Address: #01-01 East Coast Seafood Center
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Would you believe it. It is another treat given by my grandma. This time the dinner at Chin Wah Heng would be in honour of one of my nephews who is going off on his 2 year compulsory enlistment in the army.

Somewhat of a coincidence, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the start of the institution of National Service (NS) in Singapore. Some of the reasons bandied around on why we need to have compulsory enlistment is that we need to have a strong deterrent force to ward off any aggressor and that with a competent peace-time army we would be able to create a suitable haven for foreign investors.

Let me give you guys my take on what NS means to me. I did not like my time in NS at all. I felt it was a waste of the precious 2 and a half years of my prime (18-21 years old). I was effectively employed by the state to do repetitive/mind numbing tasks for nominal wages. This time could be better used for more meaningful pursuits - ermm…chasing girls, lounging around at home, studying (I guess).

I also do not like how the structure of the organisation had evolved. Joining the army has now become a career for many. A position in the army probably pays very well in comparison with the other wages available. The army provides a very structured career path (too well developed, I think)

Graduates that join become lieutenants. Rapid promotion beckons for scholars who have obtained top distinctions in their academic pursuits. News always filters down of someone or other making colonel before they are in their mid thirties. This army has now become a behemoth. I hear inputs from my friends in the organisation. Their focus is on how to progress up the career ladder. Get promoted to the next grade. The objective of national defence has been relegated.

The army is sucking Singapore’s resources and talents. The proposition of joining the army has become too strong. A stable, high paying career in the army versus uncertainties and labour in the private sector. The choice is clear.

So there we have my nephew who will undertake the journey of experiencing NS. Although the food in the army is now very much improved (or so I hear), the family endeavored to provide him with the best food that Chin Wah Heng had to offer.

The Fried Squid was very crunchy. It was a bit on the sweet side. The chef had a heavy hand with the sauces. Probably to mask the fishy smell which I detected nevertheless.

A favourite for me was the Yam Ring. A circle of fried yam with a concentration of cashew nuts and sauteed chicken bits. A good mix of carbohydrates and protein. It was quite a yummy yam ring that left me yodeling and yapping with shouts of “yes! yes! yes!” (ok…I didn’t shout…it just fitted the alliteration).

The Pork Rib King (排骨王）was rather nicely done too. The colouring of the meat was a decent brown. I know of some eateries that cook this dish in a luminous red sauce.

The Sweet & Sour Fish must be a recommendation from my dad. He is obsessed with Sweet & Sour fish. Everyone he goes he would inevitably say “heh…lets have sweet and sour fish”.

The Sambal Clams was a major disappointment. My nephew’s family had requested for the chef to make the dish less spicy. I think the chef was hampered by this requirement in that he could no longer, again, mask the fishy smell of the clams with over-dosages of the sambal. For a seafood restaurant, they might have an issue with the freshness of their seafood.
The Hot Plate Venison With Spring Onion restored some confidence for me. The dish was lapped up with relish.

The Seafood Mee Swa was ok. I have always thought of Mee Swa (the fine noodles) as a dish for the older generation. I remember stories told by my Ah Ma that they would only have Mee Swa on their birthdays or something.
The last dish of seafood was the Chilli Crab. For once, the dish turned out fine. The aroma of the chilli was strong enough. The crab did not taste of yesterday. Quite a pleasant surprise.

The meal came up to $250++. Thank you Ah Ma, again!