Xiang Kitchen Serves Authentic Hunan Dishes In Kopitiam Without the Restaurant Price Tag

There’s been a noticeable influx of Hunan restaurants opening across Singapore. But if you’re looking for a more affordable way to enjoy this bold, spicy cuisine without sacrificing authenticity, let me introduce you to Xiang Kitchen (湘厨), a humble Hunan food stall nestled in a kopitiam at Blk 421 Ang Mo Kio.

This isn’t just another zi char stall dabbling in mala. Xiang Kitchen is helmed by a true blue Hunan chef who brings restaurant-level skills to a casual coffeeshop setting. Prices are significantly lower than your typical Hunan restaurant, but the flavours? Just as fiery and full-on. In fact, I think it’s a brilliant business idea — real Hunan food made accessible to the heartlanders.

If you’re new to Hunan cuisine — also known as Xiang cuisine (湘菜) — it’s one of China’s eight great culinary traditions. Think big, bold flavours, unapologetically spicy dishes, and generous use of fresh chilli, pickled vegetables, and aromatic spices. And unlike Sichuan food, which relies heavily on numbing peppercorns, Hunan food is all about that clean, sharp heat.

The Stir-Fried Pork with Green Chilli arrives glistening from the wok, a medley of pork belly and lean slices tossed with slivers of Yunnan white fungus and large, fragrant green peppers. The chef begins the dish by searing the fatty pork belly, coaxing out its oils and a hint of smokiness, before layering in the other ingredients. The result is not merely spicy — it is deeply savoury, with the crunch of fungus echoing the snap of just-wilted chilli.

A dish for serious spice lovers. The Stir-Fried Beef with Wild Peppers, a dish that hums with a different register of heat — brighter and very addictive The wild peppers deliver a different kind of heat — more herbal, slightly citrusy, and deeply addictive. The beef is tender, and each bite tingles with complexity, the peppers lending both aroma and fire. This tastes like something that would cost twice as much in a restaurant.

Their Suan Cai Yu is a hot and sour fish soup that gets everything right — a tangy base from pickled mustard greens, a slow-building heat from dried and fresh chilli, and a surprising pop of freshness from a squeeze of lemon juice added just before serving. Just when you think it’s ready, the chef finishes the dish by splashing hot oil over the fish, locking in the flavours and giving it a shimmering, mouth-watering sheen. Comforting and fiery all at once. This was hands down my favourite.

For those who prefer a show of colour and heat, the Dual Spicy Pepper Seabass is a visual riot. The whole seabass is steamed till just tender, then blanketed in a duo of chopped green and red chillies, each layer contributing a different type of heat. The meat was succulent and beautifully infused with the aromatic oils and sauces. The flavours are layered: umami-rich, with a bracing heat that lingers long after the last spoonful of sauce has been drizzled over your rice.

Even the simplest dishes here are not afterthoughts. The Stir-Fried Cauliflower is quietly brilliant — the florets retained a slight crunch, tossed in the wok with garlic and chillies till smoky and just charred at the edges. It is the kind of dish that’s easy to overlook, until you find yourself reaching for it again and again.

Served in a mortar-like bowl, the Smashed Century Egg with Chilli was both an appetizer and a little tableside experience. You are encouraged to mash the century egg, eggplant, and fresh crushed chillies together — allowing the spicy oils to fully coat the other ingredients. The flavours were intense and earthy. I’ll admit this might not be everyone’s cup of tea texture-wise, but I found it deeply satisfying and fun to eat.

Xiang Kitchen also caters to locals by including a handful of familiar dishes on the menu — but trust me, you’ll want to come here for the Hunan specialities. You can order rice by the bowl, or if you’re in a big group, opt for a full pot brought out straight from the rice cooker — a detail that feels distinctly homely and very Hunan. (And yes, even the brand of rice cooker is the same as those used in Hunan restaurants — a small detail that says a lot about their dedication to authenticity.

So the next time you’re craving something spicy, head straight for Xiang Kitchen instead. This kopitiam gem proves that you don’t need a fancy setup to enjoy the real flavours of Hunan.