One of our ultimate guilty pleasures in life is Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns, or more commonly referred to as Liu Sha Bao. Mad props to whoever invented this decadent steamed delight because it is a work of pure genius and we are sure that many would agree.

The moment you burst open the Liu Sha Bao and molten salted egg yolk come oozing out; that is the epitome of bliss.

Here is our list of 13 Best Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns (Liu Sha Bao) in Singapore.

#1 ASIA GRAND CHINESE RESTAURANT

Despite the tough competition in Singapore’s food scene, Asia Grand at Odeon Towers remains one of the go-to places for businessmen to entertain their clients, as well as families to have their weekend yum cha. The place is not fancy, but the food is always of high standards.

And of course, how can you go to Asia Grand and not try their liu sha bao?

331 North Bridge Road
Odeon Towers
Singapore 188720
Tel: +65 6887 0010
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

#2 CRYSTAL JADE GOLDEN PALACE

Crystal Jade Golden Palace at The Paragon is an all-time favourite dim sum place in Singapore. We love Crystal Jade’s steamy hot basket of custard bun. The ones here are orange in colour, because the skin is infused with carrot juice.

290 Orchard Road
#05-22 The Paragon
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 6734 6866
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sat: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 10.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#3 IMPERIAL TREASURE FINE CHINESE CUISINE

The Imperial Treasure name is synonymous with high quality and exquisitely fine Chinese food. The prices may be hefty, but considering their use of premium ingredients and the impeccable service rendered to us each time we visit, there is zero reason for us to complain.

We really love it there, and of course, it is also because we are such huge fans of their custard buns. Honestly, we could easily finish a basket each.

#L2-04, Marina Bay Sands
10 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018972
Tel: +65 6688 7788
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Sunday: 11am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bayfront

#4 MAN FU YUAN

Serving up a myriad of classic Cantonese dishes in a lavish setting, Man Fu Yuan never fails to leave an impression.

Their dim sum offerings are simply divine and we make it a point never to miss out on their Salted Egg Custard Bun. Here, you can opt to have these glorious buns steamed or deep-fried.

80 Middle Road
2F Intercontinental Hotel
Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 6825 1008
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

#5 MIN JIANG AT DEMPSEY

Going against the norm, Min Jiang prides itself with its custard bun that exudes a charcoal-black hue.

Of course, the charcoal does not add much to the bun’s taste, but we can all agree that it looks a whole lot better especially after the golden salted egg yolk custard comes spilling out of it.

7A & 7B Dempsey Road,
Singapore 249684
Tel: +65 6774 0122
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Commonwealth/Queenstown

#6 MITZO RESTAURANT & BAR

Mitzo Restaurant & Bar ranks pretty high on our list of top dim sum restaurants and it is only right that we make a special mention about their stellar charcoal custard buns. Decorated luxuriously with edible gold lychee liqueur, this humble custard-filled bun surely is an eye-opener.

We love that the charcoal adds a subtle smokiness that complements the creamy, luscious salted egg yolk centre incredibly well.

270 Orchard Road
Level 4 Grand Park Orchard
Singapore 238857
Tel: +65 6603 8855
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard/Somerset

#7 PEACH GARDEN

Dining at Peach Garden always promises a satisfying meal courtesy of their huge range of tasty dim sum delights, but the one thing we cannot do without are their custard buns.

Not to sound overly dramatic but believe us when we say that Peach Garden has one of the best custard buns in Singapore!

401 Havelock Road
Hotel Miramar, Level 3
Singapore 169631
Tel: +65 6736 3833
Sun to Thu: 11am – 3.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

#8 SONG GARDEN

No dim sum meal would be complete without some form of stuffed bao. For a sweet treat, we recommend getting the Steamed Custard Bun that oozes out molten salted egg yolk. Be sure to have your phones at the ready to snap a video of that luscious filling spilling out!

122 Middle Road
Mercure Singapore Bugis
Singapore 188973
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

#9 TASTE PARADISE

The next time you find yourself wandering aimlessly around Ion Orchard in search of food, stop by Taste Paradise for their amazing dim sum offerings and of course, their stellar custard buns.

2 Orchard Turn
#04-07, ION Orchard
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6509 9660
Mon to Fri: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 11am – 4.30pm, 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#10 WAH LOK CANTONESE RESTAURANT

Offering beyond just the usual Steamed Custard Bun, Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant also has a slightly different rendition—a Baked Custard Bun with warm custard.

Although it does not come with molten custard lava, it is still an interesting option if you are looking for something different.

