Numb @ Marina One - Authentic Sichuan Restaurant with a Modern Touch

Nestled within the stunning Marine One, Numb offers a vibrant dining experience inspired by the bold, aromatic flavours of Sichuan cuisine. Known for its unapologetic embrace of spice and creativity, this eatery blends traditional techniques with modern flair. Be impressed with the diverse menu packed with dishes that delighted the palate and intrigued the senses.

Selection of Cold and Hot Teas

We began our meal with a delightful tea selection. The Phoenix Dancong Yashixiang Lemon Tea ($7.80) stood out as a refreshing cold option, while the Brown Sugar Ginger Tea ($15.80/pot) offered a comforting warmth. The latter was delicately balanced, with the gentle fragrance of brown sugar complementing the subtle ginger notes.

Mashed Pepper with Century Egg and Eggplants 3.8/5

This trending dish has been a favourite to explore across different restaurants. Numb’s rendition of Mashed Pepper with Century Egg and Eggplants ($16.80) features a visually striking presentation, separating the mashed century egg with pepper and eggplant. The dish offers two distinct flavours, one leaning towards a ‘mala’ profile while both making for an excellent starter.

Shanghai-Style Smoked Crispy Fish 3/5

The Shanghai-Style Smoked Crispy Fish ($20.80) delighted with its fragrant and crispy texture. The salt-forward flavour profile makes it an ideal pairing with drinks, though it might not stand out as a standalone dish.

Beijing-Style Duck Cubes with Cornmeal Steamed Buns 3/5

The Beijing-Style Duck Cubes with Cornmeal Steamed Buns ($33.80) is a complete meal featuring roasted duck cubes, garlic sprouts, and sweet peppers served with 5 steamed cornmeal buns. While the concept intrigued us, the overall dryness of the dish left it slightly underwhelming compared to others on the menu.

Garlic Shrimp on Vermicelli Noodles with Thai Chili Sauce 4.2/5

The standout dish of our meal was the Garlic Shrimp on Vermicelli Noodles with Thai Chili Sauce ($36.80). Served tableside with an irresistible drizzle of Thai chilli sauce, the charred vermicelli soaked up every bit of its flavourful essence. The plump, fresh shrimp made this dish an absolute must-try.

Signature Chongqing Chicken Pot 4.2/5

Another highlight was the Signature Chongqing Chicken Pot ($32.80). Tender boneless chicken pieces paired with fork-tender potatoes, beancurd skin and green chilli in a mildly spiced sauce. Its spice level is mild-friendly, even for those who avoid overly spicy food. We enjoyed dipping the cornmeal steamed buns into the savoury sauce for an extra treat!

Poached Chinese Lettuce in Soy Sauce 3/5

To round out the meal, we chose the Poached Chinese Lettuce in Soy Sauce ($16.80). While not particularly memorable, it provided a simple and clean counterbalance to the richness of the other dishes.

Numb's contemporary ambience defies the expectations of a traditional Chinese restaurant. There is a private room and outdoor seating at the Marina One location, which caters to both casual and formal gatherings. Non-spicy options are available for those less inclined to spice. A new outlet at One Raffles Quay has also recently opened, extending this unique dining experience to more guests.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Numb Restaurant
Marina One West Tower
#01-12
9 Straits View
Singapore 018935
Tel: +65 94601960
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Nearest MRT: Downtown (DT Line), Shenton Way (TE Line), Marina Bay (CC, NS, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Shenton Way MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Downtown MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Straits View. Turn right onto Straits View. Walk down Straits View. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Marina Bay MRT station. Take Exit 1. Turn left onto Commerce Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Chengdu Bowl (成都碗) @ Tanjong Pagar - Summer Launch of Sichuanese Flavours with New Modern Takes

Chengdu Bowl (成都碗) was established in 2020, introducing its style of Sichuan tapas and rice bowls. Its newer flagship store in Tanjong Pagar offers a variety of iconic Sichuan dishes alongside creations that highlight modern twists.

Exclusive to this flagship store, diners can look forward to a new Summer Launch featuring five new dishes. It is best to make a reservation before heading down, as the restaurant can get quite busy.

Housemade Beverages

We ordered their two speciality Housemade Beverages, the Pineapple Lime Jasmine Tea ($3.80) and Grapefruit Lime Oolong Tea ($3.80). We requested less sweetness, and they were quite refreshing, perfect for washing down the upcoming spice.

