Zi Char - Quan Xiang Yuan

Zi Char - Quan Xiang Yuan
252 Jalan Besar

https://www.quanxinyuan.com.sg/

Fujian Fried Sweet Potato Cake (SGD $22)

Old-School Hokkien Delights

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 4
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 8
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $31 per person.


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Established since 1930, Quan Xiang Yuan is an old-school Chinese Zi Char, serving up traditional Chinese Hokkien dishes that haven't changed much through the decades. The kind of place your grandparents will find nostalgic, Quan Xiang Yuan remains among the few bastions of heritage cuisine, serving up dishes which are now uncommon elsewhere. It was founded by Tho Cheng Kia's grandfather, passed down to his father Tho Hey Sio, and is now in 4th-generation hands via his children Gabriel and Amy Tho.

Ambience at Quan Xiang Yuan is old-school, harkening back to the 1980s. The simple, functional, brightly lit place is sparsely furnished, with peeling paint on the white and wood walls, and scuffs across the grey tiled floor. The large photos of their signature dishes are faded with age, though newer photos of the family behind this restaurant also adorn the walls. The enclosed area means it can get noisy during peak periods.

Service at Quan Xiang Yuan is transactional and efficient. The elderly staff are quick to seat guests and take orders, displaying good product knowledge from their years of serving here. There's the speedy efficiency associated with Zi Char places, where orders are fulfilled after a short wait, and tables are cleaned quickly when diners are done. The owners and their families are usually present in the evenings, chatting with regulars.

Food at Quan Xiang Yuan is Chinese Zi Char, specialising in Chinese Hokkien cuisine with a smattering of Teochew dishes. Dishes are made using age-old family recipes, some of which is still painstakingly put together by hand. Quality is consistently good, as evident through the regulars. Portions are large, sized for communal group dining. Prices are reflective of most casual restaurants, budget about SGD $31 per person.


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Quan Xiang Yuan Signage Pillar

Quan Xiang Yuan Exterior

Quan Xiang Yuan Interior

They practise the old-school technique here of adding a spoonful of sugar to the Chrysanthemum Tea (SGD $1). The result is a dark yellow hue, with deep floral sweet flavour. You can also choose to request for a sugarless / natural version, which has a light yellow hue, and mild floral earthy sweet flavour.

Chrysanthemum Tea With Sugar (SGD $1)

Chrysanthemum Tea Without Sugar (SGD $1)

The Assorted Peanuts & Crackers (SGD $3) evokes that nostalgic childhood memory of kacang puteh / kacang putih. With bold nutty salty earthy sweet flavours and a bold crunch to texture, this assorted mix of nuts and crackers includes deshelled salted peanuts, roasted groundnuts, fried green peas, fried broadbeans, crab flavoured crackers, and omapodi (a cracker of dhal / yellow lentils blended with tapioca starch, water, ginger, garlic, cumin, and star anise). A bit expensive for an appetizer though, you can choose to refuse it, as they serve it upon seating diners.

Assorted Peanuts & Crackers (SGD $3)

On a separate visit, we were served the Prawn Roll Crackers (SGD $4). Understand these were handmade. The prawn roll crackers were super crisp and crunchy, with mild shrimpy savoury salty spice flavour. Pretty decent but not outstanding, and more expensive than the usual appetizer.

Prawn Roll Crackers (SGD $4)

The White Rice (SGD $1) has a fluffy sticky soft texture to the white rice grains, and holds a delicate grainy sweet flavour. Best paired with dishes that are heavy on gravy.

White Rice (SGD $1)

The Fish Maw & Sea Cucumber Stew (SGD $20) is a signature dish here, and I understand the family pioneered the use of fish maw as a replacement for shark's fin, in the early 1990s, in a bid to be more sustainable. This classic Chinese Hokkien soup / broth / stew is thick and gloopy, packed with a generous amount of spongy fish maw, wispy egg, soft carrots, tender golden mushrooms, tender shiitake mushrooms, and gelatinous sea cucumber. Add a dash of black vinegar and white pepper, and stir well. Has lovely sweet savoury flavour with a hint of sour peppery notes, so tasty and comforting. Highly recommended!

Fish Maw & Sea Cucumber Stew (SGD $20)

Fish Maw & Sea Cucumber Stew

Fish Maw & Sea Cucumber Stew

Fish Maw & Sea Cucumber Stew

The Hae Cho / Pork & Prawn Rolls (SGD $10) is available in both Hokkien and Teochew versions, this was the Hokkien version that we tried. The pork and prawn rolls are large and juicy, yielding with a light crisp crunch, to reveal the tightly packed filling of minced pork, deshelled prawns / shrimp, carrots, and water chestnuts. Has a robust meaty savoury salty sweet flavour, so delicious. Served with a thick sticky sweet dipping sauce. Highly recommended!