Level 2 Carlton Hotel Singapore
76 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189558
Tel: +65 6311 8188
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun & PH: 11am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

#11 WAN HAO CHINESE RESTAURANT

With doors opened since 1995, Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant is one of luxurious Chinese restaurants along Orchard Road that serves classic Cantonese delicacies.

The restaurant serves an assortment of dim sum during lunch, but the one that you must try is the Steamed Charcoal Bun With Salted Egg Custard.

320 Orchard Road
Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
Singapore 238865
Tel: +65 6831 4605
Mon to Fri: 12pm to 3pm, 6.30pm to 10.30pm
Sat, Sun and PH: 11.30am – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#12 XIN CUISINE CHINESE RESTAURANT

While Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant may not be the poshest restaurant on this list, we always look forward to the next visit because a meal here will never disappoint. Whenever you are popping by for their dim sum, do give their Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk a try.

#04-00 Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
317 Outram Road
Singapore 169075
Tel: +65 6731 7173
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

#13 YAN TING

The luxurious St Regis Singapore has no lack of good restaurants, and we have been fans of Yan Ting for years. Drop by for lunch at Yan Ting and do not skip their Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Buns if you are going for their dim sum menu.

29 Tanglin Road
The St. Regis Singapore
Singapore 247911
Tel: +65 6506 6887
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Weekend Dim Sum Brunch (Sat, Sun & PH): 10.30am – 12.30pm, 1pm – 3pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Xin Cuisine at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium may not be the fanciest Chinese restaurant around, neither does it have a lavishly posh interior to boast. But you know what? We love Xin Cuisine; always have, always will.

Xin Cuisine has a steady following accumulated over the decades, and if you’ve dined there before, you would know how they never disappoint. As for us, we enjoy its relatively quiet environment and how the chefs always upkeep the consistency of the food. No efforts are spared in putting the most tantalizing dishes on your table for your enjoyment.

Whether it is a gathering with family and friends, corporate luncheon with your esteemed business partners, or simply a quiet dinner with your loved one, a meal at Xin Cuisine will be ideal.

There are many dishes to fall in love with, and today, we share with you every reason to love Xin Cuisine. Here are the highlights of our meal.

For the month of May, quote ladyironchef or flash this post on your mobile to get 15% discount off Xin Cuisine’s ala carte menu.

[ Giveaway ] We are giving away 4 X S$50 Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant dining vouchers. Leave a comment below, and share this post on your Facebook timeline to win. More details on the giveaway at the end of this post.

BARBECUED SUCKLING PIG WITH FOIE GRAS, YAM AND JAPANESE CUCUMBER

And this, our friends… this is the bomb! We started our meal with this dish that combines all our favourites into one. Can you imagine the distinct textures of crispy crackling, chewy fats and creamy foie gras altogether? Once you’ve tried this dish, you will never look at suckling pig the same way again. Who would have thought that suckling pig and foie gras would go so well together? But then again, everything tastes better when you add foie gras in it.

For S$35 per portion, it may seem expensive, but think of all the premiums you’re gonna get on one plate. An indulgent treat that will be worth your while, we’d say.

CHEF’S SPECIAL TOMATO SOUP WITH LOTUS SEED

Nothing like the usual Western-style tomato soup that we are all too familiar with. Xin Cuisine’s rendition remains very skewed for Asian palettes, and the Chef’s Special Tomato Soup with Lotus Seed (S$10 per portion) is a creative vegetarian option for those who are seeking a light taste. Nourishing with a tinge of tanginess, this signature soup is boiled over low heat for long hours to produce that natural thickness. This makes a lovely soup dish to whet your appetite.

PAN-FRIED LAMB CHOP AND THREE MUSHROOMS WITH POMMERY MUSTARD SAUCE

There are not many Chinese restaurants in Singapore who do lamb meat well, and we happened to be craving for lamb that evening at Xin Cuisine. Oh God, when the chef presented this Pan-fried Lamb Chop and Three Mushrooms with Pommery Mustard Sauce (S$15 per portion) dish, our eyes lit up and our hearts skipped a beat.

The mustard sauce cuts through the meat so well that there was almost no taste of gaminess. And it is served with lovely onion ring that is homemade with big and fresh onions.

BARBECUED PORK RIB WITH SPECIAL PLUM SAUCE

If lamb is not your thing, try the Barbecued Pork Rib with Special Plum Sauce (S$12 per portion). Also classified as the chef’s signature, we enjoyed the tender pork rib. Plum sauce is just about the perfect complement, and it has a faint spicy note on the aftertaste. We can totally understand why this dish is so popular!

