Located at Rail Mall along Upper Bukit Timah Road, Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe offers up Hong Kong food such as roast meats, wonton noodles and dim sum.
The restaurant has a decor that is reminiscent of an old cha chaan tang in Hong Kong. However, the space is also bright and airy with plenty of natural light coming in from the floor to ceiling windows at the front of the shop.
Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe Food & Experience
We settled down and ordered using the QR code found on the order chit at the table.
Before long, our food began to arrive.
We had high hopes for the Steamed Siew Mai ($5.80 for three pieces). We found them quite succulent and paired well with the sweet chilli sauce available at the table.
The pan-fried radish cake ($5.80 for three pieces) was also crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Buns ($6.20 for three pieces) was also a sweet and satisfying basket.
It is hard to go wrong with the simple dish of instant noodles with luncheon meat and egg in soup ($7.80). The luncheon meat was cut nice and thick, and the yolk of the fried egg was still slightly runny.
The broth that came with the noodle was light and, thankfully, not overly salty. A few pieces of leafy vegetables added a dash of green to the dish.
It is hard to miss the roasted meats hanging at the counter. This is where Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe shines.
We had the roasted duck noodles ($9.80) . This came in two parts – the plate of noodle along with a separate plate with a generous portion of roasted duck. The duck was meaty and tender.
The porridge was the smooth, Cantonese style preparation – it was a heartwarming bowl.
Also on the menu at Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe were Shrimp Wanton Soup/Noodle but we didn’t order it. Perhaps next time.
To wash the meal down, we had the Hong Kong Style Milk Tea ($3.50).
Overall, the menu at Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe was more limited than what we would expect at a regular Hong Kong style cha chaan teng in Singapore. You won’t find dishes like baked rice or western style dishes here. Maybe that’s why they bill themselves as a Hong Kong cafe instead.
The focus at Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe focuses on dim sum and dishes like different combinations of noodles, congee and wanton noodles.
Find out more about Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe, including the full menu.
Yi Qian Hong Kong Cafe
Where: The Rail Mall, 438 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678063
Opening Hours: 8 am to 11 pm, daily
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