WO WO DIAN 窝窝店 @ Raffles City Shopping Centre - Buns Made with 130 Years Old Recipe

Established in 1889 in Mianyang, Sichuan, Wo Wo Dian (窝窝店) recently opened its first overseas outpost at Raffles City. Over the past 130 years, it has become renowned for its steamed stuffed buns made with real Laomian (traditional sourdough). Today, Wo Wo Dian offers a menu that encompasses traditional Sichuan cuisine for a complete dining experience.

Traditional Sauced Pork Buns 4.5/5

Traditional Pork Bun 4.2/5

The buns here are truly superb. Crafted using traditional sourdough, the bun skin is exceptionally light with a slight chewiness that leaves you wanting more, even after indulging in three buns. Two types of pork buns are available: the Traditional Pork Bun ($8.90) and the Traditional Sauced Pork Bun ($7.90). The latter boasts a more flavourful and aromatic profile due to the marination, while the traditional version offers a more straightforward taste with a slightly porkier flavour.

Crispy Bamboo Shoots 2.8/5

Mouth-Watering Chicken 3.5/5

We tried a couple of cold dishes - the Crispy Bamboo Shoots ($6.90) and the Mouth-Watering Chicken ($10.90). While the bamboo shoots with peppercorn dressing didn't quite suit my palate, the Mouth-Watering Chicken was much more appetising with its well-balanced piquant chilli dressing, although the portion was relatively small.

Firecracker Chicken 4.5/5

The Firecracker Chicken ($13.90), a common dish in Sichuan restaurants, is one of the better versions I've tried. Each morsel is crispy yet tender inside, with just the right amount of heat.

Kung Pao Eggplant with Shrimp 4/5

Boiled Pork Belly With Spicy Sauce 3.8/5

Other side dishes include the Kung Pao Eggplant with Shrimp ($22.90) and the Boiled Pork Belly With Spicy Sauce ($25.90). The Kung Pao Eggplant with Shrimp features a mild in-house sauce that pairs well with the spongy texture of the deep-fried eggplant cubes and the prawns. On the other hand, the Boiled Pork Belly With Spicy Sauce feels like a hearty hangover dish, mainly because its finishing touch was a douse of hot oil. While the meat was tender, it lacked its own distinct flavours.

Classic Chicken Broth Rice Noodles 3.5/5

Szechuan Beef Broth Rice Noodles 4/5

There are two noodles options: the Classic Chicken Broth Rice Noodles ($14.90) and the Szechuan Beef Broth Rice Noodles ($13.90). Both feature silky rice noodles imported directly from Mianyang, as well as kelp and chickpeas. While the chicken broth was rich and thick, I found it needed more depth of flavour. In contrast, the beef broth was robust and heady.

Poached Pear in Rice Wine 4.2/5

Three Delicacies Iced Jelly 4/5

Be sure to try their dessert. The Poached Pear in Rice Wine ($6.90) and the Three Delicacies Iced Jelly ($4.90) are delightful options. I particularly enjoyed the poached pear for its rice wine infusion, and neither dessert was overly sweet. The Three Delicacies Iced Jelly is a refreshing choice to cleanse the palate after a hearty meal.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


WO WO DIAN (窝窝店)
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
B1-13/14/15
Singapore 179103
Tel: +65 6513 5598
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon–Thu: 1130am – 9pm
Fri–Sun: 11am – 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Sichuan Alley @ Capitol Singapore - Dive into Contemporary Sichuanese Cuisine at Sichuan Alley’s Second Outlet in Singapore

New in Capitol Singapore is Sichuan Alley, whose flagship branch is situated at Telok Ayer. It's most known for its signature Mian Yang Rice Noodle offerings, which has yet to be found at any other local restaurants.

Here, diners can explore authentic and contemporary Sichuanese items alongside a range of unique Sichuan-inspired beverages. Flavours are rich, bold and authentic. Their interior was lovely, exuding warm and cosy vibes, perfect for big and small gatherings.

Sichuan-inspired Beverages

We took some time to look through their fun and fresh beverage list before deciding on the Cold Brew Yuzu Chrysanthemum Tea ($5.90), the Bamboo Breeze ($16) cocktail made from gin, bamboo green tea, pineapple, peach and jasmine, and the Osmanthus Rice Wine ($16).

Osmanthus Rice Wine

Our favourite among the three was the fragrant and mellowly sweet Osmanthus Rice Wine.

Mini Hotpot 4.2/5

We delved into the world of Sichuan flavours with their Mini Hotpot 成都冒菜 ($14). While it leaned on the oily side, we loved how all the ingredients nicely soaked up the spices and tingling numbness.

