Must Try

Only open from 5-10pm, this 45 year old zi char restaurant is known for its low prices and hearty homestyle dishes. Occupying the entire coffeeshop come dinnertime, be prepared to wait for your dishes as the space fills up. The signature dishes include Claypot Grouper Fish Head with Vegetables, and the Stir Fried Prawns and Asparagus.

A hidden gem in the Balestier area, this spot is a favourite of those who know it. This upscale environment is great for celebrations, as it retains standard zi char prices. A must-try dish here is their Fragrant Fish Roe Fried Rice, a generous amount of crunchy, flavorful tobiko in every bite of fluffy rice. Finish off with their famous French Toast, a nice way to end a zi char meal.

At this humble spot along Casuarina, you might just find some of the best crabs (at a really reasonable price) in Singapore. Butter crab, chili crab, pepper crab - take your pick. Also order the Hot Plate Beancurd and the La-la! Great for a satisfying meal with a bunch of friends you haven't seen in a while.

Determined to serve dishes that are unique and reasonably priced, Siang Hee doesn't fail to please. After relocating from its famous Zion Road premises to Serangoon Gardens, the standard is still high, attracting locals by the dozen. Order the signature Tempura Prawns in Spicy Pumpkin Cream, and the super crispy Pork Knuckles that are first pressure-cooked then deep fried..

At this Teochew muay style coffee shop, loyal patrons swear by the decievingly simple dishes of salted egg bitter gourd, and the steamed mince pork with salted fish. Also known for super fresh steamed fish, you'd be really missing out if you didn't order one for the table.

4 words - Claypot Mee Tai Mak. This dish may not be pretty, but it's darn tasty and only $5 for extreme comfort, complete with a raw egg for you to stir in. As its name suggests, this place is known for their Fish Head Steamboat, and other great dishes like Salted Egg Pork Ribs and Boss Bee Hoon. Best part is its convenient location next to Maxwell Market, and of course, air con!

Famous for their Chao Tar (Burnt) Bee Hoon, this is a great spot in a central area for a midnight snack. Share the nicely browned and flattened bee hoon topped with crunchy lard and brimming with wok hei, along with the Seafood Toufu and Baby Bok Choy. If you're up for something spicy, go for the Hot & Sour Soup Thai Style. Look out for the Shing Boon Hwa Food Centre sign across from Sim Lim Tower.

This humble eatery at the bottom of a HDB block in Ang Mo Kio is always packed on the weekends with families happily tucking in, and with good reason. You'll understand why, once you try their signature dishes - Deep Fried Prawn Ball With Pumpkin & Butter Sauce, Black Currant Sauce Pork Ribs, and Dong Po Pork Belly. With pleasant service and honest, good food, you'll be back.

Good food and great sake 😍

My favourite paella to date - the flavourful rice was moist and had the perfect amount of bite. I usually gripe about stingy amounts of seafood in my paella, but with this generously loaded portion, I wish there'd been more rice instead.