Dian Xiao Er is one of our favourite Chinese restaurants when it comes to casual dining. Like the olden days, Dian Xiao Er (which literally translates to servers at inns or taverns) symbolizes a pit-stop for travellers to rest and replenish their energy before setting off to continue hectic journeys. In the modern context, I guess we all need to take a pit-stop to load up on calories before jetting off on a hectic journey of shopping!

When we first arrived at Dian Xiao Er, we were warmly greeted by the receptionist with smiles. It warmed our hearts immediately and the vibe we received was friendly and homely. Sometimes, I feel that it is that extra effort taken by the staffs which made all the difference to a meal, be it a simple sincere greeting or a hearty smile.

Apart from the customer service which touched us, can the food at Dian Xiao Er impress us?The interior decorations received mixed feedback as my dining companion found it to be oriented towards a Chinese wedding theme while I actually basked in the environment as I found myself returning to the olden days. (well not that I would know how it is like but I am sure most people out there, myself inclusive, had watched enough Chinese movies and series to recognize such a backdrop)

Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng - 风生水起（三文鱼鱼生）- starting from S$22.80/++ for small portionLike most Yu Shengs served at Chinese restaurants during the Lunar New Year season, the server would recite and bless the diners at the table with a series of good wishes, such as prosperity and good health.

Admittedly, the Yu Sheng was not a dish that impressed. On a fairer note, it tasted pedestrian but adjusted to the liking of most Singaporeans whereby it uses sweet plum sauce as the main condiment over the sliced radish and array of other accompaniment sides.What made this "Lo Hei" unique and heart-warming was the auntie in the picture. She might not have given the best recital speech when it came to serving the Yu Sheng but the smiles and blessing coming from an affectionate mother-like figure was simply priceless.

Fish Maw Soup with Crab Meat & Conpoy - 四喜临门 （蟹肉干贝花胶鱼鳔羹）- starting from S$16.90/++ without crabmeatIf you are a fan of viscous soups, this would certainly draw you in. Expect a generous serving of fish maw and shredded crab meat in each bowl of goodness. The crab meat has been specially added to the soup only for the Chinese New Year menu. Personally, I found it to be quite heavy on our palate as it was flavourful and every spoonful seemed to be filled with plenty of ingredients.

Herbal Roast Duck （药材烤鸭）- S$12.90 onwardsThis dish needs no introduction as people familiar with Dian Xiao Er would be well acquainted with the flavours and taste. The skin was thin and crisp with just a fine layer of fat underneath to add to that juiciness. The tender duck meat was beautifully complemented by the crispness and ogling at the dish was sufficient to make us salivate. We were privileged enough to have a tasting of all three sauces; angelica herb (当归), ten wonder (十全) and wild ginseng (泡参).

The angelica herb (当归) bore a slight tinge of sweetness while ten wonder (十全) is the preferred safe choice for many and is what Dian Xiao Er is famous for. It would surely appeal to those with a more savoury appetite. Conversely, the wild ginseng (泡参) would suit those with an inclination for a stronger herbal taste and opting for this sauce would come at a slight premium, in terms of pricing.

Silver Cod Fish in Superior Soy Sauce - 年年有余 （豉油皇银鳕鱼）- S$25.90/++This was my favourite dish for the entire meal with the presentation scoring points as soon as it was served to the table. The delicate cod fish was well-handled, being sliced uniformly and deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown colour. We loved the complementing textures with a nice friable and crumbly coating on the outside matched by a tender and soft fresh cod fish on the inside. For those who desire an extra crunch and do not mind the calories, you would relish in delight (a sinful one) as you munch through that crispy skin attached to the white protein.

The clever use of superior soy sauce subtly enhanced the flavours and allowed the natural freshness of the cod to be delivered across to the diners' palate.

Savoury Pork Roll "Firecrackers" - 鸿运当头（爆竹升升）- only available as part of CNY set menuI found this to be an ingenious new dish on the menu. Aesthetically presented to resemble firecrackers, the thinly sliced pork wrapping sausage and Chinese coriander was carefully rolled and deep-fried before being coated with the classic sweet and sour sauce. While I appreciated the work involved in creating this dish, I was left slightly disappointed after the first bite as it gave a "hollowed-out" effect whereby the inside of the pork-roll felt "empty". I would have preferred it more if the filling was denser with added texture.

We were asked for our feedback as the chefs behind the scenes look to improve this new dish recently introduced to the menu. I liked that the chefs were receptive to diners' feedback and moving forward, I felt that constantly changing and adapting to the customers preference is key to success within the competitive F&B scene.

Overall, it was a good dish but requires some improvement to make it a more palatable dish.

Luxurious Seafood in Claypot - 富贵荣华（江南一品锅) - only available as part of CNY set menuLike what the name suggested, it was a luxurious bowl of delicacies such as sea cucumber, Chinese mushroom, fish maw coupled with some greens like sweet peas and carrots. Expect a pot of savouriness though it is another dish which weighs on tastes and flavours.

