Ex-Raffles Hotel chef Chef Leung is now at Chinatown Complex Food Centre making handmade xiao long bao, including a standout coriander XLB, and hand-pulled lamian from $4. It is a rare case of hotel-kitchen technique at hawker prices, and early visits are recommended before items sell out.
A former Raffles Hotel chef is now slinging handmade xiao long bao and pulled noodles from a Chinatown hawker stall, and the standout is a coriander-spiked XLB that you will not find anywhere else in Singapore. Chef Leung, who spent years in hotel kitchens before going hawker, opened Chef Leung Soup Dumplings in Chinatown Complex, bringing dim sum-level technique to hawker-friendly prices.
If you have been burned by disappointing XLB at hawker centres before, this one is worth the detour. Chef Leung makes the dough and fills each dumpling by hand daily, and the coriander XLB is the item drawing the longest queues. The broth inside is clean and savoury, the skin thin enough to hold without splitting, and the coriander filling adds a herbal brightness that cuts through the richness. For diners who find coriander divisive, the classic pork XLB is equally well-executed and a safer bet for the table.
The lamian, hand-pulled noodles priced from $4, are the sleeper hit of the menu. Chef Leung pulls the noodles to order, and you can taste the difference in texture compared to pre-made alternatives. Here is a quick guide to what to order on your first visit:
- Coriander XLB, the signature, herbal and light, best eaten in one bite
- Classic pork XLB, reliable, well-seasoned, a safe crowd-pleaser
- Lamian (from $4), hand-pulled to order, springy and satisfying
- Soup-based noodles, broth is made in-house and worth the upgrade
The stall is located at Chinatown Complex Food Centre, 335 Smith Street. Given the hawker format and the handmade nature of everything on the menu, portions can sell out before closing, going early or during off-peak hours is advisable. The price point, particularly the $4 lamian, makes this accessible for a quick solo lunch or a low-key group meal without a reservation headache.
Singapore. Chef Leung
📍 Singapore
Why it matters: Singapore's hawker scene has no shortage of XLB options, but a stall run by a chef with hotel kitchen credentials, charging hawker prices and making everything by hand, is a genuine find. Chef Leung's Chinatown stall raises the bar for what you should expect from a $4-and-up bowl or basket, and it gives the neighbourhood another reason to draw food-focused visitors beyond the tourist trail. Get there early and bring a coriander-tolerant dining companion.
