What do you get when you take 18 hungry foodies and put them in a neighbourhood Chinese restaurant? Mayhem of the utmost porcine order! I’m told that the influence of the food at Gold Mine is predominantly Malay-Chinese and by glancing at the customers filling the room, one is immediately aware that this is the right place! Like most places of this nature, going with a group is the only way to enjoy the multitude of dishes that line the restaurants menu, and better yet, go with someone who has an ethnic connection to this style of food, which we were quite lucky to do.
Pork broth
Double cooked pork
Roast duck
..
.
.
.
.
Starting with a hearty and simple pork broth with bits of winter melon and ham hock is a good way to go, before tucking into the Roast and fried pork belly (crunchy with hints of sweetness), followed by their signature Roast duck a tender and obscenely juicy piece of meat with a sweet n salty sauce to dunk it in.
.
Prawn custard
Veg and eggs
Tofu
.
.
.
.
.
Even though I didn’t have the steamed egg with seafood, I was told it was lovely and I called it the prawn creme caramel. Spinach and three eggs were steamed egg, century egg, salted egg. Quite a moreish little dish with all the intense egg scattered throughout it. Tofu with minced pork was one of my favourites – gloriously soft tofu swimming in a minced pork gravy, a tinge of chilli hiding in it.
.
Salt and pepper squid
Aubergine
Roast pork
..
.
.
.
.
Chunky piece of Salt and Pepper Fried Squid were followed by another favourite – Roast aubergine with minced pork and chilli – heavenly, and then more Roast pork, this one being a bit bland and plain after all the chilli and zingy love of the previous dishes.
.
More pork
Noodles
.
.
.
.
.
.
By this time most of us were sprouting little curly tails and making funny noises. Yet, along came more pork, this time braised and fried – went excellent with their divine and remarkable smoked chilli oil (of which plenty was devoured!)
And finally, no meal if complete with noodles and these did manage to find a little space. Dry fried beef rice noodles with spring onion, bean sprouts and onions. A happy nibble to end the meal on for sure!
.
Overall experience: 8
Food: 7
Recommend you go: 7
