Xiao Ya Tou

What a quirky name for a restaurant I thought among the bustling nightlife of Duxton Hill. Xiao Ya Tou is a place is serving modern Asian cuisine with a naughty touch and had taken us by surprise.

Xiao Ya Tou

A walk into the restaurant made me feel as though I had entered a place for filming. 

Interior 

The restaurant is deep and as we walked through the array of lanterns, we felt as though we were greeted by the sight of South East Asian influence. The retro posters and the colourful hanging lanterns give a bit of both a mixture of modern and old-school touch. 

Lanterns

Taking a look at the items displayed closely, there are many things of the past that did not get to see nowadays.

Wall and Posters

Near the kitchen

Just right next to the kitchen, you will find a neon sign of Xiao Ya Tou's KTV hostess-esque mascot.

Mascot of Xiao Ya Tou

Perhaps my most expensive bottle of Liang Teh purchased out of the medical hall. In spite of the high pricing we paid for, the drinks' concentration and taste are undoublty better than what we had outside.

XYT Liang Teh (Left) & Longan Red Dates Drink - $10 each

These Crispy Otah Otah Rolls are addictive and served hot. The thin exterior layer was crispy and Otah was encased in it. The texture of Otah fillings were soft which gave a good contrast with the crisp exterior. The rolls itself was addictive and paired with their white Achar and Tamarind Peanut Sauce, it's harder to resist popping one after another into my mouth. 

Crispy Otah Otah Rolls 香脆乌达卷 - $15

Lobster Kueh Pie Tee comes in a plate of 4. It was seen that the cups that were cradling the ingredients were not the usual ones we had. It's more like fried Wanton skins. Nonetheless, the "cups" were very crispy and the fillings were refreshing with lobster, prawns, tobiko, fruits and Ikura. Come and indulge on these now!

Lobster Kueh Pie Tee - $24

The Crab Fried Rice was dished out in an old-school Chinese bowl. The fried rice was fragrant and whetted our appetite for more. The use of crispy XO shrimps, eggs, tobiko, corn and spring onions were part of this creation and not forgetting the chunky pieces of crab meat. 

Crab Fried Rice - $28

With limited portions daily. our "kiasium" instinct of a Singaporean told us this is a must order. The roasted duck had a strong truffle perfume. 

Truffle Roast Duck 松露烤鸭 - $32

The skin was roasted to crispy perfection and soaked in a pool of spiced duck sauce and adorn by some coriander cress. 

Truffle Roast Duck

This is not your usual bowl of Hokkien Mee. It is made up of premium ingredients and packed of Wok Fried taste. You get to enjoy this local staple in a twist with Smoked Pancetta, eggs, scallops, octopus, clams, bean sprouts and garlic chives. Adding some spicy shrimp paste to this local delight will certainly give your tastebuds a firey kick.

XYT Hokkien Mee 小丫头福建下面 - $32

We were offered some sweet treats and their name cards after payment. What a sweet ending! 

Treats after payment

XYT had transformed our local dishes into innovative dishes, adding a special touch to each. Our overall experience was above average no doubt that the price was a bit steep. It will be good for some special occasion and if you are willing to splurge on our local delights with a twist.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Xiao Ya Tou
Location: 6 Duxton Hill #01-01 Singapore 089592
Website