Dian Xiao Er Marina Square Lunch

Dian Xiao Er Marina Square retains a pretty high quality after all these years - one of the first places when I set foot on this island. They’ve many outlets all over the island - but somehow we’ve made the Marina Square one our domicile branch.

Originally one (and still) the best ducks on the island - they’ve since expanded their repertoire - in a good way. Our last visit was a few years back - notwithstanding the incessant Grab orders (for duck rice).

Everything today and as was all previous visits - consistently 7/10 and above.

Back then it was 2 star dishes - our go to. The roasted duck with Angelica herbs (they’ve other versions eg 10 Wonder Herbs), and the very unassuming cod fish deep fried in soya sauce.

We’ve polished countless bowls of white rice with those 2 dishes alone over the years.

Today we visited Dian Xiao Er Marina Square for something else and chanced upon their newly refurbished outlet and me being nosy, had to take a peek at their new menu.

I changed lunch locations on the spot and it was a good call. We sampled a few new dishes :

1. Duck with Angelica herbs - 7.5/10

2. Butter milk clams - 7/10

3. Beancurd with minced pork

4. French beans - 7/10

5. Char Siew. Similar to Imbi style. Half fat thin, nicely charred A very respectable 7/10 and top 5 within Singapore (maybe 4th position).

Hands down the best dishes were the pepper pig stomach and assam grouper fish.
6. Pepper pig stomach soup. The white pepper used tasted thick and full flavoured - reminiscent of Sarawak white pepper. 7/10

7. Assam grouper fish. The assam fish was tangy and well balanced cooked in claypot. 7/10

Over the years Dian Xiao Er Marina Square is a 7/10. Think of Dian Xiao Er as your Boon Toong Kee for duck, except with the menu - they’re closer to Imperial and Paradise. And at half the price, you can understand the snaking queues