Singaporeans just can’t get enough of Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine and they have no choice but to open more outlets all over Singapore. They have chosen Mandai as their 17th outlet. This is cause for celebration as food options are aplenty now near the wildlife parks in Mandai – Singapore Zoo, Night Safari & River Wonders!
Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine: Feeding Time at Mandai Wildlife East
One of several new restaurants located in the Dining Alley, Mandai Wildlife East, the comfortable, air-conditioned space is open, bright and welcoming.
After expending all that energy at the wildlife reserves, seeing and feeding animals, it is time to feed yourself!
Once you are at Xiang Xiang, you go on a rampage and grab those free-flow complimentary snacks and ice cream.
UE SQUARE’S COSMIC SPACE EXPEDITION: Have An Out-Of-This-World Adventure!
CARNIVAL OF CHRISTMAS CHEER: Celebrate and Win at Plantation Plaza and Northshore Plaza!
SNOW MUCH TO CELEBRATE: Christmas Fun at The Centrepoint
Promotions Galore at Xiang Xiang
The waitress comes and discovers that your birthday falls in August and boom! All of a sudden, 20% off your total bill at all Xiang Xiang outlets islandwide!
She heads into the employee’s area and brings out an enormous limited-edition jumbo birthday bag filled with exclusive goodies (snacks and a Xiang Dudu Pillow!).
August is looking to be a great month to have been born in! The promotions are for Xiang Xiang members, so make sure you have signed up for Xiang Xiang membership, which seems like a pretty good deal!
The Spread at Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine
The Jumbo Lemon Tea was a welcome sight and seemed to complement the weather and the surroundings of Mandai best.
Our thirst was quenched, and we felt immediately refreshed and ready for our meal.
The pot of Wuchang Rice sat on the table, confidently quiet, knowing that we will be requiring it shortly.
We were served a good variety of dishes, of which I dove straight into the Red-Braised Lamb Ribs.
The lamb was delicately tender, having been slow-braised and the connective tissue broken down to just the right texture. The sweetness of the carrots and peppers with the savouriness of the meat and spices created a rich, aromatic sauce that ate so well with rice.
Even while savouring the Lamb Ribs with mouthfuls of sauce coated rice, my eyes kept being drawn to the next dish, the Tomato-Braised Beef Brisket.
It looked like a bowl of tomato soup, with a whole stewed tomato in the centre and chunks of beef brisket and rice cakes. It was delicious as well! The beef brisket was tender but still retaining some bite, which was good.
The tangy, tart tomato broth infused with the flavours of the beef was yet another reason for half a bowl of rice disappearing down this writer’s gullet.
More to Dig Into
We learnt at the wildlife park (or was it off someone’s T-shirt) that, like the Omnomnomnivore, humans are omnivores who eat both meat and vegetables.
After the two meaty dishes, it was time to om nom some vegetables. The Stir-fried Spicy Cabbage was nicely cooked, glistening in the simple but tasty sauce. Not a dish to shout about but still gladly appreciated.
And then there it was, hiding in plain sight, knowing it would be its turn eventually, the Dual Pepper Spicy Chicken Cubes demanded to be tried.
This was supposedly an improved version from before and it tasted like it. So spicy but so addictive. The antler mushrooms went well with the chicken and the spices as well. The mouth and tongue burned for a while and the chopsticks went back for more every time the burn subsided for a while. Quite addictive.
I went for the Golden Broth Sour and Spicy Fish last and though I had told myself to cut back on the carbs, I had to make this the seventh cheat day of the week.
The lemon in the spicy broth refreshed the palate and made me crave for more rice. The fish was moist and succulent, slightly firm but yields to the bite. The tofu soaked up the flavours of the broth and was very enjoyable as well.
Bursting Mochi with Brown Sugar was an okay end to the meal. It didn’t burst and it was a bit anticlimactic. Maybe a version more like the “Jian Dui”, those Deep fried Sesame Seed coated glutinous rice balls would work better.
An Enjoyable Meal at Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine, Mandai Wildlife East
I will be back for their other signature dishes, such as the Hunan Stir-fried Pork, 18-Second Angus Beef Stir-fry and to try some of their other new dishes, like the Spicy Squid Tentacles.
With plans to open more outlets in Singapore, Xiang Xiang has clearly perfected their recipe to make their way into our hearts and stomachs. For now, you have a great food option when visiting the wildlife parks!
Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine is located at Mandai Wildlife East, #01-06, Dining Alley.
For those keen to try other cuisines, there’s also SUSHIRO at the Dining Alley.
