Li Bai, Sheraton Towers, Singapore

Some days you're just pretty drained after a long day at work and you don't really want to risk a dinner slot to a new restaurant. Those are the days where I normally just make my reservation at Li Bai for some trialed and tested Cantonese cuisine. Located at Sheraton Towers, it's central enough to be accessible and not right in the middle of the bustling Orchard strip which I tend to avoid on tired days like these.

Li Bai puts in those little frilly bits to make you feel just slightly more pampered, like this tea that is constantly kept warm by the little candle beneath.

Salt and pepper whiting was ordered as the appetizer. This was crunchy and tasty but surprisingly wasn't served hot. It was not even mildly warm. I actually ordered this because I didn't want to start off my meal with the cold scallop salad.

Scallop salad was next. The Thai influence in this dish is very strong with the mango bits and sweet tangy chili sauce making it rather refreshing.

Our third dish of the night and first hot dish was a soup. This hearty broth of sharksfins and cured Chinese ham definitely hit the right spot.

They don't tend to ask you how you'll like your steak to be done in Chinese restaurants. Although this was very well done, it was still tender and greasy enough to agree very well with me. I would still have appreciated a little blood though.

The way this dish was served pissed me off quite abit. It was placed on the little serving table behind us for a good ten minutes before some Einstein realized it was meant for us. Fortunately, it was still warm because this would have tasted pretty crap if it was cold. The tofu is fried with a layer of spinach on top and covered in a thick sauce comprising of egg white and seafood bits. Quite delectable indeed.

A dish I have to order nine out of ten times when I'm here is this fish noodle. Sometimes I order it with lobster but today the prawns were recommended to be fresher. But where's the fish? It's in the noodle. The noodle itself is made from flour and minced fish meat is incorporated into it creating an extremely bouncy and hearty bite.

Mango pomelo sago was dessert. A typical dessert to be found in most Hong Kong cafes, this was ok. Mildly sweet with the occasional refreshingly sour pomelo pip, it was a good way to end off the meal.

I realized the that today's standard of service was significantly lower by a few notches and I think it was due to the fact that Li Bai was also catering to two minor occasions. I made the mistake of not asking them if there were any events going on tonight as service and quality tend to suffer when a restaurant is catering. The problem about trailed and tested eating is that it becomes predictable and if it becomes predictable, it tends to become boring. After tonight's experience, I'm thinking of giving Li Bai a rest for awhile until I do get a real craving for their stuff.

D