This was especially so for the crunchy slices of potato and celtuce, alongside prawns, black fungus, bean sprouts and cauliflower.

Yu Xiang Shredded Pork 4/5

The Yu Xiang Shredded Pork 鱼香肉丝 ($7.90) is made up of strips of tender pork, strips of celtuce and carrot, and black fungus. It's pretty appetising but a little sweeter than I'd prefer. A vegetarian version of this dish is also available.

Fried Chicken 4.5/5

I liked how Sichuan Alley's Fried Chicken 辣子鸡 ($16) is boneless, making it much more convenient to enjoy. They use chicken thighs fried to a crunch, mixed with cashew nuts, leek and addictive bits of fried garlic.

Sichuan Sour Vegetable Fish 4.5/5

By default, the Sichuan Sour Vegetable Fish 老坛酸菜鱼 ($19) comes with a number of ingredients, including sweet potato noodles, black fungus and my favourite crunchy celtuce. Though a touch oily, the sourness and spiciness were well-balanced, and the fish slices were tender.

Braised Pig Intestines with Tofu 4.8/5

If you're a fan of both mala flavours and pork intestines, the Braised Pig Intestines with Tofu 鲜豆花烧肥肠 ($17.30) will be up your alley. The fattier intestines are cleaned well, thoroughly soaking up all that lip-smacking spice. We liked how the flavour of the intestines permeates in the gravy and the soft beancurd as well. Get a bowl of white rice to accompany it, and you're good to go!

King Prawns with Vine Pepper Rice Noodle 4.2/5

Sichuan Alley's signature Mian Yang rice noodles are featured in their range of mains. We opted for the King Prawns with Vine Pepper Rice Noodle 藤椒大虾米粉 ($15.50), which is by default spicy, but there are several others, such as Braised Beef Rice Noodle and Braised Pork Ribs Rice Noodle which you can opt for in your preferred level of spice. You can imagine the rice noodles to be like mee sua, but just a bit thicker with a slight more chew. The deceptively clear vine pepper broth was tangy and comforting with its accompanying heat.

Speciality Ice Jelly 4.2/5

Our first dessert was the classic Speciality Ice Jelly 雪山红糖冰粉 ($5.50), featuring red beans, hawthorn, peanuts, rice balls, almond flakes and raisins on ice jelly with brown sugar. It had lots of texture and was refreshing.

Sweet Fermented Rice 4.2/5

I preferred the Sweet Fermented Rice 巷子桂花粉子醪糟 ($4.50) between both desserts even though it looks simpler. The bits of Osmanthus brought a lovely mild fragrance to the fermented rice, with soft glutinous rice balls.

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.


Sichuan Alley
13 Stamford Road
#B1-29/30
Singapore 178905
Tel: +65 9155 5244
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D, Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Burma Social @ Tras Street - A Feast of Six Kingdoms, Harmonizing Culinary Inspirations from Neighbouring Countries with Burmese Cuisine at Its Epicentre

Burma Social at Tras Street stands as a pioneering multicultural restaurant and bar, presenting a captivating Feast of Six Kingdoms. This innovative concept harmoniously blends traditional Burmese recipes with contemporary influences from its neighbouring nations like China, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, and Laos. Beyond its culinary offerings, Burma Social aspires to offer an immersive journey into the rich culture and heritage of the Burmese people. The restaurant's diverse atmosphere across different levels, accompanied by varying music, entices guests to explore the multifaceted realms of Myanmar.

Raw Coconut Milk & Broccolini with Flying Fish Roe 3/5

We started with the Raw Coconut Milk & Broccolini with Flying Fish Roe ($22). This dish challenges expectations, for it's different from our local laksa. Instead, it's a lighter, more delicate soup that artfully captures the essence of the Burmese sea. The flying fish roe imparts a delightful fragrance while adding Burmese coriander and crushed Burmese nuts introduces an extra layer of umami, creating a fascinating blend of flavours.

Lahpet Nay Wai Thoke 2.8/5

Moving on, the Laphet Nay Wai Thoke - Tea Leaf ($18) offers a vegetarian and vegan-friendly delight. Fermented tea leaves intermingle with green tomato, lent crunch, cabbage, and mixed Burmese nuts, creating a textured symphony of flavours. While its earthy profile may be unfamiliar to newcomers, a hint of lemon juice brightens the dish, adding a refreshing twist that takes some time to appreciate fully.

