You Kee XO Restaurant Review: Super Famous JB Char Siew Joint Opens At Joo Chiat

Over the past decade, this family-run eatery has gained widespread popularity with its delicious roast meats and nourishing soups. And with their first overseas outlet opening in Joo Chiat, you can now enjoy their roast meats without crossing the Causeway!

But it’s their roast meats that are the star of the show, with their BBQ Pork Belly “Char Siu” & “Siu Yok” with Noodle ($7.50) and XO Duck Drumstick with Rice ($8) being hot favourites. With their thick slabs of gorgeously charred meat, the char siew was an enticing treat for both my eyes and belly.

The honeyed coating of sauce heightened the porky tang of the meat, and the generous sprinkle of sesame seeds wrapped up this robust ensemble with a nutty zing. That being explained, the noodles tend to clump up because of the thick gravy.

Impressively, the XO Duck Drumstick wth Rice ($8) hits the lofty standards set by the BBQ Pork Belly “Char Siu” & “Siu Yok” with Noodle. Lightly pressing down on the meat with my fork brought forth a cascade of juices and duck drippings – a testament to its succulence. Piquant accents of five-spice and pepper matched up to the bold kick of the meat and created a tantalising potpourri of flavours.

Dunk the roast duck in their house-made sour plum sauce and enjoy how the sweet, spicy, and sour notes complement the punchy tang of the meat. Drizzled with a generous scoop of gravy, the rice balanced the greasy aftertaste of the skin with its herbal sweetness. If you are visiting in a large group, you can consider ordering their Roast Meat Platter ($23.80/$33.80/$43.80) instead.

Featuring their Crystal BBQ Pork Belly “Char Siu” ($9.80) , Traditional Roasted Pork Belly “Siu Yok” ($6.80) , and XO Signature Roasted Duck ($8) , this bountiful set can feed up to six meat lovers. Unlike most eateries, You Kee XO Restaurant simmers the broth over a charcoal fire for more than 15 hours in these giant urns. Their Soup Of The Day ($12) impressed me with an invigorating combo of flavours.

As such, the meat was overcooked and disappointed with its stiff texture. Ambience at You Kee XO Restaurant Hidden within the rows of shophouses in Joo Chiat, You Kee XO Restaurant is pretty inaccessible by public transport.

The verdict Choosing my favourite roast meat at You Kee XO Restaurant was akin to choosing my favourite TWICE album. And that I believe is the hallmark of a great roast meat stall – consistency in the quality of all its roast meats.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Lavender, the stall dishes up legit Peking roast duck for just $6.90!