The Place Opened a month ago, Zui Yu Xuan Teochew Cuisine (醉宇轩经典潮膳) is the latest concept by Jumbo Group at Far East Square. Stepping into the space of Zui Yu Xuan is like a transport back to time, made especially so by the spacious courtyard setting in the two-storey conserved building. It is a mini gallery feel as I walked through the courtyard to the restaurant, which displayed various types of traditional Teochew at pieces like opera costumes and porcelain pieces. If you happen to work in the CBD, located right beside Zui Yu Xuan a separate fast-casual new concept by Jumbo as well, Chao Ting (潮亭), which serves Teochew ‘Pao Fan’.

If you come in a big group, there are six private rooms on level two which come with KTV, with minimum spend at S$500 for the small private room. This is quite a good value if you enjoy singing!

The Food My meal started with an assortment of appetisers such as the Deep Fried ‘Ngoh Hiang’ (S$13 per portion), Deep Fried Home-made ‘Puning’ Beancurd (S$12 per portion) and Deep Fried Prawn Balls (S$22 per portion).

The next dish I had was the Cold Crab (S$12/100g), another classic Teochew style of enjoying the crustacean. The crab meat is relatively sweet and you can dig into the crab roe on the shells too.

The Geoduck Clam Blanched with Superior Broth (S$16.80 per 100g) comes with a luscious broth and I could easily do with another bowl of it. This dish is good for sharing, as the staff will prepare the broth and portion it accordingly.

One of the most surprising dishes for me, the Crispy Fried Sea Cucumber and Shiitake Mushroom with Abalone Sauce (S$24 per portion) is amazing. Never have I had sea cucumber this way, this fried version is crispy on the outside and soft inside. The sea cucumber is flash fried, so it isn’t that greasy.

Another ‘Puning’ dish, the Teochew ‘Puning’ Fermented Bean Chicken (S$22/half) is a relatively light chicken dish with tender chicken meat.

For a comforting Teochew dish, go for the Pomfret and Rice Boiled Teochew Style with Dried Shrimp and Crispy Rice (S$108 per portion), which can easily be shared amongst eight people. Nothing fanciful here, but the familiar Teochew porridge taste for me. The crispy rice and dried shrimp served by the side add a nice crunchy texture to the porridge.

Other dishes which can’t go very wrong include the Oyster Omelette ‘Gooey Style’ (S$13 per portion) and Wok Fried ‘Kway Teow’ with Diced ‘Kai Lan’ and Preserved Radish (S$18/small). The omelette is crispy on the edges, though the ‘wok hei’ of the fried kway teow could be stepped up further.

For desserts, I tried both the Yam Paste with Pumpkin and Gingko Nuts (S$5.20) and the Teochew ‘Tau Suan’ with Gingko Nuts (S$5.20).

Both desserts are quite good, especially the Yak Paste ‘Orh Nee’ which is thick in texture and not too sweet.

Rants It is quite signature of Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine (Jumbo Group’s other Teochew dining concept) to have a KTV setup in their private rooms, and the same has been setup in the new Zui Yu Xuan. Personally though I find such KTV setup a double-edged sword – would not mind a KTV session with close friends while enjoying a a satisfying Teochew meal, but I cannot see myself enjoying KTV on a business lunch or in the company of acquaintances.

Will I Return Again? It is a beautiful space Zui Yu Xuan Teochew Cuisine has occupied in the heart of CBD. The dishes are generally competent Teochew dishes, and prices are relatively reasonable. The minimum spend for the private rooms are not high as compared to other Chinese restaurants of similar calibre, which makes it an ideal dining venue if you have a big gathering coming up.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

Make your reservations instantly at Zui Yu Xuan Teochew Cuisine here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Zui Yu Xuan Teochew Cuisine
130/131 Amoy Street
Singapore 049959 (located within Far East Square)
Tel: +65 6788 3637

Opening Hours
Lunch: 11.30amto 3pm(last order at 2.15pm)
Dinner: 6pmto 11pm (last order at 10.15pm)

Ranted by The Ranter