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2013-06-05
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Not really a good idea to come Dian Xiao Er on a Friday night without a reservation. It's packed with families waiting to get a hearty meal and the wait (we were there at 7.50pm) took about 20 minutes. The horror!Not too bad considering that it's probably worse elsewhere, but I suppose for a restaurant of its size it's quite a long wait.We order three dishes: a signature pork rib dish (around $13), a stir-fried lemon kailan (below $10 or thereabout) and a hotplate tofu (slightly over $11 I think
We order three dishes: a signature pork rib dish (around $13), a stir-fried lemon kailan (below $10 or thereabout) and a hotplate tofu (slightly over $11 I think?) with two bowls of rice. The bill came up to about $46 in total.
The service, although brisk, I would say lacked attentiveness. The staff were more preoccupied with the bigger tables of 8-10 persons rather than the corner tables that seated say 2-4 patrons. Nevertheless, it was a busy period and I won't complain. At least they weren't rude or pushy.
The kailan arrived first. It had a really appetising aroma, which really sets your gastric juices going for the meal haha. It has a tinge of lemon which may seem odd (trust me, we were skeptical at first), but it complemented the kailan well. The vegetables weren't overcooked and the saltiness was just right. Even when cold, it tasted great!
The hot plate tofu was amazing -it's an impressive, sizzling plate of tofu, egg and my goodness, that sauce that comes with it. Chock full of minced meat, flavour and topped with fresh spring onions this was flawless. I'd say that I'll order this hot plate tofu and the kailan again if I were to eat here the next time. The sauce was slightly starchy but not to the point where it became a gluey texture when it cools. Fluffy tofu, drenched in hot, savoury and slightly smokey sauce. This dish is best eaten piping hot.
The pork ribs, while supposedly signature, ceased to impress me. The thick black pepper sauce was indeed flavoursome but I just didn't feel that it was awe-worthy. In my opinion it was way too salty, and the thick sauce only made it worse -I had to gulp down water in order to finish one rib! The meat wasn't particularly tender, nor did it slide off the bone like I'd expected. Kind of a letdown, the pork ribs were't up to my expectations. My dining companion thought it was fine though, wolfing down the ribs like it were the best thing on earth! I guess he preferred stronger flavours?Dian Xiao Er is also great for their soups! You may want to try their 'bo tong's if you're here. My recommendations are the hotplate tofu and the lemon kailan. I suppose you could get these dishes at cheaper prices in a Zi Char stall but for a family restaurant in a shopping mall, these are my top picks for dinner.
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