Authentic Sichuan eatery opens at 112 Katong

by Daniel Ang
inSing.com - 89 days 23 hrs 10 mins ago

Sichuan style water-boiled fish (shui zhu yu)

Must Tries – Griddle signatures, Dan Dan noodles

Sichuan is not only known for its spicy dishes but it is also the first Asian city to be recognised as “City of Gastronomy” by UNESCO. Being fans of the cuisine, we were thrilled when we heard that a new restaurant specialising in authentic Sichuan food has opened at I12 Katong Mall.

Named Xiao Lao Jiao (which means little chilli), the restaurant offers comfortable dining amidst its casual setting.

Xiao La Jiao's entrance

Most of the iconic Sichuan signatures are available at the eatery. They include kung pao chicken, mapo tofu, hot and sour soup, water-boiled fish, Dan Dan noodles and twice-cooked pork.

The waiter recommended the griddle-cooked dishes and there was a choice of prawn, duck slices, pork ribs, frog or mushrooms ($13.80 - $17.90). Upon taking our order, he had also cheekily asked if we wanted it to be prepared “local-style” or “Sichuan-style”. We opted for “somewhere in the middle” as we thought Sichuan style might be too spicy.

Griddle-cooked Tian Ji (frog)

The griddle pot arrived with deep-fried frog and potato strips spiked with peppercorn, chill oil, onions and spices. We took our first bite of the meat and were immediately hit by the tingling numbness on our tongue. It was hot but oh so delicious! While the spiciness was not as intense as the dishes we tried in Sichuan, Xiao La Jiao came close.

We later learnt that the restaurant’s chefs hail from Chengdu, and use only imported spices from the province.

The GeLeShan ‘la zi’ chicken ($10.90) did not impress us as much. It would have been better if the meat were chunkier, giving it more texture. This version reminded us of pop-corn chicken fried with chilli.

GeLeShan style chicken

The Dan Dan noodles ($8.00) which is also known as the “Peddlers’ noodles” did not disappoint. We loved the texture of the handmade noodles, the peanut and sesame sauce mixture, and the fact that it was not oily. But what was really special about this dish was the minced pork topping – the meat was fried till extremely dry, giving the dish a crunchy lift.

If you’re game for some really spicy Sichuan dishes, you’re going to get your fill at Xiao La Jiao.