5 New And Cosy Hangouts To Delight In Singaporean Comfort Food
From classic Singaporean hawker and kopitiam dishes to traditional snacks and desserts like rice dumplings and ice kachang, here’s a curated list of new eateries serving up local authentic food this April 2024. Read on to find your one-stop place for a taste of true Singapore and age-old nostalgic favourites.
List of Featured Restaurants
Scroll or click on the respective listing to read more.
(1) Great Nanyang
(2) CAFE O
(3) Ducking Good
(4) Joo Chiat Kim Choo
(5) Tian Wang Desserts
(1) Great Nanyang
Source: Great Nanyang
Second outlet of rustic kopitiam chain- Great Nanyang opens at 111 Somerset, serving up a new store-exclusive menu, set against an Instagrammable retro décor of old Malaysia and Singapore.
NEW STORE-EXCLUSIVE ADDITIONS
In extension to Great Nanyang’s kopitiam signatures are a lineup of piping hot mains, delectable toasts, beverages and a selection of old-school popsicles. Thick and rich curry chicken is served two ways, Curry Chicken Toast ($7.90) comprising of curry chicken and slices of toasted baguette, and Curry Chicken Chee Cheong Fun ($9.90) combining steamed rice rolls in the same fragrant curry chicken with assorted vegetables.
We enjoyed the Curry Chicken Toast, the baguette slices were crispy and the chicken was soft and flavourful.
Next, Claypot Mee Tai Mak ($9.90) is a comforting pot of mee tai mak, prawns and egg in a savoury black sauce.
Another new item in the Toast section is Milo Toast (choice of traditional- $3.50 or thick- $4.00) topped with milo powder and drizzled with condensed milk. This was an ingenious combination but we wondered if soft white bread could be used in place of toast as the latter was a little dry and tough after toasting.
Fight off the blistering heat with Longan Tea ($3.80), Sai Ka Hor (choice of hot- $3.00 or cold- $5.00), which is a blend of Milo and tea. Coffee also gets an upgrade with Soymilk Coffee ($5.90) for a creamier but lighter mouthfeel.
Source: Great Nanyang
Relive the good old days of getting refreshing popsicles at your neighbourhood mama shop. Take your pick from assorted flavours ($3.00 each), such as Ribena, Sour Plum, Kopi-O, Hor Ka Sai, Milo and Mango.
Source: Great Nanyang
(2) CAFE O
Source: CAFE O
Founded by the team behind Soup Restaurant, CAFE O is conceived as a place to showcase Singapore’s distinctive food culture and authentic local flavours. Their menu offers a variety of local fare, drinks as well as mid-day light bites such as roti prata and laksa. Dishes are made fresh in-house with chefs daily with the freshest ingredients sourced locally, available at three locations islandwide and 24-hours at Changi Airport T2.
Enjoy the best of both worlds with Malay Ginger Fried Chicken with Chicken Rice ($9.80), a union between Malay-style fried chicken and Chinese chciken rice, featuring a whole chicken leg marinated with over 10 spices and ingredients.
Satisfy your hunger pangs with Nasi Briyani, wholesome spiced rice served with tender and flavourful mutton or chicken, cooked in fragrant curry rempah of over 20 spices and aromatics.
Source: CAFE O
On the noodles menu, Dry Mee Siam ($6.50) combines sweet, spicy, sour and savoury in a single dish, stir-fried with aromatics, bee hoon, tofu puffs, and dressed with prawns.
Last but not least, midday snacks include the Salted Egg Prata (exclusive to Bugis outlet)- a level-up from the usual egg prata, think oozy molten salted egg encased in crispy prata. Additionally, order a Putu Mayam Set ($5.30) or Hae Bee Hiam Prata ($4.50) for an extra pick-me-up.
CAFE O Changi Airport Terminal 2 Departure Hall
Location: Changi Airport Terminal 2, 60 Airport Boulevard, #02-07, 08, 09, Singapore 819643
Opening Hours: 24 hours daily
CAFE O Bugis
Location: 229 Victoria Street, Bugis Village, Singapore 188023
Opening hours: Sun-Thu 10am – 10pm, Fri, Sat and Eve of PH 10am – 11.30pm
CAFE O Raffles Holland V Mall
Location: 118 Holland Ave, Singapore 278973
Opening hours: 7.30am - 8.30pm daily
Instagram
(3) Ducking Good
Source: Ducking Good
Love eating duck- herbal roast, deep-fried confit style, in claypot, braised, in-double soups, even duck fat garlic rice? Head over to Ducking Good 好吃鸭, new one-stop duck specialist restaurant located in Geylang who offers no less than 10 different presentations of duck delicacies.
Founded by the same team behind Boeuf Steakhouse, Ducking Good takes you on an exciting duck gastronomic journey featuring duck dishes prepared in several ways- roasted duck, salted, fried and more.
