From Seletar and Bedok, to Toa Payoh and Hougang, here are some neighbourhood restaurants dishing out Chinese, European, Indian food and more
There’s nothing we love more than a treasure hunt. You have the cafés, now here are some awesome eateries and restaurants hidden in the heartlands – beneath HDB blocks or within the confines of condominiums – that we sussed out and gave the thumbs up – enjoy!
Arbite
It’s no secret that the hip enclave of Serangoon Gardens is a foodie haven. After all, the neighbourhood is home to the legendary Chomp Chomp and the ever-popular Wimbly Lu. But if you’re looking for something just a little more swish than Chomp Chomp, then park yourself at Arbite – a cosy, casual bistro that serves up interesting selections of European-inspired classics like the pork roulade and the Asian-inspired XO crab tagliatelle. Arbite’s broad range of offerings also include vegetarian and vegan dishes like the vegan lasagne and the creamy mac & cheese.
Arbite, 66A Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555962. p. 6287 0430. Open Mon-Fri 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm, Sat-Sun 9am-10.30pm.
Canopy
Nestled within Bishan Park, this lush restaurant has the romantic setting nailed. Be sure to book a table in time to catch the sunset if you’re really hoping to up the lovey-dovey ante. With a menu featuring everything from pizza (don’t miss the smoked duck pizza) and pasta, to steak and salmon, it’s a fail-safe choice that is bound to impress.
Canopy, 1382 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, Bishan Park 2, Singapore 569931. p. 6556 1533.
Chat Masala
One of the many restaurants Eastsiders get to boast about is this cosy East Coast establishment that has been serving up North Indian, South Indian and fusion dishes for over a decade. We recommend the steaming pots of Mysore mutton and the crowd-pleasing butter chicken that go perfectly well with the fluffy garlic naans. Dessert often takes a slightly unconventional twist as restaurateur, Dershini Winodan, is fearless in dreaming up exciting new takes on Indian classics like kulfi.
Chat Masala, 158 Upper East Coast Rd, Singapore 455254. p. 6876 0570. Open daily 12pm-1.45pm, 6.30pm-9.45pm.
New Ubin Seafood
Hidden amidst auto workshops and self-storage facilities is this unassuming Chinese restaurant. Boasting a heritage that goes all the way back to 1986, this small kampung-style seafood restaurant from Pulau Ubin has made its way to the mainland. While the restaurant’s roots remain firmly in zi char territory, the current owners have expanded the menu to include non-traditional offerings like the German-style pork knuckle. Arguably the restaurant’s most famous dish is the US Black Angus rib eye steak served with rice fried in the beef drippings.
New Ubin Seafood, Block 27 Sin Ming Road, Sin Ming Industrial Estate Sector A #01-174, Singapore 575680. p. 6466 9558. Open daily 11am-2pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm.
Seletar Hills Restaurant
For over 20 years, this homely restaurant in Seletar has been dishing out Szechuan and Hunan cuisine… the twist being that the husband-and-wife owners picked up their craft from America. Some of the more popular American-influenced dishes include the orange crispy beef and General Tso’s chicken. And don’t miss out on desserts either! Trust me when we say the cendol here is to kill for.
Seletar Hills Restaurant, 16 Jalan Selaseh, Singapore 808440. p. 6483 0348. Open daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10pm.
Nakhon Kitchen
The first thing you’ll see at Nakhon Kitchen is the long, snaking queue – and rightfully so. We don’t even know where to start, simply ‘cause everything here is more than good: the pandan chicken, stir fried kang kong (morning glory), green curry, minced pork with basil leaves, mango sticky rice, and more! This is as authentic as it gets (all the chefs are Thai), which means it’s really spicy. So either dial down on the spice, or call for some ice lemongrass tea.
Nakhon Kitchen, 212 Hougang Street 21 #01-341, Singapore 530212, p. 6286 8785. Open 12pm-3pm, 530pm-10pm daily.
136 Bedok North Avenue 3 #01-166, Singapore 460136, p. 6245 5548. Open 12pm-3pm, 530pm-10pm daily.
Madrinaa Pizza & Pasta
Run by Indians who treat Italian cuisine with reverence, Madrinaa Pizza & Pasta is great for large gatherings and family dinners (enough room for strollers, and a favourite for scootering along the outside deck). Their thin-crust pizzas, baked in a brick oven, are fantastic – we recommend the Grosseto (bacon, mushroom, and egg) and the Brindisi (pepperoni, anchovies, and garlic). If you have room for a little historical architecture, the HDB block that Madrinaa is housed in was from the 1970s, where the concept of having everything (like coffee shops, playgrounds, and carparks) under one roof was common.
