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Dian Xiao Er – Go Back in Time in the Ancient Chinese Inn

Rating:

By Veron Ang

Each time we pass by a Dian Xiao Er restaurant, we would do a double take. Unlike your typical Chinese restaurants that tend to go for a classy or modern look these days, the decor here is decked out like a traditional Chinese inn. Even the staff are dressed in costumes from that era!

Whether it is the brick walls, the square-shaped wooden tables and chairs, or the rows of ancient Chinese wine that fill the shelves, the quaint decor makes you feel as though you are in a period drama. To match the rustic ambience, the cooking certainly does not disappoint either.

Duck roasted with Ten Wonder herbs

Duck roasted with Ten Wonder herbs
S$12.80-34.80++
Rating:

The main specialty of this mid-priced restaurant chain is the herbal roast duck. You can choose from 3 types of herbs — Angelica herbs (Dang Gui), Ten Wonder herbs or wild ginseng.

The Ten Wonder herbs are basically a combination of ten herbs that include Codonopsis root, Chinese Foxglove root and licorice root. The herbs are supposed to promote longevity and soothe the mind. Feeling stressed? You know what to eat!

Apart from the obvious health benefits of the herbs, the duck meat is tender, juicy and soaked in the most delicious sweet sauce. Even for someone that prefers chicken over duck any day, this dish remains deeply enjoyable. Bonus: The thin crispy skin!

Braised shark's fin broth with crab meat

Braised shark’s fin broth with crab meat
S$23-46++
Rating:

As you can see, the braised shark’s fin broth is chock full of ingredients. Tinged with the sweetness of crab meat shreds, this easily trumps any shark’s fin soup at Chinese wedding banquets!

You would notice that many of the dishes on the menu are denoted with little red logos. These represent the Singapore Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Dining Program, which means that the dishes are cooked with less oil, salt and sugar.

Stir-fried lotus root with macadamia nut

Stir-fried lotus root with macadamia nut
S$10.80-21.80++
Rating:

One dish that I favour less is the lotus root with macadamia nut, but mostly because I am not a huge fan of the greens. The crunchy nuts are very much welcome though!

Stewed Ee-Fu noodle with Conpoy (dried scallop) & Golden mushroom

Stewed Ee-Fu noodle with Conpoy (dried scallop) & Golden mushroom
S$8.80-17.80++
Rating:

To fill the stomach, share a pot of the stewed Ee-Fu noodle. This is tossed with dried scallop and Golden mushroom. Cooked with sufficient flavour, it is one of the better renditions that we have had.

Garoupa slices with carrot sauce

Garoupa slices with carrot sauce
Rating:

The garoupa slices with carrot sauce is rather average and unmemorable.

Braised mushroom, sea cucumber & abalone

Braised mushroom, sea cucumber & abalone
S$29-59++
Rating:

Love the braised mushroom, sea cucumber and abalone. The mushrooms are simply satisfying, oozing out delicious juices as you bite into each one.

Boiled Hashima with ginseng & red dates

D-Boiled Hashima
S$5.30++
Rating:

Dessert lovers should leave room for the chilled Hashima. This isn’t one for the squeamish though, as Hashima is made from — gulp! — the dried fallopian tubes of true frogs! Still, when it is made into a dessert like this, you kinda forget that the jelly-like substance actually comes from a frog. Served cold in a sweet soup with ginseng and red dates, this is light and refreshing.

Chinese wine

Here are the aforementioned ancient Chinese wine. Does anyone else just wanna drink heartily?

Have Your Say!

What is your favourite Chinese restaurant? Share with us in the comments!

Dian Xiao Er
- Marina Square
- VivoCity
- Ang Mo Kio Hub
- Causeway Point
- Changi Airport Terminal 3
- Lot One Shoppers’ Mall
- Jurong Point
- West Coast Plaza
- NEX Mall
- Tampines One
Website
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About the Editor

Veron Ang is the Founder and Chief Editor of Sparklette, a Singapore restaurants guide, lifestyle and travel blog. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and runs a web design firm at Sparklette Studio. To get in touch, head on over to the contact page or follow @Sparklette and @VeronSG on Twitter.

