Master Chef Ho Tien Tsai is well known for being humble and friendly, a demeanour that belies his expansive repertoire of Cantonese, Taiwanese and Sichuan cuisine that has garnered Tien Court numerous awards and accolades.
Surreptitiously tucked on the second floor of Copthorne King’s Hotel at Havelock Road, Tien Court is often described as one of Singapore’s best "undiscovered" Chinese restaurants. The classical Chinese setting provides a delicate counterpoint to the dishes that are elegantly plated yet boldly daring in flavour.
The double-boiled shark’s cartilage soup with abalone, fish maw, sea cucumber, and dried scallops is lusciously milky from the shark’s cartilage. There are generous portions of dried scallops, sea cucumber and fish maw, as well as an incredibly tender helping of abalone. In addition to the soup, other signature dishes include the steamed cod fillet with crispy bread crumbs, the Peking duck, the suckling pig, and the fine rice vermicelli (also known as mee swa) with stewed pork trotters. (Dec 2011)
"If you're into Chinese cuisine but find it a tad bland, then this Sichuan restaurant should fire things up a little. Already gaining quite a reputation for its fiery hot dishes such as diced chicken with dried chili, other favorites here include shark's fin in clay pot and roast meat dishes." -I-S Asia-City
"Tien Court Restaurant in Singapore offers a culinary dining experience that should not be missed." -Singapore Dine
"Master Chef Ho Tien Tsai, strives for a harmonious balance of honest folk cuisine, elegant restaurant touches and sensible, refined cooking." -Asia One
Tien Court offers a traditional charcoal steamboat, where you’re served mouth-wateringly fresh seafood (including lobster, scallops, and abalone) alongside vegetables and condiments, all to be cooked a la minute in a charcoal heated pot of superior broth right at your table. The smell of simmering soup and seafood is so tantalizing, that we were tempted to raid the table next to us for seconds.
We also loved the wok-fried rice vermicelli with stewed pork trotters. The fried noodles were light and tasty, and contrasted very well with the oh-so-tender pork trotters. This was definitely a pleasant alternative to the ubiquitous ee-fu noodles served at most Chinese restaurants.
Needless to say, Team Chope is a big fan of Chef Ho’s work. His commitment to fresh ingredients and skillful blend of flavours and textures make Tien Court a hidden gem for refined Chinese cuisine. We know where we’ll be having our Chinese New Year dinner! (Dec 2011)

"A well-kept secret in a business-minded hotel, this award-winning Cantonese and Sichuan restaurant puts a contemporary spin on crowd-pleasing staples of dim sum and à la carte dishes. Helmed by good-humoured celebrity chef Ho Tien Tsai, modern signature dishes include dried scallops and sea cucumber, steamed cod fillet with crispy bean crumbs, and an indulgent wok-fried vermicelli with stewed pork trotters, oozing with umami flavour. Of course, the family and banquet-friendly platters of Peking duck and suckling pig are also available, but do save room for the smooth and fragrant orh ni (yam paste) at the end."
-Time Out Singapore