Fried rice is comfort food for the soul. Period. Who can resist a steaming plate of that fragrant goodness? However, despite it being one of the simplest dishes to put together, it takes a great deal of skill for one to be able to create the perfect dish of fried rice.

And what do we mean by that? Some basic criteria we have would be that the dish cannot be too oily, the rice has to be fluffy and charred just right, and there has to be the right balance of ingredients and rice.

While homemade versions will get you by, they most certainly aren’t memorable. Here, we have a list of our top 12 places that sell incredible fried rice in Singapore that we wish home economics class taught us back in school.

BAAN YING

Harnessing the salty and distinct flavour profiles salted egg, Baan Ying has managed to take regular fried rice and transform it into something totally mind-blowing. Their Pork Belly Fried Rice With Salted Egg strikes the perfect balance of flavours, textures and has a prominent note of wok hei.

We love how the salted egg yolk chunks were embedded evenly in the rice allowing every bite to fill your mouth with generous bits of salted egg. That’s not all, aside from the masterfully prepared fried rice, the crispy chunks of pork belly were pretty darn delicious as well.

103 Irrawaddy Road
#02-07, Royal Square At Novena
Singapore 329566
Tel: +65 91117852
Daily: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena

CRYSTAL JADE LA MIAN XIAO LONG BAO

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is a place that most, if not all Singaporeans are familiar with. Their signature dishes, just as their name states, are xiao long bao and la mian. However, we discovered that they serve pretty solid fried rice here as well!

The portion size of their fried rice (S$10.80) is pretty generous, with one plate being enough to feed two people generously. The fried rice has bits of prawn, chicken and ham embedded in it, which added lots of flavour to the rice.

391 Orchard Road #04-27
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 62381661
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credits: Paragon 

DIN TAI FUNG

Din Tai Fung boasts one of the most delicious fried rice in Singapore, hands down. We don’t know how they do it, but there is something magical about their fried rice recipe that keeps us coming back for more!

Every one of Din Tai Fung’s fried rice dishes consists of their very basic egg fried rice. They always manage to keep their rice light and fluffy without it losing its amazing taste and fragrance. Their basic egg fried rice is a favourite, and their pork chop fried rice is great too, but our absolute favourite has to be their shrimp fried rice. 

Din Tai Fung
30 Tai Seng Street #01-02 Breadtalk IHQ
Singapore 534013
Tel: +65 67020060
Daily: 11am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Tai Seng

Photo Credit: Imperial Treasure

IMPERIAL TREASURE NAN BEI RESTAURANT 

Imperial Treasure Nan Bei is a great place to go to for some solid Chinese cuisine, and one of their more popular dishes here is their Fried Rice with BBQ Pork & Shrimp in Yang Zhou Style.

Their fried rice is incredibly colourful and is speckled with yummy ingredients such as cubes of char siew, shrimp and green onion. The rice is fluffy and is not too oily. Due to the myriad of ingredients used in creating this dish, the rice is well flavoured and very savoury. You can eat a whole plate of it on your own!

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, #05-12/13/14
Singapore 238874
Tel: +65 67381238
Mon to Sat: Lunch (11am – 5pm), Hi-Tea (2.30pm – 5.30pm), Dinner (5.30pm – 10pm)
Sun & PH: Lunch (10.30am – 5pm), Hi-Tea (2.30pm – 5.30pm), Dinner (5.30pm – 10pm)
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: Jumbo Seafood

JUMBO SEAFOOD

Jumbo is famous for their Chilli Crab—that’s a given—, but did you know that they also serve up a pretty incredible plate of fried rice as well?

Their Supreme Fried Rice with Seafood comes in incredibly generous portions that are great for sharing with friends and family. The rice is well cooked and not too oily, and we love how there are chunks of juicy prawns embedded in the rice, adding another element of flavour and texture to the dish.

East Coast Seafood Centre
1206 East Coast Parkway, #01-07/08
Singapore 449883
Tel: +65 64423435
Mon to Fri: 5pm – 11.45pm
Sat, Sun & Public Holidays: 11.30am – 12am
Nearest Station: Bedok

Photo Credit: Paradise Dynasty 

PARADISE DYNASTY LEGEND OF XIAO LONG BAO 

Paradise Dynasty’s simple plate of Shanghai Fried Rice may not look much, but we promise you that it tastes much better than it looks.

