@baiwei.sg is yet another new casual eatery specialising in Sichuan cuisine that just opened up in Singpost Centre. But wait, they’re not just your average Sichuan restaurant! They are a fairly novel concept built upon the ideal Chinese meal of 三菜一汤 (3 veg, 1 soup), but all the sides of meat & veggies are laid out in small plates, buffet style. You go down the line, pick your plates, add a buck for rice, and enjoy your wholesome Chinese meal. Think of it as 菜饭, but bougie.⠀
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I chose three dishes and a soup, and I was utterly stuffed. Portions here are pretty plentiful, and I could’ve dropped a dish and still be sated. At the top we have the Sichuan Mala Chicken at $3.90 flat a plate, and it was surely the spiciest thing on my tray. Tender chicken chunks are stir-fried in Sichuan chili oil and a devilish amount of chilies, and this dish alone is possibly enough to fill your protein quota for a single meal. It is rather salty and spicy though, so you’ll definitely need to invest in a drink.⠀
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The cabbage dish is the cheapest dish there, clocking in at an astonishingly affordable $2.90 a portion. It’s stir-fried with a couple of thin slices of shabu shabu pork belly in what tastes like soy sauce with just a hint of chili oil. The result is a slightly numbing, superbly savoury veggie dish that provides a fair bit of crunch, and a little meaty marvel with the pork belly. Pair this cabbage with rice for $3.90, and you have a low cost struggle meal for struggling homies that’s only slightly more expensive than a coffeeshop meal these days.⠀
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The Garlic Chili Steamed Fish was priced at the astoundingly low price of $4.90. Less than five bucks for a sizeable slab of fish amply topped with a mildly spicy & gloriously garlicky chili mix? That’s a steal, and I can’t believe I didn’t get arrested for it. And finally, the Mushroom Chicken soup ($3.90 nett) was supremely satisfying to my Cantonese sensibilities. It was hot, it was hearty, and the soup was unbelievably umami and full of flavour. Plus, it comes with a few generous chicken chunks too.⠀
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With food this delish at prices this low, I would like to wish Baiwei a very pleasant 长命百岁.