The Dragon Chamber: Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun + Braised Crocodile In This Hidden Speakeasy In Clarke Quay

This is a fun one; The Dragon Chamber along Circular Road promises an immersive experience like no other.

At first glance, this kopitiam seems innocuous enough. Just your run-of-the-mill coffee shop that peddles Wanton Noodles (S$5.50). But if you are observant enough you’ll notice something amiss with the wine fridge in the corner.

For the eagle-eyed few, you’ll spot a simple but clear sign with the word ‘Enter’ on it.

Turns out, this beer fridge also doubles as a door that will transport you into a world reminiscent of the Chinatown gambling dens and secret society hangouts.

Push through the door and it will lead you to the secret and enticing world of The Dragon Chamber.

The interior of The Dragon Chamber is adorned with artwork from local and regional artists. I felt like I was transported to Hong Kong in the ’80s, where everything was teeming with excitement and intrigue.

If all this sounds a little familiar to you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The Dragon Chamber was previously located within Lokkee at Plaza Singapura.

Already quite excited by all the pomp The Dragon Chamber brought to the table, I couldn’t wait to dig in.

We began with Mala Fries (S$8), which was glorious steak-cut fries covered with house special mala sauce.

The mala flavour was a little light-handed for my liking but that didn’t take away from the well-seasoned tater. Sweet and sticky, these fries were dangerously addictive, it’s nearly impossible to stop at one.

Following that splendid appetiser, we had Firecracker Chicken And Maple Fritters (S$16/S$28). This was a luxed-up version of chicken and waffles with an Asian twist.

The deep-fried chicken cubes were a lovely golden brown and topped with cashews, dried chillies, chives and Sichuan peppercorn. The ‘waffle’ part was crunchy deep-fried you tiao drizzled with maple syrup. I mean, have you heard of anything more perfect?

I loved the combination of the sweet and savoury elements. Truthfully, you can’t go wrong with fried you tiao. The dried chillies supplied just enough heat to satisfy chilli lovers as well as spice novices.

One of the must-try items at The Dragon Chamber has to be their Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun (S$68). The Dragon Chamber is all about theatrics so it was no surprise that this hor fun comes in a massive bowl.

This was definitely a more luxurious version of your average hor fun. I’m talking premium A4 Kagoshima Wagyu atop wok-fried flat noodles along with crispy deep-fried hor fun strips, a silky poached egg before being drizzled over with truffle gravy.

The most important quality of hor fun has to be the wok hei. Without it, your hor fun falls kinda flat. The Dragon Chamber did not disappoint and delivered the hor fun on all counts. Not to mention, fried hor fun strips provided good textural contrast with the noodles.

Of course, when it comes to anything truffle I’m a little apprehensive. I believe in such a thing as too much truffle.

Thankfully, the truffles served more of a supporting role in the dish. The true star has to be those buttery and succulent beef strips. An elevated rendition of hor fun that needs to be savoured.

The Dragon Chamber wouldn’t be the avant-garde establishment it purports itself to be without some dishes that are a little out of your comfort zone.

I present the Roasted Pig Tail (S$28). This is surely an unconventional cut of the pig but one that is supposed to be chock full of flavour. The tail is a rather fatty cut and as my fellow foodies will attest to, fat equals flavour.

This was a little heavier on the palate than the usual pork cuts by itself but when paired with a crisp lettuce wrap this helped cut the fattiness of the pork.

While this was tasty, I was expecting more from this charred pig’s tail. Truth be told, it was a little of a letdown.

Another offering that was a little outside the box was the Cheeseburger Eggrolls (S$14). This was ground beef and melted cheese neatly rolled up into an egg roll.

While the beef was tender and juicy, I wasn’t impressed by this one. The combination of beef and melted cheese in an egg roll just didn’t work. You can definitely give this one a miss.

If you are feeling fancy then the ultimate indulgence has to be The Dragon Claw (S$45). A real showstopper, this braised crocodile paw was served perched on a bed of kale and lit up in flames.

This exotic meat is known for being full of amino acids and potassium, so if you are the adventurous foodie you say you are, I’d say go for it. Nevertheless, this was one for the ‘gram for sure.

For dessert, we had the Fried Durian (S$12). Encased in a crispy shell, the fried durian was served with fresh strawberries and popping candy.

While I held out much hope for this durian dessert, it was rather forgettable.

The Dragon Chamber was certainly an experience and the ambience enhanced the entire dining experience. I appreciated the creative take on some of the well-loved Chinese dishes but there were some that were a little too out there for me.

The Dragon Chamber with all its pageantry does promise a good meal, so I’ll surely put this on this list for interesting places to dine.

ChopeDeals: Save 43% at The Dragon Chamber >

Expected Damage: S$30 – S$60 per pax