Pan Fried Golden Tofu Cubes 4/5

The Pan Fried Golden Tofu Cubes ($12.80) is a new addition to the list of starters. We liked that these crunchy mouthfuls had a clean fry and were not oily, but would have preferred the batter to be just a touch thinner.

Chongqing Signature Chicken Pot 4.2/5

Served on a gas stove to keep it bubbling hot through the meal, the Chongqing Signature Chicken Pot ($27.80) was brimming with beancurd skin, potatoes and chicken. Its rich, savoury broth is thick, akin to a stew, with the potatoes simmered until soft and the chicken tender.

Fish-flavoured Shrimp Noodle 2/5

The new Fish-flavoured Shrimp Noodle ($15.80) was unfortunately underwhelming. Even though it came with a decent number of prawns, the noodles, which seemed similar to instant noodles, were overcooked and didn't manage to pick up the accompanying sweet sauce well.

Green Sichuan Pepper Fish 4/5

Another dish from the Summer Launch is the Green Sichuan Pepper Fish ($27.80), featuring dory fish slices, enoki mushrooms, black fungus, bean sprouts, and lettuce asparagus. While I found it pricey for the number of fish slices included, we enjoyed its addictive spicy broth, which provided a lingering numbness.

Juewei Spicy Hotpot with Mixed Vegetables 4.2/5

If you're looking for something to satisfy your craving for mala spice, go for the Juewei Spicy Hotpot with Mixed Vegetables ($27.80). Diners are able to opt from one of the three meat options: beef, beef omasum and braised chicken thigh, accompanied by a fixed set of ingredients, including potatoes, lotus root, sweet potato noodles and enoki mushrooms. We opted for the braised chicken thigh, which came in a substantial portion. The hotpot was authentically rich and spicy; although some may find it too oily, we didn't mind it. We especially loved the crunchy lotus root and chewy sweet potato noodles, which soaked up all the spice!

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Chengdu Bowl (成都碗)
120 Tanjong Pagar Road
#01-01
Singapore 088532
Tel: +65 8869 7257
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11.30am to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road. Turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Flaming Chicken Pot (雞煲火鍋) @ Yishun Street 72 - Unique Chicken Pot Plus Hotpot Concept

Having explored the East and West in our previous meetups, the foodie gang decided to go to the North in our recent catch-up. We decided to check out Flaming Chicken Pot (雞煲火鍋) at Yishun Street 72. The unique concept combines both chicken pot and hotpot, which the founders took a year to perfect the recipe before opening the stall.

Flaming Chicken Pot offers two types of chicken pot on their menu - Black Pot and White Pot. They come in 3 sizes - Single Pot ($9.80), Half Chicken ($28) and Full Chicken ($38). It also has a $58 set menu whereby customers get a half chicken black pot and white pot, with 3 choices of meat items and another 3 choices of vegetable items. For our visit, we ordered a whole chicken black pot as well as a whole chicken white pot.

White Pot 4/5

Our half chicken white pot comes with ingredients such as tender chicken pieces, pig stomach and red dates. The soup base tasted somewhat like a mixture of pig stomach and chicken soup, a sweet version of the usual peppery pig stomach soup.

Black Pot 4.2/5

The black pot is more towards the dry version, similar to gong bao chicken sauce. Premium Moutai wine is added to the pot and set ablaze at the table before marinated chicken pieces are added to cook together in the pot. It is quite a spectacular sight. However, we didn't really taste the moutai. What we tasted was a savoury, and rich sauce that goes well with a bowl of steamed rice. It is a bit spicy, though.

I mentioned earlier that Flaming Chicken Pot is a unique concept combining chicken pot and hotpot because you can also order ala carte ingredients to have it like a hotpot. From the meat section, we picked sliced dory fish, handmade beef meatballs, handmade pork meatballs, pork belly slices, premium beef slices and prawn paste. As for the vegetables, we had tang-o, cabbage, black fungus, enoki mushroom, tofu and lotus root.

I was told that the stall has limited portion each day. Hence it is better to call and make a reservation to avoid disappointment.


Flaming Chicken Pot (雞煲火鍋)
Hiap Hoe Eating House
Blk 747 Yishun Street 72
Singapore 760747
Tel: +65 88148151
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Nearest MRT: Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 5pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]