Nai Nai Flavor review: Handmade stuffed buns, pan-fried pastries and classic Chinese dishes hailing from Hangzhou

Hangzhou’s Nai Nai Flavor has landed a second outlet in Kallang with a refreshed menu – I dropped by to see if it’s worth a visit.

As the team’s (self-proclaimed) biggest Chinese food fan, Nai Nai Flavor is one restaurant I’ve been itching to try. Hailing from Hangzhou, the brand brought its first international outlet to our sunny shores earlier this year, and has recently opened a second location at Kallang with a refreshed menu. Read: a wider spread of handmade stuffed buns, pan-fried snacks and pastries. And of course, classic Hangzhou and Jiangnan dishes made with iconic simmering, braising and steaming techniques.

Naturally, I took that as my sign to finally pay a visit. I set a lunch date at the new Aperia Mall location to see if this China brand restaurant in Singapore lives up to its hype.

Nai Nai Flavor review: Details at a glance

Best for: Satisfying Hangzhou delicacies freshly made in-house daily; recommended for sharing in a larger group
Must-try items: Shrimp and snow pea pastry pouches; mini dough fritters with glutinous rice; pickled mustard fish soup; egg fried rice
Price: A la carte food items from $3.80; desserts from $2.80; drinks from $2.50
Opening hours: Varies by location
Address: Nai Nai Flavor, multiple locations including Aperia Mall and i12 Katong

A second location at Kallang

If it’s your first time visiting, here’s a heads-up: the weekday lunch crowd at Aperia Mall can get wild. But, good news, Nai Nai Flavor is situated along the mall’s exterior and tucked away from the buzz. Look for the exit beside Madeleine’s, turn right, keep walking and you’ll see it.

Brightly lit with a laid-back atmosphere, Nai Nai Flavor looks and feels pretty much similar to your average China brand restaurant. The open kitchen set-up is a unique feature here. You can get a glimpse of the chefs hand-rolling dough, assembling fillings and wrapping dumplings – a testament to how the dishes are freshly made in-house every day.

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Handmade buns and pastries for easy snacking

Prior to my visit, I was most curious about the highly raved stuffed buns and handmade pastries. I ordered the steamed buns (aka xiao long baos) in two variations.

The chicken steamed buns ($7.80) was the soupier of the two, featuring minced chicken, celery and carrot, while the vegetable steamed buns ($7.80) offered a crunchy mix of chives, garlic chives, vermicelli, mushrooms, black fungus, water chestnuts and carrots. Surprisingly, I preferred the meat-free version, as the ingredients made a fun textural combination.

Not watching your waistline? I’d say the deep-fried snacks are worth the calorie splurge. Awashed in a golden hue, the shrimp and snow pea pastry pouches ($10.80) looked like a cross between deep-fried wantons and curry puffs. I especially liked how the skin wasn’t overly thin or thick, and had a substantial crunch in every bite.

And we’ve to talk about the mini glutinous rice cake stuffed fried dough ($6.80). I’ve seen several Chinese restaurants serve this, but Nai Nai Flavor’s rendition is easily one of my favourites. Think chewy, mochi-like glutinous rice cake paired with a crisp you tiao exterior. Trust me when I say the mochi pull on this was amazing. The glutinous rice cake had a hint of sweetness, but I recommend dunking it into the accompanying condensed milk to dial up the sinfulness.

Hearty sharing dishes sans the greasiness

Now, don’t fill up on the snacks just yet ‘cos the main dishes left me impressed, too. Chinese cuisine has a reputation of being heavy, greasy and food coma-inducing, but Nai Nai Flavor’s dishes pleasingly weren’t. Rooted in Hang Bang Cai – the traditional culinary style of Hangzhou – it focuses on bringing out the natural taste of ingredients, and a more delicate flavour profile.

Pickled mustard fish soup ($21.80) is a signature Chinese dish, and its rendition packed the right balance of spiciness and tanginess. The fish slices were generous and tender, while the celtuce, beansprouts and preserved vegetables were fresh and crunchy. Overall, this dish ticked all the right boxes.

Another unassuming dish I enjoyed was the egg fried rice ($7.80). While it looked seemingly simple, this dish packed strong wok hei flavours and came with a generous amount of eggs. If you love spice, I highly recommend having this with some chilli oil.

Don’t forget your fibre, too. The flavour-packed sauteed leaf lettuce with garlic ($11.90) came in a generous heap – perfect for sharing among three people or more.

The dishes at Nai Nai Flavor aren’t out of the ordinary, but I can see why it’s well-rated in China. The handmade buns, snacks and pastries are well-executed, while the classic mains are satisfying without leaving you in a greasy food coma. If you’re keen to drop by, I just have one word of advice: come in a larger group (or with a larger appetite), ‘cos the portions are generous and you’d want to have room to try more.

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