SIN: Paradise Dynasty

Eight colourful xiao long bao, anyone?

Renowned for its unique xiao long bao (lit. little basket bun), Paradise Dynasty was previously listed as one of the best restaurants in Singapore. Even if it's no longer the case this year, it seems to be as popular as ever, judging from the queue a the ION Orchard branch. The restaurant itself simulates the opulence and majesty of imperial China, which picture can be seen at the end of this review.

Dynasty 8 Flavours Xiao Long Bao S$14.80

Taste: 8/10

I had an initial impression of the dumplings not having enough soup inside, eventually giving a collective score of 8/10. The skin, thankfully, was neither too thin nor too thick. In short:

- White (original) had pretty juicy pork filling.

- Green (ginseng), sadly, didn't have a strong herbal taste.

- Brown (foie gras) was pretty much similar to the original dumpling.

- Black (black truffle) had a mild earthiness of the mushrooms.

- Yellow (cheese) was intriguing due to its silky mozzarella cheese.

- Orange (crab roe) had a faint tang of the sea.

- Garlic (grey) was, well, garlicky without being overwhelmingly so.

- Red (Sichuan) had a nice kick on my taste buds.

If I were to pick one to be my favourite, it'd be either the cheese or the Sichuan.

Deep-Fried Diced Chicken in Sichuan Style S$12.00

Taste: 9/10

Once I popped one of the crispy and juicy chicken bits into my mouth, I was sold. Delightfully medium brown in appearance and amazingly fragrant, the chicken was fiery enough due to the amount of dried chili used.

Pork Dumpling La Mian in Chili Sauce S$9.80

Taste: 8/10

While the pork dumplings were ordinary, the noodle lived up to my expectation. Each strand was enjoyably chewy, testament to the proper techniques of making hand-pulled noodle. The chili sauce was quite zesty, but could be more powerful.

Shanghai Fried Rice S$10.80

Taste: 9/10

The fried rice was truly fluffy, and there was something in the sweet sauce that made it truly addictive. Cooked with chicken, shrimps, eggs and spring onions, it was a well-executed dish that I'd really love to order again next time.

Soufflé Egg White Balls Stuffed with Red Bean and Banana S$4.80

Taste: 8.5/10

Imagine eating a donut which texture is so much lighter and fluffier. That was how I felt when I tried the dessert, which dough emitted a mild aroma of freshly baked egg white. 

Inside was a combination of earthy red bean paste and fragrant banana. It wasn't cloyingly sweet, although I was hoping to have more of the semi-liquid banana filling.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8.5/10

Ambience: 8.5/10

Service: 8/10

Overall: 8.5/10

The decor of the restaurant is indeed impressive, complete with soothing mood lighting. I was glad that in spite of the restaurant being fully occupied, it wasn't overly noisy. Pika's advice: Take note that the branch at ION Orchard doesn't accept reservations, so come down early!

Paradise Dynasty

2 Orchard Turn
#04-12A ION Orchard

Singapore
(Mon-Fri: 11.00am - 10.00pm; Sat-Sun: 10.00am - 10.00pm)

https://www.paradisegroup.com.sg/

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

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)