The Soup Expert opens at Suntec City with prices starting from S$9.90
If you’re one who takes comfort in a bowl of soul-warming, nourishing soup, The Soup Expert is one to add to your list.
Situated within Suntec City, the Shanghai-born restaurant is in its soft opening phase, but it’s already drawing queues on weekday afternoons, ahead of its official launch on October 16.
The Singapore outpost marks its maiden overseas opening, too, bringing the brand’s Cantonese-style double-boiled soups beyond Shanghai for the very first time.
To commemorate this milestone, The Soup Expert has a series of promotions up its sleeve: Each diner who spends a minimum of S$19.90 is entitled to a pot of soup for just S$1.99 — quite the steal, really, in this economy! This will run until October 15.
The celebrations continue with 32% off your total bill from October 16 to 19, and 14% off from October 20 to 24 — excluding beverages and alcohol.
A proud specialist in slow-simmered soups, The Soup Expert brews up an assortment of nutritious blends — each one thoughtfully developed for holistic nourishment and balance.
For nearly two decades, the brand has become known for its comforting broths and signature individual “teapots”.
It’s clever, too. Rather than ladling soup into smaller bowls and inevitably spilling some along the way, you simply pour it out — neat, fuss-free, and ideal for sharing in a manner that feels both ceremonial and fun.
Or as the Chinese might say, a little ganbei (bottoms-up) moment, sans the booze.
Here, all of its soup concoctions are patiently brewed for four hours in a proprietary tower cabinet to lock in all the nutrients and coax out those rich, full-bodied flavours.
Blending time-honoured Cantonese culinary techniques, premium ingredients, and health-boosting Chinese herbs, The Soup Expert crafts broths that hit the sweet spot of being nourishing and wholly delicious.
And if you grew up being lovingly persuaded by your parents to “drink more soup because it’s good for you” — just like me — each brew here carries that same sense of comfort and care.
Our favourites at The Soup Expert
The black garlic beef bone soup (S$12.90) easily stole my heart, so much so that I couldn’t resist ordering a second bowl.
I’ve always had a soft spot for black garlic — a personal penchant nurtured over the years by my dad, who swore by its immune-boosting powers — and this broth absolutely delivered.
The mellow, garlicky sweetness won me over immediately, while a subtle earthy note — vaguely reminiscent of mushrooms — adds depth.
These undertones balanced out the richness of the beef bone, delivering a greatly comforting soup that never once felt greasy.
A close second was the abalone ginseng soup (S$14.90), which the restaurant proudly names as its bestseller since its early days.
What impressed me most about The Soup Expert’s formulas is how clean and smooth every soup tastes. The herbal notes don’t come off as in-your-face at all — a sigh of relief for anyone wary of a medicinal punch.
Instead, the flavours unfold gradually, developing a robustness that’s oh-so-satisfying, yet remaining light on the palate.
In this case, a gentle, briny note from the abalone adds a savoury lift, making each sip quietly indulgent and easy to savour.
Surprisingly, the bitter gourd pork ribs soup (S$10.90) claimed a spot in our table’s top three picks.
Crafted to detox and cool the body, it’s the perfect antidote to Singapore’s relentless heat.
The bitter gourd was far gentler than we’d expected, striking a delicate medley that almost made us question whether the soup had been simmered with it — a sentiment shared across the table.
For most diners, that’s most likely a good thing. As a bitter gourd enthusiast, however, I would have loved the flavours to stand out a little more boldly, just as the name promises.
Not just soups
While the nourishing soups remain its signature, The Soup Expert also serves up a variety of hearty dishes to complement, such as the whole cooker-baked dang gui chicken (S$36.90)
Marinated in a housemade seasoning for over 10 hours, the chicken is slow-cooked with angelica root (dang gui), red dates, and goji berries, allowing all that herbal goodness to deeply infuse the meat.
True to its promising appearance — that inviting golden sheen on the skin — the chicken is nicely juicy and wonderfully flavoured.
If you’ve still got a bit of tummy space left, the crispy juicy boneless fish (S$11.90) is a must-order.
It disappeared from our table swiftly — and for a good reason.
The lightly battered exterior gives way to tender, juicy flesh within. While the sweet-and-salty glaze, which somewhat reminds me of marmite, ties everything together beautifully.
Each fritter delivers that perfect hit of crunch and savoury-sweet satisfaction — a dish easily set to be a crowd-pleaser!
And as with any good Chinese restaurant, carbs are non-negotiable. The lobster fried rice (S$48.90) here more than delivers, featuring generous chunks of lobster meat folded into the dish.
It’s a comforting classic that you really can’t go wrong with.
That said, I did wish the smoky wok hei could have come through more prominently. The rice leans slightly on the oily side, too, especially as you make your way to the bottom of the plate. (Nothing that a good spoonful of double-boiled soup can’t solve, though!)
All in all, if you’re after something that soothes the soul and satisfies the stomach, The Soup Expert might just be your new go-to. Come for the wholesome soups and leave feeling like you’ve just been wrapped in a warm, delicious hug.
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, check out the new, hidden barbecue restaurant tucked away in NUS and the viral rooftop cafe at Clarke Quay with sweeping skyline views.
Tues 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Wed 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Thurs 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Fri 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Sat 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Sun 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
- Esplanade
- Promenade
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
Read more stories from this writer.
