Food Review: Tien Court At Copthorne King’s Hotel | Singapore Teochew Restaurant With More Than 35 years Of History

Posted on June 12, 2024 by theRantingPanda in Food

The Place Located at Copthorne King’s Hotel, Tien Court is one of the most longstanding Chinese restaurants in Singapore with 35 years of history since 1989. The interior of Tien Court is slightly dated (or you can coin it as old charm), but it is still quite well-maintained. There is a main dining hall which is quite spacious, as well as a couple of private rooms named after cities in China.

With its 35th anniversary comes a new menu which showcases a modern appreciation of its Teochew cuisine, helmed by award-winning Master Chef Lui Wing Keung.

The Food Many Chinese restaurants in Singapore hotels stick to Cantonese cuisine, while Tien Court showcases Teochew cuisine. A la carte menu aside, there are also Individual and Group Set Menus priced from S$78++ per person for a 7-course exploration menu, to the 8-course family-style menu for a party of 10 for S$1,088++.

For a start, I had some Dim Sum items even though dim sum has its roots in Cantonese cuisine. Not quite the usual Siew Mai and Har Gow, I had the Teochew Steamed Crystal Dumpling With Dried Shrimp, Preserved Radish & Turnip (S$6.80 per portion/3 pieces); Pan Seared Teochew Chai Kueh With Chive & Shrimp (S$6.80 per portion/3 pieces); and the Crispy Teochew Dumpling With Prawn And Bamboo Shoot (S$6.80 per portion/3 pieces).

Next up was a soup course I had – Double-Boiled Fish Maw Nourishing Soup (S$28). This comes in a mini stone pot and it is a rich broth of Premium Fish Maw, Chicken Collagen, Bamboo Shoots, and an Assortment of Herbs including snow fungus, wolfberries and mushrooms, as well as chicken collagen.

One of the signature dishes at Tien Court, the Signature Braised White Teat Sea Cucumber In Oyster Sauce (S$30) uses a two-step process to prepare where the sea cucumber is first braised in a signature spice blend, then deep-fried for a crisp skin texture.

Mention Teochew cuisine and the Teochew-Style Oyster Omelette (S$22) will probably come to most people’s minds. The huge version here uses a special fish sauce along with plump oysters and you get that crispy golden texture.

For meats, I also had the Signature Teochew Puning Fermented Bean Chicken (Half (S$26)/Whole (S$48)) where the chicken is encased in a mixture that features Puning Fermented Beans and aromatics such as ginger and pandan leaves. The chicken was relatively tender though the overall flavour was quite light.

Carbs wide, I had the Signature Teochew Wok-Fried Hor Fun With Diced Kailan And Preserved Radish (S$22) where you get the wok-hei from the Hor Fun noodles. The portion is good to share for 3-4 pax.

For dessert, there is nothing more classic than to end off with a Steamed Yam Paste ‘Orh Nee’ With Pumpkin And Gingko Nut (S$7). Tien Court’s version of Orh Nee is made from freshly steamed yam, topped with bite-sized pumpkin pieces and gingko nuts and served with a splash of sugar syrup.

Rants The interior comes off as dated for me unfortunately. The white tablecloth and chairs remind me of wedding banquets in the 90s.

Will I Return Again? The focus on Teochew cuisine is a right direction for Tien Court in my opinion given that there are already plenty of Cantonese restaurant options in many Singapore’s five- or four-star hotels. If you fancy dining in a more old-school vibes where you can have familiar Teochew-style dishes, Tien Court is one to consider.

Make your reservations instantly at Tien Court here.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5