Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant

Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant
69 Boat Quay

https://handinhandfood.com/

Minced Pork Meat & Bell Peppers Bun (SGD $7)

Refined But Wallet-Friendly Chinese Casual Dining

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 3
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $33 per person.


.....


Established in March 2004 by Fei Liming, Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant or Hand In Hand Shandong Restaurant has been consistently drawing in crowds during meal periods, thanks to their wide range of delicious, traditional Chinese dishes at affordable prices. Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant is especially known for their handmade dumplings, stir-fried dishes, soups, and steamed buns, available in a wide variety from their extensive menu. They are the sister restaurant of Shou La Shou Beijing Restaurant, but their menu options, types of dishes, and signature items differ, though the dumplings are more or less the same.

Ambience at Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant is Imperial oriental, exuding a classical sophisticated splendour. Sturdy lacquered mahogany wooden furnishings are closely packed in the brightly lit place, while loud conversations lend to the noisy, bustling atmosphere. The parquet tiled floors, open kitchen where chefs make dumplings, and oriental patterns on partitions and lamps, all contribute to the premium feel. Advance reservations are a must during peak dinner periods.

Service at Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant varies. The junior staff performed as instructed. They're able to guide diners on ordering, and are proactive at clearing away finished plates throughout the meal, but their interaction is functional and transactional in nature. The senior staff display a willingness to engage with customers, have good product knowledge, and are quick to solve problems and perform service recovery (while the juniors stand around helplessly). On a particular visit, the waiting time between each dish averaged 20 minutes per dish, really slow.

Food at Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant is traditional Northern Chinese cuisine, focusing on the regions of Beijing, Sichuan, Shanghai, and Shandong. This is evident in the use of cooking techniques (pickling, braising, steaming, sauteeing) and staples such as bread / buns and noodles. Dishes are tasty and bold in flavour, with portions designed for communal sharing. Prices are reasonable, slightly cheaper than a typical restaurant. Budget about SGD $33 per person for a meal here.


.....

Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant Signage

Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant Exterior

Shou La Shou Shandong Restaurant Interior

Private Room

Staircase Decor

The Tea Chrysanthemum (SGD $2) is light with a floral sweet flavour, pairing well with the dishes here.

Tea Chrysanthemum (SGD $2)

Loved the Shredded Chinese Cabbage With Jelly Fish Salad (SGD $9.80), which was so delicious. The base of crisp shredded Chinese cabbage, tender carrots, and juicy bean sprouts, is tossed with crunchy jelly fish in rich black vinegar, resulting in an appetizing medley of vegetal sweet sour flavour. Helps open the appetite. Yum. Highly recommended!

Shredded Chinese Cabbage With Jelly Fish Salad (SGD $9.80)

Shredded Chinese Cabbage With Jelly Fish Salad

The Dumplings With Leek, Pork, Shrimp (SGD $7.50) feature medium-thick chewy wheat dough dumplings, stuffed with tender juicy minced pork, bouncy deshelled shrimp / prawns, and crunchy leeks. Bite in, and you get the burst of lovely meat juice, followed by the fillings with vegetal meaty sweet savoury salty flavour. Pair this with black vinegar, ginger strips, or chili oil for added flavour. Good!

Dumplings With Leek, Pork, Shrimp (SGD $7.50)

Dumplings With Leek, Pork, Shrimp

Dumplings With Leek, Pork, Shrimp

The Dumplings With Fresh Cuttlefish Ink & Pork (SGD $9.50) feature medium-thick chewy wheat dough dumplings infused with squid ink, giving it a jet black hue. Stuffed with tender juicy minced pork, you get the burst of lovely meat juice upon biting in, followed by the fillings with meaty sweet savoury briny flavour. Rather unique twist. Worth ordering!

