As a fan of Sichuan food, you’d think I’d enjoy the similarly spice-laden cuisine of Hunan, China. And yet, whenever I’ve dined at Hunan restaurants, I’ve often left disappointed. The dishes just seemed less complex, less layered, than my beloved Sichuanese fare. My opinions mattered nought, however, as Hunan restaurants continue to open across the country, their bright green signs drawing in crowds at will. So, what exactly am I missing?
This article is my attempt to give Hunan food a fair shot. My colleague and I visited the five most popular Hunan restaurants in Singapore to get a proper understanding of the cuisine as interpreted by local kitchens. The result of that journey is documented here, where we rank these five places from our least to most favourite.
Table of Contents
With a 4.7-star rating from more than 1,000 Google Maps reviews, Spicy Chef at 100 AM is probably the most popular single-outlet Hunan restaurant in Singapore. Things got off to a promising start: we were impressed by the sleek, tasteful interiors, which strike a balance between the green-and-brown palette typical of Hunan restaurants with subtle nods to Hunan culture.
We started with the iconic Stir-Fried Pork with Green Pepper ($19.90++), which looked and smelled plenty delicious, but underwhelmed in the flavour department. Compared to other renditions of this dish, we found that the thinly sliced pork had a dull, almost leathery texture, and lacked the savoury depth we were expecting. The heat from the green peppers wasn’t particularly potent or noteworthy either, which was strange for a place literally called Spicy Chef.
Our next dish, the Hunan-style Sauteed Beef ($18.90++), didn’t fare much better. It was also plagued with textural issues, as each beef slice turned out rubbery. The flavour profile—piquant and garlicky notes with hints of light soy—somehow came across as lacklustre and, dare we say, boring.
The Pan-fried Large Yellow Croaker ($19.80++) was a little mushy, to the point where it fell apart with minimal effort. The hot, tangy sauce used here was decent enough, however, so we reached for the fish more often than the other two dishes.
Perhaps we caught Spicy Chef on a bad day, since again, reviews for this place are largely positive. But compared to the other restaurants we tried, we have to place it last on this list.
Address: 100 Tras Street, #02-14A, 100 AM, Singapore 079027
Opening hours: Daily 9:30am to 9:30pm
Tel: 8315 1388
Website
Spicy Chef is not a halal-certified eatery.
Wangxiaozan has three outlets in Singapore, with the Alexandra Central branch being the most popular. This was one of the last few stops on our tour, so we avoided some Hunan staples—most notably the stir-fried pork—in favour of other specialities.
The Fried Kampung Chicken with Pork Intestines ($28.90++) is the restaurant’s signature dish. Tender and juicy, with the flavour of Shaoxing wine and a slight spicy kick, we found this dish homely and comforting. The pork intestines added a nice funk as well, though they weren’t the freshest or most well-cleaned.
Our next dish was the Golden Soup Pickled Fish ($22.90++), enhanced by sauerkraut, peppercorns, and various aromatics. However, a sip of the brightly coloured broth revealed a somewhat watered-down taste, and the fish, though relatively fresh, was again too mushy for our liking.
To top things off, we had the Hand-shredded Cabbage in Dry Pot ($9.90++), which was a solid veggie dish. The chopped cabbage was crunchy and sweet, and the liberal use of chillies made this exciting to eat.
The food at Wangxiaozan was pretty solid overall, though there were some notable flaws we couldn’t overlook. Still, we think it’s worth a shot if you’re near an outlet and are partial towards Hunan food.
Address: 321 Alexandra Road, #02-29, Singapore 159971
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 10pm
Tel: 8380 7296
Website
Wangxiaozan is not a halal-certified eatery.
Nong Geng Ji is the second largest Hunan chain in Singapore, with eight outlets at the time of writing. We were actually invited to the Orchard Gateway outlet, and the staff gave us a private room, as well as a host of dishes to try. Talk about job perks!
Again, we began our meal with the Stir-fried Pork with Abalone and Chilli ($28.80++). This was by far the oiliest version on our list, becoming cloying after a few bites. That said, we appreciated the slow-building chilli heat that added some welcome excitement, as well as the deeper notes of soy and garlic. Even the mini abalone was a nice touch.
