Tan Xiang Yuan Review: Celeb Ben Yeo’s Modern Cantonese Restaurant At Jalan Besar

Tan Xiang Yuan has unique Cantonese dishes at Jalan Besar

Singaporeans are no strangers to celebrity-owned restaurants: think The Lim’s Kitchen by actress Rebecca Lim’s family or Sunset on 11 by actor Adam Chen. While Tan Xiang Yuan, a modern Cantonese restaurant, may not be new, celebrity owners Ben Yeo and chef Cao Yong have recently revamped their menu, giving the place a metaphorical fresh coat of paint. 

The new menu revolves around modernising traditional old-school Singaporean dishes while paying homage to the chef’s Cantonese heritage. You can expect new, innovative options such as lo han pork stomach, foie gras crab meat broth, and golden garlic steamed lobster with yam, to name a few. 

Food at Tan Xiang Yuan

To start, we tried the  Lo Han Pig Stomach ($16++). This cold dish consisted of a whole pork stomach stuffed with braised pork trotters that is drizzled with house-made garlic chilli sauce. 

The savoury pork trotter went well with the tangy garlic chilli sauce, making it an addictive appetiser. The pork stomach was also cooked well as there was a good balance between being tender and chewy and it did not have any unpleasant smell, which I appreciated. Each slice was extremely savoury and tasty and my colleague and I enjoyed this. 

I was looking forward to this Soup-Filled Foie Gras Shrimp Ball ($12++/piece). It is an “exploding” prawn ball with foie gras and soup stock within its crispy outer shell. 

Sure enough, savoury soup burst out of the shrimp ball upon biting. It was light on one’s palate, allowing us to enjoy the richer flavour of the shrimp ball. The varying textures here—crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside—gave the dish a great mouthfeel. Finally, the foie gras elevated the dish by adding a rich and buttery flavour, an upgrade from your usual shrimp balls. 

Next, we were served the Superior Foie Gras Crabmeat Broth ($38.80++). Similar to shark fin soup, this crabmeat broth had a thick, starchy consistency and a strong seafood flavour. However, what sets them apart is the addition of steamed eggs, crab roe, and foie gras, resulting in a flavourful and savoury concoction. 

We also tried Chef Cao Yong’s invention, the Golden Garlic Steamed Lobster With Yam Cake (seasonal price). This dish consists of an Australian lobster topped with the Chef’s house-made yam cake, before being layered with a generous amount of garlic.

Though I was initially sceptical of pairing crustaceans and yam, this combination went together surprisingly well. The lobster was succulent and juicy, and had a slightly sweet flavour. The yam fully absorbed the flavours from the plump and fresh lobster, making this dish quite a tasty treat.

Lastly, although the Signature Seafood Pot (from $98++) is not a part of the new menu, it was still super memorable. It came in a rich seafood broth with premium ingredients including tiger prawns, fish maw, abalone, fish slices, taro cubes, and house-made shrimp and pork balls. The fresh ingredients made the broth extremely tasty, causing my colleague and I to slurp down several bowls of it. 

Ambience at Tan Xiang Yuan

Tan Xiang Yuan is located in a two-storey conservation building, two minutes away from Jalan Besar MRT Station. The restaurant can accommodate approximately 70 people with indoor and outdoor seating options. But don’t worry about the al fresco area, though, since it is sheltered and there are many portable fans around to quell the heat. 

The verdict

There are many Chinese restaurants in Singapore, but what truly sets Tan Xiang Yuan apart is its unique menu offerings and constant innovations. While the menu can be slightly pricey, we think it is worth it as each dish is prepared with immense effort and great care for the quality of each component. 

For more Chinese restaurant recommendations, check out Keng Eng Kee Seafood for their famous zi char dishes. If not, take a look at Ju Xing Home, a restaurant serving Sichuan-inspired Cantonese cuisine in Orchard. 

Address: 1 Dickson Road, Singapore 209493
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 3pm, 3:30pm to 10pm
Tel: 8058 5527
Website
Tan Xiang Yuan is not a halal-certified eatery. 

Photos taken by Hor Kia Ee.
This was a media tasting at Tan Xiang Yuan.