China-Famous Soup Chain Opens At Suntec City—Here Are 3 Must-Tries

The Soup Expert opens at Suntec City with famous broths

From popular Korean bakery Yoon Yeon Dang’s first pop-up to Zhejiang restaurant LONGJING, the past few months have been buzzing with a ton of viral new openings at Suntec City. This time, Shanghai-famous restaurant The Soup Expert is adding to the excitement with their first international location in Singapore. Dubbed the “Number One Soup in a Pot” in China, we were eager to try The Soup Expert’s famous double-boiled broths, as well as their signature poultry and seafood dishes.

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With over 7.5 million pots served to date, the veteran brand that’s been around for almost 20 years specialises in Cantonese-style soups, using curated ingredients and a steam-boiling technique that brews each broth for four hours. They even take pride in their custom-made teapots and teacups, in which each broth is served, for the optimal temperature.

But how well do these credentials translate onto a plate, or in this case, a cup? We attended a media preview to find out. Read on for our review, and scroll till the end to find out our top three recommendations! 

Food at The Soup Expert

We started with the Abalone Ginseng Soup ($14.90++), loaded with whole abalone, ginseng, sliced ginger, goji berries, pork loin chunks, and chicken feet. We were told that this was their bestselling broth, so naturally, our expectations were sky–high.

The soup was light and delicate, a far cry from the richer soups my colleague and I are used to. There was a subtle brininess from the abalone and an earthy sweetness from the ginseng and goji berries. We also liked how the broth didn’t taste overly meaty, despite being cooked with large chunks of pork and chicken feet.

While the broth tasted great, the ingredients themselves fell short of expectations. The pork was quite tough and dry, possibly a result of being overcooked. The abalone was generous in portion, but unfortunately, a tad too chewy. On the bright side, the chicken feet were soft and tender, with a silky and gelatinous skin.

Next, we had the Wild Mushroom Bamboo Fungus Soup ($12.90++), a nourishing blend of wild mountain mushrooms, bamboo fungus, red dates, pork, and chicken feet.

Similar to the Abalone Ginseng Soup, the broth was light and refreshing. It was simple yet satisfying, with a soothing, earthy flavour that deepened with every sip. Our only gripe was the pork, which was dry and tough.

The Black Garlic Beef Bone Soup ($12.90++) was our favourite of the three broths, featuring black garlic, ginger, goji berries, cordyceps, AKA a type of fungus, chicken, pork, and beef bones.

We loved the sweet-savoury combination of the caramelised black garlic and beefy umami, made even better by a subtle earthy depth from the cordyceps. While richer than the other broths we tried, it wasn’t heavy or greasy, even with all the meat in it.

Like the other two soups, the chicken and pork meat were not the most tender.

Broths aside, we had the Crispy Juicy Boneless Fish ($11.90++): a pile of battered fish coated in a delicious sweet-tangy glaze, and finished with a squeeze of calamansi.

Each piece was lightly battered and fried to crispy perfection. We appreciated how its exterior didn’t turn soggy, even after being covered in sauce.

That said, the fish meat was a tad underwhelming. It wasn’t exactly dry, but with the word “juicy” in the dish’s name, we were expecting something more flaky and succulent.

We then tried the signature Xian Mao Roast Chicken. FYI, the dish is available in half or whole portions, priced at $18.90++ and $36.90++, respectively.

The chicken was the definition of succulent, soft, and tender. In fact, a gentle touch from our chopsticks was all it took for the meat to slide off the bone. The chicken skin was equally impressive, crackling delicately with each bite.

Each slice was flavoured well, with a savoury and slightly sweet seasoning, made with a secret blend of over 10 spices.

We also had the Seafood Claypot Vermicelli ($13.90++), featuring thin, QQ vermicelli tossed in XO sauce, topped with shredded cabbage, egg yolk, and plump pieces of shrimp.

Each bite was filled with a delicious briny freshness from the shrimp, complemented with a rich umami from the XO sauce. The egg yolk was a nice touch, livening up the dish with creaminess. We recommend sharing this in a group of three or four, as the noodles might get a tad cloying towards the end.

Lastly, we had the Lobster Fried Rice ($48.90++), starring wok-fried rice tossed with mushrooms and scallions, finished with a whole lobster.

At first glance, the huge lobster made the dish look incredibly appetising. Unfortunately, the flavours were a bit of a let–down. The rice itself was rather bland, and we would’ve preferred it to be seasoned more. It also lacked that smoky wok hei you’d expect from a good fried rice.

On the other hand, the lobster meat was fresh with a sweet aftertaste. We also enjoyed the texture of the rice, pairing plump, fluffy grains at the top with crisp, socarrat-like layers of toasted rice around the sides and bottom of the pot.

Ambience at The Soup Expert

The Soup Expert boasts a large dining area that accommodates around 85 diners at a time, with tables seating groups of two to four. Despite its large capacity, the seating is well-spaced, making it a comfortable place to dine at, even during busier peak periods.

Those dining in bigger groups can book one of two private rooms, each featuring a round lazy Susan table for up to 10 guests. The two rooms can also be merged into a larger space, if needed.

The Soup Expert is located on the third floor of Suntec City’s North Wing, a quick four-minute walk from Promenade MRT Station. It’s also within walking distance of Esplanade MRT Station and City Hall MRT Station.

The Soup Expert – Eatbook review

Overall, The Soup Expert had its hits and misses. Their prices are relatively affordable for a restaurant that offers authentic and comforting Cantonese-style broths. Several dishes, however, have room for improvement. But given that they’re still new, we’d be open to revisiting in the future, once they’ve had time to fine-tune their recipes.

If you’re in the area, check out our coverage of the upcoming Sarawak Mega Fair 2025 at Suntec City, featuring Sarawak kolo mee, laksa and more! Otherwise, our Millenia Walk food guide has you covered with plenty of after-work dinner options, too.

Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #03-315/316/331, Suntec City, Singapore 038983
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm
Tel: 8198 6537
Website
The Soup Expert is not a halal-certified eatery.

The Largest Sarawak Food Fair Is Coming To Suntec From 16 To 19 Oct

Photos taken by Jordan Ong.
This was a media tasting at The Soup Expert.