The Place Located at Tanjong Pagar Road, I have not noticed this Chinese restaurant which opened last August until recently. Meet Wenzhou Mansion (雙井頭·温州府), Singapore’s first and only contemporary Zhejiang restaurant dedicated to Wenzhou cuisine. It is a huge restaurant as it takes up three shophouse units along Tanjong Pagar Road, where the main dining hall is located on level one, while there are seven private dining rooms on level two.

For those unfamiliar with Wenzhou cuisine, Wenzhou cuisine is one of the four schools of Zhejiang cuisine, itself recognised as one of the eight major cuisines of China. The flavour profiles lean towards the lighter spectrum as compared to other types of Chinese cuisine. As Wenzhou is close to East China Sea, seafood is also a main ingredient of the cuisine. 

The Food For a start, I had a couple of cold appetisers such as the Wenzhou-styled Raw Marinated Swimming Crab (S$128/portion) which uses a traditional marination technique to bring out the fresh flavour of the crab. 

Other cold starters to expect include the likes of Duck Tongue & Fish Cake Platter (S$58); Shredded Chicken with Jellyfish (S$68) which spots a nice contrast between the tender chicken and jellyfish; Coriander with Sakura Shrimp (S$25) and Sliced Wenzhou Kailan (S$28).

Moving to the hot dishes, I enjoyed the Wenzhou Fish Ball & Pork Dumpling Soup (from S$35) where pepper and vinegar are added as well. Unlike the fishballs I am familiar with, Wenzhou-style fishballs are not round but irregular thin long shapes. Simple and comforting flavour, which makes this dish an enjoyable one. 

One of the signature dishes here, the Large East China Sea Yellow Croaker with Scallion Oil (S$158 for regular, S$398 for large) is finished with a pour of scallion oil sauce. Expect tender and fresh flavour of the fish here. 

A luxuriously looking Steamed Roe Crab with Minced Pork and Pumpkin (with Claypot Rice) (S$378), the crabs are from East China Sea, and I love how the minced pork soaks up all the jus.

Add all the ingredients to the accompanying Thai white rice and it is a delicious bowl of goodness. 

Another beautifully presented dish is the Home-style Braised Mantis Shrimp with Shredded Radish (Seasonal Price). 

For a duck dish, the Crispy Baby Roasted Duck with Peppercorn (S$98) uses young duck where the skin is crispy on the outside yet juicy within. It is infused with the layered, aromatic heat of Da Hong Pao peppercorns, so you get that tinge of gentle numbing flavour. 

Wild sand scallions from the Northwestern Gobi Desert meet tender beef in this Stir-fried Beef with Wild Chinese Chives (S$78) where the beef is aromatic and flavourful. 

Other dishes I had include the likes of Pea Shoots with Seaweed in Superior Broth (S$38) and Wenzhou Stir-fried Rice Noodles (S$28/ small, S$48/large). The “bee hoon” spots a wet texture, and it soaks up all the essence of the ingredients well. 

For dessert, I had the Glutinous Rice Balls with Water Chestnut Dessert (S$12 per serving) where I had black sesame ‘tang yuan’. 

Rants Prices of the dishes here are admittedly on the higher end. 

Will I Return Again? I know nothing about Wenzhou cuisine before my visit here and in a sense, I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m surprised that the dishes here are not heavy handed in seasoning or spiciness like other types of Chinese cuisine, which I appreciate. While prices are not cheap, I recommend coming with a group instead of a couple to try more dishes and hopefully your bill is more economical too. 

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

Wenzhou Mansion 
60, 62, 64 Tanjong Pagar Road 
Singapore 088481 
Tel: +65 6592 1668 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 11.30am to 2.30pm; 5.30pm to 10pm 

Ranted by The Ranter