Chao Ting Review: Traditional Teochew Pao Fan Featuring King Prawn And Fried Fish In The CBD

Thankfully, JUMBO Seafood has taken a leap of faith with this underrated dish in their latest concept, Chao Ting . Specialising in Teochew pao fan, this sleek kiosk turns back the clock with their traditional and delicious soups. Food at Chao Ting Chao Ting offers just three bowls on their menu: King Prawn ‘Pao Fan’ ($11) , Sliced Fish ‘Pao Fan’ ($9) , and Fried Fish ‘Pao Fan’ ($9) .

A lot of elbow grease goes to preparing this simple soup: prawn shells and a trio of fish, pork and chicken bones are patiently slow-cooked for over five hours to tease out their full essence. You expect this pairing of rich flavours to meld into an overwhelming crescendo of savouriness, but the reverse was true.

Seafood Pirates Review: $3 Oyster Omelette Rice And Seafood Ramen At Yishun Hawker Centre This flavourful broth was the backbone of their paofan, infusing every nook and cranny of the rice with its savoury tang. Generous sprinkles of crispy rice and fried egg floss peppered the soup, zhng -ing up your usual carbs with an added layer of crunch. On the other hand, pricey as they were, their king prawns ticked all the right boxes with plump and juicy meat that effortlessly peeled off the shell.

While first-timers might gravitate towards their King Prawn ‘Pao Fan’, regulars return for the Fried Fish ‘Pao Fan’. Often sold out at Chao Ting, their Fried Fish ‘Pao Fan’ is the Goldilocks of fried dory—every aspect was just right.

This light batter in addition allowed their fried fish to better soak up the broth. We could detect creamy seafood accents in the fish, supplying it with a bolder and rounder taste that went well with its sesame oil seasoning. Having the Sliced Fish ‘Pao Fan’ after the Fried Fish ‘Pao Fan’ was like watching Spiderman: Far From Home after Avengers: Endgame— enjoyable yet underwhelming.

I found the meat lacking in flavour, especially when compared to their fried fish. While these bowls of pao fan were satisfying on their own, I recommend topping them up with Fried Fish Skin ($3) .

Seasoned with a smattering of salt, these long and crispy strips bolstered the broth with their rich umami flavour. Pro tip: briefly soak their fried fish skin in the soup to give them a more full-bodied taste.

More importantly, it allows the fish skin to be slightly chewy on the inside, yet crisp on the outside. Though it complemented the pao fan with its airy and crisp texture, it was poorly drained of oil and left an oily aftertaste. That said, we do believe the delicious bowls churned up by Chao Ting may very well transform pao fan into a classic Singaporean dish.