The overall dish was surprisingly much lighter than we thought it was, and it was not too oily or salty. Each grain of plump rice is generously and evenly coated with egg, and the rice had a good mix of meat bits in it, giving it great texture and flavour.

435 Orchard Road
#01-18 Wisma Atria
Singapore 238877
Tel: +65 6219 3931
Nearest Station: Orchard

PEACH GARDEN

Peach Garden has a wide array of delicious Chinese foods that make our mouths water at the sight and smell of it. One of our favourite dishes here definitely has to be their Fried Jasmine Rice with Pork Floss and Dried Scallop.

The fried rice is very light, fluffy and fragrant. We love the addition of pork floss and on top the bed of rice as it adds a nice, savoury touch to the dish. We also love how fried rice is presented in a pineapple—it adds a nice touch to the dish.

Peach Garden @ Hotel Miramar
Level 3 Hotel Miramar, 401 Havelock Road,
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 67363833
Daily: 11am – 3.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay and Chinatown

RUYI

Ruyi sells a large array of affordable yet delicious Chinese food, and it certainly leaves one spoiled for choice. However, our go-to dish here has to be their classic fried rice. The Ruyi Fried Rice may look simple like any other fried rice out there, but looks can be deceiving, and we promise you that this fried rice is much better than it looks.

Each grain of rice is evenly coated with egg, and the texture of the rice is incredibly fluffy and fragrant. Their plump, juicy prawns add a great touch to the dish, as well as give the dish a nice seafood flavour—did we mention they’re open 24-hours too?

Sentosa Gateway, #B1-222/223
Resorts World Sentosa
Singapore 098138
Tel: +65 68846613
Daily: 24-hours
Nearest Station: Harbourfront 

Photo Credit: Tripadvisor

SUSHI TEI

For a completely different fried rice experience, you should check out Sushi Tei’s Kani Ikura Fried Rice. If you’re like us and you love ikura (salmon caviar), you definitely need to check out this dish for a whole new experience!

The rice of this is evenly coated with delicious egg and has a slight wok hei taste to it and the ikura served on top really completes the dish. Each ikura is plump, juicy and fresh, and we love the popping sensation it makes when we bite into it.

West Coast Plaza
#01-87 West Coast Road
Singapore 127371
Tel: +65 67750012
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clementi

Photo Credit: Bksoo

TAMPOPO

Tampopo is one of our go-to places for great Japanese food, and one of our favourites has to be their Black Pig Truffle Fried Rice.

The rice is generously and evenly coated in black, murky truffle, making the dish look slightly unappealing. However, just a whiff of that aromatic truffle will have your mouth watering. The truffle here also really complements the pork bits really well, creating an overall incredibly appetising dish that will make you want to come back for more.

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, B2-33
Singapore 238872
Tel: +65 62352318
Tel: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: Ice Blossom

TIAN BAO SZE CHUAN 

The fried rice served here is pretty underrated, and if you’re looking for some solid Chinese fried rice to satisfy your cravings, this Tian Bao Sze Chuan is a good option.

Their seafood fried rice is light, fluffy and fragrant, and is not too oily or salty. They are very generous with the amount of squid and prawns used, and with each spoonful of rice, you get a nice amount of seafood in it, giving the dish a nice flavour and good bite.

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, #05-06/07
Singapore 238872 |
Tel: +65 67344216
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe

XIN WANG HONG KONG CAFE

One of Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe’s signature dishes is their Signature Stir-Fried Rice, which has been crowned their customers favourite since day one. And it’s not surprising why—their fried rice is some really good stuff!

The fried rice has an extremely robust wok hei taste which gave the dish a lot of flavour and character. They are also incredibly generous with their seafood and meats, and each spoonful of rice will definitely have a bit of each in it.

Tiong Bahru Plaza
302 Tiong Bahru Road, #02-109/136
Singapore 168732
Tel: +65 62079646
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

The Crystal Jade brand is renowned being one of the leading Singapore-based restaurant groups to preserve the rich traditions of Chinese cuisine.

