Orchid Live Seafood Review: Teochew-Style Lobster Porridge And Salted Baked Crab At Yishun

Orchid Live Seafood at Yishun

There’s something poetic about the coming together of lobster and porridge. Both dishes have historically been considered a poor man’s food, but have in modern times been elevated by restaurants around the world. That, and the simple fact that it is absolutely delicious, is why I adore lobster porridge.

And so I couldn’t be more excited when Orchid Live Seafood, said to be the dish’s inventors, invited us down to their HomeTeamNS Khatib outlet.

Food at Orchid Live Seafood

Live seafood restaurants are aplenty in Singapore, but what sets Orchid Live Seafood apart from its competition is twofold: what’s in the seafood tanks, and how the restaurant prepares its dishes.

For the Live Lobster Porridge, the tanks offer premium crustaceans, ranging from Live Tropical Lobsters (from $72++) to Live Southern Australian Lobsters ($144++, U.P. $288++). Most dishes, including the aforementioned porridge, are all prepared in the restaurant’s signature Teochew style.

Our serving of lobster porridge was made with Southern Australian Lobster, which, as you can see in the picture above, was a massive, meaty crustacean.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this was one of the best lobsters I’ve ever had—it was just so juicy and sweet. And thanks to no less than four hours of low-heat simmering, the warm porridge broth brimmed with the rich, umami flavour of lobster.

Comforting yet immensely satisfying, this bowl of lobster porridge was as close to perfection as it gets.

Though it didn’t hit the heights of the lobster porridge, the Salted Baked Yellow Roe Crab ($120++ for two pieces) was another standout dish. Characterised by its roe-filled insides and salt-encrusted outsides, the meat from this mud crab was fresh, sweet, and savoury in quite a fascinating way.

I say fascinating because the triple threat of salt, roe, and house-blended spices gave the crab a unique taste, setting it apart from the usual crab dishes you see at seafood restaurants. While the meat here wasn’t the most succulent, I particularly enjoyed the dish for its flavour profile.

The Garlic Steamed Bamboo Clams ($16.80++ per piece), meanwhile, were a joy to eat. Each clam was sizable and meaty, with a pleasing savoury taste courtesy of the garlic and soya sauce combo. Strands of vermicelli soaked up all those scrumptious flavours.

I was impressed by the HK Style Steamed Soon Hock Fish ($8++/100g), too. Like the bamboo clams, the simple soya sauce base brought out the natural fragrance and freshness of the fish.. And perhaps most crucially, the meat was steamed to a tender and delicate texture.

While the Signature Steven Chicken (from $16++) is one of Orchid Live Seafood’s specialities, I found it to be a slight letdown. Though its crispy batter—marinated with marmite and honey—was undeniably good, the chicken meat was a little dry and tough. Still, it was a slight blip amidst the lineup of great seafood.

Ambience at Orchid Live Seafood

Orchid Live Seafood is a spacious restaurant with plenty of seats for groups of all sizes. Its simple, wooden furnishing, and warm lights give the space a welcoming vibe, making it perfect for family gatherings.

The restaurant is a five-minute walk from Khatib MRT Station.

The verdict

The quality of Orchid Live Seafood’s fare was excellent overall, but their lobster porridge was in fact a tier above the rest—it was genuinely outstanding. We were lucky to try the best type of lobster they had, but we have no doubt in our minds that the more affordable lobsters will still be delicious in a warm bowl of porridge.

For another seafood restaurant to check out, have a look at our Buey Tahan See-Food review. Those looking for something more affordable should read our Wawa Lala Bee Hoon review.

Address: 2 Yishun Walk, #03-01, HomeTeamNS Khatib, Singapore 767944
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 10pm
Website
Orchid Live Seafood is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Tanya Tham.
This was a media tasting at Orchid Live Seafood.