Alvinology’s family reunion dinner (团圆饭) 2011 - Alvinology

Alvinology’s family reunion dinner (团圆饭) 2011

Putien at Nex
Putien at Nex

Like last year and the year before, we had our family reunion dinner at Pu Tien Restaurant (莆田菜馆). The restaurant serves Heng Hwa (兴化) cuisine. Heng Hwa is the Chinese dialect group of my family.

Happy family
Happy family

We were unable to get a table at the main restaurant in Kitchener Road this year as we made our reservation late and had to settle for a table at one of their branch restaurants in NEX mall at Serangoon instead.

Along with the common Chinese New Year menu, we had the Hakka-originated, Cantonese-modified luxurious delight – Poon Choi or Pen Cai, a stewed pot filled with vegetable and lots of goodies like abalone, scallops, dried oysters, sea cucumbers and braised pork. This was accompanied with a bowl of signature smooth, springy Heng Hwa bee hoon.

Fa Cai Yu Sheng and a bunny bag of oranges greeted us at our table when we sat down
Fa Cai Yu Sheng and a bunny bag of oranges greeted us at our table when we sat down
Ready for the tossing
Ready for the tossing
Tossing the yu sheng
Tossing the yu sheng
Peng Cai
Peng Cai
This pretty lady served our table
This pretty lady served our table
Heng Hwa bee hoon
Heng Hwa bee hoon
Fried yam
Fried yam
Succulent steamed prawns
Succulent steamed prawns
Steamed fish
Steamed fish
Crispy chicken
Crispy chicken
Glutinous rice balls for dessert
Glutinous rice balls for dessert

The food was good as usual and the service excellent, despite the large dining crowd. Overall, we somehow still feel that the same dishes taste slightly better at the Kitchener Road restaurant.

After our reunion dinner, we headed to Kovan to check out the various florists and plant nurseries. It was drizzling slightly and past 10pm when we arrived. The vendors were offering larger and larger discounts as the clock ticks by, trying to offload the Chinese New Year plants which will become virtually worthless the next day.

At the Kovan flower market
At the Kovan flower market
Despite the rain, Singaporeans are up for the bargain with umbrellas in tow
Despite the rain, Singaporeans are up for the bargain with umbrellas in tow
Lelong in the rain
Lelong in the rain
Greenery makes Rachel happy
Greenery makes Rachel happy
Nowadays, people buy orchids for Chinese New Year too
Nowadays, people buy orchids for Chinese New Year too
We spotted these very nice potted plants - they cost over $130 per pot
We spotted these very nice potted plants - they cost over $130 per pot
These were selling like hotcakes
These were selling like hotcakes
We bought a pot of these
We bought a pot of these

My parents bought a pot of small Mandarin oranges and we headed home for the night.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone, 兔年行大运! 🙂

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