Hao Wei Lai Review: Cheap And Good Xiao Long Bao And Guo Tie At Bukit Merah

The first was the old-school Jia Xiang Mee Siam and Lontong at Redhill, and she has just blessed me with the address of a second one – Hao Wei Lai . It is a go-to for cheap and good Chinese food.

Sadly, it hurts our wallets to constantly indulge at such places, and Hao Wei Lai can be a lower priced and more casual alternative. Cheap And Good Xiao Long Bao At Bukit Merah | Hao Wei Lai Food at Hao Wei Lai It is self-service here at Hao Wei Lai.

The first one that came out from the kitchen was Stir-Fried Rice With Pork Ribs ($6) . My colleague and I were excited to try this particular dish as it looked exactly like Din Tai Fung’s Fried Rice With Pork Chop.

This plate of fried rice lifted our spirits in terms of colour, scent and savour. The fried rice was glossy and peppered with colours like yellow, white, and green, with a slab of brown pork cutlet atop.

The pork was as flavour-packed as beef jerky, but it was a pity there wasn’t enough of it. Having pork and rice in each spoonful leaves you with a third of the rice unfinished.

Still on the mission to check if Hao Wei Lai is a good enough alternative to the bigger brands, we tried the next item – Mixed Sauce Dry Noodles ($4.50) , better known as zha jiang mian. The plate of Pan Fried Dumplings ($6.50 for 10 pieces) was an interesting sight. It was like the 10 dumplings were a network of little homes interconnected by a lattice or honeycomb pattern.

One thing to note, that said, is that the dumplings ended up leaving a trail of grease on the plate. At only $0.67 each, the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($4 for six pieces) is a must-order at Hao Wei Lai.

Ambience at Hao Wei Lai The ambience of Hao Wei Lai was casual and everything was fast-paced. This might be due to the team of quick and friendly crew, and the self-ordering kiosks at each side of the eatery.

The verdict My good friend who introduced this eatery to me dubbed it as a lower priced alternative to Din Tai Fung, and I can attest to that. Even so, do not expect the same quality as the restaurant chain, as Hao Wei Lai is, after all, just a mom-and-pop restaurant.

If you’re looking for more places serving xiao long bao that are less harsh on the wallet, check out Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao , which serves XLB at $0.60 each. If you’re looking for more interesting dumpling creations, pop by Master Wang Ramen for cheese xiao long bao and scallop xiao long bao.