Dumplings With Fresh Cuttlefish Ink & Pork (SGD $9.50)

Dumplings With Fresh Cuttlefish Ink & Pork

Dumplings With Fresh Cuttlefish Ink & Pork

These days, any Xiao Long Bao / Shanghai Pork Dumplings (SGD $6.80) I eat is compared against the gold standard of Din Tai Fung. These have a medium thin dumpling skin, able to hold together well when lifted, and is better executed than at their sister restaurant. The filling of minced pork is juicy with a small amount of broth, and the flavour is beautifully sweet savoury, with a light bouncy tender chew to texture. Nice, almost on par. Highly recommended!

Xiao Long Bao / Shanghai Pork Dumplings (SGD $6.80)

Xiao Long Bao / Shanghai Pork Dumplings

Xiao Long Bao / Shanghai Pork Dumplings

The Xiao Long Bao Crab Roe Dumplings (SGD $9.80) have a medium thin dumpling skin, holding together well when lifted. The filling of minced pork and crab roe is juicy with a small amount of broth, and the flavour is gently sweet savoury salty briny, with a light bouncy tender chew to texture. I like. Good!

Xiao Long Bao Crab Roe Dumplings (SGD $9.80)

Xiao Long Bao Crab Roe Dumplings

The Minced Pork Meat & Bell Peppers Bun (SGD $7) almost makes a meal on its own. These toasted buns are studded with sesame seeds, giving them a fragrant smoky nutty sweet bready aroma and flavour. Generously filled with crunchy bell peppers / capsicum and tender minced pork, both sauteed in a savoury salty sweet gravy of the combined juices, this is nicely satisfying. I like having these with a touch of light soy sauce and some chopped red chili, for added salty spicy notes. Good!

Minced Pork Meat & Bell Peppers Bun (SGD $7)

Minced Pork Meat & Bell Peppers Bun

Minced Pork Meat & Bell Peppers Bun

In contrast to their sister restaurant, the Roast Peking Duck Set (SGD $38.80 Half) is actually good. The Flour Wrap Crepe is soft and doughy with a light bready sweet flavour, and the fillings of juicy Rock Melon, crisp Leek, and crunchy Cucumber, lend bright fruity vegetal sweet flavour. While the Peking Duck Leg was dry, I'm delighted that the Peking Duck Skin is thin and crisp, with bold fatty savoury salty flavour. The Duck Meat is tender, moist, and succulent, with decent meaty savoury salty flavour. The crunchy Sugar Crystals lend a sweet note, while the thick Fermented Black Bean Sauce lends an earthy sweet flavour. Wrap everything together and enjoy the Peking Duck Wrap. Highly recommended!

Roast Peking Duck Set (SGD $38.80 Half)

Flour Wrap Crepe

Rock Melon

Leek

Cucumber

Peking Duck Leg

Peking Duck Skin & Duck Meat

Peking Duck Skin & Duck Meat

Sugar Crystals

Fermented Black Bean Sauce

Peking Duck Wrap

For the 2nd serving of the duck, we chose the Duck Bone Stew With Cabbage, Tofu, Glass Noodles (SGD $13.80). The lovely stew is hearty and warming, filled with duck bones, tender duck meat, crisp Chinese cabbage, spongy frozen tofu beancurd, and slippery glass noodles. The result is a deep vegetal sweet savoury flavour to the soup / broth / stew, rather addictive. A filling dish that's meant to be shared. Highly recommended!

Duck Bone Stew With Cabbage, Tofu, Glass Noodles (SGD $13.80)

Duck Bone Stew With Cabbage, Tofu, Glass Noodles

Duck Bone Stew With Cabbage, Tofu, Glass Noodles

A seasonal platter of Fresh Cut Fruits (SGD $Complimentary), served because the next few tables were having an event, and they felt their loud talking was disturbing us, so they "bribed" us with this. Fresh juicy sweet fruits, including orange, watermelon, and seeded red grapes. I enjoyed this, but as evident, declined to remain quiet.

Fresh Cut Fruits (SGD $Complimentary)

Fresh Cut Fruits

.....







.....