Location: Food Republic, 313@somerset (MR2, 05-01/02/03)
Price Range: $6.80–$15.50 for sets; individual dishes $1.90–$4.90
Visited: January 2026

In the competitive landscape of Singapore’s Hunan dining scene, where restaurants like Nong Geng Ji and Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine command premium prices and prime locations, Zheng Shi Shang Hunan Cuisine takes a refreshingly unpretentious approach. Tucked into the Food Republic food court at 313@somerset, this month-old stall offers something increasingly rare: affordable, home-style Chinese cooking executed with genuine care and restraint.

The Concept: Xiao Wan Cai Done Right

Owner Zhang Yu has brought the concept of xiao wan cai (small bowl dishes) to the food court format, a clever adaptation that preserves the individual integrity of each dish while maintaining the accessibility of economy rice pricing. Having spent her twenties working in her family’s restaurants across Hunan province, Zhang arrived in Singapore in 2021 with a clear mission: to provide healthier, less aggressively seasoned versions of her native cuisine, the kind of food she confidently feeds her own teenagers three times a week.

The format is straightforward: choose from 26 dishes displayed in heated cases, selecting one meat and one vegetable for $6.80, scaling up to a three-meat, two-vegetable combination for $15.50. Each set includes your choice of short-grain rice, pumpkin-millet porridge, or lightly sweetened snow fungus dessert, all refillable. For à la carte orders, these accompaniments cost just $1 each, also with unlimited refills.

Signature Dishes: Technical Precision Meets Homestyle Comfort

Mao’s Braised Pork Belly ($4.90)

This is the stall’s calling card, and rightfully so. The dish showcases everything that separates competent cooking from memorable cooking. Fresh pork belly cubes are braised daily with Chinese soy sauce and a careful selection of whole spices: star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. The execution reveals itself in the texture—skin and fat rendered to a quivering, gelatinous softness that yields without collapsing, while the meat itself maintains structural integrity with a gentle chew.

What distinguishes this version from the countless hong shao rou interpretations across Singapore is the delicate calibration of sweetness. The dish carries a gentle caramelized note that enhances rather than dominates, never crossing into the cloying territory that plagues lesser versions. The addition of quail eggs and broccoli isn’t merely garnish; these components provide textural and flavor counterpoints that make the dish approachable even as a complete meal. At $4.90, this represents exceptional value for cooking that requires both time and technical understanding.

Pepper Salt Potato Slices ($2.90)

Available primarily during the lunch rush (11:30am to 12:30pm), this dish exemplifies why timing matters in professional cooking. The potatoes are criss-cut—creating maximum surface area for crisping—and fried to achieve that elusive combination of crackling exterior and fluffy interior. But the real sophistication lies in the seasoning: chopped garlic, red chili padi, and green pepper applied with what the review accurately describes as “a restrained hand.”

This restraint is crucial. Lesser kitchens would bury these potatoes in salt and MSG, creating immediate gratification that leaves you reaching for water. Here, the salt acts as a supporting player, allowing the natural sweetness of the potato to register alongside the aromatic heat of the chilies and the pungency of fresh garlic. The limited availability isn’t a marketing gimmick—it’s a commitment to serving the dish at its peak, before the inevitable softening that occurs when fried potatoes sit in warming trays.

Stir-fried Pork Belly with Beancurd Stick and Black Fungus ($3.90)

This dish demonstrates Zhang’s understanding of flavor layering and textural variation. The technique is classical: pork belly fried first to render fat and develop flavor, then combined with dried red chilies, woodear mushrooms, and beancurd sticks. The beancurd sticks are the key ingredient here, their spongy texture designed to absorb the porky, spice-infused cooking liquor created during the stir-fry process.

What makes this work is the interplay of textures—the yielding richness of pork belly against the slight snap of rehydrated woodear, with beancurd sticks providing a chewy, flavor-soaked middle ground. The dried red chilies contribute aromatic heat without overwhelming, a hallmark of Hunan cooking when done properly. At $3.90, this is arguably the best value on the menu for those seeking the fuller, bolder flavors more typically associated with the cuisine.

