SIN: Dian Xiao Er

Angelic sweetness of roasted duck!

Dian Xiao Er is a famous Chinese eatery that boasts its duck creations. Even a chef from Indonesia, Enita Sriyana, who's hosting the long-lasting cooking show called Santapan Nusantara (lit. cuisine of the archipelago), went to Singapore and featured this restaurant in one of the episodes. Anyway, this restaurant has been one of my favourite places to get my fix of heavenly duck. I usually order the Family Set for 2 pax that costs S$38.00. The set includes Soup of the Day, Duck Roasted with Angelica Herb, Mongolian Spare Ribs or Dong Po Pork, as well as Baby Kailan with Salted Fish and Lime.

 

Soup of the Day (Set Menu)

Taste: 7.5/10 

Well, I'm basing my review on one visit (two actually, see below). Anyway, the double boiled soup with pickled vegetable and pork didn't disappoint, although it was actually comparable to those you can find in trustworthy hawker stalls. It had the right degree of saltiness, and its piquant peppery taste could instantly perk up your appetite.

 

Duck Roasted with Angelica Herb (Set Menu)

Taste: 9/10 

This is THE dish which I'm brave enough to give 9, or perhaps 9.5 out of 10. I guess I'll review it again when I've got the chance to taste the dish one more time, see if the quality is there. The duck was tender, sliced to perfection so that the herbal sauce could permeate through the meat without the slices being too thick or thin. The angelic sweetness (see my caption above?) of the thick sauce lathered all over the meat made this dish perfect.

Mongolian Spare Ribs (Set Menu)

Taste: 8/10 

I've read in HungryGoWhere that this dish makes many people go crazy. The ribs were lipsmackingly good; the usual crispy-on-the-outside-but-tender-on-the-inside kind of stuff. The supposedly spicy black pepper sauce wasn't spicy enough though. Still, nothing has managed to beat the ultimate duck!

 Dong Po Pork (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

This is what I mean by I'm basing my review on two visits, because I couldn't possibly finish all the stuff if I were to order an additional Dong Po Pork dish. Anyway, this dish isn't for the health-conscious! Just look at the picture and see for yourself the thick layers of fat. OMG!!! I'm actually quite a health-conscious person, but hey, eating this once in a while is alright, I suppose. The pork belly melted like a chocolate once it landed on my tongue. I felt as if I applied lip balm all over my mouth after eating this.

Baby Kailan with Salted Fish and Lime (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

Baby kailan (Chinese broccoli) is one of my most favourite vegetables, and this dish did live up to my expectations. The leafy vegetables were cooked thoroughly and retained its crunchiness, indicative of the swiftness and the strong fire applied during the stir frying process. The unique combination of salted fish and lime offered a refreshingly salty and sour thrill without being too over-powering.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Service: 8.5/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Perhaps I'll try the Healthy Set next time round to make amends for my sins. Haha... Pika's advice: Visit the website to find out the various set meals offered! Also, they charge the peanuts and wet towels separately!

Dian Xiao Er

1 HarbourFront Walk

#02-137/8 VivoCity

Singapore

(Mon-Fri: 11.30am - 3.00pm, 5.30pm - 10.00pm; Sat-Sun: 11.30am - 10.00pm)

http://dianxiaoer.net/

*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)