A dish that we loved, despite the recurring oiliness, was the Grilled Eel with Roasted Chili Flavor ($31.80++). The eel’s natural umami shines through, accentuated by the chilli’s heat and the earthiness of fermented black beans. It went really well with white rice, which helped balance the richness.
We also enjoyed the Chicken Soup with Abalone and Matsuake Mushrooms ($7.80++), a savoury soup with a remarkably earthy depth. The plump and fresh abalone was a delight, too—if the tiny baby abalones in the stir-fried pork didn’t appeal to you, this dish is a must-try.
Nong Geng Ji’s dishes are often plagued by excessive oiliness. But in its diverse menu, some dishes managed to impress.
Check out our Nong Geng Ji feature.
Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, #B2-235/236, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 10pm
Tel: 8739 8873
Website
Nong Geng Ji is not a halal-certified eatery.
Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine is the hegemon of Singapore’s Hunan food scene, and there’s no disputing that. The franchise currently has a whopping 20 outlets across the country, the latest of which sits at 313@Somerset. This new restaurant is also the most polished to date, complete with a handful of outlet-exclusive dishes.
But first, the golden child of Hunan cuisine: the Hunan Stir-Fried Pork ($22.90++). While one of the better renditions on this list, it still fell short in a few areas. The pork is traditionally sliced thin, but here it could stand to be just a touch thicker—enough to add succulence and a more satisfying bite. The dish delivered a decent spicy kick, yet lacked a deeper, layered savouriness we were hoping for.
But we completely loved the Fresh Chili Spicy Prawn ($26.90++), a 313@Somerset outlet-exclusive. The combination of sweet, juicy prawns and punchy heat was an easy winner, with hints of garlic and scallion adding depth and balance.
Another exclusive here is the Mushroom & Shrimp Paste Soup ($12.90++), which was light yet earthy and sweet. The broth was a pleasure to sip, especially when paired with the fresh, umami-rich shrimp paste balls.
Due to its sheer accessibility and range of dishes, Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine is a reliable choice whenever your Hunan food cravings hit. But here’s a hot take: we think our next and final entry is considerably better.
Address: 313 Orchard Road, #B3-02 to 06, 313@Somerset, Singapore 238895
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6883 5866
Website
Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
Of the five Hunan places we surveyed for this listicle, Chilli Up Hunan Cuisine was our unanimous favourite. Despite its humble, somewhat cramped setting, this restaurant knocked it out of the park with all three dishes we tried.
The Pork with Green Chilli ($18.80++) here was outstanding. Each slice was succulent and at just the right thickness, while the flavour it was imbued with—spicy, savoury, and layered—left us wanting more. Remarkably, it’s also the cheapest version of this dish on our list.
Even the Sour and Spicy Chicken Gizzard ($16.80++) was excellent. Chewy and crunchy, with the fragrance of chilli, scallions, garlic, vinegar and more, we were impressed with how an off-cut like gizzard could be transformed into such a complex and flavourful dish.
The Organic Cauliflower with Pork ($19.90++) was one of the most addictive takes on a cauliflower dish we’ve tried. The satisfying crunch of these long organic cauliflower stalks was immaculate, and the mix of dry peppercorns, aromatic scallions, and meaty pork slices scattered throughout just made it all the better.
For top-tier Hunan food in Singapore, Chilli Up Hunan Cuisine has to be up there. What’s amazing is that we’re barely scratching the surface of what they have to offer—we’re sure to come back for more.
Address: 53 Temple Street, Singapore 058598
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Tel: 6224 0920
Website
Chilli Up Hunan Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
This list isn’t exhaustive, and we simply couldn’t visit every Hunan restaurant out there. There are likely a few gems we missed—some might even deserve the top spot. Still, we hope this list has given you a better appreciation of Hunan cuisine in Singapore. It certainly did for me.
For Chinese food in general, read our best Chinese restaurants in Singapore guide. For another ranked listicle, read our best laksa in Singapore guide.
Photos taken by Jordan Ong.