Qi Lai Feng Review: Popular Barrel Fish Pot Restaurant In Geylang

Qi Lai Feng has Chinese fish pot dishes till 2am in Geylang

With the abundance of eateries such as Tai Er and Tanyu Singapore these days, I have a difficult time choosing a place whenever I crave these Chinese fish dishes. That is until I tried Qi Lai Feng, an eatery in Geylang whose signature fish pots wiped the floor with the aforementioned brands—in my opinion, at least.

Qi Lai Feng offers two types of fish pots. The first sees your choice of fish cooked in a wooden barrel filled with soup, while the second is a “dry” version prepared with dried chilli and peppercorns. Both these pots are downright delicious, and we’ll get into why that is the case in this review.

Food at Qi Lai Feng

First, let’s talk about the Barrel Fish Pot. With three types of fish to choose from—Toman fish, red grouper, and giant grouper— we went with the Giant Grouper (from $58.80++), and paired it with the Mushroom Herbal Soup.

I am not exaggerating when I say that each slice of fish was absolutely divine. They were fresh, thickly cut, and brimming with the herbal notes of the broth and the natural sweetness of the grouper. But what I want to emphasise is each slice was unbelievably tender, which made it come apart without much effort.

The broth itself was also a delight. With the combination of the mushroom and herbs’ earthy notes and the grouper’s sweetness, each sip of the soup was both comforting and a delight to the senses.

While the barrel fish pot is good enough to have on its own, you can also order some sides to dip into the broth hotpot-style. Some options include the Premium Pork Belly Slice ($15.80++), U.S. Premium Beef Slice ($15.80++), Sea Prawns ($13.80++), and Cheese Tofu ($6.80++).

Now, let’s discuss the Signature Fish Pot (Dry), which was just as good as the previous dish. There is only one type of fish you can choose for this pot—the Crisp Fish (from $49.80++).

We were told that this “crisp fish” is a grass carp that’s popular in Guangzhou, China. Because they are bred and raised in a particular way, they are said to possess a crunchy texture that you wouldn’t expect from fish.

True enough, we found that the fish had this QQ texture that yielded a crunch when bitten into. In terms of mouthfeel, it’s almost somewhere between sotong and pork cartilage, and I loved every second of chewing on it. It’s a really unique texture that can only be truly understood once you’ve tried it yourself.

As for its taste, the piquant flavours of the dried chilli and peppercorns melded excellently with the strong garlicky presence in the dish. That, coupled with the fish’s addictive texture, made this a truly incredible dish.

This dish had quite the variety of ingredients, too. King oyster mushrooms, cauliflower, radish sticks and more all contributed to the range of taste and textures this pot had to offer.

Ambience at Qi Lai Feng

While Qi Lai Feng’s interiors aren’t anything to shout about design-wise, the restaurant is certainly spacious, with ample space for several groups to dine in without feeling too cramped. And even though there’s always a boiling pot of fish in the restaurant, it’s well-ventilated enough such that the smell isn’t overwhelming.

Qi Lai Feng is a 10-minute walk from Kallang MRT Station.

The verdict

Qi Lai Feng’s fish pots feature high-quality fish and are prepared in such a way as to leave you wanting more. Simply put, Qi Lai Feng is a must-try for anyone who considers themselves a fish enthusiast.

For famous Chinese suan cai yu with XXL you tiao, read our YAO YAO Sauerkraut Fish review. For a story about how Chongqing grilled fish and mala took over the SG food scene, read our mainland Chinese food feature.

Address: 198 Geylang Road, Singapore 389263
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm to 12am, Fri-Sun 5pm to 2am
Tel: 9823 6795
Website
Qi Lai Feng is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Maisie Chong.
This was a media tasting at Qi Lai Feng.