Lai Bao 徕宝: Bringing Back the Old Fashioned Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat
The Family Dish
It was a crazy hot, humid Wednesday afternoon as we sat down with Lem to hear about his story about Lai Bao.
Fish head steamboat is a dish that is synonymous with sharing and often eaten with a group of friends and family. People often associate this dish with the spirit of bonding, joy and togetherness. And that is the central theme of Lai Bao and what they hope to bring to the masses.
“When you eat with the family, you can have a fish head steamboat, add a few dishes, and you are sharing a meal together. It’s very heart-warming, we love feeling this way.” – Lem
The Old Fashioned, Modernised
The essence of a restaurant is, of course, the food.
In Lai Bao, their focus is on bringing nostalgic, traditional, classic zi char cuisines to the tables of all in Singapore at affordable prices. They hope that by doing so, everyone can get to enjoy a dining experience like it was in the 60s and 70s.
Reminiscing on the familiar flavours of home-cooked comfort food they grew up with, they decided to put together all the recipes passed down by grandparents. They even dug into the treasure troves of family recipes from their childhood friends.
Despite being rooted in traditions, the dishes have also been enhanced with a sprinkle of unique modern twists. The result is a pleasant mix of old and new that goes down well with many.
The Signature
Fish Head Steamboat
Their signature fish head steamboat will transport you back to the 1960s. The soup stock is made the traditional way and simmered over charcoal for hours. It is sweet and imbued with all-natural collagen.
The beautiful and mouth watering flavours of the fresh ingredients really shine. In addition to the usual cabbage, seaweed, yam, black fungus, cherry tomatoes and tofu, the taste of the pot is boosted by a unique classic element; minced meat pie or slices and chunks of meatloaves.
This flavour infused, nostalgia saturated steamboat is absolutely perfect for feasting with friends and family.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Their version of sweet and sour pork is a surprising transformation of a familiar dish with the unlikely but innovative and unique use of charcoal powder and black vinegar. This differs from the regular use of canned or bottled ketchup that you get from other zi char stalls these days.
The charcoal batter-coated pork cubes, thoroughly glazed in the dark coloured zesty sauce, remains crispy when served. The black vinegar draws out a very unique taste that makes this dish stand out. It is an excellent accompaniment to any family meal. A must try!
Seafood Lala Ying Yang Hor Fun
A crowd favourite, this delightful hor fun is not only delicious, it also puts a lovely crunch into your dining experience. This unique sensation is achieved with the playful addition of crispy deep-fried hor fun.
This hor fun is first drenched in the steaming hot lala gravy mixed with a medley of lala clams, prawns and fish slices. A generous serving of crunchy deep-fried hor fun is then added on top of this deliciously slurpy dish. Scoop a generous amount of it onto a spoon with the crunchy bits and experience that fantastic combination of taste and sensation—definitely a comfort food for many.
Innovative and Modernisation
Continuous innovation is vital to any business. In fact, it is very inspiring to see Lai Bao not taking the easy way out in their effort to modernise these classic dishes while growing their business. Despite the needs of modern-day economic pressures, they took extra care to keep it all rooted in the spirit of tradition and heritage.
The spirit of Lai Bao reminds me of a quote
Happiness is Only Real, When Shared.
We love Lai Bao’s philosophy of bringing everyone together… Having great conversations, laughing together and having a wonderful time with your friends and family around the dining table over a good meal — that is happiness. We hope Lai Bao can continue to grow in this spirit of sharing and share this heart-warming experience with more in the future.
Outlet Information:
? Blk 168 Toa Payoh Lor 1, Singapore 310168
? 6261 5825
Order Online: https://laibaofishheadsteamboat.oddle.me/en_SG/