As far as comfort food is concerned, one of our all-time favourite places to dine at is Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. We grew up enjoying their classic and contemporary interpretations of the much-loved xiao long bao and la mian which finds its roots from the Jiangnan region in China!

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao has officially opened its latest outlet at Basement 2 of Ngee Ann City which was previously occupied by Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken and BBQ. Paying homage to its opening on 01 Dec 2017, the restaurant will be bringing back their limited-edition local-inspired Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao.

From now until 31 Jan 2018, spend a minimum of S$45 on a la carte food items to enjoy a basket of 4 pcs Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao for just S$1. This promotion is limited to 1 redemption per table per bill.

The popular casual all-day dining restaurant specialises in Northern Chinese specialties such as a wide array of delectable la mian and xiao long bao options, as well as traditional meat and seafood specialities from around the Jiangnan region.

The restaurant exudes a charming, rustic ambience with a distinctly bold and modern twist, unlike your typical Chinese restaurant.

CRYSTAL JADE LA MIAN XIAO LONG BAO’S SIGNATURE APPETISERS

We started with the Deep-fried White Bait In Wuxi Style (S$8.30) and Chilled Poached Chicken In Szechuan Style (S$10.30).

Crispy, sticky and dangerously appetising, the deep-fried whitebait is definitely something we could order several times in one sitting. Its tangy-sweet vinegary glaze coupled with a delightful crunch makes it so much harder to resist.

If you prefer something with bold flavours, the Chilled Poached Chicken In Szechuan Style—a classic dish in Southwestern China—is what you must order. The tender chicken is drenched with Szechuan Style ‘mala’ flavour with a hint of vinegar; spicy to say the least.

STEAMED ASSORTED XIAO LONG BAO WITH LOCAL TWISTS

These days, it is hardly surprising to see Chinese restaurants offering xiao long bao in assorted colours and flavours and Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is no exception to the trend.

The Steamed Assorted Flavours Xiao Long Bao (S$9.30) promises a variety of savoury local flavours: salted egg yolk, chilli crab, mushroom and original.

Needless to say, the savoury Chilli Crab and Salted Egg Yolk Xiao Long Bao are the crowd favourites. On the other hand, the Mushroom Xiao Long Bao is unjustifiably underrated. Do not be deceived by its dull colour for this dumpling is packed with an aromatic earthy broth filled with mushroom bits and juicy meat.

HAINANESE CHICKEN XIAO LONG BAO

Presenting a unique xiao long bao inspired by one of Singapore’s most well-loved hawker dishes, Crystal Jade’s Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao (S$6.80 for 4 pieces) is a tantalising nugget of Moorish delight. Paired with fragrant ginger paste, this inventive rendition is a comforting parcel that unveils tender minced chicken thigh in a flavourful yet delicate stock.

SAVOURY LA MIAN OPTIONS

Nobody leaves Crystal Jade without a bowl of la mian and we highly recommend the La Mian With Scallion Oil (S$8.30). The key ingredients for this dish are as straightforward as its name; handmade noodles and scallion oil.

Tender, hand-pulled noodles are generously coated with a fragrant scallion oil that adds a certain savoury element to the dish. It is topped with strips of fried scallions for some extra umami and texture.

For something a little more hearty and substantial, consider the Szechuan Dan Dan La Mian (S$10.80)—essentially Peanut Sauce with Chilli Oil—which consists of the same tender noodles but in a viscous peanut sauce. Contrary to its bright red hue, it really wasn’t as fiery as we thought.

STELLAR SIDE DISHES

One of the best side dishes to get is the Sautéed Egg White with Conpoy & Fish Meat (S$15.80). Egg whites are beautifully cooked with a mixture of conpoy and fish which resulted in a fragrant mix of flavour and textural bliss.

The egg white cuts through the sharp flavours of everything else and the dash of vinegar makes it even more appetizing. As simple as it may look, this was another unforgettable item from the menu.

