Shen Xi "Lao Huo Tang" (or 老火汤 in chinese) literally translates to "old fire soup". They pride themselves on their signature soups, and I was eager to give it a shot.
Ambience/Decor
Chinese restaurants are known for having decor that speaks volumes about their heritage and history, and Lao Huo Tang delivers on this aspect.
Decorated with oriental lanterns in striking red and chairs with polished wooden spines, the restaurant is a bustling hive of activity. Orders are taken by nimble-footed waiters who move on adrenaline.
Food
The Handmade Crispy Tofu with Minced Meat ($13.80), one of chef's recommendations, was presented in an appetizing broth of cut braised mushrooms, chopped carrots and garlic.
The lightly salted sauce allowed the flavor of tofu to shine through: its interior was silky-smooth and practically glided down the throat. Despite the name, its skin was not hard at all; it slid apart easily like a face mask. The minced meat may have been a tad bland, but at least it was not rubbery and lacked the dreaded porky aftertaste.
The Gingko Nut Pork Tripe Soup ($9.80) had a smoother and thicker consistency than those sold at hawker centres. Tripe refers to some sort of offal from an animal's stomach.
Very unusual for its kind was the fact that barely any pepper was found in it. Although I disliked this non-spicy variant, diners who can't handle overly-hot foods will appreciate being able to control the quantity of pepper. The pig tripe was also tenderly soft and chewy.
The most disappointing dish out of the three, the Sweet and Sour Sliced Fish ($12.80) fillets were flabby and soft, lacking any sort of crispiness. The extremely mild-tasting sauce also left much to be desired.
Overall
It might be worth checking out Shen Xi "Lao Huo Tang"'s other specialties, but they don't have much going for them otherwise.
Halal Certified: No
Nearest MRT: Jurong
50 Jurong Gateway Road
#03-23
Singapore 608549
Website: http://www.laohuotang.com.sg/aboutus.html
The lightly salted sauce allowed the flavor of tofu to shine through: its interior was silky-smooth and practically glided down the throat. Despite the name, its skin was not hard at all; it slid apart easily like a face mask. The minced meat may have been a tad bland, but at least it was not rubbery and lacked the dreaded porky aftertaste.
The Gingko Nut Pork Tripe Soup ($9.80) had a smoother and thicker consistency than those sold at hawker centres. Tripe refers to some sort of offal from an animal's stomach.
Very unusual for its kind was the fact that barely any pepper was found in it. Although I disliked this non-spicy variant, diners who can't handle overly-hot foods will appreciate being able to control the quantity of pepper. The pig tripe was also tenderly soft and chewy.
The most disappointing dish out of the three, the Sweet and Sour Sliced Fish ($12.80) fillets were flabby and soft, lacking any sort of crispiness. The extremely mild-tasting sauce also left much to be desired.
Overall
It might be worth checking out Shen Xi "Lao Huo Tang"'s other specialties, but they don't have much going for them otherwise.
Halal Certified: No
Food: 5.5/10
Ambience: 6.5/10
Service: 7/10
Nearest MRT: Jurong
50 Jurong Gateway Road
#03-23
Singapore 608549
Website: http://www.laohuotang.com.sg/aboutus.html
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