One of my fondest memories from childhood is tucking into piping hot claypot rice for dinner after a long wait at the hawker center. He Ping Claypot Rice is a family-run restaurant that’s been in the business for over 40 years. Located along Sims Avenue, within a 10 minutes’ walk from Ajunied MRT Station, this open-air establishment serves up traditional family fare at affordable prices.
Update 19 Jan 2025: Manpuku Sando has moved to BON BON COFFEE at Taste Orchard.
I’ve found my new favourite sando place and it’s Manpuku Sando at Cuppage Plaza. Run by a sole Japanese owner-chef, this humble joint is open for 4 hours daily (except Mondays) and shares its space with Dosukoi x Donpachi.
Having visited Manpuku Sando’s sister(?) izakaya a few times and thoroughly loved it, I was excited for what was in store. And it definitely did not disappoint!
The holiday season is in full swing, with our social feeds flooded with envy-inducing travel photos from popular destinations like Taiwan.
For the rest of us Singapore-bound folks, there’s always authentic eateries such as 8 Degrees, who recently moved their third outlet from Serangoon to Lowland Road near Kovan MRT station.
Update 19 Jan 2025: Oni Kimbap has moved to Eastwood Center, Taste Orchard, and Bukit Merah Central.
Kimbap is touted as one of the staples in Korean cuisine. Yet, you’d be hard-pressed to find a wide range of renditions of this street food as you would at Oni Kimbap, a former home-based Korean food business that recently opened its dine-in location at Aperia Mall in Lavender.
While it’s no secret that Tanjong Pagar is Singapore’s capital of Japanese food, there are still some hidden gems tucked away in little pockets of this central enclave. Today’s best-kept secret is Enishi Ramen, a Michelin Bib Gourmand ramen hailing from Kobe, Japan.
Located on the second level of International Plaza, Enishi Ramen is a no-frills ramen shop that sells no more than 100 bowls per day, supposedly to retain the quality of its cooking. With less than twenty seats available around the counter, it’s easy to see why Enishi Ramen is home to snaking queues daily.
A family that cooks together, stays together. Or so the saying goes. With its old-school and understated setup, Yat Ka Yan Dessert may look like one of those multi-generational eateries that have been churning out beloved specialities for years. On the contrary, it was actually opened only four years ago by the Tang family, as a sister eatery to Ren Ren Desserts.
Don’t estimate it, though, as this is one popular place whose nostalgic desserts and homely interior draws snaking queues, to its premises in Fortune Centre, especially on the weekends.
I have a thing for unpretentious, unfussy places that serve authentic and lip-smackingly delicious cuisine, more so if said cuisine is Italian. Santi’s Pizza & Produce is a fully open-air eatery in Telok Ayer that prides itself on quality products and sustainability in its cooking.
Chue On It 