One of the more underrated items that deserve a mention is the Poached Sliced Fish in Szechuan Spicy Soup (S$22.80). As daunting as this massive cauldron of robust red, seemingly fiery soup may be, it was actually pretty mild.

Expect chunks of tender poached sliced fish, crunchy xiao bai cai and thick glass noodles in a fiery, tongue-tingling mala broth.

If you would much rather opt for a milder, less heavily flavoured side dish, the Sautéed Rice Flour Cake in Shanghai Style (S$14.80) is a great choice. The chewy rice flour cake was an interesting change of pace compared to the other softer and saucier dishes and we were mighty impressed by how much ‘wok hei’ this simple dish had.

Having eaten a whole range of savoury and spicy dishes, it is probably a good idea to balance it out with something sweet. The Coconut Cake (S$5.30) is a rather new item on the menu and this dessert is a pudding-kueh hybrid. It was dense like a pudding yet moist like a kueh; and all in all, it was brimming with intense coconut fragrance and flavour.

With such an elaborate line-up of dishes to look forward to at the spanking new Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Ngee Ann City, you must be aching to pay a visit. Be sure to not miss out on their S$1 Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao promotion that you can enjoy as long as you fulfill a minimum spend of S$45 on à la carte food items (terms and conditions apply). This promotion is valid from now until 31 Jan 2018.

Terms and Conditions:

• Valid with min. spend of S$45 on a la carte food items.
• Valid until 31 Jan 2018, Monday to Fridays, excluding eve and day of public holiday.
• Limited to 1 redemption per table per bill, no splitting of bills allowed.
• Valid for dine-in and whilst stocks last.
• Not valid with other promotion, discount, voucher or loyalty programmes unless otherwise stated.

Mileslife is our favourite app to accumulate miles through everyday spending. You can earn 2 miles for every dollar spent at this restaurant. Download and try Mileslife out now! You can use our code ‘Ladyironchef‘ upon your first spending to get 1,000 miles.

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, #B2-36A,
Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Singapore 238873
Tel: +65 6733 3229
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

This post was brought to you by Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao.

By now, I am sure you’d have seen the colourful xiaolongbao from Paradise Dynasty on advertising billboards along Orchard Road as well as the other Singapore Food Blogs that have written about it before.

Paradise Dynasty is one of their newer ventures, and it is conveniently located alongside Taste Paradise on Ion Orchard level four. The question on everyone’s mind: are the colourful creations from Paradise Dynasty the best Xiao Long Bao in Singapore?

The Paradise group of restaurants has been growing rapidly in recent years and they are definitely giving the other Chinese restaurant chains like Crystal Jade, Imperial Treasure, Din Tai Fung a run for their money.

I don’t know about you, but the colourful xiaolongbao with exotic ingredients sound like a marketing gimmick to me. In any case, I decided to drop by and see what the fuss is all about.

Okay maybe It is not exactly fair to compare restaurants directly, but to give you a better picture, Paradise Dynasty is the equivalent of Crystal Jade’s La Mian & Xiaolongbao.

Stepping inside Paradise Dynasty through the narrow entrance, the restaurant interior is not what you’d expect from a causal dining restaurant. And given the fact that most of the items on Paradise Dynasty’s menu are priced reasonably, it is not difficult to understand why they have been doing quite well.

We were here for the colourful xiaolongbao of course. Okay, maybe I need to stop calling them colourful xiaolongbao, let me try again. Paradise Dynasty has 8 signature xiaolongbao flavours: Original, Garlic, Ginseng, Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheese, Crab Roe, and Szechuan.

The original starts from $9.8 for a basket of 10, while the exotic premium xiao long bao like the black truffle, foie gras and ginseng are $19.80 for a basket of 10. Since it was our first time here, we went for the sampling basket ($13.80 for the 8 flavours). There were hits and misses. I thought that the Crab Roe and Cheese were surprisingly good, while the Ginseng and Foie Gras were rather bland and I couldn’t really taste anything. The other flavours were decent, but not rock-your-socks-off good.

Besides the steamed pork dumplings, we also had the la mian from Paradise Dynasty.

Why is Japanese ramen more popular than Chinese La Mian?

