I was rather intrigued to see a new space which has sprouted on Level 3 of Tampines 1 shopping mall.
It was decked in turquoise green metal grills and white marble tables, located next to Gochi-So Shokudo ごち惣食堂 – which specialises in charcoal grilled Iberico pork Japanese dishes.
Such nostalgic-hip environment serving comfort fares with a local twist are gaining traction as of late.
Some good examples are like Downstairs 楼下 (Suntec City), The Hainan Story (Hillion Mall), Moments’ 木萌 (Serangoon) and Banchong Café (Kallang).
“Tun” (豚) generally refers to pig; while “Xiang” (香) means fragrant.
A casual eatery focuses on using Iberico black pork as core ingredient in their dishes, Tun Xiang 豚香南洋馆 prides themselves in bringing the taste of the premium meat to the masses at a reasonable price point.
The menu is straightforward and features their three key roasts – Iberico Pork Belly Char Siew ($8.90/$11.90), Iberico Pork Collar Char Siew ($9.90/$12.90) and Roasted Chestnut pork ($8.90/$11.90).
Available with a choice of staples like white rice or noodles.
For those who cannot get enough of meat, the roasts are also available as a sharing dish from $12 onwards.
I had the Iberico Pork Belly Char Siew with Noodles, and liked how its tender soft char siew had a good fat-to-meat ratio that almost melted in my mouth.
Add that caramelized glistering layer of roasted skin for a candied-charred aromatic flavour.
Also worthy of mention is their springy noodles tossed in sweet-savoury black sauce, topped with a half-boiled egg for a delightful creamy finish.
The Roasted Chestnut Pork on Rice unfortunately paled in comparison.
I wasn’t particularly impressed with their roasted pork as the crispy skin portion was rather minimal and missing the crackling bite sensation.
There are better roasted pork sellers out there in market…
The ricebowl itself also lacked ‘flavour-oomph’. Perhaps it needed more accompanying sauce to bestow some magic.
Tun Xiang also serves a range of side dishes all made using Iberico pork.
Interestingly, there are offerings of Iberico Pork Glutinous Rice ($4.80), Steamed Iberico Pork with Yellowtail Fishcake ($5.80), Deep-fried Iberico Pork with Fried Beancurd.
Even my Curry Zhap Chye (Mixed Vegetables) also came with slices of Iberico Pork Collar ($4.80).
I also took a liking to their version of Iberico Prawn Roll ($6.80) which came deep-fried till crisp, with crunchy chopped onions mixed with minced pork and prawn for the additional bite texture.
Complementing their mains are Nanyang-style Milk Tea and Coffee (Hot $2, Cold $2.50).
I found their milk tea smooth and robust, which also bear a distinctive tea aftertaste, akin to what we usually get at neighbourhood coffeeshop but less sweet.
While the brand is relatively new, it has already expanded to 3 outlets and you can also find Tun Xiang at Bedok Mall #01-76 and Hougang 1 #01-23.
Tun Xiang 豚香南洋馆
10 Tampines Central 1, #03-K1, Singapore 529536
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Sun – Thu), 11.30am – 10pm (Fri – Sat)
Other Related Entries
Downstairs (Suntec City)
Moments’ 木萌 (Serangoon)
The Hainan Story (Hillion Mall)
Laifabar (Erskine Road)
Banchong (Kallang)
* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.