One look at the latest ambitious project of the Paradise Group helmed by brothers Edlan and Eldwin Chua and you know these guys are clearly set to impress. We made a reservation for dinner one weekend and were chirpily heralded into the rich, red interior…which frankly, was the bomb.
The ceiling was adorned with ornate, curving structures, everything was awash with red and gold hues, huge paintings of China’s erstwhile emperors graced the walls, and the whole place was buzzing with movement from the smartly attired staff. We managed to get the booth seats—perfect for some privacy. There are even lush curtains that you can draw back discreetly, along with dim lighting and comfortable seats. We almost felt like we were in another era.
But the test was, well, in the taste. Our slightly pushy waitress, though polite, kept trying to recommend pricier alternatives to us, which was a little discomfiting. But finally, we made our choices. The Taste Paradise famous XO carrot cake packed a punch indeed—thanks to the XO sauce. The proportions of carrot cake, bean sprouts and egg were just right.
Our tastebuds now fully awake, we tucked into the crisp‑fried prawns in laksa‑infused mango salad sauce. Sadly, while the laksa leaves on the prawns were redolent of the famous national dish, the laksa taste didn’t really come through as strongly as it should have. The tanginess of the mango and prawns’ crispiness were commendable, but overall the dish was pretty average. Ditto for the wok‑fried Kurobuta pork cheek with cucumber and wild fungus—an extremely ho‑hum affair (we even wondered if we really were getting Kurobuta at all).
But the Peking duck saved the day. While the pieces of duck skin wrapped in crepes weren’t the crispiest we’d had, the tenderness of the plate of duck meat served on the side was fantastic.
After ending our meal with the delicious combination of chilled mango puree, black glutinous rice paste and custard puff, we felt happy and satisfied—due, largely, to the huge portions.
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