Qun Zhong Eating House

This place is an institution along Tanjong Pagar Road where hoardes of hungry office workers queue patiently outside the building with pathetic faces looking into the restaurant silently praying for people to finish and leave. If you're not willing to queue or share a table, don't bother eating here. It doesn't really matter to them since business is so good. The service isn't great, although there are some nice older ladies who are quite pleasant. Strangely enough, I'm not too bothered by the poor service doesn't really bother me that much since this place reminds me of an old uni haunt where the staff were even ruder, the place dirtier (they were closed by the Health Inspectors for 2 months) but the food just as good.

But I digress. My once-a-week dumpling days are long over. I like eating here when I can find the time to wait, or if I'm having a late lunch alone, which isn't very often nowadays. My favourite starchy staple is the 炸酱面, or noodles with minced meat in spicy sauce($5), which I find even nicer with vinegar and chilli.

What it looks like after you mix it all up

We ordered xiaolongbao ($7), which I enjoyed too. The skins stayed intact when we lifted the dumplings up, and the soup was hot and tasty.

My personal favourite is the fried dumplings ($10). The filling is juicy, and the skin crispy. I have no idea how they do them so well.

From another angle:

The Chinese Pizza, Red Bean Pancake and Glutinous Rice Balls with Osmanthus are worth a try too. And look out for the parking wardens if you park at the URA carpark across the street...they are very vigilant.

21 Neil Road

Tel: +65 6221 3060

Opening hours: 11.30am – 3.00pm; 5.30pm – 9.30pm.

Closed Wednesdays