Oh man, this was really, REALLY nice. I came by pretty late to order the truffled mushroom burger + fries for around $8-9 (forgot the exact price), and was legitimately a little surprised by how well it turned out. The patty is thick, savoury and juicy, and the mushrooms on top are like legit shimeji mushrooms, not the sliced button mushrooms you’re probably more familiar with.
The fries were solid too, nicely chunky with a good bite to them, and they made for the perfect compliment. I really have to commend these guys; considering the meals they sell are easily double or triple the cost of everything else around, they’re still seeing a lot of traffic. Justifiably so, because it’s still a huge bargain for the quality you’re getting. Anywhere else, this would likely cost you easily $15++ or something like that.
If you’re around, do check this out! I love that it’s halal too, because that means I can bring anyone else around. They’ve got a vegetarian option as well, so this is really a great way for everyone to come together over great burgers.
If you’re craving for a flavour-packed bowl of hot, savoury soup and delicious tender beef, this is for you! For $6, you get a pretty big bowl with sliced beef and beef balls, plus a generous helping of beansprouts over kway teow noodles. It’s pretty quick too, so you won’t have to wait long if you want to order this.
I always find eating at this stall to be a fresh, fun experience. I’d suggest some of the cooler dishes if it’s a really hot afternoon, but you really can’t go wrong here.
Back here again! I actually did try their Omakase (it’s AMAZING, basically a food journey that builds up the whole way through for a satisfying finish) but… was legitimately too distracted by the food to take photos. Whoops. Anyway, here’s their wagyu bowl ($18.90++) instead, which is every bit as delicious as everything else Southpaw serves.
The experience of getting this is great. Sit down at the counter, and you can watch the chef just take out a legit chunk of wagyu that gets carefully flame-grilled to really bring out its flavour. Then the slices are arranged on a bed of fluffy, steaming rice, all topped by a soft egg that just oozes out to coat everything when you poke it.
Needless to say it was very, VERY good. I always appreciate their attention to detail; like how the spring onions were soaked in water beforehand to give them a slightly milder flavour that complimented the meat perfectly. This is definitely a real standout dish – just make sure you go earlier in the month because they actually can sell out of it.
Every time I’m in Orchard Road I keep thinking, I should go treat myself and have something new… but then I end up coming back here instead, time and time again. It’s my favourite hidden spot for sushi – tucked away in Cold Storage, it’s usually got a couple of seats open even on busy weekends when the rest of the Ngee Ann City food hall is jam packed with people.
And the food? You can get freshly made sushi and donburi at the counter itself, or do what I usually do, and pick up a pack of extremely reasonably priced sushi and sashimi from the display outside. This one in the picture cost me $15 – not exactly dirt cheap, but still way more affordable than anything comparable around.
The sashimi and sushi itself were pretty fresh, firm and all around tasty. I’ve never had a bad meal here; from smaller dons that are about $7 to fancy premium meals closer to $20, it’s been a treat every single time. Plus, if you buy your sushi and eat it there, you get a free cup of hot green tea, which goes perfectly with the meal! That’s one of my favourite parts about it.
So, I’m back here because 1) I felt they could use more reviews, and 2) I’ve been meaning to try the ramen for a while.
When it comes to ramen, there’s a couple of choices. Standard ramen, which comes minus the egg for ~$7, the same but with 5 pieces of their (very good, very savory, very nice) cha siew for about $10, and this zhng version of the standard ramen for $9.90 nett, with an egg and toppings. You can also customise the soup base! I went with tonkotsu, but for people wanting a lighter or spicier broth, there’s shoyu and chilli versions available too at no extra cost.
Anyway as for the ramen itself, it was great! Honestly at this price, I really can’t complain. The tonkotsu broth was light and the corn added a nice sweetness to it. I’ve already mentioned that the cha siew is delicious, and the egg was just right – not too soft or hard. If you’re craving ramen but your wallet can’t handle another $17++ bowl, this is definitely a good option to try.
So I actually wanted to check out the nearby Don.æ¡£ because I saw it on Burpple, but that was closed! Luckily, this newer stall in the same place didn't let me down at all.
Ohsho Express (which surprisingly was not on the app when I came) serves up restaurant-worthy Japanese fare at food-court prices. It's a little more expensive than the other stuff around, but honestly, more than worth it.
Up in the pic there is the Tenshinhan ($9.90), which is basically a deliciously rich, almost decadent crab meat omelette on rice surrounded by curry. It's VERY good, if a little salty, and I highly recommend it!
Their gyoza is also amazing, and the Ohsho Set (Gyoza, Chicken Karaage, Fried Rice for $11.90) is another 'can't go wrong' dish to order. I've yet to try the ramen, but honestly from what I've seen, that seems pretty worth it too.
