Tucked in the often overlooked Forum mall lies Social Place – a posh dim sum restaurant with a creative and retro vibe, both aesthetically and with its food offerings. The first thing that captured my interest when I entered the restaurant was the huge mural made up of mahjong pieces located at the side of the restaurant. As a mahjong enthusiast it certainly got me snapping photos of the mural as it’s so distinctive and unique.
I ordered a plethora of dishes, namely Scallop Siu Mai($10.80), Yin Yang Har Gow($10.80), Truffle Shiitake Buns($8.80), Braised Rice with Abalone & Black Truffle($19.80), Deep Fried Lobster Glutinous Puff($9.80), and lastly the Mahjong Jelly($7.80) for dessert.
Starting off with the Siu Mai, the meat was slightly juicy and tasty and it had a strong scallop taste. I tend to dislike Har Gow, not because of the taste, but because I’m one of those people who doesn’t like the Har Gow skin as it’s bland, but I had to order it as it looked fancy with the black and white contrast of colours.. It didn’t taste too bad either, as the prawn was plump, juicy and fresh, and I was pleasantly surprised how smooth the skin was. This was one of the few times where I ate the Har Gow and the skin together.
As for the Truffle Shiitake Bun, I didn’t expect to like it as I dislike truffle due to its strong smell and taste, but this was a dish that took me by surprise again. The truffle didn’t have a pungent taste but was light instead, and the bun was soft and fluffy. The mushroom filling was amazing as it was both sweet and salty with the mushroom having a chewy texture that I liked.
The last dim sum dish that I ordered was the Deep Fried Lobster Glutinous Puff, and it was served in a basket with slices of cucumbers beneath the 3 pieces. It’s certainly an ingenious way of serving your patrons, and an instagramable worthy picture at that. It’s by far and away the best dish that I ate as the bun was soft yet crunchy and the interior was filled with chunks of lobster and lobster sauce. The lobster was sweet and the sauce was also sweet and slightly salty.
For dessert, I have never seen anything as unique as Mahjong Jelly. It was a plate of 6 coconut jelly tiles with the different mahjong symbols on each of them. My favourite mahjong tile of all time is fa cai, so of course I ate it. I was surprised by the jelly texture as I expected it to be soft and wobbly, but it had the firm texture of agar agar jelly. It was a satisfying way to finish off a meal!
Social Place is one of those unique restaurants that will wow patrons with their innovative dishes and eccentric aesthetics. Although the prices are on the steep side, it’s definitely worth paying a visit!
Rating:
Food: 9/10
Service: 8.5/10
Ambience: 10/10
Social Place Singapore
FORUM The Shopping Mall, #01-22, 583 Orchard Road, Singapore 238884
Opening hours: Daily from 11.30am – 2.30pm ; 6pm – 9pm
