The Place Located in PLQ a few doors from Rempapa, I checked out the newly opened Zing by Xi Yan, a conscious-dining collaboration with The Social Kitchen. Being a community partner to The Social Kitchen, Zing helps to create employment for the disadvantaged communities while at the same time use more sustainable produce in their offerings. The interior of the restaurant is contemporary and I was drawn to the colourful birds theme wallpaper which injects a relaxed dining ambience. There are also alfresco seats if you fancy some outdoor dining. Zing at PLQ is also the third brand and concept by the team behind Xi Yan Maxwell and Xi Yan Shaw.

The Food The extensive menu is categorised into Zing dishes and Xi Yan mains, where the latter is catered more towards regulars of Xi Yan. If you need a quick fix, there are also options like power salads, grain bowls, pastas, noodles and their homemade ice-cream. Beverage menu include non-alcoholic drinks, wine, craft beer and whisky. 

I started with the Yum Som O Kung Salad (S$15), a refreshing mix of Zingelicious cocktail of pomelo, prawns, sakura ebi, nuts, calamansi and yuzu. This healthy dish paves the way for the rest of the dishes. 

I really enjoyed The Squid Game (S$14) here at Zing other than the hit Netflix drama where the name is inspired from. I like the crispy and addictive fried squid, where the fried octopus tentacles are best dipped in the homemade tangy chilli sauce. 

The Braised Tender Beef Brisket Sichuan Style (S$26) is surprisingly not that spicy. The unique element here is the mix of sweet potato and crispy fritters with the tender beef brisket. I didn’t have it with rice, but this dish probably goes best with some white rice. 

Moving to a lighter dish, the Hakka Niang Do Fu (S$12) is available either with gravy or soup broth. You get six pieces of ingredients stuffed with fish paste and pork mince. A comforting dish which is a good balance to the other heavier dishes. 

Another healthier option I had was the Pan Seared Salmon with Soba (S$23) where you get a generous 200g slab of fresh fillet of salmon with cold buckwheat noodles, nori and yuzu lime sauce. The salmon is cooked to a nice texture which is really just right, and the flavour is really fresh. 

Meat lovers must go for the Zing Legit Wagyu (S$48). I thought this dish offers a good value as you get 250g of Australian stockyard wagyu ribeye with grade 7 marbling and grain-fed for 400 days. It is served with dipping sauces and sea salt on the plate, where the succulent beef is best enjoyed with a tinge of salt for me. 

For desserts, try the homemade Ice Cream (S$4/scoop). To complement the ice cream, the menu also has baked Sea Salt Brownies and Croffles instead of the usual waffles. Croffles are croissants made into waffle – with a soft crust and buttery. I had the One-of-a-Kind Coconut on croffles and I enjoyed the combination. Lovely texture of the croffles, slightly crisp and airy, with bits of buttery flavour which reminds me of croissant at the same time. 

Another rather exotic ice cream flavour is the Superberry Goji, which turns out surprisingly good and original. 

Hot dessert selections include the signature Xi Yan Custard Tang Yuan (S$4.80/3 pieces) which can’t go wrong. 

Rants There are no private dining rooms.  

Will I Return Again? Good quality food at reasonable prices, Zing by Xi Yan is a contemporary dining option which will appeal to the younger crowd or the family demographics in Paya Lebar.  

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

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

Zing by Xi Yan 
2 Paya Lebar Road, PLQ, Park Place 
#01-06/07/08 
Singapore 409053 
Tel: +65 6530 3548 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 11:30am to 10pm 

Ranted by The Ranter