As a fish soup fanatic, I was excited to hear that China’s viral suan cai yu chain, Xiao Yu Hao, has landed in Singapore at Collyer Quay Centre! With over 15 million bowls sold annually, there’s no need to FOMO as we too can now get a taste of their signature sauerkraut fish broths.
Since opening in 2019, the brand quickly gained popularity in China for their single-portion bowls of tasty sauerkraut fish soup—making the typically shared dish more accessible as an everyday meal.
One standout is their signature Sauerkraut Black Fish Five Grain Rice Noodles in Golden Broth ($12.80), which we recently tried.
Its soup had a mala-esque, peppery heat that lingered in my throat. A generous heap of pickled mustard greens added a punchy sourness that cut cleanly through the spice.
A hefty portion of five grain rice noodles was included as well, which had a satisfyingly firm yet chewy texture that’s similar to that of konjac noodles.
The dish was also served with fresh, thick slices of black snakehead fish, each piece tender and delicately sweet.
Another must-try is the Marbled Beef in Miao Style Red Sour Broth ($16.20). Its fiery, red hue looked daunting at first, but the broth surprised me with sweet, tangy notes from its tomatoes, mellowing down any heat.
The dish was topped with broth-soaked tofu puffs, which had a burst of flavour as the soup oozed out from their soft, spongy cores.
The best part of this dish was its mounds of marbled beef. Each thin slice had just the right amount of fat for a meltingly tender bite! As a bonus, the fat lent a deep richness to the broth without making it overly greasy.
Their menu also had a unique White Fish in Spicy Lemon Broth ($10.80)—a flavour that’s not commonly found in suan cai yu.
Thanks to the sliced lemon slices, the broth was addictively refreshing with its fresh, citrusy notes. Its acidity wasn’t overpowering, complementing the soup’s heavy spice with a light mouthfeel.
The sweet potato vermicelli was to die for with its heavenly texture. After the noodles were submerged in the broth, they still kept a QQ bite without ever becoming soggy.
Other tasty goodies were in the broth too, including dory fish, sliced white radish, enoki strands, tofu skin, baby cabbage, and crunchy yet gelatinous wood ear mushrooms.
There are sweet treats here as well, such as the popular Taro Roll ($5.80).
The crisp spiralled shell paired well with its sweet and creamy yam-flavoured core.
Xiao Yu hao is conveniently located in the heart of the CBD at Collyer Quay Centre, just a quick two-minute walk from Raffles Place MRT Station. With space for up to 40 customers at a time, it’s a great spot to jio your work-colleagues for an indulgent meal.
If you’re in the area and looking for more good eats, read our Raffles Place food guide. Otherwise, read our CBD hawker food guide for some affordable recommendations.
Address: 16 Collyer Quay, #01-10, Collyer Quay Centre, Singapore 049318
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 8pm, Sat 11am to 4pm
Website
Xiao Yu Hao is not a halal-certified eatery.
Photos taken by Nabila Malek.
This was a media tasting at Xiao Yu Hao.