Osmanthus Jelly Dessert - 桂花糕 (S$3.60/++)This was one of the better Osmanthus Jelly Desserts tried with a subtle sweetness that pleased our palate. It was a very light dessert that helped to balance out the savoury dishes tried.

Dishes are generally served very quickly (even when we visit on a normal occasion, i.e. not tasting session) For those new to their dishes, the mains tend to be on the savoury side and incline towards heavier flavours and tastes (重口味). It would however be suitable to enjoy the dishes with white rice.

My takeaway from visiting Dian Xiao Er over the past years had always been consistent, that warm and friendly feeling which resonates a homely meal. Customer service have always been meticulous and surely lives up to the restaurant's name of Dian Xiao Er!

P.S: The Chinese New Year set is only available from 18 January 2014 onwards till 14 February 2014. Prices of the set menu range from S$108 for 3 pax to S$598 for 10 pax.

Ah Long Pancake - Peanut (S$0.90); Corn & Peanut (S$1.20/-)This has always been a dear place to me as I never fail to come here for the pancakes as part of my carbo-loading routine over the past years of racing. As all the pancakes are made to order, you have the liberty to choose how crisp you want your pancake to be and on this instance, I requested for it to be a little more chaota (toasted) for that extra crispness.I always enjoy the original peanut pancake which is well mixed with a fair share of sugar. While the edges of the pancake was crisp and brittle (in a good sense), the middle portion of the pancake remained warm, moist and soft. The crunchiness from the finely diced roasted peanuts just complemented the texture wholly.The lady always enjoyed sweetcorn and seeing this on the menu just prompted me to order one for her to try and thankfully she enjoyed it! It was not too different from the original with the addition of canned sweetcorn.

When it came to liquid nitrogen ice cream, 'Just like it!' was our fourth try, with our first in London at The Chin Chin Laboratorists , then Lab Made in Hong Kong, third in Singapore at 320 Degrees Below and now this.

Having recently read that there was a new ice cream parlour opening, it would be a crime for dessert lovers like us to give it a miss!

I believe the laboratory setting and appealing combination of colours would draw passer-bys, but this theme is indifferent to that of The Chin Chin Laboratorists and Lab Made and having seen it for the third time, the 'wow-factor' just somewhat did not exist for us. We deliberated for a few moments since we just finished dinner and quite frankly, the staffs were not exactly approachable. Since we had our camera with us, we decided to give it a shot nonetheless.

So...how is this liquid nitrogen ice cream being made?

Essentially, you have your prepared solution stored chilled and you pour it into the blender. Then you release some of the compressed nitrogen gas and expose it to the solution, instantly transforming the solution into solid state by freezing it and there you go, 'freshly made' ice cream.First the blender...Then here comes the compressed nitrogen gas!Watch the effervescence take place!You know you are almost there when they start scooping, just hang in there.

Mandarin Curacao (S$4.90/- for regular serving but we had a free up-size!)There we go! Finally after some three minutes of a somewhat reminiscent Chemistry lesson, we were eventually furnished with our free up-sized cup of Mandarin Curacao ice cream. It was not on the menu but I spotted the bottle in one of the bottom-ranked shelves and requested if it was available. We had a free up-size and thought that was a really nice gesture!

The texture was spot-on with its smoothness yet preserving the level of richness. We love anything that bites, in a pleasant fashion of course, with a tang and the mandarin orange element in this nailed it for me. The zest was there and the liquor was considerably strong. Please do not expect to get a cheap 'high' out of enjoying alcoholic ice cream though coupled with sugar high, it might do some considerable damage. I am just kidding, seriously.

Anyway, the liquor content could be a touch too strong for those with a mild palate so do consider yourself warned. There were some bits of the mandarin orange fruit which I enjoyed but could do with a slightly more generous portion!

So we thought that we got smitten by the first take, let us return to try a second flavour!

Hazelnut cheese cracker (S$5.90/- for regular serving)I was secretly hoping for another free up-size but hopes and wishes do not always come true so back to reality with a regular serving. This was one of the recommended flavours and indeed it pleased our palate well.

Just as I was lamenting about the lack of texture after trying the Mandarin Curacao, I had it coming back at me like a boomerang! The flavours were rich and the taste reminded me fondly of Kinder Bueno (imagine that blended into ice cream) with cheese cracker bits to give that gritty texture so this won us over, completely. Flavour, taste, texture all checked.It is a takeaway booth and there are no seats for customers. While we had our ice cream 'created' before us and achieved the desired effect of drawing passer-bys' attention as many stopped to take a second look, just short of taking that extra step to try it.

