I was back at Geylang Bahru Food Centre and decided to try a new stall located in the middle section of the food centre. Ding Xiang Mei Shi (鼎香美食) caught my attention because I notice the staff kneading the dough. Most customers order the Xiao Long Bao which is quite reasonable priced at $4 for 6 pieces.
Besides the Xiao Long Bao, the stall also offers Dumplings, Hong You Chao Shou, Hot & Spicy Noodles and Zha Jiang Mian. I decided to try the Hong You Chao Shou ($4/$6) and Zha Jiang Mian ($4).
Hong You Chao Shou 3.5/5
The Hong You Chao Shou ($4/$6) is big and plump, stuffed with juicy marinated minced pork. The let down for me is the chilli oil, it is not very fragrant and not spicy enough. If some further adjustment can be made to the chilli oil, this is be an excellent dish.
Zha Jiang Mian 3/5
The handmade noodle was firm and comes with a good bite. While I appreciate the generous topping of minced pork for the Zha Jiang Mian, the sauce was too starchy and it lacked depth and robustness. I also wish that there are more of the cucumber to give it a more refreshing finishing.
I have to applaud the effort of the stall for making their own dough for the dumpling, xiao long bao, hong you chao shou and noodles. It is a pity that effort is lacked down by the execution. I really hope some refinements can be made to give justify to the effort.
Ding Xiang Mei Shi (鼎香美食)
Geylang Bahru Food Centre
Blk 69 Geylang Bahru
#01-32
Singapore 330069
Nearest MRT: Geylang Bahru (DT Line)
Direction:
1) Alight at Geylang Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]
Honestly speaking, I would leave zero stars if I could. The food is mediocre for the price and to make it even worse it is not even close to authentic. Xiao long bao was dry and not cooked well. There was dirt trapped in the bamboo rattan baskets used to steam the Xiao long bao. The male chef from China raised his voice when asked politely how long was the waiting time. When I informed him that there was no need to shout, he broke out in a colourful stream of expletives. His gruff and rude response is a real turn-off. I recommend avoiding this place and giving it a wide berth.
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