Yi Dian Xin – A Dim Sum Gem In Upper Serangoon That Needs To Open For Supper

Who can resist tiny plates and bamboo baskets filled with delicious dim sum? We definitely can’t, and we are sure that we are not the only ones who have a weakness for it. Finding good dim sum in Singapore’s hawker centres or coffee shops is a feat on its own, but finding one that offers a wide variety of dim sum delicacies at relatively cheap prices is worse—unless of course, you consider the overrated Swee Choon one of them—which we don’t.

Yi Dian Xin is a godsend for dim sum lovers like us. Over the years, many people have flocked to this humble stall in Upper Serangoon for a taste of their restaurant-quality dim sum. Delicious and modest without being exorbitantly priced, Yi Dian Xin is where you can go to satiate your dim sum cravings without thinking twice about the price.

Located just a short 5-minute walk from Kovan MRT station, it is best to journey there on foot because parking is almost non-existent there. Their storefront is simple and looks like any other dim sum shop. However, the newspaper clippings plastered at the side of their refrigerator was a giveaway that they weren’t your average dim sum place.

We started off with a plate of their Beancurd Prawn Rolls (S$3.50). The rolls were fried to a perfect golden crisp, and when we bit into it, it made a satisfying crunch sound.

The rolls were absolutely delicious! However, we wish that it had a tad bit more prawns in it to give it a better bite, and also because we just wanted more of that mouthwatering filling.

Their Yi Dian Xin Prawn Dumplings (S$3.80) was delightfully plump, and the skin to filling ratio was spot on. The prawns were juicy and the skin of the dumplings was not too tough and hard to chew. Definitely one of our favourite items here!

One of their popular, must-try items is their Steamed Carrot Cake (S$3). What makes their carrot cake so special is its bouncy, jelly-like texture that made it look a bit like cup jelly. The carrot cake was doused in a savoury sauce that gave the dish a more elevated flavour.

The texture resembles that of a pudding, which is a tad unusual as far as steamed carrot cake is concerned, but we liked how its unique texture allowed more sauce to be soaked up.

The carrot cake itself literally melted in our mouth. It has an incredibly creamy and smooth consistency, almost like a thicker version of tau huey. We also like how it was chock full of lup cheong that gave it more bite.

One of Yi Dian Xin’s recommended items is their Signature Salted Egg Custard Pau (S$3.80). To be honest, we were rather disappointed by it. Despite the fact that the salted egg filling was deliciously custardy, it was not one of the best that we have tried.

Their Steamed Pork Ribs (S$3.20) were pretty addictive and we could not stop nibbling on it! The meat was tender and not too hard to bite into. We also like how its sauce was not too overpoweringly salty.

We also tried their Rice Roll with Prawn (S$3.50), which were delightfully plump and filled to the brim with juicy, succulent prawns. The skin of the rice rolls had just the right amount of thickness to it and held the fillings in well, while the prawns gave the dish a great bite to it.

Finally, we had their Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (S$3.40). Who can go to a dim sum place and not have a basket of these delicious dollops of goodness? The xiao long baos here were incredibly juicy and had a perfect skin to filling ratio. They are not the best ones we’ve ever tried, but they are still great to satisfy any xiao long bao cravings that you may have.

Yi Dian Xin 
1012 Upper Serangoon Road
Teo Seng Eating House
Singapore 534750
Tel: +65 9168 5587
Wed to Mon: 7am – 3pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Kovan