9Goubuli (狗不理) @ Marina Bay Sands (MBS)

Goubuli (狗不理) is a chain brand in China dated back to 1858 with its first outlet established in Tianjin , China. It started as a bun (包子) business using half leaven dough, richly flavoured meat and a delicious soupy filing invented by Guozi (狗子). The legendary bao zi or bun soon attracted patrons all over China and business was so busy that the inventor has no time to engage with his customers. Hence the name Goubuli (狗不理) came about as he has no time to talk with his customers.

You may wonder why the number nine for the outlet in Singapore? Uniquely, each branch around China as well as overseas are given an unique number to distinguish among themselves.

Goubuli Bun with Meat and Vegetable Filling 3/5

Inevitably we have to try the legendary bun or Bao Zi (包子) at 9Goubuli which propelled it to fame.
The Guobuli Bun with Meat and Vegetable Filling ($2.60/pc) may seems to have the best of everything but it also lost its character, trying too hard too much in stuffing all the different ingredients into the dough. While the filling may not have satisfied me, I thought the dough is superb. Unlike the bun we have in Singapore which is thicker and fluffier, this is thinner and softer in texture. It actually allows the appreciation of the fillings to come through more.

Goubuli Bun with Wagyu and Vegetable Filling 4/5

On the other hand, I actually preferred the Goubuli Bun with Wagyu and Vegetable Filling ($3.50/pc). Using a mix of A3 and A4 wagyu beef, the hand chopped beef has more bites to it and the flavour is richer.

Goubuli Bun with Vegetable Filling 4/5

A vegetarian options will be the Goubuli Bun with Vegetable Filling ($1.90/pc). Actually this is also not bad too with the sweetness and crunchiness of the vegetables. A worthy note to mention is the dough used to make all their buns are made from a mixture of three different flours imported form Australia and Canada to get that consistency.

Appetizer Combination 3.5/5

Next we have a trio of Appetizer Combination. The sampling platter allows us to have a glimpse of the cold dish menu. The Pork Terrine ($10) is a rare item to be found on a Chinese restaurant menu. The version is a bit too soft as I am used to the local Teochew version of pig trotter aspic. The Steam Chicken with Szechuan Chilli Sauce ($12) is too mild for me, I think it can go up a notch or two with the spice level. Lastly the Vinegar Marinated Wood Ear Mushroom ($8) is my favourite with its tanginess and crunchy texture. A good starter to whet up the appetite.

Braised Fish Maw in Superior Soup 4.5/5

Say no to shark fin and have the Braised Fish Maw in Superior Soup ($18) instead. This is my first to come across such a smooth piece of fish maw which could have mistaken as cuttlefish from the sight of it. Cooked for hours with carrot and duck and chicken, the superior soup is packed with rich robust flavours.

Szechuan Style Poached Sliced Fish 4/5

The Szehcuan Style Poached Sliced Fish ($22/$33) uses cod fish is more fatty and buttery. I understand the restaurant dilemma in tuning down the spicy level to cater for the general public. I personally like it to be spicier.

Spicy Diced Chicken with Red Capsicums 4.2/5

The Spicy Diced Chicken with Red Capsicums ($18/$27) is so addictive that I could not stop going back for more. This is one of my favourite dish for the night.

Lobster Stir Fried Dry Noodles 3.8/5

This dish is actually not on the menu. The Lobster Stir Fried Dry Noodles is actually a combination of 2 dishes on the menu, the La Mian was stir fried and paired with baked half lobster. An interesting twist of substituting the normal dry noodles with la mian but the highlight has to be the fresh live lobster. It was not over baked and retained that bouncy texture and sweetness.

Banana Chocolate Spring Roll

We wrapped up the dinner with both a warm and cold dessert in the Banana Chocolate Spring Roll with Coconut Ice Cream. Banana and chocolate is the classic combination and the flavours works wonderfully encased by the crispy deep fried spring roll. The coconut ice cream was a bit too sweet and lacking the subtle refreshness of coconut.

9Goubuli (狗不理) at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) not only sells the legendary buns but an extensive offering of other dishes such as homemade noodles, seafood, dim sum and rotisserie. In short, it is a Chinese restaurant offering a variety of Chinese cuisine on the menu.


9Goubuli (狗不理)
Marina Bay Sands (MBS)
The Shoppes
Canal Level
B2-02
2 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018792
Tel: +65 66887799
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/9goubuli
Website: http://www.9goubuli.com/
Nearest MRT: Bayfront (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

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

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao @ Holland Village

Unlimited servicing of Xiao Long Bao? Yes you did not hear me wrongly, that's what you get at Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Holland Village when you are there for their steamboat buffet. Crystal Jade has come a long way since 1992. From 1 outlet to over 100 outlets across 18 major cities in 9 countries in Asia Pacific region offering 21 concepts and still counting.

Anyway my visit this round was not for the steamboat buffet. I am here to savour their ala carte menu. Here are some of the delectable dishes I tried.

Steamed Soupy Xiao Long Bao 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Steamed Soupy Xiao Long Bao ($5.20 for 4pcs). Picking it up with the chopsticks, the delicate thin skin of the Xiao Long Bao held the balanced mixture of pork and soup without bursting. The subtle broth was cooked for 6 hours melded perfectly with the meat for an exquisite taste with the right proportion and thickness.

