Xin Divine

H O S T E D
Stand by the fire extinguisher if you are sensitive to spicy food because this “Szechuan Chicken Karaage” takes no prisoners.
Fried with what seems like bushels of peppercorns and fragrant spices, the boneless pieces of crunchy chicken razed tastebuds indiscriminately, leaving most of us gasping as we reached out for drinks, our sweat glands on overdrive. I loved it! But then again, chilli is my best friend.

H O S T E D
Dining here is an elegant and comfortable affair. Occupying two shop units on the second level, the restaurant interior is done up in very light colours and stays away from obvious Chinese motifs.
In line with the understated surroundings, the flavour profile of Xin Divine’s creation leans towards the refined and light. And although it may not seem obvious, the European influence is very much present. You can expect individual plates dishes as well as the use of certain preparation methods even though traditional Chinese ingredients and culinary techniques dominate.
The standouts for me at last night’s tasting would be the “Szechuan Style Tortellini” which I loved for its smooth, chewy dumpling skin and nicely balanced sauce, and the “Poulet de Bresse”. The latter’s a roulade of foie gras and “drunken” French chicken thigh, accompanied by “Nu Er Hong” Chinese wine purée, sweet corn, chanterelle mushroom, black fungus and a stalk of popped rice.
We also got to sample two items from the menu at Divine Bar (it’s located right below the restaurant): “Szechuan Chicken Karaage” and “XO Carrot Cake”. Executed very well, they’re both huge on flavours. Do note the crispy Szechuan-style fried chicken is filled with fiery peppercorns and can be overwhelming for those who can’t take spicy food. The “XO Carrot Cake” on the other hand, is less dangerous but no less flavourful. Fried in the dryish sauce with the soft pieces of the “cake” were shrimps, scrambled eggs, sesame seeds, Parma ham and conpoy. This fragrant dish was a big hit with everyone present.
I feel Xin Divine is especially suitable as a venue to entertain clients or have business meetings. The reasons being there is an air of formality here plus the Western style of presentation and serving is suitable for such occasions.

The best 辣子鸡 ever, no joke. Double-fried so they’re crispy yet juicy, the chicken chunks with cashew nuts are seasoned with the PERFECT balance of 麻 and 辣. Crazy addictive.