Extreme Xiao Long Bao (至尊小笼包) @ Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre

Things that are colourful seems to always catch the eyes of many and arouse the appetite more. When Paradise Dynasty introduced the colourful xiao long bao, it caused a new hip in the Chinese culinary scene with many follow suit. I have even tried coloured Har Gow from Mouth Restaurant too. Probably taking the inspiration from these restaurant's chef, one such hawker at Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre, the Extreme Xiao Long Bao (至尊小笼包) has created their own twist of the traditional snack.

I tried the Mixed Xiao Long Bao ($5) which is steamed upon order with six delectable bites of them in the steamed basket. There are two Traditional Xiao Long Bao, two Salted Egg Yolk Xiao Long Bao in orange colour and two Cheese Xiao Long Bao in yellow.

Salted Egg Yolk Xiao Long Bao 3.8/5

My followers and readers will know that I like salted egg yolk, I am here specially for this after hearing from a friend that Extreme Xiao Long Bao serves Salted Egg Yolk Xiao Long Bao. I really think it is an interesting concept. After tasting it, it did have a hint of the salted egg yolk flavour but not robust enough for me to go wow.

Cheese Xiao Long Bao 3/5 and Traditional Xiao Long Bao 4/5

The other interesting creation is the Cheese Xiao Long Bao. This is somewhat confusing as I could not really taste anything cheesy. It is more inclined to the traditional taste. The standout definitely has to be the Traditional Xiao Long Bao. A nice balanced between the minced pork filling and broth. The broth was not too sweet unlike so that I have tried allowing one to enough the marinated pork filling while the subtle broth giving it a lift in flavour.

Overall I can't say Extreme Xiao Long Bao is the best in town but it definitely offers a mix of varieties which is value for money. I probably go back for the traditional and salted egg yolk, giving the cheese xiao long bao a miss.


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Extreme Xiao Long Bao (至尊小笼包)
Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre
30 Seng Poh Road
Singapore 168898
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Outram (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 6pm (until sold out)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Head east on Tiong Bahru Road towards Jalan Membina. Walk down Tiong Bahru and turn right onto Kim Pong Road. Turn left onto Lim Liak Street. Walk to destination at the end of the street. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Outram MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Walk to bus stop opposite Outram MRT station (Stop ID 06011). Take bus no. 33, 63, 75, 851 or 970. Alight 1 stop later at Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Road. Walk to destination about 200 meters away. Journey time 8 minutes. [Map]

PAUL @ Westgate

PAUL, one of the earliest French bakery-restaurant that set foot in Singapore, has just introduced executive lunch and dinner sets to their restaurants at Westgate and Tanglin Mall. Both set menus include some of the all-time favourites from their savoury range.

For the lunch set, diners get to enjoy their main courses with complimentary coffee, tea or ice tea for just $13.90. I get to choose from 4 dishes - Roulade de Daurade (pacific dory flavoured with paprika, served with creamy tomato sauce), the Cuisse de Poulet Rotie (roasted chicken leg served with salad and roast potato), the Salade Nicoise (tuna salad with olives and eggs), and the Club Poulet (smoked chicken sandwich served with salad and olives). I went for Roulade de Daurade. Though i'm not a fan of dory fish but I was quite intrigued by the use of paprika and creamy tomato sauce.

Roulade de Daurade 3/5

My fish came, looking a little too dark. I assumed it was due to the paprika seasoning. Given the texture of dory fish, I expect the meat to fall apart easily. But this wasn't the case. The fish was over baked. The sides were too tough for me to slice it. I could only slice it from its middle where the meat was much more tender. It was heavily salted, without much taste of the paprika or the subtle sweetness of the fish. The saving grace was the creamy tomato sauce. It was light with a tinge of sweetness, which balanced the saltiness. I particularly like the roasted bell pepper lying at the bottom of the fish. I thought its smoky and sweet flavour complimented the fish really well. Some greens or carbs would be good to bulk up this dish. I find it too light for a meal.

The executive dinner menu is more wholesome with a selection of heartier dishes - Traditional Beef Stew, Roulade de Daurade, Salade Caesar and Saute de Poulet aux Champignons (roasted chicken chunks in a creamy sautéed mushroom sauce). For $18.90, it comes with a soup of the day. I decided to go for the traditional beef stew.

Carrot Soup 4.2/5

Carrot soup was the soup of the day. It was my first time trying a carrot soup and I love it! It was light, with the natural sweetness of the carrot. It was well pureed and not harsh to my tongue at all.

Traditional Beef Stew 4/5

My Beef Stew was served promptly. The carrots and potatoes were nicely soften but slightly too salty for me, perhaps due to the stew. Fortunately, the beef chunks managed to retain its natural taste. Every piece was extremely tender and juicy. The bread that came along with it was a bit hard. I feel that thicker and fluffier slices of bread would be more suitable. Overall, the dinner did not disappoint me. It would have been even better if hot tea was included as one of the beverages' choices.

The executive set lunch is available from 11.30am to 2.30pm, Mondays to Fridays, except on public holidays. The executive set dinner is available from 6pm onwards, Mondays to Thursdays, except on public holidays. Bon appetite!

Written 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. 


PAUL
Westgate
3 Gateway Drive
Singapore 608532
Tel: +65 63699080
Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/PAUL1889.singapore
Website: http://www.paul-singapore.com/
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT Station. Take Exit A. Walk to Westgate Mall. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]