6 Recommended Dishes for your next visit to Dian Xiao Er

During the times when the Chinese were under dynasty rule, the food inn was a popular pit-stop for travellers to rest and replenish their energy. Dian Xiao Er is a modern-day food inn that humbly offers a place of excellent service and indulgence in traditional Chinese cuisine. Sadly, our appetite has limited room for good food. To help you make the best of your meal, here are 6 Recommended dishes for you to try at Dian Xiao Er.

1. Sauteed String Bean w XO Sauce (Mildly Spicy) - S$12.30 (S), S$18.30 (M), S$24.60 (L)

We ordered a small plate of string beans and found the portion to be really small. I loved the natural gloss of the vegetables though, and every bite was crunchy to its core. The beans were also very slippery and I almost swallowed an entire piece whole. I loved that the taste was not overpowering, and there was no bitter or spicy aftertaste.

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2. Hong Kong Style Steamed Fish Slices - S$11.90 (S), S$17.90 (M), S$23.60 (L)

This is true food presentation — they present the freshness and tenderness of the steamed fish slices and boast of how stringent their policies on providing the best quality are. There wasn't much flavouring added to the fish, except for their specialty sauce. This was sufficient because the freshness of the fish was enough to shine through on its own.

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3. Wheatgrass Tofu - S$12.60 (S), S$25.30 (L)

The freshly-made Wheatgrass Tofu is a fusion of wheatgrass & tofu served with seafood bits & broccoli. I was initially skeptical of the dish as I thought it looked rather sickly and spoiled. It didn't help when my fork picked up a rather odd-looking shape. My oh my, looks can be SO deceiving! Crispy on the outside and silky on the inside, the texture made me salivate profusely. This slab of silky green tofu served with fresh seafood is worth queuing hours for.

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4. Duck Roasted with Angelica Herb - S$14.30 (S), S$26.60 (M), S$38.60 (L), S$46.30 (Whole)

If you are looking for food that is great for blood nourishment and circulation, Dian Xiao Er claims the Angelica duck treats blood deficiencies and habitual constipation. Those suffering from anaemia will also benefit from consuming the Angelica Herb (Dang Gui) daily. The duck was absolutely fantastic — each piece of delicately-browned skin was crispy, and the tender interior was thoroughly infused with herbs. Dian Xiao Er's duck is my favourite food therapy — the meat is marinated with special grades of herbs & wine before roasting.

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5. Prawn Balls w Chef's Special Spices - S$17.60 (S), S$23.60 (M), S$34.90 (L)

My experience with this dish can be summed up by the breakneck speed at which we finished it. I have absolutely no idea what magical ingredients they placed in the chef's special spices, but whatever they did, it certainly worked wonders. The floss added a tangible sweetness to the citrus prawns, resulting in a heavenly amalgamation of complementary flavours. If I were to eat this again, I'd order the large one!

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6. Man Tou - S$4.00 (Steamed), S$4.80 (Fried), S$4.80 (Mixed)

Comparing these mantou with those at No Signboard Seafood Restaurant, Dian Xiao Er gets the victory hands down. I really enjoyed these delightful balls of sweetness wrapped tenderly in toasted crisp brown buns.  

The insides of the mantou

Changi Airport T3
65 Airport Boulevard,
#03-42/43, Changi Airport Terminal 3,
Singapore 819663
Opening hours: 10.30am - 11.00pm daily (last order 10.15pm)