Shideji 食得记 – Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Tanjong Katong!

For the majority of us, lamb probably isn’t our go-to meat. Coupled with a distinct gamey taste, lamb tends to taste earthier that other forms of meat and is probably the reason why some of us love it, while others loathe it. Nestled along Tanjong Katong Road, 食得记(Shideji) stands out from its neighbors with its unusual lamb dishes. Inspired by the food she cooked for her family back in 辽宁(Liao ning), China, lady boss 丁一冉(Ding Yi Ran) has tweaked those recipes to suit the local palate. You’ll also be pleased to know that they don’t include any preservatives or MSG in their dishes!

Opened for slightly over a year now, 食得记 offers a reasonably large menu that focuses mainly on lamb and beef! In addition, you can also customize your own 麻辣香锅 (ma la xiang guo) with their rich assortment of fresh ingredients. 食得记 is known for their signature herbal lamb stew which attracts locals and Chinese nationals alike.

We tried the Sizzling Xinjiang Charcoal Grilled Lamb Chops ($28.80) which comes with about 20 ribs of different sizes. We were told that this dish usually has to be ordered 1 day in advance due to its long preparation time. The lamb ribs were firm and chewy. I liked how the ribs were well coated with spices that lift and balance the flavor from the ribs. If you’re getting tired of regular chicken wings, we reckon these ribs will make a fine snack too.

We also had their signature Liaoning Famous Herbal Bone Soup ($13.80 for small, $26.80 for medium, $36.80 for large) which features a pot of fragrant lamb stew with lamb shanks. Given the lavish portions, this is good for at least 2 persons. The stew is made from 16 different herbs and simmered for 6 hours to ensure that the flavors are soaked up well by the New Zealand lamb shanks. Impressively, the flavors are well balanced without the gamey taste you’d expect. Unlike traditional stews, the herbal lamb stew wasn’t as thick, and lighter on the palate. As expected, the lamb shanks were well cooked, tender and fatty. All patrons are also given disposable gloves to enjoy the lamb shanks, and a straw to suck out the bone marrow. My only reservation would be that the dish was a tad too oily, but enjoy it with a bowl of rice and you’re good to go! Although it wasn’t raining, I can imagine having this hearty dish on a rainy afternoon. If you’re headed here, this is an absolute must-try!

Don’t forget to get some Beef Pie and Spring Onion Pie ($7 for 2 pieces) to complement your lamb stew and ribs! Made in-house with the lady boss’s recipe, this is a delicacy in 鞍山(An Shan) and makes for a good appetizer. To guarantee exceptional chewiness and softness, the skin is cooked over a 75-degree water before it is pan-fried with beef and onions. Reminiscent of 小笼包 (xiao long bao), the beef pancakes also retain a small portion of tasty broth within the skin. The use of chopped onions with the beef add remarkable flavor and a satisfying crunch. Admittedly, the beef fillings were very generous – probably nearly as thick as 2 beef patties from the Big Mac. I liked that the beef was moist and flavourful but it could have been less oily too. If you must have a fried item, look no further.

We also had a plate of their Spicy Lotus Roots($7.80). I liked that it was extremely crunchy and not overly hard. Despite its fiery name, the spices added didn’t make the dish spicy but, in fact, more fragrant.

For something a little different, you can go for the Vegetarian Mix Salad ($10.80) which comprises bean curd skin, grated yam, enoki mushrooms, grated carrots, cucumbers, and parsley. The dish is served in a tangy icy soup which is refreshing and cooling. I liked that it’s light so it helps to balance out the heaviness of the other dishes.

Last but not least, we also tasted the Stewed Beef Brisket with Tomato ($10.80) which sees thick strips of beef smothered in a thick savory sauce that carried a hint of sweetness. Shideji is generous with the beef strips which can use a little work on consistency as some strips are more tender than the rest. Nonetheless, this dish really appealed to me because it wasn’t oily and the flavours were simple but captivating.

食得记 offers an interesting menu which is different from what we’re used to eating. While it may be an acquired taste for some, I have to admit that the food was tasty. I appreciated the dedication from the lady boss in polishing her recipes and you can definitely taste it in the food. If you care to step out of your comfort zone to give食得记 a try, I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed.

This post was brought to you by Shideji食得记

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Shideji食得记. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!