First up on their signatures- (L-R) Herbal Roast Duck ($20 Quarter, $39 Half, $69 Whole) is roasted to crisp perfection on the outside, and bursting with herbal goodness on the inside. Signature Braised Duck ($20 Quarter, $39 Half, $69 Whole) is for purists who love their slow-cooked soy sauce based duck. Last but not least, Signature Salted Duck ($20 Quarter, $39 Half, $69 Whole) is brined in a compact salt cast to produce a juicy and tender duck delight.
Order the Double Ducking Platter ($39 Herbal Roast & Braised) to get the best of both worlds.
For the more adventurous diners, check out the fusion Crispy Spiced Duck Leg Confit ($13.90) which was really crispy and well seasoned. Pair it with Braised Duck Claypot Porridge ($9.90) or top up $1 for an indulgent Fragrance Duck Fat Garlic Rice.
In addition, there is an array of side dishes and nutritious soups to satisfy various palates and cravings. Chilled Cucumber ($3.90) is a refreshing cold dish doused in chilli oil and adorned with black fungus. Thai Sweet Chlli Tofu ($9.90) is a great dish for sharing.
Last but not least, warm up with Ducking Good duck soups including Salted Vege Duck Soup ($19.90), Si Shen Nourishing Soup ($9.90), Shi Quan Tonic ($13.90) and more.
Opening Promotion
In celebration of Ducking Good’s opening, the duck specialist is offering 50% off specialty duck dishes on weekly rotation from 20 April to 17 May (for dine-in) only.
*Limited to one redemption per table per bill. Terms & Conditions apply.
Ducking Good Opening Special
[Week 1] 20 - 26 April: Herbal Roast Duck (Whole – U.P. $69++)
[Week 2] 27 April - 3 May: Signature Braised Duck (Whole – U.P. $69++)
[Week 3] 4 - 10 May: Signature Salted Duck (Whole – U.P. $69++)
[Week 4] 11 - 17 May: Triple Ducking Platter (U.P. $49++)- Herbal Roast Duck, Signature Braised Duck and Signature Salted Duck
(4) Joo Chiat Kim Choo
Source: Joo Chiat Kim Choo
Dragon Boat Festival is never complete without Chinese rice dumplings. Celebrate this year’s festivities at the refreshed Joo Chiat Kim Choo flagship store along Circuit Road with its signature dumplings and traditional snacks set against a nostalgic backdrop dotted with trinkets and old-school games.
Savour each unique rice dumpling recipe of the 4 biggest Chinese ethnic groups in Singapore; namely the Teochew Rice Dumpling ($8.50), Hokkien Rice Dumpling ($7.30), Cantonese Bean Rice Dumpling ($7.80) and Hakka Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables Rice Dumpling($8.80).
Source: Joo Chiat Kim Choo
New on the menu is Hae Bee Hiam Rice Dumpling ($7.80) which would delight fans of sambal, homemade sambal dried shrimps , signature braised pork belly go in this scrumptious rice dumpling.
Hae Bee Hiam Sambal (250ml) and Caramel Kaya (210g) are available for sale in a twin pack- Taste of Tradition Gift Pack ($16.70).
Source: Joo Chiat Kim Choo
Our top pick is the unique Pulut Hitam Nyonya Rice Dumpling ($8.80) which features a twist on the classic recipe; the dumpling is filled with black glutinous rice, tender braised pork belly and winter melon strips and seasoned with Joo Chiat Kim Choo's Secret Spice Blend.
Source: Joo Chiat Kim Choo
Fancy a gift to your elderly family members? Delight your loved ones with the Memory Trove Gift Set (from $95.80) which consists of 8 rice dumplings and signature traditional Kueh Salat cake.
Joo Chiat Kim Choo Flagship Store
Location: Blk 77 Circuit Rd, #01-450, Singapore 370077
Opening hours: 8am - 8pm daily
Instagram | Website
(5) Tian Wang Desserts
Source: Tian Wang Desserts Instagram
Founded by veteran actor Li Nanxing, Tian Wang Desserts at 50 Keong Saik Road is the latest dessert hangout serving refreshing local desserts and buzzing with celebrities.
In line with the store’s reopening at the new location, a new dessert Berry Blast ($8.80) is the latest addition to their menu. Enjoy a bowl of berry-goodness featuring an assortment of fresh berries atop vanilla ice-cream drizzled with berry puree.
Source: Tian Wang Desserts Instagram
In addition, tropical fruit desserts such as Mao Shan Wang Durian Mousee (from $11.80++) and Mango Pomelo Sago ($8.20) are also crowd favourites to beat the hot weather.
Other noteworthy creations include their mousse and popping series- chewy bubbles bursting in fruity flavours such as Honeydew Popping, Longan Popping, Soursop Popping and more.
Prefer nourishing traditional desserts like tong sui? You can find Bird Nest ($38), Snow Pear with Fungus ($7.20) and Peach Gum ($7.80), simmered with red dates and wolfberries, available in both hot and cold versions.
Tian Wang Desserts
Location: 50 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089154
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 5pm - 2am, Sat & Sun 3pm - 2am
Instagram
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