Seafood Paradise Review: New Seafood Restaurant In Clarke Quay With Claypot Ee-Fu Noodles

Seafood Paradise is a new seafood restaurant in Clarke Quay

It goes without saying, but Paradise Group is an absolute titan in Singapore’s restaurant scene. Recognisable names such as Beauty in The Pot, Canton Paradise, and Paradise Dynasty are all under its arm, and it only continues to grow as time passes. The latest of its restaurants is the new Seafood Paradise at Clarke Quay, a seafood specialty restaurant we were recently invited to.

The very first Seafood Paradise was opened back in 2002 at a Defu Lane industrial estate—in fact, it was the first eatery that Paradise Group ever opened. This impressive new Clarke Quay restaurant, with its spacious interior and al fresco dining area, shows just how far the brand has come. As for the food, you can expect dishes that have made Seafood Paradise such a known entity to feature here as well.

Food at Seafood Paradise

We began with the superb Baked Jade Perch with Sea Salt ($8.80++ per 100g). It came with a side of green chilli sauce, which is quite similar to what you’d find at a Thai restaurant.

The flesh of this perch was succulent and wonderfully smooth. There was an added umami from the sea salt, as well. But it all truly came together when dipped into the green chilli—the piquant and tangy flavour of the sauce complemented the fresh and briny fish well.

Our next dish was the Crispy Phoenix Chicken (from $23.80++), which is an interesting creation, to say the least. Its preparation is said to be very labour-intensive: the chefs have to first deskin the chicken, then dry the skin for up to four hours before frying it to a golden crisp.

The meat in this dish doesn’t solely consist of chicken—rather, it is a combination of minced chicken and squid. Texturally, the combination of the juicy and chewy chicken-squid hybrid and the slightly crispy skin was delightful. But it all tasted somewhat bland, as if it wasn’t seasoned enough.

While the previous dish was a mixed bag, the Scottish Bamboo Clam with Minced Garlic ($15.80++ per piece) was a solid rendition of a classic dish. The clam was delightfully fresh and sweet-tasting, and that was elevated by the fragrant minced garlic mix. Nothing too elaborate here—it was just good seafood.

Now the Stewed Ee-fu Noodle with Seafood in Claypot ($19++) dish was as good as it was interesting. QQ ee-fu noodles are doused in a chilli crab sauce, and with the presence of fresh tomatoes and seafood ingredients such as prawns, clams, and squid, this noodle dish packed a flavourful punch that was sweet, tangy, and full of umami.

And on to the headliners: the crabs. Our first crab was the Creamy Butter Crab topped with Coconut Crumbs ($10.80++ per 100g), a dish that the Seafood Paradise is said to have invented.

The Sri Lankan crabs were fresh and reasonably succulent, and the fragrant sauce they were prepared in gave them a creamy, milky, and slightly nutty character as well. The one issue I had with this crab was that, compared to the previous time I had this dish at another outlet, the sauce here was not as flavourful.

Our second crab was the local classic: the Popular Singapore Style Chilli Crab ($10.80++ per 100g).

The Sri Lankan crabs here were of high quality as well, pairing well with the piquant and moreish chilli sauce that leaned more sweet than spicy. Fans of chilli crabs will probably like what they find here.

Ambience at Seafood Paradise

Seafood Paradise’s interior offers a sleek, comfortable environment for enjoying Chinese dishes with the whole family. But its outdoor dining area has an even greater allure at night, especially since it overlooks the Singapore River. A gorgeous view and delicious food—that’s a winning combination.

The verdict

Seafood Paradise’s new Clarke Quay outlet serves moreish seafood. There are some minor issues that affect some dishes, but it’s still a good bet if you’re looking for fresh seafood or zi char in the area.

For a famous zi char restaurant with coffee pork ribs and more, read our Keng Eng Kee Seafood review. For Teochew-style lobster porridge and salted baked crab, check out our Orchid Live Seafood review.

Address: 3A River Valley Road, #01-03, Singapore 179020
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 11:30pm
Tel: 6379 9410
Website
Seafood Paradise is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by John Lery Villanueva.
This was a media tasting at Seafood Paradise.