This question has been on my mind for some time, and I honestly don’t get it. Japanese food is a very popular cuisine, and there are so many Japanese ramen restaurants in Singapore. But when it comes to Chinese La Mian, we do not have many choices, and most people seem to prefer having ramen anyway.

The irony is Japanese ramen originates from Chinese La Mian, yet it is often more expensive. A bowl of ramen is at least $12-$15, while La Mian on the other hand, is usually priced below $10 at most Chinese restaurants.

Anyway I digressed. What I wanted to tell you is the La Mian with braised pork belly ($10.80) from Paradise Dynasty. The broth was rich and flavourful, the noodle springy and the pork belly sublime – in short, it was pretty fantastic. I definitely feel that this bowl of La Mian will not lose out to any ramen.

It is not easy to find a restaurant in Orchard road that serves decent food at affordable prices. Paradise Dynasty fits in very nicely in the local food scene, and I like the fact that the Paradise Group is keeping the other Chinese restaurant chains on their toes.

Paradise Dynasty is definitely a good option if you want to have Chinese food in Orchard road. It is a plus that they are an all day dining restaurant, which means that you can even go there during mid afternoon to have dim sum for high tea. But are the colourful xiao long baos with premium fillings really better than the original one?

I am not convinced.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Paradise Dynasty
2 Orchard Turn, #04-12A
ION Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 9118

Operating Hours:
Weekdays 11am to 10pm
Weekends 10am to 10pm

I was impressed during a recent visit to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Takashimaya. They have pretty good Korean food at affordable prices and it currently ranks highly on my list of Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of Crystal Jade restaurants initially as I didn’t like restaurant chains. But after several visits to the different Crystal Jade restaurants, it’s not too difficult to understand why they are popular.

First, the prices at most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are affordable. Second, the food is consistent, it’s quite unlikely that you will have a bad meal at any of the Crystal Jade restaurants. Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand the appeal of reliable restaurants like Crystal Jade.

Third, most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are conveniently located in town, it’s quite difficult to find good yet affordable food in Orchard, plus they have different restaurants catering for everyone.

My friends were craving for Korean BBQ, and we decided to try Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant since we were meeting in town. Now you know why Crystal Jade is so popular!

Crystal Jade Korean BBQ is much more affordable than I thought. The five of us ordered two servings of pork and chicken ($18 each), Grilled Fish ($22), Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup ($25), Kim Chi Pancakes ($14), and we paid about $23 per person. Obviously, it helps to have a group of friends so that we can order more food to share.

It was so much fun to BBQ the meat on the sizzling grill, and even better to put the slightly charred meat into my mouth. Thankfully, the air ventilation of the restaurant was good, and we didn’t leave the place smelling like barbecue.

The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup was fantastic, the chicken was delicious and the stock was rich and flavourful. My companions agreed with me that Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant’s rendition was much better than the one that we had at Togi Korean Restaurant.

Along with the six complimentary side dishes, we also ordered the Kimchi Pancakes as appetisers. It was not too bad, but personally I would prefer Seafood pancakes over that.

Here’s a quick guide for those of you who have no idea which restaurants to go for Korean food in Singapore: I will go to Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant at Tras Street for the excellent Korean Fried Chicken, and if location is not an issue, Kim’s Family Restaurant is definitely my favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore.

Most of us usually meet our friends in Orchard since it is convenient for everyone, if that’s the case, Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is definitely the place to satisfy your craving for Korean BBQ and Ginseng Chicken.

Singapore Food Restaurants Review
Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

176 Orchard Road #04-13
Centrepoint Singapore
Tel: +65 6737 3282

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When it comes to the best Xiao Long Bao in Singapore, most people will usually think of Din Tai Fung, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, or Nan Xiang Xiao long bao restaurant. Along the sleepy Neil Road at the intersection of Chinatown & Maxwell Food Market, there’s a very popular place that serves good xiao long bao? Try to search for Neil Road, and Google will actually prompt “Neil Road Xiao Long Bao”, or “Neil Road Qun Zhong”.

The Lonely Planet Guide refers to Qun Zhong Eating House as the #433 out of 625 Things to do in Singapore. Are the Steamed Pork Dumplings there really so good?