Having tried liquid nitrogen ice cream for the fourth time, I would say that this is comparable to Lab Made from, but just shy of the creations and innovations of The Chin Chin Lab. Could we possibly expect more interesting flavours to be introduced? It also did not have any toppings unlike the other two establishments and while it is not the most ethical to draw comparisons, this is after all not a new initiative.

I tried to understand a little more from the gentleman serving me (not the one preparing the ice cream) but responses were mostly flat and non-engaging. I think it is imperative to understand that customer service forms a large part of the dining or in this case, takeaway experience. While your ice cream may taste great as a product, there is surely no lack of good home-grown ice cream parlours in Singapore with the likes of Daily Scoop, Island Creamery and Tom's Palette just to name a few, who can offer quality ice cream at affordable prices with a much more pleasant service.

To give some credit, one of the two ladies who concurrently took our orders was slightly more approachable and at least bothered to thank us for our patronage. Overall, the ice cream was good and surely one of the better ones in Singapore but I am sure that with improved service, it would be a much better experience.

For detailed review including origin of 'Crodos', please visit us at http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2013/07/sg-da-paolo-gastronomia-is-crodo-new.html

It seems like the food fad is a viral disease that always mutates into one form or another. Back in the days, there was the bubble tea craze and if anyone recalled, the rotiboy coffee buns, cupcakes and of course we all need something new to invigorate our palate.

So, what is the new fun food in town? Welcome and hail the 'Crodo', which is described by some as an inventive hybrid between a croissant and donut. It was first introduced on 10 May 2013 by French Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel as 'Cronut' in his bakery based in New York City. Having previously worked at celebrity chef Daniel Boulud's restaurant, it spelt little surprise for an ingenious creation. With a trademark registered to the name, this dessert pastry had gone viral across half the globe. The Da Paolo Group was the first in Singapore to recreate its own version and named it the 'Crodo'. Currently retailing in limited servings of just over 100 pieces in each of the Da Paolo Gastronomia located islandwide, inquisitive Singaporeans seem to snap them up hard and fast. We first visited the outlet at Paragon Shopping Mall few evenings back and were told that 'Crodos' were sold out islandwide usually by the first hour of opening.Cream Crodo (S$4.90/-)The cream crodo came across like a doughnut with it being coated with sugar on its crisp surface. Being deep-fried, it was slightly greasy as you would expect that of a doughnut but what set it apart was that distinctive fluffy and soft dough on the inside with pockets of air. It was very much like what you would expect to see when you slice across a good croissant. It however did not have the flakiness that of croissants. Honestly, I am not sure if this was how it was meant to be for I purchased these at about 10.45am, so they might have been sitting on the shelves for a while. The custard cream tasted light and fresh and the filling was sandwiched between the layers of fluff. I thought that the amount of custard cream was disproportionately distributed when compared to the chocolate crodo. Nonetheless we enjoyed the mildly sweet custard cream which was well-received by our taste buds. It was definitely a good rendition of a croissant-donut with an exterior tasting like donut with the interior tasting like croissant.

Chocolate Crodo (S$4.90/-)Texture wise, the chocolate version tasted almost the same with a crisp surface around the sides and a fluffy croissant interior filled with pockets of air. There was a dark chocolate fondant icing on the top similar to what you would get with an eclair pastry. The chocolate filling on the inside was packed full and one mouthful bite would send excess chocolate cream oozing out from the sides, mmmm talk about sinful indulgence! After a recent upsetting experience with chocolate filling at St Marc Cafe, my taste buds were due for pampering with this treat. The dark chocolate filling was of good quality and tasted rich, dense and bitterly sweet. While I thought that the crodo might taste better fresh, possibly a flaky and crispier texture, I was contented with what I had and there was no better way to enjoy it over a cup of Black Americano. Simply brilliant.While these crodos would make a good entry as tea break snacks, be warned that it is calories-laden and no doubt a very sinful indulgence. Would we return for more? Certainly but next time round, I would want to get a fresher batch to see if they tasted better and of course fix that sweet-tooth craving!

P.S: These crodos may be found at all Da Paolo Gastronomia outlets islandwide!

Pear and Apple Pork Ribs Soup

(+) Our 2nd visit to this stall and the quality certainly held up to standard as expected.
(+) The pork ribs were tender and soft and love the crunchy tendons especially.
(+) The soup was mildly sweet, owing to the natural sweetness of pear and apple.
(+) Very appetizing and could not stop scurrying my spoon for another mouthful!
(+) Despite the wholesome and rich flavours, did not leave us thirsty, i.e. no MSG.
(+) The soup was luscious, nourishing and full-bodied to say the least.

(-) The ribs were tender but not quite as much compared to our last visit, though I had to include that our last visit was done in the evening, which probably allowed the meat to simmer for a couple more hours. That being said, I could probably attest to the fresh ingredients used.

Verdict: 8.5/10