Papaya & Mango Thoke (Ye Thu Kyun) 3.5/5

A tribute to the familiar, the Papaya & Mango Thoke ($22) echoes Thai Papaya and Mango salad. Here, bittersweet Burmese papaya mingles with sweet poached prawns, resulting in a tasteful fusion of textures and flavours. The Burmese papaya undergoes fermentation to shed its excess bitterness, allowing its robust fruity character to harmonize perfectly with the prawns' taste. Poached sous vide and marinated prawns further enrich the experience.

Crispy Tohu Jaw 3.5/5

The Crispy Tofu Jaw ($20) introduces a unique departure from conventional tofu. Crafted from ground Indian chickpeas, the tofu undergoes a labour-intensive process, yielding a starchy gelatinous texture when cooked. Finished with Burmese black jaggery sauce, composed of Burmese gula melaka and Indian sugarcane, this dish boasts a sweet undertone. A mix of Burmese and Thai basil leaves elevates the tofu with a subtle sweet cinnamon note.

Hnin Si's Steam Puzon 2.8/5

Hnin Si's Steam Puzon ($32) emerges as a dish of prawn and mudfish, sous vide for remarkable tenderness, before steaming into firm cakes. While the paste-like texture might not resonate with all palates, wrapping it in rice paper alongside housemade chilli invokes a sense of familiarity akin to our Chinese chilli sauce.

Ohn-no Kyaukswe 3/5

The Ohn-no Kyaukswe ($32) anchors the main course with gluten-free rice noodles accompanied by vegetable soup and barramundi fish cakes. The delightful springiness of the rice noodles, reminiscent of our local thick beehoon, becomes a canvas for absorbing the flavours of the accompanying soup.

A-thi 3.5/5

Concluding on a sweet note, A-thi, Burnt Mango and Black Jaggery Coconut Sorbet ($14) offers a sophisticated finale. Torched mango lends caramelized sweetness to luscious Burmese mangoes, with housemade coconut sorbet and gula melaka sorbet enhancing the experience. This trifecta of Southeast Asian local sweets is a fitting conclusion to a distinctive culinary journey at Burma Social.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Burma Social
34 Tras Street
Singapore 079026
Tel: +65 6016 9140
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sat: 6pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Tras Street. Turn right onto Tras Street. Walk down Tras Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 2. Turn left and walk down Tanjong Pagar Road. Turn left onto Tras Street. Walk down Tras Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.  [Map]

Chuan Hung @ Telok Ayer Street - History And Flavour In A Bowl

Chuan Hung which means Sichuan Alley is a new noodle bar in Telok Ayer offering Mian Yang rice noodles with a choice of different broths, and a variety of toppings such as braised beef and pig intestines. The thin slippery noodles here is specially sourced from a particular artisan who lives in a village deep in Sichuan. It took close to a year and dozen of personal trips to convince the artisan to supply the noodles. Fast forward, the noodles now served in Chuan Hung are found nowhere else in Singapore or South East Asia.

Braised Eggplant 4/5

Before moving to the noodles, they are some appetising small plates to complement the mains or making it a complete meal. The Braised Eggplant ($4.50) may look dangerously spicy but it is quite mild and delicious. The peeled steamed eggplant is topped with a blend of burnt and peeled bell pepper and green chillis, giving it a smoky and spicy finishing.

Liang Fen - Cold Bean Jelly 4/5

The Liang Fen ($3.50) itself is tasteless but this is packed with depth and flavours from the housemade sauce. The housemade sauce is made from two different types of sauces that is finely chopped and mixed together. The first is made from frying Dou Ban Jang and fermented black beans while the second is made from Dao Kou Jian and Sichuan peppers fried till fragrant.

Fried Crispy Pig Intestines 3.5/5

The Fried Crispy Pig Intestines ($5.50) is crispy on the outside and soft inside. It is even stuffed with Japanese leek in the middle for that extra crunch. While the pig intestines have been braised in a braising liquid that consists of soy sauce, star anise, Sichuan peppers, peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg and more for 4 hours, I felt that it still has a slight gamy taste.

Braised Beef in Red Broth 4.5/5

Moving to the signature noodles, I have the Braised Beef in Red Broth ($13.50) with the Mian Yang Rice Noodles. The specially sourced noodle made from rice, is smooth and silky, almost like mee sua. Perfect to soak up the delicious broth. The red broth which complements the rice noodle excellently which consists of a housemade spice blend that includes Sichuan peppers, pickled chillies, and dried chillies amongst other herbs and spices that are fried until fragrant.