If you are a superficial or lazy person like me, chances are, you’d have walked past Qun Zhong Eating House a dozen times without noticing it. The place doesn’t look very impressive from the outside, and there’s always a long queue during peak hours.

Before coming here, I heard about the reputation of the ‘service’, or rather the lack of service. Stepping inside, most of the staff were rather grumpy and appeared to be in a hurry. We were actually quite afraid to ask them for water. Okay to be fair, it wasn’t that bad. I asked for water nicely, and they gave it to us without much trouble.

The Xiao Long Baos from Qun Zhong Eating House were much bigger than any of the dumplings that I had before. And it was for a very good reason. They held a lot of soup within the seemingly-thick folds of the steamed pork dumpling ($7 for 7). It literally gushed out when I took a nibble of the xiao long bao.

Is this the best Xiao Long Bao in Singapore? I can’t answer that, but if you like a meaty and thick steamed pork dumpling, with lots of soup, Qun Zhong’s Xiao long bao is definitely the one for you. We also had the Pan Fried Dumplings ($8 for 10), and together with the 7 xiao long bao, and a bowl of zha jiang mian – it was really a lot of food for the two of us.

Other than the Zha Jiang Mian (noodle with minced pork & soya bean paste), Qun Zhong Eating House also serves a variety of Beijing cuisine and food like the Chinese Pizza, Steamed vegetarian dumplings and Hot & Sour noodle.

If you still have room in the stomach after eating the xiao long bao, Dim Joy is just across the street. For desserts, there’s Flor Patisserie, Once Upon A Milkshake and Patisserie Glace nearby.

Restaurant Review
Qun Zhong Eating House
21 Neil Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 3060

This is my first visit to Crystal Jade.

Okay please stop staring at me as though I’m a weirdo. When I mentioned on twitter that I have not been to Crystal Jade before, everyone gave me the ‘what-is-wrong-with-you’ reply.

I can understand the reactions, since there are so many different Crystal Jade restaurants in Singapore. From the fine dining Crystal Jade Palace restaurant, to the family-oriented Crystal Jade restaurant, Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ or the causal dining options like Crystal Jade Kitchen and Crystal Jade La Mien Xiao Long Bao – there are options for everyone.

So when I finally stepped into Crystal Jade La Mien Xiao Long Bao at Ngee Ann City, there was a slight tingling sensation in my stomach. ‘Hello Crystal Jade, I’m finally here!’

There were so many items to choose from the Crystal Jade’s menu, and it took us a while before we decided on the Xiaolongbao, Zha Jiang Mian, and the famous Fried rice.

I have heard a lot about Crystal Jade’s Steamed Soupy Pork Dumpling ($5 for a basket of five). Apparently you can have unlimited servings of xiaolongbao if you go for the Crystal Jade Steamboat Buffet at Holland Village. But no thank you, I really don’t fancy having twenty baskets of xiaolongbao at one go.

We shared the five dumplings between the two of us, and they were gone in an instant. I was greedy and impatient, so I dipped it with the light soy sauce and ginger and placed the whole dumpling into my mouth — that was a huge mistake. The stock gushed through and burnt my tongue when I took a bite, but it felt so good.

We were stunned by the portion of the Noodle with Minced Meat & Mushroom in spicy sauce ($7.50) when it arrived on the table. I liked how the spicy-sweet sauce entangled itself with the la mien.

I’m not sure if my memory is playing a trick on me, but I actually prefer Din Tai Fung’s fried rice. While the portion of Crystal Jade’s Fried rice with prawn, chicken & ham in Shanghai style ($10.80) was impressive, it lacked a certain wok-hei flavor. In short, not the best fried rice that I had before.

* * *

It’s actually not difficult to understand why Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is doing well. The food is decent, and they are reasonably priced. It is probably around $10-ish per head to have a proper dinner here. You know what? I’m going to try out the Crystal Jade Palace restaurant for dim sum next.

Which Crystal Jade restaurants have you been to, and between Imperial Treasure or Crystal Jade, which one do you prefer?

Restaurant Review
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
391 Orchard Road #04-27
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6238 1661

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