Chen's Mapo Tofu

Gem of a find. The mapo tofu was really yummy and not too expensive. I absolutely love spicy food - over here u can choose how spicy u want the mapo tofu. I went for the highest (I recall level ?3) and it was a delicious kick.

Ok now I know what’s the fuss about. I never really appreciate mapo tofu. Since I never had enough of them thus I’m unable to gauge what’s good & bad. However the 辣子鸡 taste like salted egg chicken instead.

Chen’s Mapo Tofu famous for their Sichuan-inspired Donburi & Noodles & being awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2019 / 2021. Upon tasting I can understand why. What I tried, Signature Combo, which came with a half portion of their award-winning Mapo Don, & a half portion of their Dan Dan Mien. I ordered the level 3 for my Mapo Don & I didn't regret. My Mapo Don arrived in an inviting dark red colour & is very fragrant. I mentally prep myself it's going be very extremely fiery hot but it was less fiery than I anticipated. Don't get me wrong. It is spicy but is the kind of very addictive spicy kick that keeps you wanting more & is so flavourful. The silky immensely smooth tofu also fell apart easily in my mouth & pairing it well with the spicy gravy with a creamy finish. The fluffy short-grain rice soaked up the gravy very well, making me go spoon after spoon. Dan Dan Mien I had the dry version which was topped with a heap of minced meat. Must say this is nailed so well! The savoury-sweet, umami flavours of the peanut sauce coating well on each strand of the springy noodles giving it a umami nutty flavour. Shoyu Buta Don With extremely thinly-sliced Szechuan spiced pork stir-fried with onions & leek lay atop a bed of fluffy rice. The perfectly oozy onsen egg just make it more perfect! You get the umami flavour from the spiced pork, a poke on the oozing onsen egg and a good mix with the steamed rice just make it so satisfying. Szechwan Popcorn Chicken. The popcorn chicken is so irresistibly crispy and very flavourful from the Szechuan spiced. Pack a mild spicy punch, making it an addictive bites. Spicy Szechwan Dumplings. The skin was thin and filled with juicy flavourful minced meat. Flavour bomb! Szechwan Century Egg & Tofu. Soft silky tofu and century egg in mild spicy sauce that taste slightly sweet as well and is very refreshing. A great cold dish that does to help combat the spice from the Mapo tofu! Sliced Pork Belly With Pickled Chilli Sauce. Eye appealing Szechwan style pork slices that wonderfully combine taste of deliciously Pickled Chilli Sauce, that's full of punchy flavour. I must say the Bib Gourmand is well deserved! Follow me on Ig: @zoey_belle_ Tiktok: zozobelle_

Decide to give a try on one fine Sunday. Not crowded during lunch hour, ample seating. Tried the dried Dan Dan noodles, noodles too dried and serve cool. Paid additional $4.50 to upgrade meal with side dish and drink. Side dish spicy chicken look unappetizing, obviously was precooked or deep fried a few times. Not worth the price and Michelin rated.

A small eatery on the 2nd floor of OUE Downtown Building, Chen's Mapo Tofu is another of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award recipient. Mapo Tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan province. It consists of tofu set in a spicy sauce, typically a thin, oily, and bright red suspension, based on douban and douchi, along with minced meat, traditionally beef. Ordered the Mapo Tofu Don set to try. Upon sitting down with the dish, the smell of the peppercorn was so strong it stung the eyes slightly. On first taste, the dish was tasty with a spicy kick and it was enjoyable. Then came the aftertaste which tasted more of salty than savoury. This was balanced with the clear soup but it should not have needed the soup to balance it. Ordered some Szechuan Popcorn Chicken to try but alas the skin was not crunchy and the bites was just plain spicy. Yes, the dish is meant to be spicy but not to the point there were no other flavours in it, right? Had a cup of Calamansi Drink to help the meal but it was just sour sour sour. Perhaps the eatery is going for basic flavours but it definitely did not provide an enjoyable meal during this visit. General Verdict: Dishes are yummy spicy but had no other flavours except for a salty after taste Opening Hours: Daily 11am-8pm Queue Situation: Next to none outside of lunchtime Price: SG$5.50 upwards Payment Mode: Cash and all Major Credit Cards Is this worth a try? Probably Is it worth making a trip just to try it? No Is this worthy of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award? No Items Ordered: 1) Item: Mapo Tofu Don - Mapo tofu is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan province. It consists of tofu set in a spicy sauce, typically a thin, oily, and bright red suspension, based on douban and douchi, along with minced meat, traditionally beef. Description: A good spicy dish with rice to have on a hot day and pairs well with the soup. A little on the salty side Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$5.90 2) Item: Clear Soup - Provided as part of the Don set Description: Tasty savoury soup that helps to manage the spiciness of the Mapo Tofu Verdict: Good, Served with the set Price: Free with set 3) Item: Szechuan Popcorn Chicken Description: Spicy Chicken Bites giving a good spicy kick but the flour was not crispy Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$5.80 4) Item: Calamansi Juice Description: Very very sour Verdict: Fail, Don't Waste Time Price: SG$3

Order and pay at the counter. Friendly service staff. Sweet and sour soup was surprisingly good and authentic. Chicken was very very cold. Not a fan of this dish. Century egg tofu was probably the star of the place. Mapo tofu with rice was alright. But they should consider adding more minced meat or actual slices of pork to make it more worthwhile. My tofu came with less than 10 dots of minced pork the rest was just yellow bean, tofu and sauce. Taste was alright. More numbing than tasty. Probably won't be back again.

value for money. Lunch set can get you the best of both worlds, as you can choose spicy chicken（辣子鸡）as your side dish alongside Mapo Tofu rice or noodle. The Mapo Tofu is slightly oily, and suggest to choose the least spicy option.

I was looking for a good shop to utilize my voucher, and I came across this shop. I was attracted by their Mapo Tofu. I found the price quite pricey for just tofu as ingredients. But there is 20% off for take away, so I ordered their red chili dumplings which I was surprised. Tho, 5 dollars for 3 pieces were a little pricey too but it was good. I mixed my rice with the sauce it was really good, they put a lot of sesame seeds which made it fragrant. As for the Mapo Tofu, it is good too, you really can feel the numbness and the spices. Very authentic taste. One thing worth mentioning, the staff there was super friendly and polite.