Chicken Marinated with Chinese Wine & Wolfberry 4/5

The Chicken Marinated with Chinese Wine & Wolfberry ($9) is served chilled. The nourishing bowl comes with health benefit wolfberry and chinese yam. Wolfberry is good for strengthening the eyes, liver and kidney. The chinese yam is good for indigestion. relieve stomach pain and diarrhoea.

Spicy & Sour Thick Soup in Sichuan Style 4/5

The bowl of Spicy & Sour Thick Soup in Sichuan Style ($7.50) comes with a generous serving of mushroom, bamboo shoot and shrimp. The bowl of soup was neither too sour or spicy, just right for my taste. If you prefer stronger taste, you can add chilli oil or vinegar to further enhance the flavours.

Braised Pork Belly 3/5

The Jiang Nan style Braised Pork Berry served with pancake ($14.80) was nice but did not standout for me. The skin was braised to tender melting soft but the meat was a tad tough for me. The sauce was also a bit mild for my palate, I prefer stronger flavours. The pancake was also too small for sandwiching the braised pork belly due to the cut size.

Sauteed Egg White with Fish Meat and Conpoy 4/5

Story goes that the Sauteed Egg White with Fish Meat and Conpoy ($13.50) was created by the villagers for the emperor. The emperor was craving for crab meat but the port village did not have crabs that day so they substituted it with egg white and fish meat creating a texture and taste similar to crab meat. This delicacy was quite addictive no wonder the villagers managed to con the emperor.

Spicy Chicken with Poached La Mian 4.5/5

Having the Spicy Chicken with Poached La Mian ($9.80) was like discovering a pot of gold. I love Sichuan Dou Hua's spicy chicken (口水鸡) and I didn't know Crystal Jade does pretty awesome spicy chicken too. Pairing the spicy chicken (口水鸡) and la mian (拉面) was like a match in heaven for double enjoyment. Do you know that at Crystal Jade excluding the traditional la mian, you can choose from the 8 types of la main (dragon beard, double width, triangle, flat face, broad face, double line, hand teared and hand sliced) that comes with different textures.

Mango Pudding 

Mango Pudding 4/5

Using only Philippine mango for their Mango Pudding ($6), each bowl of mango pudding is made with 1 whole mango. Half of it is pureed while the other half is juiced. You can also add a bit of condensed milk to enhance the taste further.

Crystal Jade has always been a trusted brand dishing out exceptional food quality and consistency in a congenial ambience. Besides traditional Cantonese and Teochew cuisine, Crystal Jade has also diverse   into other Chinese cuisine, Korean cuisine and even bakeries serving pastries and breads.


Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Holland Village
241 Holland Avenue
Singapore 278976
Tel: +65 64630968
Website: http://www.crystaljade.com
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon- Sun & PH: 11am - 12am
Steamboat: 5pm - 12am

Direction:
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to destination. Journey time 3 minutes.

Imperial Treasure La Mian Xiao Long Bao @ Resort World Sentosa

Imperial Treasure Group has established a number of restaurants in Singapore specializing in different Chinese cuisines. Among them is Imperial Treasure La Mian Xiao Long Bao that specializes in Shanghainese cuisine. The restaurant sets itself apart by focusing on dishing up the much acclaimed traditional La Mian and dumpling delicacies.

My favourite La Mian at Imperial Treasure has to be the Hot and Sour Sichuan La Mian.This is my must order dish. The infusion of both the soup and spicy flavours always get my tastebuds dancing in excitment.

Hot and Sour Sichuan La Mian 4.2/5

If you are not into the hot and spicy stuff, you can try their Double Boiled Chicken Soup La Mian. The Double Boiled Chicken Soup although light in appearance, the essence and nutrients of the chicken was very much retained. It is definitely an excellent bow of soup.

Double Boiled Chicken Soup La Mian 4.2/5

The Xiao Long Bao was nice but I do not think it is the best. I also felt that the filling can be a little more.

Xiao Long Bao 4/5

The skin for the Chives Dumpling was a bit thicker than other dumplings, giving it a nice biting texture. It can be quite filling after having a couple of them.

Chives Dumpling 4/5

Imperial Treasure La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Resort World Sentosa (RWS)
The Forum
Level B1

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Exit station to Vivocity Shopping Mall. Go to Sentosa Express Station at Level 3 of Vivocity. Take Sentosa Express Train to Waterfront station. Alight at Waterfront station and walk to Level B1 The Forum, Resort World Sentosa. Journey time about 15 mins.

Xiao Xuan Feng (小旋风) @ Tiong Bahru Plaza

I was at Tiong Bahru Plaza for a movie and decided to try Xiao Xuan Feng. Xiao Xuan Feng has 2 outlets. One at Tiong Bahru Plaza while the other at Hougang Mall. Their menu is quite extensive ranging from hot cooked food, dim sum and noodles. I tried their La Mian since it was made freshly at the spot.

The Stewed Beef La Mian had a generous serving of beef chunks and beef balls. The soup was tasty and the noodles had the smooth, silky and springy texture.

Stewed Beef La Mian 4/5

The Fried Ribs La Mian was bland but the noodles itself was good. The fried ribs were not crispy at all and oily.

Fried Ribs La Mian 3/5

The Shanghai Pork Dumplings were average. I felt that skin was too thick.

Shanghai Pork Dumplings 3.5/5

Xiao Xuan Feng
Tiong Bahru Plaza
320 Tiong Bahru Road
#01-15/16
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 11pm