Vanda Room Brings Authentic Singapore Fare Back to Shuangjing
With venues around the city continuing to close down, it can be comforting to see some familiar faces finding their way back home. Vanda Room is just one example. After shutting down their old location in Shuangjing, they then moved to Parkson Mall in Fuxingmen, before finally opening a second branch in Shuangjing, where it all began in 2012.
Located next to the modern Chinese restaurant Shijiu, Vanda Room greets patrons with its veranda-like seating area under large umbrellas and surrounded by plants. On humid days with occasional rains, you would feel you had been transported to Singapore. This venue is rather smaller than their Fuxingmen restaurant but more appealing in its design – the uncovered bricked walls are reminiscent of the now closed 1949 Hidden City, high ceilings complement the neat décor, and modern and comfortable chairs furnish the dining area, which can seat a manageable 30-40 people.
Past the improved design, we were happy to see that Vanda Room's menu provides the same authentic Singaporean fare that we've come to expect. Highlights include the laksa (Singapore-style seafood noodle soup, pictured at top), bak kut teh (literally "meat bone tea," or pork rib soup), Hainanese chicken rice, satay, and assorted curry dishes. Of the new dishes, we especially liked the chili prawns (RMB 98), which could be viewed as the prawn version of Singaporean classic of chili crab. The tiger prawns are incredibly fresh and covered with an amazingly rich sauce that's mixed with eggs, juice, nuts, and chili. The result? A spotless plate courtesy of the deep-fried mantou that come with the dish.
The spicy-sour steamed seabass (RMB 58/98) is also perfect for steaming-hot days. Deboned fish fillets are flavored with slices of fresh lemon, lime, chili peppers, and cilantro, and the addition of preserved plum gives the soup a surprisingly zesty and acidic finish to cleanse the palate.
As the country's most popular deep-fried street food, the curry puff (RMB 16), or karipap, plays an important role as a snack, throughout the day and deep into the night. The renditions here are handmade and come with hot savory fillings of chicken, egg, and potato, and seasoned with various spices. As you bite into the flaky pastry, the flavorful and curry aromas fill your nose and ignite your senses. Of the curry puffs, Vanda Room founder William Ding says, “It took us a long time to experiment and find the right recipe,” adding, “this puff brings me back to my childhood.”
To round off the meal, we recommend the pandan swiss roll (RMB 25); a delicious combination of salty, sweet, and herbal flavors in one, creamy and light palm sugar-covered dessert.
Best yet? Thanks to this new Shuangjing location, we no longer have to travel all the way across Beijing to get a hearty taste of Singapore. Given its small space, we'd recommend making a reservation if you're intending to visit during peak hours.
Vanda Room
Sat-Sun midday-10pm; Mon-Fri midday-2pm, 5-10pm. Guanghualu Beiyijie, 61 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (8775 4120)
朝阳区东三环中路61号（麦乐迪对面）光华北一街
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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Photos courtesy of Vanda Room, Tracy Wang
