With over 100 outlets in China, SO DO FUN (蜀都丰) has newly landed on our island with its first branch on the ground floor of Guoco Midtown, in Bugis.
The restaurant prides itself on using the freshest ingredients, which are air-flown and delivered daily. The extensive menu offers key signatures, sides, chilled dishes, and Sichuan hot dishes, with a good mix of spicy and non-spicy options to cater to all diners.
Boiled Live Fish in Spicy Broth 4.2/5
The classic Sichuan dish, Boiled Live Fish in Spicy Broth ($42.90 for 2 Pax Portion), is their top-selling item. It features tender fish slices in a spicy and numbing broth made with a generous mix of peppercorns, chilli peppers, and a blend of aromatic spices. We saw reviews on the fish being bony, but we didn’t face that issue on our visit. While some may find it oily and salty, we found it authentically rich in flavour and thoroughly enjoyed it. I particularly liked the addictive lingering heat! The fish came with beansprouts, beancurd skin, and kelp. Definitely get white rice to go with this.
Grilled Prawns with Vermicelli and Minced Garlic 4.2/5
Next came the Grilled Prawns with Vermicelli and Minced Garlic ($21.90), served in a claypot on a gas stove. After pouring in a housemade sauce, the lid is placed back on and set to continue cooking. Once the timer was up, it was ready to be eaten. My dining companions loved the garlicky base, the vermicelli that had soaked up the flavour, and the well-cooked prawns.
Spicy Boiled Clams 4/5
The Spicy Boiled Clams ($18.90) came with decent clams, beansprouts and a couple of prawns. We found the spicy base here similar to the Boiled Live Fish in Spicy Broth. Hence, if you’re already ordering the fish, you can skip this and try their other dishes instead.
Green Pepper Stir-fried Eggplant 4.5/5
The Green Pepper Stir-fried Eggplant ($14.90) was an interesting and well-seasoned dish. Even one of my dining companions, who is not usually a fan of eggplant, commented about liking it. Unlike the usual soft texture, the sliced green eggplant was firmer.
Pickled Radish Stewed Duck Soup 4.5/5
The soulful Pickled Radish Stewed Duck Soup ($19.90) felt like a warm hug on a cold day. The portion comfortably feeds 3-4 pax, and we all agreed that the clear, sour-savoury soup was one of the best we’ve had in a while.
Chilled Spicy Chicken 3.8/5
I was less a fan of the Chilled Spicy Chicken ($12.90). The chicken’s texture was a touch dry, and the vegetables laid below didn’t soak up the Sichuan flavours well.
Lipu Yam with Scallion Oil in Pot 4/5
The Lipu Yam with Scallion Oil in Pot ($12.90) was surprising. While it looked unassuming, the smooth yam and savoury starchy sauce complemented the white rice well. As they are thickly sliced, this works better as a sharing dish.
House Special Fried Rice 3.5/5
Even though the House Special Fried Rice ($11.90) was fried thoroughly in lard and turned out fragrant, we found it too pricey because it did not include any other ingredients.
Xuan Zi Cold Glass Noodles 3.5/5
We were looking forward to trying the Xuan Zi Cold Glass Noodles ($8.90), but we thought the texture could be better, as these broke off more easily.
Green Peppers with Preserved Egg 3.8/5
We were curious about So Do Fun’s Green Peppers with Preserved Egg ($12.90). The preserved egg wasn’t as distinct in its usual pungent flavour, while the green peppers lent a herbaceous note with a mild heat.
Jasmine Lemon Tea 4/5
We each had a cup of their fragrant and mildly sweet Jasmine Lemon Tea ($3.50), perfect for washing down all the rich and oilier flavours.
Mini Glutinous Rice Ball in Fermented Rice Wine 3/5
For desserts, we had both a cold and a hot item. For the former, we ordered the Mini Glutinous Rice Ball in Fermented Rice Wine ($3.90). This was served hot with an egg mixed into the rice wine, but the fermented rice wine was not as distinct as we would have liked.
Brown Sugar Ice Jelly 3/5
The Brown Sugar Ice Jelly ($3.90) was our cold dessert, which we’ve had better renditions of.
Most dishes at SO DO FUN are served in big portions. I recommend dining in a group in order to try and share more items. We enjoyed our meal but would skip the desserts and just go for the recommended signatures.
Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.
SO DO FUN 蜀都丰
Midtown House
120 Beach Road
#01-01
Singapore 189769
Tel: +65 6550 2335
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW, DT Line), Esplanade (CC Line)
Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am – 4pm, 530pm – 1115pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to Tan Quee Lan Street. Turn left and walk down Tan Quee Lan Street to Beach Road. At Beach Road, cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]
2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station Take Exit F. Walk straight down Beach Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]