Not many people would think of going to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) for dinner. At least, I didn't, despite living and working rather near ITE Central in Ang Mo Kio.
Occasionally, I would receive a flier in my letterbox promoting one of the restaurants there, which was why I decided to pop in for lunch recently.
The eatery that caught my eye was First Culinary Restaurant, which offered a tempting dim sum menu at lunch. The siew mai and har gau made the grade and I was soon back for its other offerings.
Many of the dishes deserve repeated visits, among them the Crispy Skin Roast Pork ($14), which boasts a crispy crackling that rivals that served by top restaurants in town.
The Imperial Crab (seasonal price) is something new to me, with its salty and spicy flavours. The crabs are fried dry in a claypot and best described as a saltier version of Malaysian "kum heong" or ganxiang crab. The Prawns With Salted Egg (from $18) is good too. Unlike some places which use commercial salted egg yolk powder, the sauce here is made from scratch in the kitchen. And the attention to quality shows.
WHERE: First Culinary Restaurant, Block A, ITE College Central, 2 Ang Mo Kio Drive, 01-09
MRT: Ang Mo Kio/Yio Chu Kang
OPEN: 10.30am to 3pm and 5.30 to 10pm daily
TEL: 6481-5500
This article was first published on September 9, 2016.
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