SIN: Xi Men Ding Taiwan Cuisine {CLOSED}

Melt-in-the-mouth cod fillet!

UPDATE (28/05/2019): The restaurant has closed down.

There was a time when I was feeling down for reasons I can't recall, but I remember that my friend brought me to dine at Raffles City Shopping Centre. Being the third restaurant under the Creative Eateries group reviewed in this blog, Xi Men Ding Taiwan Cuisine claims to offer dishes which remain true to their roots, but with a modern flair. We ordered the Set B priced at S$32.80 per person, comprising six dishes with a choice of either rice or porridge.

Grilled Fish Roe (Set Menu)

Taste: 7.5/10

The pretty first course arrived at the table promptly, comprising grilled fish roe patties, each stacked on top of a slice of fresh, strong-bodied leek and another of turnip. The fish roe patties had a somewhat firm, somewhat chewy consistency, but they weren't extraordinary with just being slightly salty.

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

I believe quality ingredients were used in the making of the soup. While the soup could be richer in taste, I really enjoyed the crisp and slightly elastic sea cucumber and shark fins, as well as the tender pork cubes. Moreover, the yam cubes were nicely starchy. Well, I don't think Buddha will really jump over the wall to get this one, but it's good enough for sure.

Deep-Fried Prawns with Egg Yolk (Set Menu)

Taste: 8/10

Before the dish arrived on the table, I was thinking that the egg yolk would appear in a saucy form. Apparently, each yolk was encased in minced prawns before frying. The savoury fried stuff went really well with steamed rice, but it'd be much better if they could be moister.

Steamed Cod Fillet with Radish (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

The cod fillet was amazing as it was really tender and juicy, packed with unsaturated fats which gave that addictive melt-in-the-mouth sensation. It was laden with brown sauce which had a nice balance of flavour. The addition of spring onions also made the whole dish aromatic, not to forget the fried radish bits which enhanced the overall taste.

'San Bei' Tofu (Set Menu)

Taste: 8/10

The vegetarian dish has obtained its name from san bei ji (lit. three-cup chicken), substituting chicken meat with tofu. The sauce, traditionally made of a cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil and Chinese cooking wine, was sweet and comforting. The smooth tofu cubes were well-contrasted in texture by the crunchy bell peppers.

Asparagus with Conpoy (Set Menu)

Taste: 7.5/10

It'd been a long while since I last ate cooked asparaguses with rice (FYI, I used to think that the plural form of asparagus is asparagi haha...). I felt that they could be crunchier, but I quite liked the sauce which was thick and appetising enough. The conpoy did add a marine fragrant to the dish, albeit only slightly. 

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8/10

Ambience: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

All in all, I had a good dinner which managed to lift my mood up a little bit that day. Well, I've just realised that this month alone I've already written three reviews on Taiwanese cuisine. Pika's advice: I guess this isn't exactly an advice, but I've heard that a lot of people have mentioned that their lunch sets are not value-for-money. You can decide for yourself.

Xi Men Ding Taiwan Cuisine

252 North Bridge Road

#B1-44C Raffles City Shopping Centre

Singapore
(Mon-Fri: 12 noon - 3.00pm, 6.00pm - 10.00pm; Sat-Sun: 12 noon - 4.00pm, 6.00pm - 10.00pm)

http://www.ximending.com.sg/

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

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)