Situated just next door to Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons, Jing Hua Xiao Chi was founded by Han couple in 1989. What was started as a means to make ends meet has become hugely popular and the restaurant has expanded to 3 outlets in Singapore, 3 outlets in Japan and 1 outlet in Italy.
Stars such as Andy Lau, Chow Yun Fat have patronized the restaurant. The poster says “Irresistible Temptation”.
The menu features just 10 dishes and 5 desserts. If the restaurant can survive for so long on just these few items, I have every reason to believe that the food must be exceptionally good.
Noodle with Minced Pork & Soya Bean Paste 杂酱面 tastes like it very authentic. The fragrance of the pork and black soya bean paste mixes very well. My only complaint is the noodles are a little soggy, it is otherwise perfect.
I like that the soup that comes with Noodle with Sliced Pork & Sichuan Vegetable 榨菜肉丝面 is clear and just a little spicy. Again, the noodles are a little doggy, otherwise it is quite good.
It’s amazing how something as simple as Spinach with Oyster Sauce 蚝油菠菜 can be so statisying. I think it has something to do with cooking the spinach for just long enough to ensure that it is cooked yet ensure the crunchiness of the vegetable. I like that the oyster sauce does not overpower the spinach.
I really wanted to try the Little Juicy Steamed Meat Dunplings (how does it compare to Din Tai Fung’s Xiao Long Bao?) but decided to go with Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings 素饺子 instead for a healthier option. Chinese black mushroom, black fungus, carrots and various other vegetables are minced and held together in a thin dough skin. Bite into one and you can taste the juiciness filling your entire mouth.
Osmanthus Flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls 桂花汤丸 is one of the only two desserts available, the other is Rose Flavoured Glutinous Rice Balls 玫瑰汤丸. Glutinous rice balls come in two flavours of black sesame and peanut, they taste very ordinary and I am quite certain they are bought from supermarkets. The soup tastes more like sugar syrup than anything else, but there is a hint of osmanthus.
I won’t say the food are to-die-for good, but it is a good choice for those who wants a taste of the olden days.
Bugis Village
Address: 159 Rocher Road
Telephone: 63377601
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm; 5.30pm – 10pm (open all day on weekends and public holidays)
Neil Road
Address: 21 Neil Street
Telephone: 62213060
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm; 5.30pm – 9.30pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Palaise Renaissance
Address: 390 Orchard Road, Palaise Renaissance B1
Telephone: 67338231
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3pm; 5.30pm – 10pm (open all day on weekends and public holidays)
