Prep for Pig

At the morning market, the effects of the upcoming Lunar Chinese New Year were palpable. A buzz was in the air. Wallets and purses were loosened for a semi-restrained shopping frenzy. Many new stalls popped up to sell seasonal products, e.g. biscuits, snacks, new year cakes, decorations, etc. Heck, even Tulip luncheon meat opened a promotional counter.



In the afternoon, SK organized a dim sum lunch at Grand Harbour, Da Men Mall. Joining us for the free lunch was Apollo and my mum. It was my first time at Da Men Mall, a very much food-first mall like Starling Mall. The restaurant was located at the highest floor where occupancy was the lowest. Huge swathes of retail space were left in the dark.



Dim sum was pretty good over there. Recommended items are : wu kok (excellent crispy skin), scallop mai (crispy 'nest' on the outside, juicy inside), char siew roll (delicious char siew), pork ribs, red yeast shrimp roll (good combination of textures), and crab meat omelette (a jiggly dish). Egg tarts were mediocre. Ditto the xiao long bao. Avoid the osmanthus jelly at all costs. The texture and taste were all wrong.



Toward the end of lunch, the restaurant was suddenly invaded by a lion dance troupe. Never have I seen a wedding lunch where the arrival of the happy couple was preceded by a lion dance!