I remembered I was first introduced to Pu Tien several years back by my ‘PK mum’ (an endearing term for a friend who calls me PK aka Pumpkin) as she was raving about its Lor Mee. In my mind, Lor Mee has always been a bowl of thick flat yellow noodles in a thick, dark and starchy sauce with ingredients like fish cake, pork belly and hard boiled eggs. But it is not so at Pu Tien, to my surprise (and delight) since I’m not a big fan of the local Lor Mee.
Pu Tien Restaurant is named after Putian which is a coastal town located in the Fujian Province of China and it serves local cuisine of the Xinghua people (兴化人).
I have dined at Pu Tien a couple of times at different outlets and food quality has been consistent so far. And since I’m also trying to expose my husband to different food culture and cuisines here, Pu Tien is definitely a place not to be missed.
Interior of the restaurant at NEX and their special
fresh chilli sauce that really hits the spot
Fried Egg Plant with Pork Floss $8.90 (S)
Egg plants have never tasted this good! Big chunks of egg plants deep-fried to perfection and topped with fragrant pork floss all over. Really addictive. I just love the crispy exterior and the inside is so tender.
Putien Lor Mee $7.90 (S)
And this is what we are here for. Silky rice noodles with pork belly, prawns, clams, dried tofu puffs and veggies braised in a rich, aromatic pork broth. Not overly starchy and just so tasty!
Deep Fried Pig Trotters with Salt & Pepper $4.90/pc
Another must-try signature dish. Pig trotters are deep fried to crisp and seasoned with salt and pepper. I know of some people who find pig trotters revolting because they are considered high in fat and cholesterol but in actual fact, pig trotters are very rich in collagen which is good for the skin as well as gelatin that promotes growth of healthy hair and nails. Whether these nutritional bonuses are really true or not, enjoying this dish in moderation once in a while should be fine. Even though these trotters are deep fried, they aren’t greasy at all!
Stir-fried Yam $10.90 (S)
These are savoury sweet fried yam cubes that are crispy on the outside and moist & fluffy on the inside. They are coated with what looks like caramelized sugar but with other seasoning too. Very tasty morsels!
Putien Sweet and Sour Pork with Lychees $11.90 (S)
Quite a standard sweet and sour pork dish except that the lychees make a perfect complement with its added burst of sweetness. These pork pieces are more dense and meaty with less traces of fats hence are a little bit more hard and chewy. Not the best I’ve had but still not a bad dish.
Pu Tien Restaurant @ NEX
23 Serangoon Central
#02-18/19
Tel: 6634 7833
And various outlets located islandwide
Website: http://www.putien.com