Madrinaa Pizza & Pasta, 3 Queen’s Road #02-141, Singapore 260003, p. 6474 7342. Open 1130am-230pm, 530pm-10pm daily.
Diamond Kitchen
Tucked away in Laguna Park Condominium is the sparkling Diamond Kitchen, which does zi char dishes at affordable prices. If you’re looking for something comforting, try the Superior Stock Clam Bee Hoon – rice vermicelli with fresh clams in a slightly peppery stock. We also liked the super fresh Sauna Prawns (cooked in bamboo basket over hot stones), the Champagne Pork Ribs that’s been deboned for convenient noshing, and Salted Egg Sotong (squid). Oh, and we love that parking is also plentiful and affordable at a mere $1.
Diamond Kitchen, Laguna Park, 5000F Marine Parade Road #01-22/23, Singapore 449289, p. 6448 0629. Open 11am-230pm, 530pm-11pm daily.
Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant
There’s no menu in this traditional Teochew restaurant, so you have to take our word for it. Must-tries here are the oyster egg, steamed pomfret, chilli crayfish, and cold crabs. If you have room for dessert, try the orh nee (yam paste). Warning: it’s expensive, particularly if you’re going all out on the seafood, but you’re really paying for the freshness, quality, and excellent execution in cooking.
Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant, 115 Jalan Bukit Merah #01-1627, Singapore 160115, p. 6275 7575. Open 11am-2pm, 530pm-9pm daily.
Al Borgo
Situated in a quiet apartment complex along Bukit Timah road, this restaurant is tiny – it seats less than 50 people – so be prepared to wait if you don’t have advance reservations. It’s difficult to find anything remarkable that’s squid ink, so we’re glad to report that the Seafood Squid Ink Tagliatelle passed our litmus test. The best thing about Al Borgo is actually the different specials that the chef comes up with! And if you’re a stickler for good service, you won’t find anything to complain about here.
Al Borgo, Alocassia Apartments, 383 Bukit Timah Road #01-02, Singapore 259727, p. 9772 1680. Open Sun-Thu 1130am-230pm, 530pm-1030pm and Fri-Sat 1130am-230pm, 530pm-11pm.
Chin Lee Restaurant
This is another classic Teochew restaurant that whips up authentic cuisine from that part of China. The stars of the menu have got to be the crispy pig trotters and the Teochew style char kway teow. The former is not overly greasy, and is served with an amazing, tangy dipping sauce that definitely has ground in it. The latter is fried rice noodles with crunchy chye por (preserved radish) that’s traditionally wok-fried.
Chin Lee Restaurant, 115 Bedok North Road #01-285, Singapore 460115, p. 6449 5454. Open 1130am-230pm, 630pm-1030pm daily.
ThaiPan
You know ThaiPan is affordable when it’s packed at all times, mostly by students from Victoria Junior College nearby. Just down the road from Diamond Kitchen (score one more for the Eastside!) is this Chinese-Thai zi char restaurant in the Mandarin Gardens condominium. Famous for its addictive butter squid (the sauce packs a buttery punch with a hint of spiciness), the Jade Tofu with Crab Meat, and Olive Fried Rice, this place always lures us back for another meal.
ThaiPan, Mandarin Gardens, 13 Siglap Road, Singapore 448912, p, 6448 9827. Open 1130am-330pm, 530pm-10pm daily.
Tims Restaurant & Café
Nepalese cuisine – now that’s something you don’t get (even in Singapore) everyday. Opened by a Nepali living the Singapore Dream – if there ever was one – this gem in Toa Payoh serves up authentic momos (Nepalese dumplings), which resemble the Chinese xiao long bao, Thukpa (Nepali noodles), and Lamb Choila. If you’re in the vicinity and not feeling adventurous, the folks at Tims Restaurant and Café do good – and value for money – steaks, lamb shanks, and chicken chops too.
Tims Restaurant & Café, 95 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh #01-52, Singapore 310095, p. 6250 5246. Open 1130am-1030pm daily.
Red Star Restaurant
In the 1960s, there were Four Heavenly Kings of Cantonese Cuisine (who created our iconic dishes like Chilli Crab and Yu Sheng), and two of them took over Red Star Restaurant in the ’70s. And we have them to thank for this piece of Singaporean culinary heritage, including the preservation of the old-school pushcart service! When freshly-made dim sum is carted out at Red Star, it’s fastest finger/hand/runner-first to get your bite-sized treats! It might not be the best dim sum in Singapore (though the mango pudding will leave you craving more), but the long queue is testament to the nostalgic, one-of-a-kind experience you’ll get here.
Red Star Restaurant, 54 Chin Swee Road #07-23, Singapore 160054, p. 6532 5266. Open 7am-3pm, 6pm-1030pm daily.