Jing Hua is a homegrown brand in Singapore that serves up some very good Shanghai cuisine located along Neil Road. This place has been at the same located, and in good business for the past 25 years! Their recipes are passed on through 2 generations.
25 years later, the place is now run by the eldest son of the Han Family, Guo Guang.
I went down for a food tasting session. I can’t believe I never knew about Jing Hua before this. They really do serve up some very tasty dishes! Here’s what we had!
Dishes
– Noodle with Minced Pork & Soya Bean Sauce (炸酱面) ($5++)
– Mixed Seafood and Pork Dumplings (三鲜饺子) ($8++ for 10 pieces)
– Pan Fried Mixed Seafood & Pork Dumplings (三鲜锅贴) ($8++ for 10 pieces)
– Little Juicy Steamed Meat Dumplings (小笼汤包) ($7++ for 7 pieces)
– Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings (素饺子) ($7++ for 7 pieces)
– Chinese Pizza (三鲜盒子) ($10++)
Desserts
– Sweet Osmanthus Flower Rice Ball Soup (桂花汤圆) ($3++)
– Crispy Red Bean Pancake (豆沙锅饼) ($10++)
My absolute personal favourite has to be their Pan Fried Mixed Seafood & Pork Dumplings. The skin is super cripsy and not oily, the filling is very juicy. I’ve never eaten an open faced guo-tie and this is really one of the best. I would return just for this.
Another version of their dumplings exist as this – the Mixed Seafood and Pork Dumplings. I usually go for this boiled version instead of the fried version because it’s well, healthier. This was succulent and juicy. The skin, oh the skin was very good. It wasn’t overly dough-y and gave the fillings (crab meat, prawn meat, pork and chives) the attention it deserves. Every bite was bursting with the lovely juice.
They are most famous for their Jing Hua Little Juicy Steamed Meat Dumplings. The proportion of pork, soup and skin took them years to perfect. I mean like, just look at the below. You could hold up the dumpling this way without it breaking! Aesthetics and skills aside, the taste did not disappoint.
Above is a Chinese Pizza that had the same filling as the mixed seafood and pork dumplings. I didn’t really enjoy this as much. It was a little too oily for me.
Next up was the Noodle with Minced Pork & Soya Bean Sauce. This version was a little on the wet side. Personally I prefer those which come with more meat and a thicker sauce.
The next dish was the Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings that I wasn’t overly crazy about. Vegetarians would love this though. The fillings were ample and the ingredients were well chosen to give flavour and good texture. Personally I wouldn’t order this on my next visit. Still love the meat dumplings at Jing Hua more!
We were sooooo full already but the pictures of dessert on the wall kept beckoning. To be very specific, the Crispy Red Bean Pancake was something I really wanted to try! I love love love this! It was deep fried to a crispy outside with a mochi-like inner skin and on the inside, it was oozing with yummy red bean fillings that had the right level of sweetness to match the skin. Although this whole dish was deep fried, it wasn’t overly oily. I had 3 (ok maybe 4) pieces! *guilty* Definitely another dish I’d return for.
Our last dessert which I didn’t have much room for was the Sweet Osmanthus Flower Rice Ball Soup. I am personally not a fan of Rice Balls or the soup that they come in. The rice balls came in a variety of fillings like peanuts, red bean paste, lotus and walnut paste, and black sesame. The osmanthus soup that the rice balls came in were a tad too sweet for me.
I love how much family history there is to this place, lending authenticity and a kind of passion to keep the brand going. The good people at Jing Hua are definitely going to be seeing me again very soon!
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Jing Hua Xiao Chi (京华小吃)
Website: www.jinghua.sg
21 Neil Road, Singapore 088814
Tel: +65 62213060
Nearest MRT: Outram Park
Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun: 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30pm to 9.30pm
(Closed on Wed)
159 Rochor Road, Singapore 188434
Tel: +65 6221 3060
Nearest MRT: Bugis
Opened everyday 11.30am to 3.30pm & 5.30pm to 10pm