Anyway if you're in the area and looking for something fast and tasty and a little out of the ordinary, do give them a shot!
I’m always a little wary whenever I go to places which talk about how healthy their food is before discussing how tasty it is. Luckily, The Bento People didn’t disappoint at all on flavour! So if you’re looking for food that is as tasty as it’s healthy, this is a good place.
I got three dishes (bulgogi + tofu, black fungus and red rice) for $9.80 and tea for $1.50, but do note that there’s a very high chance you’ll spend more than that. This is as more than half the menu and dishes cost like another $1 or $2 to add, so expect costs to go up.
Money aside, the food is really pretty decent. The black fungus in miso was wonderfully savoury, and the red rice had a nice, nutty texture. The portion sizes are decent, too, leaving you feeling quite happily satisfied. They can get a bit crowded at lunch, but service is usually quick, so no need to worry there.
Let’s get it out of the way – if you want beautiful pictures of pretty foods, go to like any of the hundred cafes (an exaggeration, but probably not by that much) in the area. This place is for those who just want to eat some good shit.
The rice? Honestly, a little forgettable. But you aren’t here for rice, you’re here because of the sio bak. Surprisingly light, deliciously crisp and perfectly roasted, it manages to hit all the right notes at once. You won’t get that greasy, gelak feeling from the meat here; if anything, you’ll just want to order a second plate.
The store itself is standard for hawker centres and pretty easy to identify with the long queue. I’d rec the sio bak (obviously) for the first time you come here, but do consider giving its other offerings a try as well; they are, after all, roast specialists. I’ve had the duck and it was pretty solid too.
So, the rundown. This is an interesting vegetarian restaurant with a surprisingly huge variety of food – everything from the $5 chicken rice lunch specials to bulgogi, bento boxes, burgers, metal pot soups, deserts… you name it, they’ve probably got some veggie variation on it.
Going through the menu and looking for stuff to try was fun! Waiting literally half an hour at lunch before my food came, not so much. And I wasn’t the only one; I saw at least a couple of people coming around the same time as me waiting as well.
As for the food, it’s actually pretty good. I had the ang siew braised meat with rice for like $7, and it was delicious! The rice was pleasantly nutty and fluffy, too. Overall, everything’s well cooked, and the mock meat is pretty convincing.
Let’s say you want to let your Muslim or vegetarian colleagues try some Chinese food, well, this is a great place for that. Just don’t go down during a busy period, unless you want to sit around forever, lol.
This time for their straightforwardly delicious sake set meal for $17.90++ A good helping of fresh salmon, some just lightly grilled to bring out the flavour, all set on top of fluffy seasoned rice.
Add some ginger, actual grated wasabi and clear mushroom and spring onion soup (a welcome change from the typical miso usually served) and you have yourself a fantastic lunch.
Though there’s only 12 seats at a counter, I’d suggest sitting close to the door if possible - you get a better view of the action that way. Today when I went, they were getting a huge salmon delivered and it was actually pretty entertaining to watch it get broken down.
Next thing on the list of food I have to try here is the Omakase!
It’s easy to see why the rosti here is popular — it’s only $14.50 for a decently sized portion with a good heaping of smoked salmon or veal sausage, and that’s with no sneaky ++ or extra costs involved. Light, savoury and the perfect brunch or light lunch, you really can’t go wrong with this.
But don’t just come here for that! They’ve actually got a surprisingly extensive menu covering everything from sandwiches and croissants to full on, hearty mains, which makes it a great place to bring a group of friends or colleagues at any time of the day.
Overall, Oberstrasse is a lovely, unpretentious little joint that does everything right. Service is friendly, food is good, the price is just right for what they’re offering, no hidden charges, water on the side… here, it’s the little things that add up to make a great cafe.
While there aren’t a lot of reviews on Burpple yet (it’s only been 3 weeks since they opened here), this place is PACKED during lunch. And deservedly so – they serve authentic, delicious Thai food at surprisingly cheap prices, with no mandatory lunch sets, so you can just get what you need or share with friends; whatever works best for you.
This bowl of Chicken Pad Thai? An affordable $5.50. Granted, the Thai Iced Milk Tea I ordered to go with it was $3, but the glass was huge and it was delicious enough that I really didn’t mind at all. As for the Pad Thai, the portion isn’t humongous; rather, it’s just enough to leave you feeling satisfied without being stuffed.
I’d definitely suggest going here with friends, if you can find a table. That way you can order a bunch of the delectable sides they have for sharing, which I couldn’t do alone. Anyway, if you’re in the area and craving for Thai food, try this place! It’s honestly restaurant and cafe quality, including ambience wise, but for a fraction of the price.