Hae Cho / Pork & Prawn Rolls (SGD $10)

Hae Cho / Pork & Prawn Rolls

Loved the clean-tasting Stir-Fried Broccoli With Garlic (SGD $12) here. The fresh broccoli florets are crunchy and juicy, with bold vegetal sweet flavour. The liberal use of fried garlic lends a robust savoury spice flavour, making this rather addictive. Good!

Stir-Fried Broccoli With Garlic (SGD $12)

Stir-Fried Broccoli With Garlic

The Fu Yong Omelette (SGD $12) here is done old-school style... with fluffy soft egg omelette, studded with bits of tender char siew / marinated roast pork loin, crunchy red onions, and bouncy deshelled prawns / shrimp. This has good eggy sweet savoury meaty salty flavour, a taste of the traditional, and a reminder of what this dish could be. Good!

Fu Yong Omelette (SGD $12)

Fu Yong Omelette

Fu Yong Omelette

The Signature Home Made Tofu With Broccoli (SGD $20) was excellent. The wobbly soft tofu beancurd in the middle picks up the mild sweet savoury gravy so well, while crisp fried anchovies lend a savoury salty burst of flavour that complements beautifully. Surrounded with crunchy florets of broccoli with vegetal sweet flavour, this was a rather addictive dish that we kept reaching for. Highly recommended!

Signature Home Made Tofu With Broccoli (SGD $20)

Signature Home Made Tofu With Broccoli

Only available on weekends or as part of their catering menu, the Crispy Fried Chicken (SGD $32), also known as Roast Chicken, features a whole fresh chicken glazed with caramelised malt sugar, air-dried for hours, then deep-fried quickly to turn the skin crisp, while the chicken meat within remains juicy, tender, and succulent. The chicken meat has a light sweet savoury flavour, and holds very little fat thanks to the flash fry. Served with a light chicken salt on the side, which lends more salty chicken flavour to each mouthful. I also appreciate the crispy prawn crackers with light savoury salty flavour. Good!

Crispy Fried Chicken (SGD $32)

Crispy Fried Chicken

Crispy Fried Chicken

Crispy Fried Chicken

The Kong Bak Bao Set (SGD $15) features large, pillow soft, steamed all-purpose flour and cornstarch Bao / Bun, with grainy sweet bready flavour, and a light chew to texture. The Kong Bak / Braised Pork Belly is thick sliced, braised in a blend of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, 5-spice powder, star anise, cloves, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon. The result is tender succulent pork belly meat, that has bold salty savoury herbal spice sweet flavour. Served with a fresh crisp lettuce leaf that has vegetal sweet flavour. Good!

Kong Bak Bao Set (SGD $15)

Bao / Bun

Bao / Bun

Kong Bak / Braised Pork Belly

Kong Bak / Braised Pork Belly

Ordered the Steamed Pomfret Teochew Style (SGD $80) with less salt and less oil. The pomfret fish is large and fresh, with tender soft flaky fish meat, that comes easily off the few fine bones it has. It's infused with a medley of stewed till tender vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, pickled mustard greens, carrots, tomato, spring onions, ginger, sour plum, lettuce, parsley), creating a comforting sweet savoury salty sour flavour profile. The gravy is drinkable and delicious. Good!

Steamed Pomfret Teochew Style (SGD $80)

Steamed Pomfret Teochew Style

Steamed Pomfret Teochew Style (SGD $80)

Steamed Pomfret Teochew Style (SGD $80)

Unlike the Malaysian style Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Mee, the Singaporean Chinese Hokkien Black Mee (SGD $8) here is less salty sweet, but more savoury in flavour. Equal parts slippery tender in texture, the thick flat Fujian noodles have a light chew. Garnished with crisp choy sum / Chinese flowering cabbage, tender pork loin, and bouncy deshelled prawns / shrimp, all of which take on the flavours of the thick rich gravy of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pork lard, and pork stock. In terms of overall taste, it's mild compared to other versions elsewhere. Worth ordering!

Hokkien Black Mee (SGD $8)

Hokkien Black Mee

Hokkien Black Mee

Understand the Fujian Fried Sweet Potato Cake (SGD $22) is made from scratch, with the sweet potato flour cakes being hand made, steamed, and cut into thick bouncy strips. Tossed with a medley of ingredients, including Chinese cabbage, carrots, leeks, shiitake mushroom, pork belly, dried shrimp, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pork stock, pork lard, and sambal belachan chili. This has slippery chewy crunchy textures, with bold salty savoury sweet earthy vegetal meaty starchy fatty spicy flavour. A rare dish, difficult to find anywhere else. Worth ordering!

Fujian Fried Sweet Potato Cake (SGD $22)

Fujian Fried Sweet Potato Cake

The Yam Taro Paste With Gingko Nuts (SGD $5) here is sub-par. The mashed yam / taro paste is chunky and thick, with earthy sweet flavour. But the liberal use of coconut milk, and the addition of juicy corn kernels and white sugar, make this overly sweet. The vegetal sweet flavour of the corn kernels also clashes with the yam / taro paste. Could be improved.

Yam Taro Paste With Gingko Nuts (SGD $5)

Yam Taro Paste With Gingko Nuts

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