King Prawns with Vine Pepper  4.5/5

The other noodle dish we tried is the King Prawns with Vine Pepper ($15.50). The broth made from combination of chicken bones, Sichuan vine peppers and chilli padi, has the right balance of souriness and spiciness which not only whetted up the appetite but complemented the noodles excellently.

I really enjoyed the rice noodle specially sourced form Sichuan, Mian Yang for its texture. Much effort is also put into the different broths to ensure it complement the rice noodle. Not only that, the bowl of noodle is also reasonable priced.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Chuan Hung
51 Telok Ayer Street
#01-01
Singapore
Tel: +65 97551058
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Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line). Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 9pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to traffic light junction at Cecil Street. Cross the street to Prudential Tower. Cut through the building and walk to Telok Ayer street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Yun Nans (云海肴) @ Jewel Changi Airport - World Biggest Yunnan F&B Chain Opens Its First Outlet In Singapore

With the opening of Jewel Changi Airport, we also see a number of new F&B concepts opening in Singapore. One of them is Yun Nans (云海肴), the world's biggest Yunnan F&B chain with over 150 outlets in China has opened its very first overseas outlet in Singapore. The restaurant specialises in 高原料理 or highland cuisine, featuring the ingredients in Yunnan's natural highland terrain that is free from pollution, such as the wild porcini, wild black truffle, wheat pumpkin and edible flowers.

Spicy & Sour Egg Salad 4.2/5

Starting off we have the traditional Dai ethnic group dish - Spicy & Sour Egg Salad ($9.90). Initially I thought fried egg with mango and vegetable will taste weird but it turned out really delicious with the sour and spicy sauce bring the dish together. A very appetising salad indeed.

Stir Fried Wild Porcini with Dried Chillies 4.5/5

The Stir Fried Wild Porcini with Dried Chillies ($24.90) features wild porcini mushrooms found round 2000 to 3000m above sea level. They are flash fried with Yunnan dried chillies and garlic, for a lovely crunch and flavour.

Tossed Rice Noodles with Shredded Chicken 3.5/5

The colourful Tossed Rice Noodles with Shredded Chicken ($12.90) consists of 7 different ingredients such as the Yunnan rice noodles, shredded chicken, collybia albuminosa, mushroom, chives, carrot, purple cabbage and egg. Mixed them all up in the tangy peanut and sesame sauce for a slurping enjoyment.

Steam Pot Chicken Soup 4.2/5

A signature item here is the Steam Pot Chicken Soup ($23.90). It is amazing that not a single drop of water is used to make the soup in the handmade Jianshui clay pot, using a unique technique to do so. What result is a clear, delicate and nourishing soup, packed with flavour.

To enjoy the dish further, one can take out the tender chicken pieces from the soup that has been pressure steamed for 3 hours and toss them together with the spicy mala sauce. The restaurant even uses a special bread of black feet chicken to achieve the result they want.

Beef Stew in Copper Pot 4/5

For something more spicy is the Beef Stew in Copper Pot ($24.90). In the pot, one can find beef tendon, brisket and tripe that are braised in a soup stock of 18 different spices for 3 hours. It is then cut into smaller pieces and quick fried in spices, butter and Yunnan Qiubei chilli.

Truffle Rice Noodles in Prawn Broth

The new outlet outside China also offers some exclusive item such as Truffle Rice Noodles in Prawn Broth ($13.90) to cater for Singaporean's love of seafood. Inspired by the local prawn noodles, the chef marries prawns with wild black truffle for a hearty bowl of Yunnan rice noodle. While I didn't find the black truffle changes the profile of the dish drastically, the broth itself is good on its own packed with the rich flavour of the crustacean.

Grilled Seabass with Lemongrass 4.2/5

Is this our local sambal stingray? No it is not. It is the Grilled Seabass with Lemongrass ($22.90) that is marinated with 6 types of spices and grilled over charcoal. It is then sprinkled with an in-house chilli seasoning mix, topped with chives, chilli padi and Yunnan wild coriander before serving. The fish was moist and complemented by spicy seasoning that will be will received by the locals.

There are other exclusive dishes for Singapore such as the Stir Fried Spicy Clams, Salt Grilled Salmon Head and Charcoal Grilled Tiger Prawn. I have enjoyed the food at Yun Nans and I also find the pricing is reasonable too.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Yun Nans (云海肴) 
Jewel Changi Airport
78 Airport Boulevard
#02-17
Singapore 819666
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Nearest MRT: Changi Airport (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
Alight at Changi Airport MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to the link bridge to Jewel. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]