彭城小厨 Peng Cheng Northern Jiangsu Cuisine

This is one of my favourite Chinese restaurants in Singapore, and one of the few that I would miss the food from time to time, I ate at the store and sometimes order food delivery as well. My all time favorite is Di Guo Ji (地锅鸡) & Shredded potato. Never get disappointed with the food here, highly recommended.

Peng Cheng brings the heritage of Northern Jiangsu/Xuzhou (Peng Cheng) cuisine—renowned for bold savory flavors, rich aroma, and varied textures drawn from traditional cooking methods. Must-Try Dishes is their Ground Pot Chicken. Chunky braised chicken bathed in a thick, savory gravy, served with chewy flour‑cake “pancakes” to soak it all up. The charred edges of the cake add smoky contrast. A signature comfort dish, ideal for sharing with friends or family. Unfortunately, I went with my parent, who can't really eat spicy food, so we opted for dishes from the vegetable section. To our surprise, everything tasted so good! The stir-fried vegetables were fresh, crunchy, and full of natural flavor—simple, comforting, and well-executed. It turned out to be a very satisfying meal, even without the heat.

Northern Jiangsu cuisine isn’t something you often find in Singapore, and that’s exactly what makes 彭城小厨 so special. Apparently Northern Jiangsu region dishes focus on rich braises, comforting stews, and bold seasoning that set it apart from the lighter, more delicate styles of Southern Jiangsu. We had a wonderful spread: Ground Pot Chicken – Tender bone-in chicken braised in thick savory sauce with chewy flour cakes (mianbing) cooked on the side of the pot. The slight burnt taste and the chewyness together with the sauce was heavenly. They have other meats (lamb, fish etc) but the staff recommended us to try chicken if it's our first time. Hot & Pepper Soup with You Tiao – Not your typical hot & sour soup and was more lighter, smoother and less starchy, with more focus on peppery fragrance. The crisp youtiao made it even better. Hubs said this was one of the best youtiao he ever had. Braised Lion’s Head Meatball – Another Jiangsu speciality. Big, soft, fluffy and juicy meatball is said to be hand chopped to achieve that unique texture. Braised in umami rich broth, every bite was so satisfying. The balanced broth kind of brought out the sweetness of the meat. They had water chestnut inside and it added a very nice texture as well. Cumin Lamb with Chinese Pancake – The aromatic spice of cumin paired so well with tender lamb, and with the veggies and pancake it gave you a satisfying bite. But was not my highlight. Each dish carried a rustic boldness that you don’t often experience with other Chinese cuisines. If you’re looking for something different from the usual Cantonese or Sichuan fare, this hidden gem on Temple Street is well worth a visit!

We did not order much, only the braised pork belly and stir fried Celtuce (莴笋). Both did not disappoint. The pork belly is not overly fatty with a moderate amount of lean meat and the fattier parts melt in the mouth, 肥而不腻。 I like the fact that they didn't bend to the mass market and add a bunch of Sze Chuan dishes to their menu. No GST charged. Service was friendly at an acceptable speed. Will revisit!

The signature ground pot is not bad. With hand made pot stickers in it. Dip with the sauce is not bad. Chicken meats are the chicken thigh part. Frozen meat but nothing else to ask for more. The stir fried beef with mountain jelly vegetables is too oily. The green chilli is quite spicy. Beef meat portioning a little small. Glutinous rice ball with rice wine is too disappointing. Too much water and too little rice wine. Very diluted.