Silk Road Noodle Bar

I have decent memories of the "proper" Silk Road restaurant at the Amara Hotel - this appears to basically be a casual "express" version of it (9 Raffles Boulevard, Millenia Walk #01-52/53, 6339-2810). I was a bit worried about how good it would be, but I was relieved to find that the dan dan noodle was actually pretty true to form, especially with some pretty numbing peppercorns. The beef noodle was also surprisingly just as good as many that I've had off the streets of Taipei, with tenderly cooked beef and a robust soup. The portions were surprisingly large too, and all for only S$6 (US$3.50) a bowl. (It's a decently casual ambience too, with a full view of the mainlander-staffed kitchen pulling noodles by hand.)

The dumplings, on the other hand, were a bit lackluster. The xiao long bao lacked the painstaking labor of Din Tai Fung while also lacking the greasy punch of some of the ones I've had in Shanghai. "Red oil wonton," something I love to get in Taipei, was also a bummer here. Instead of making it spicy, this place topped it with ground garlic marinated in a disturbingly sweet vinegar. I also made the mistake of ordering another bowl of dumplings in a clear soup here, which, although featured a decently tasty pork filling, also sat in a soup so bland that I'd almost rather drink dishwater instead. Ugh.

So what's the verdict? I'll come here again for the noodles (specifically the dan dan noodles). But I'll pass on the dumplings, thus saving stomach space for Szechuan Kitchen in Raffles City...or I'll just wait for my trip to Taipei next week. :)