Vegetable Dishes: Equal Treatment, No Afterthoughts

Stir-fried Lotus Pond ($2.90)

The Chinese name likely references the various ingredients harvested from or near lotus ponds—lotus root certainly, along with snow peas, carrots, and woodear mushrooms. What’s notable is that this receives the same attention as the meat dishes. The lotus root retains its characteristic crunch, a sign of proper blanching and quick, high-heat stir-frying. Each vegetable is cooked to its optimal point rather than subjected to a one-size-fits-all approach. This is basic technique executed well, and it makes all the difference.

Cold Okra Salad ($1.90)

At less than two dollars, this may be the most impressive dish on the menu from a pure value perspective. Okra is notoriously finicky—overblank it and you get slime; underdo it and you get squeaky, raw-tasting pods. Zhang’s version is “lightly blanched…cool and snappy,” dressed in a subtly sweet soy-based sauce described as having “no raw edge.” That last detail is telling. Many Chinese cold dishes suffer from harsh, unbalanced dressings where raw garlic or vinegar dominates. Here, the components are harmonized, allowing the natural flavor and texture of the okra to shine.

Steamed Egg ($1.90)

Listed as a “familiar favorite,” this silky egg custard is lightly set and gently aromatic. While it may seem like the simplest item on the menu, achieving the proper texture—tender curds without bubbles or toughness—requires precise heat control and timing. It’s comfort food in its purest form, and at this price point with refillable rice, it’s an economical option for lighter appetites.

The Accompaniments: Thoughtful Choices

The inclusion of pumpkin porridge made with millet and pumpkin is particularly appealing, offering a naturally sweet, nutritious alternative to plain rice. The lightly sweetened snow fungus dessert provides a cooling, textural finish, especially welcome after spicier dishes. That all three options—rice, porridge, or dessert—are refillable is generous, particularly in the food court environment.

Context and Value Proposition

In the broader landscape of Singapore’s Hunan dining, Zheng Shi Shang Hunan Cuisine occupies a specific and valuable niche. While full-service restaurants offer ambiance and extensive menus, they come with corresponding price tags and time commitments. Food court stalls provide accessibility but often sacrifice quality for volume. This stall bridges that gap: food court convenience and pricing with cooking that reflects genuine culinary knowledge and personal standards.

Zhang’s emphasis on less heavy seasoning may initially seem at odds with Hunan cuisine’s reputation for bold, aggressive flavors. But there’s a distinction between home cooking and restaurant cooking in Chinese culinary culture. Home cooking traditionally uses less oil, less salt, and more restrained seasoning—it’s food meant to be eaten daily, not occasionally. By bringing this home-style approach to a commercial setting, Zhang is actually offering something more authentic in its own way than many restaurants that crank up the heat and richness to satisfy expectations.

Final Assessment

Since opening in late November, Zheng Shi Shang Hunan Cuisine has quietly established itself as one of the more accomplished food court operations at 313@somerset. The cooking demonstrates technical competence, the pricing is fair to generous, and the philosophy—providing food the owner would serve her own family—manifests in the final product. While it may lack the theatrical appeal of some other Hunan establishments, it succeeds precisely because it doesn’t try to be something it’s not.

For office workers in the Orchard area seeking a break from the usual food court rotation, for budget-conscious diners wanting properly cooked Chinese food, or for anyone curious about a more restrained approach to a typically bold cuisine, this stall merits attention. Just try to time your visit right if you want those pepper salt potatoes—some things are worth planning for.

Best for: Lunch crowds, solo diners, anyone seeking value-driven home-style Chinese cooking
Skip if: You want the full-throttle heat of restaurant-style Hunan cooking
Don’t miss: Mao’s Braised Pork Belly, Cold Okra Salad
Pro tip: Visit during lunch peak (11:30am–12:30pm) for the Pepper Salt Potato Slices