If you’ve ever been to Hong Lim Market & Food Centre during lunch time on weekdays, you’ll know what a nightmare it is to grab to quick meal — around noon each day, this Chinatown hawker centre is packed to the brim with long queues for almost every stall. I made the mistake of visiting Hong Lim Market & Food Centre during lunch time, where most stalls had snaking queues, except for a few, one of which being Xing Wang Delights.
Xing Wang Delights donned a bright storefront displaying its zi char dishes. At the time of my visit, the queue was significantly shorter than the other stalls surrounding it.
I didn’t have to wait too long for my dishes, which were prepared by a single staff member. With enticing mains like Salted Egg Chicken Rice, Pork Rib Fried Rice and San Lao Hor Fun on the menu, I was spoilt for choice.
What I tried at Xing Wang Delights
The most enticing dish on Xing Wang Delights’ menu was the Curry Chicken Cutlet Rice (S$6), consisting of a plate of rice, chopped fried chicken, a fried egg, onions and a drizzle of curry sauce on top.
The dish visually resembled scissors cut curry rice dishes, with the vibrant orange curry being messily yet tantalisingly splattered across the plate.
Compared to other curry sauces, Xing Wang Delights’ curry had a brighter colour and a vibrancy that resembled turmeric. The curry was creamy with a light milky aroma, and a mild spice throughout. While it tasted slightly one-dimensional with a flavour profile similar to that of packaged curry sauce, I couldn’t deny that when combined with the soft and fluffy rice, it was ultra satisfying and delectable.
The slices of cooked white onion atop the dish was a welcome addition, as it gave the plate of rice a boost of sweetness and a fresh crispy texture.
The fried chicken cutlet was very impressive as it was light and crispy on the surface while the meat was tender and juicy. The portion of fried chicken impressed me too, with there being enough cut pieces to pair with all the rice.
The fried egg on top had been fried to perfectly, with the yolk being slightly runny in the centre. It was the perfect addition to the dish, as the egg whites weren’t rubbery at all and the yolk added a rich and savoury element.
I would most definitely get the Curry Chicken Cutlet Rice again.
Next up was Xing Wang Delights’ Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (S$6), which stunned me with its huge portions — the white rice, which was topped with a fried egg, came with a huge amount of braised pork cubes on the side.
The braised sauce had a runny, watery consistency that coated all the rice grains nicely. I loved how well-marinated the pork pieces were, with the savoury braised sauce being well-absorbed into the meat. The pork wasn’t tough and had a nice ratio of meat to fat, making it all the more enjoyable.
Like the Curry Chicken Cutlet Rice, the fried egg on top of the Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice had a runny centre, which gave pops of creaminess to the dish.
Overall, though the Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice was relatively simple and not extremely outstanding, it tasted like a nice and comforting home-made meal. Plus, the generous portions made it completely worth the S$6 price.
To switch things up, I decided to order a noodle dish from Xing Wang Delights. Their Dry Fried Beef Hor Fun (S$6) featured long, thick strands of fried hor fun noodles and a smattering of tender beef slices.
Xing Wang Delights’ take on this dish was pretty typical, with the hor fun noodles being salty and savoury, while accompanied by large pieces of soft, meaty beef slices. The hor fun wasn’t too dry either, with a good amount of moisture keeping it palatable.
I would prefer to get the rice dishes over the Dry Fried Beef Hor Fun, but it certainly left me feeling very satisfied.
Final thoughts
Despite not having a queue as long as other stalls in Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Xing Wang Delights impressed me with its generous portions and comforting, homely taste. The prices were all relatively affordable, and I enjoyed each dish that I tried.
The common belief in this queue-obsessed country is that stalls with shorter queues aren’t good, but my experience at Xing Wang Delights during peak hour was enough to disprove this fact. I’d definitely return to have another plate of zi char the next time I’m around Chinatown.
Expected damage: S$5 – S$8 per pax
中泰小食 Zhong Tai: Hidden zi char stall with black pepper Hokkien mee & mermaid eggplant in Woodlands
Price: $
Our Rating: 4 / 5
Xing Wang Delights
531A Upper Cross Street, #02-04, Singapore 051531
Xing Wang Delights
531A Upper Cross Street, #02-04, Singapore 051531
