Huang Tu Di Xi An Xiao Chi Review: Under-The-Radar Noodles Joint Serving Hot Oil Noodles At Clementi

Huang Tu Di Xi An Xiao Chi is renowned amongst Chinese nationals in Singapore, serving up fiercely authentic Xi’an cuisine that doesn’t compromise on savour. Helmed by a Xi’an native, this unassuming restaurant focuses on bringing the region’s powerful flavours to our shores. Under-The-Radar Noodles Joint Serving Hot Oil Noodles At Clementi Food at Huang Tu Di Xi An Xiao Chi Their signature 3-in-1 Biang Biang Noodle ($6.80) was a technicolour treasure trove.

With the triumvirate of meat, tomato and chilli sauces, we forecast explosive flavours from this bowl. Biang biang mian are a Xi’an signature, comprising hand-pulled and hand-torn noodles made solely from flour and water.

They created a complex meld of sweet, sour, spicy and meaty taste that never threatened to become overbearing – an impressive feat considering the multitude of components. Following on its heels were the meat sauce that provided a robust body, with chilli paste imparting licks of heat. Despite its intimidating appearance, the chilli didn’t blow our heads off with heat, and was a background player.

I strongly dislike oily food, so imagine my apprehension when I saw the chef douse our Oil Spilled Noodles ($6.50) with a generous ladle of oil, resulting in a dramatic, bubbling spectacle. My trepidation was compounded by the angry mound of chilli atop the bowl, which seemed like it could have a nuclear effect on my digestive tract. If the house-made chilli paste was overshadowed in our first bowl, it certainly grabbed the spotlight with both hands here.

Despite these noodles being showered with oil, I never got that off-putting, throat-coated-with-oil feeling that comes from eating a heap of fried food. It imbued the noodles with an inexplicable edge that sets them apart from your typical spicy la mian .

This bowl featured the same smooth and firm biang biang mian as earlier, acting as a good canvas for the punchy marriage of chilli and oil to shine. They punctuated the fragrant, spicy barrage of handmade noodles with sparks of freshness, and was certainly this bowl’s unsung hero. Most Singaporeans are unfamiliar with these Meat Buns ($4) , known as rou jia mou .

Despite my aforementioned concerns about oiliness, it was also a sign that the meat was irresistibly juicy and moist. Nonetheless, we never encountered that issue with this Chinese interpretation, with the meat as fatty and unctuous as its appearance suggested.

Ambience at Huang Tu Di Xi An Xiao Chi This no-frills eatery is tucked in the corner of Grantral Mall, the under-the-radar neighbour of Clementi Mall. The verdict Before eating at Huang Tu Di Xi An Xiao Chi, I had the impression that authentic Chinese food was too salty, too oily, and too heavy-handed in general.