longan Wolfberries Sea Birds Nest
The dessert was one of my favourites not only due to visual appeal but because of the generous amount of jelly. And as can be seen from the colour of the jelly, it’s flavoured as compared to some versions out there where the jelly is tasteless.
Broccoli with Macadamia Nuts & Fresh Scallop
It is more common to find peanuts, or cashews stir-fried with broccoli, which is a shame because this version with macadamia nuts was delicious! I appreciated the richer nutty flavours from the roasted macadamia nuts and enjoyed the crunch that broccoli and macadamia provided.
Crab meat and fish maw soup
Very generous with the fish maw
Ginseng Fortune Chicken (Double Boiled Chicken, Roasted Pork, Scallops, Sea Cucumber and Fish Maw with Ginseng)
Very strong herbal taste not for the faint-hearted.
Seafood Fried Noodles
One of the more homey tasting dishes, I did wonder if the noodle broth could have been stronger flavoured.
Steamed Red Grouper with Soya Sauce
Never a fan of grouper, I was pleasantly surprised to find the fish flesh tender and tasty after being bathed by the soya sauce.
Assam Fish Head
This wasn’t part of the set but is available via the ala carte menu. Quite good actually, I liked the piquant assam gravy which was not too spicy. As with the fish above, this fish head boasted tender flesh.
Stir Fried Prawns with Superior Sauce
Sad to say, the prawns were not the freshest of the fresh. It was a struggle to eat them as the shell stuck to the flesh, and when finally pried apart, I still had to remove the black vein within.
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Gu Ma Jia
45 Tai Thong Crescent, Sennett Estate Singapore 347866
Opening Hours :
Weekdays : 11am — 2.30pm, 5.30pm — 10pm
Weekends and PH : 11am — 10pm
Tel: 6285 2023
Email: sales@gumajia.com.sg
Website: www.gumajia.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sg.gumajia
