Dim Sum is an array of small Chinese dishes traditionally loved by both the old and young. Chao Yue Xuan Dim Sum Express is a spot located in Northpoint City Yishun offering an assortment of not only dim sum, but rice and noodle dishes as well! It’s one of the few restaurants that does not have the 10% service charge that everybody loathes and dreads.
The menu had both steamed and fried dim sum, alongside rice, congee and noodle dishes. It even had desserts as well! Instead of ordering the normal Siew Mai, I decided to get the Prawn Siew Mai($4.80 for 3 pieces) instead, along with Fried Prawn Roll($3.80 for 3 pieces) and Fried Guotie($3.80 for 3 pieces). I also ordered a Steamed Chicken and Mushroom Rice($4.80) and Jasmine Tea($2).
I was not impressed with the Prawn Siew Mai as it didn’t taste any different from the normal Siew Mai except for the bigger prawn, and I regret not ordering the Glutinous Siew Mai as I’m curious how it tastes now since I love Glutinous Rice. The Fried Guotie also tasted exactly like a Xiao Long Bao except it had a different texture since it was fried. The crispy batter was the only thing I liked about the Guotie. However, the Fried Prawn Roll was a different story. Not only did it have a crispy batter that made a nice crunch sound when I bit into it, but the prawn was also extremely fresh, juicy, and bouncy. It was by far my favourite dim sum dish that I ordered.
The Steamed Chicken and Mushroom Rice was my favourite dish as not only was it exceptionally aromatic, the chicken was succulent, and the mushroom was chewy and flavourful. The rice was able to soak in the fragrant soy sauce which added a depth of sweet and salty flavour which made it delicious.
I will say that most of the food that I ordered, especially the Fried Prawn Roll and Fried Guotie, were greasy. The Jasmine Tea that I ordered came in handy as it helped to cut through the oil of the Fried Prawn Roll and Guotie. It was served as a palette cleanser after all the food that I ate. In addition, the tea was refillable which I always love and am grateful for.
I found the dim sum at Chao Yue Xuan Dim Sum Express to be more than decent and I was in awe that it didn’t have a service charge for the quality of its dishes. It’s also value for money as I paid less than $20 for the meal. I’d recommend the restaurant if you want value for your buck.
Rating:
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Chao Yue Xuan Dim Sum Express
930 Yishun Ave 2, #B1 – 53, Singapore 769098
Opening hours: Daily from 11am – 10pm