HOME-STYLE ROAST DUCK WITH TEA LEAVES

Chinese roast duck is always a good idea, right? Especially so if it is roasted with tea leaves! That unique fragrance with a woody note will definitely tug your heartstrings, and it is indeed “home-style” – comforting with a touch of elegance. It comes in either a half portion (S$28) or a whole duck (S$52).

BAKED SEA PERCH WITH JAPANESE MISO SAUCE

If we had to pick a single favourite from the entire menu, the Baked Sea Perch with Japanese Miso Sauce (S$16 per portion) is definitely it. A generous slab of sea perch that is baked fresh with no marination or anything funny to change its taste, this is one hearty fish dish that had us scrambling for adjectives to describe it.

We don’t even think ‘heavenly’ is befitting enough! And that Japanese miso sauce that goes with the fish? Yipe, salty yet light; more than perfect.

FRIED FRAGRANT AND BROWN RICE SERVED IN STONE CASSEROLE

Fried Fragrant and Brown Rice with Roasted Pork, Diced Shrimp, Dried Scallop, Peanut and Raisin, served in Stone Casserole. Boy, that was quite a mouthful! But it also means there are heaps of goodness in that stone casserole! It is not your ordinary carbs dish; it is a carbs dish that is earthy, so flavourful, and it will be worth the calorie count. Good for sharing, and it comes in three sizes – S$20 for the small, S$30 for the medium, and S$40 for the large.

BRAISED LIVE LOBSTER EE-FU NOODLE

The Lobster Noodle is nothing fancy; just well-cooked noodles paired with lobster. At S$22 per portion, it is an absolute steal for a decadent bowl of happiness. And you read that right; live lobsters mean you get nothing but the freshest treasure of the sea.

DIM SUM

Dim Sum is another reason why you should head to Xin Cuisine. Most of the dim sum are reasonably priced at S$4.50 per basket. The dim sum menu is available daily, and on Sundays and Public Holidays, the menu features additional items.

The classic offerings – including Siew Mai, Xiaolongbao, Har Gau – are all nicely executed, but if you are there for yum cha with your family on Sundays, you can look forward to other noteworthy creations that include Steamed Melon Ring with Shrimp, Pork Paste in Abalone Sauce (S$4.50 for 3 pcs), Steamed Cuttlefish with Spicy Sauce (S$4.50), Baked Chocolate and Custard Bun ($ 6.00 for 3 pcs) and Deep-fried Bacon and Crab Claw with Salad Sauce ($9.00 for 3 pcs).

Chock full of liquid gold, Xin Cuisine’s Custard Bun gets our vote. The skin of the bun is so airy and thin, and the filling explodes with a strong tinge of salted egg yolk goodness.

Need to sin more? The Roast Pork was SO. BLOODY. DIVINE. It is miraculous how our minds caved in to the sin and we just ate away – a piece after another, without a care in the world, like diet didn’t matter anymore.

CHILLED MANGO COULIS AND HASHIMA SERVED IN MINI PUMPKIN

This pretty little dessert (S$15 per portion) shall pamper you with some sweetness and to “cleanse your palate” after all that savoury moments. It is a chef’s signature, and an evergreen favourite among regulars. Well, it is ours too!

FRIED SESAME BALL WITH RED BEAN AND LIQUEUR CHOCOLATE FILLING

Beyond the ubiquitous Mango Sago and Mango Pudding, Xin Cuisine presents the Fried Sesame Ball with Red Bean (S$8 per portion of 4pcs). It looks like the usual fried Chinese pastry that you get at most Chinese restaurants. However, tear apart the sesame ball and you will find liqueur chocolate filling oozing out. How’s that for a Chinese dessert? Sheer brilliance.

As mentioned at the start, remember to quote ladyironchef or flash this post on your mobile to get 15% discount off Xin Cuisine’s ala carte menu during the month of May,

XIN CUISINE CHINESE RESTAURANT GIVEAWAY

1. Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant is giving away 4 X S$50 dining vouchers.
2. Leave a comment in this post to tell us which dish you would like to try at Xin Cuisine, and why we should choose you.
3. ‘Like’ Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium on Facebook
4. Share the link of this post on your Facebook timeline.
5. The contest starts from now till 6 May 2015, 2359 hrs.
6. Winners will be notified by email.

For the latest updates, head over to Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium website and like Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium on Facebook.

UPDATE: The four winners are Jason Chew, Goh Yee Ping, Jolynn, and Doreen Yau Siok Ching.

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
#04-00 Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
317 Outram Road
Tel: +65 6731 7173
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sun: 10.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Outram

This post is brought to you by Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium.