I came here for lunch on a weekday, and they offered some pretty good deals for this Hakka restaurant. I really enjoyed much of the food we had though service was questionable.
For 3 people, we ordered the White Bee Hoon (rice vermicelli) in a very soupy, creamy seafood broth. This dish is great for sharing; despite being the small size, it could actually feed up to four or five people and is quite filling, especially if you have other dishes to share. It's also very hearty and warm on a cold day!
We also ordered the Radish Cake in XO sauce, which was incredibly umami due to the dried shrimp, and they were very generous with it. The beansprout was cooked just right, and crispy carrot cake had a very nice starchy texture.
Finally, we ordered the Meat Patties with Water Chestnut. Although it was a little too salty for my preference, the texture was really pleasant. If you enjoy the starchy and glutinous texture of the meat patties, they make a really good side for sharing.
I also ordered the Ginger Honey Hot Tea, which was slightly spicy and really good for someone who felt bloated. I really enjoyed the ginger tea, even though it wasn't even a main item.
🫥Service Experience
Despite the food being quite decent with relatively good prices, I would say that the service level here is pretty nonchalant.
I asked the Chinese middle-aged waitress handling our table what dishes she recommended since it was my first time dining here. She simply replied, "Hakka food," which I thought was a no-brainer since it is a Hakka restaurant.
Secondly, it was very hard to find the servers because of the shop's layout, and I had to walk to the end of the restaurant to find them for condiments and to submit my order manually because they were not coming to the area where customers are at. It felt like the servers don't really like working here...nor pay attention to the customer's needs.
Martin Yeo
5
This restaurant offers great tasting food at a reasonable pricing. Comfortable atmosphere with a nice ambiance, topped up with super fast and excellent service from their attentive staff.
Food is good, not too oily and with lots of ingredients and garnishing. Serving per dish is big, so be modest in ordering if you just want to savour all the delicious offerings here.
Bobo Antares
4
[Disclaimer: I review establishment independently and do not receive concession from them]
We got punch with wonderful flavours today. This restaurant serves Xiang cuisine (Hunan) which is one of Eight Great Traditions of Chinese culinary art. Spicy, beautiful colours, multiple flavour directions and depth. Huge menu so have to come back.
Food lover
3
The food is not Hakka authentic.
My Yong tau foo filling doesn't have the salted fish taste and the filling is not made with pork.
The Lau Shu fen dry noodles has vinegar sauce which is quite different from the usual black sauce.
The fried fish fillet in pomelo and yuzu sauce was served in very big chunk. Fish itself is tasteless unless u dip in the sauce
Overall food is average and probably not worth to revisit.
EnE
4
Food is reasonably priced for Orchard road. Vinegar pork trotters on the sweet side we would have preferred a tangy version. Hakka abacus one of the better ones in sg, we could taste the yam in the abacus seeds. Many restaurants tend to use too much flour.
Benjamin Sim
4
Quite a gem for casual Chinese dining. Xi Yan has been in Shaw for very many years! In the heart of town no less! Service is brisk, food is served fast! Medium portions feed 5, maybe 6 pax. Yong Tau Foo is meaty, abacus seeds have the right chew and umami from the dried shrimp & wood ear. Loved the simple and well-executed fried Hakka 老鼠粉. Okinawa Brown Sugar spare ribs worth an order too, but would be nicer with a touch more tang from vinegar. $30+/pax with beverages. Tables are available for weekends, but reserve if >4pax.
L Chan
5
Had dinner here yesterday & found it to be a pleasant experience overall. The food has a zi char feel but with a slightly more refined presentation & setting. Dishes were flavourful, comforting & thoughtfully plated. The ambience is casual yet modern, making it suitable for family meals or small group gatherings. Service was polite & efficient.
Keng Cheong Tan
5
Upscale Chinese Hakka food joint with a good variety of dishes for sharing thus good for small gatherings especially for those who love Hakka cuisine. The abacus is authentic and the braised duck is flavourful and tender. These 2 dishes were the highlight.
Andrew Goh
3
The restaurant features Hakka cuisine but also serves Sichuan dishes. The fried spicy rice chicken was delicious with the right balance of spiciness. The fried yellow croaker fish was perfectly fried but lacked a dipping sauce to fully enjoy it. I loved the homemade tofu with olive leaves; it was tasty with great flavor.
I was disappointed with the salted bake chicken ; it was dry, and I had to take it away to finish the next day. The spare ribs were not bad but tasted overly sweet and lacked flavor. My favorites were the fried French beans with olive leaves and the stir-fried beef kway teow.
There was only one waiter on duty on Monday night, indicating a shortage of staff. When I asked for chili padi with soy sauce, he poured a whole bowl of soy sauce with just a few cut chilies, which seemed wasteful. The prices are reasonable, but the food was just average.
Ed Ng
3
My second time in the restaurant and was generally pleased with service and atmosphere but the kitchen needs to know the braised duck was absolutely vile. Tasted like it’s been reheated several times - dry, flavourless and disgusting. Just don’t order that.