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Responses Leave a comment

Sparklette
195 tweets

Sparklette Digest! Dian Xiao Er – Traditional Chinese Inn http://sparklette.net/food/dian-xiao-er/...
Reply
Tweeted June 22, 2010 at 2:55 pm
bargeboards
1 tweet

@Sparklette Do restaurants indicate whether shark’s fin is genuine or imitation? I don’t go to places that serve real fins.
Reply
Tweeted June 22, 2010 at 3:07 pm
- Sparklette
  195 tweets
  
  @bargeboards I don’t recall that they specify. The price is a good indicator of whether it’s real shark’s fin. Best to check with them.
  Reply
  Tweeted June 22, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Allen Chua
1 comment

The food, I must say, is really of consistent good standard at different branches. Nothing ever disappoints! I especially like the duck, and XO fried rice. I even chalked up S$500 spending in less than 30days to get myself the membership card. However, recently I realised the card was misplaced, due to passing the card around among the family members, (believe it or not, our whole family/ clan loves Dian Xiao Er, even my boyfriend). My sister approached the counter staff asking politely for a replacement card. The staff said no replacement at all for all membership cards, the only thing we can do is to get ANOTHER card by — spending S$500 within 60days! I am utterly disappointed !!! Now, I think I got to visit Dian Xiao Er only during the time periods when they allow the credit card discounts…. *sad*
Reply
Posted June 23, 2010 at 11:13 am
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  Wow, I feel for you. Many businesses have some form of policy to replace lost membership cards (a fee or something), but it looks like Dian Xiao Er isn’t one of them. Have you tried leaving your name with them so that if anyone uses the card with the same name, they can notify you?
  Reply
  Posted June 23, 2010 at 11:52 am
yuku
3 comments

Braised shark’s fin broth with crab meat
got 5.5 bones. Are you sure?
Reply
Posted June 23, 2010 at 12:23 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  lol it should be 4.5. That’s what happens when I get overexcited. Thanks for pointing it out!
  Reply
  Posted June 23, 2010 at 12:27 pm
jon marc
10 comments

ok, you just managed to gross me out just before lunch time with the dessert thing.
Reply
Posted June 24, 2010 at 11:56 am
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  Unread it! Unread it!
  Reply
  Posted June 24, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Melissa
133 comments

omg I had NO IDEA that’s where they get the hashima dessert. I always assumed it’s something like bird nest…
Reply
Posted June 25, 2010 at 2:24 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  Bird’s nest doesn’t sound half as nasty though ;)
  Reply
  Posted June 25, 2010 at 4:49 pm
  - Melissa
    133 comments
    
    Agree. This sounds grosser than claypot frog. Yet both are yummy!
    Reply
    Posted June 29, 2010 at 12:05 am
    - Veron
      3439 comments
      
      Ahhh… now you remind me that it’s been a while since I last ate claypot frog.
      Reply
      Posted June 29, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Shamima Sultana
1 comment

wow..i love to eat Chinese food…and these food looks so yummy…
Reply
Posted July 1, 2010 at 5:25 pm
LJ
19 comments

Yum yum yum..the double boiled hashima seems quite good
Reply
Posted July 15, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Ianny
1 comment

I like their very rustic and traditional Chinese decor, too.
Reply
Posted September 3, 2010 at 9:19 am
randall
2 comments

they have 10% off on weekdays for first 10 tables at vivo. not sure about other branches. the roast duck is yumi ……the duck head is $2.
Reply
Posted December 7, 2010 at 3:12 pm
- Veron
  3439 comments
  
  Thanks for the info!
  Reply
  Posted December 7, 2010 at 5:36 pm