Die, die, must try! -- Eating out in Singapore

[jjpb3]

Following up on the memorable turn of phrase from the makansutra (brought to my attention by jhm ), I thought I'd try to compile SQTalkers' recommendations in Singapore. I'll update the list below as recommendations come in.

Local food
Almost any hawker centre , but specific recommendations from WSSS can be found here

An excellent starting point is this comprehensive list of recommendations by Savage25. 9V-JKL provides the link to a good food blog here.

Now on to other recommentations:

Duck Rice
Sin Huat Restaurant, 659/661 Geylang Road, Lorong 35 -- recommended by 9V-JKL; also good for seafood dishes, according to HUGE AL

Soup
Soup Restaurant (top of DFP) -- recommended by CGK

Western
Corduroy and Finch (corner Bukit Timah Rd, 6th Ave) -- recommended by KeithMEL

[KeithMEL]

A Western restaurant that has acquired 'die die must try' status in my books - Corduroy and Finch (corner Bukit Timah Rd, 6th Ave).

[Savage25]

Ah, food... where do I start?


Mexican:
Margaritas, East Coast Road.
Harry's Mexican Restaurant and Bar, (formerly Chico's and Charlie's), Orchard Parade Hotel.

Italian:
Garibaldi, Purvis Street.
Pasta Fresca da Salvatore, East Coast Park outlet (watch the planes landing at Changi)

Sri Lankan:
Colombo Village, Boat Quay

Vegetarian (Mediterranean):
Original Sin, Holland Village

Nepali:
Gurkha Palace, Chander Road near Little India

Kebabs:
Dharma’s Kebabs, Boat Quay

North Indian:
Rang Mahal, Pan Pacific
Bukhara, Clarke Quay
Shahi Maharani, Raffles City

South Indian:
Komala Vilas, the original one in Little India

Fusion:
Halia, Botanical Gardens.

Nasi Lemak:
International Nasi Lemak, Changi Village.

Nasi Padang:
Straits Cafe, Hotel Rendezvous, Dhoby Ghaut

Seafood:
No Signboard, Geylang

English fry-up:
Father Flanagan's, Chijmes

Thai:
Thanying Royal Thai Cuisine, Amara Hotel, Tanjong Pagar

Belgian:
Oosters, Church Street (okay, I go there for the beer and the food is secondary)

[jjpb3]

A man after my own heart. Your recommendations merit special mention, Savage25, so I've modified the first post to reflect that.

[9V-JKL]

Blog on SIN food

Here's a blog on good food here in SIN. Not just local but others as well

http://ieatishootipost.blogspot.com/

[CGK]

Hey, how about the Soup Restaurant on top of DFP at Scotts Road?

[9V-JKL]

Soup is pretty good especially their signature chicken dish. They have a branch at T2 also. Just on top of F check-in.

[9V-JKL]

According to the Sunday Times, this is their list of the top 50 restaurants in Singapore. You can always disagree

AMERICAN
1. LAWRY'S THE PRIME RIB Paragon #02-42/43 Tel: 6836-3333
2. MORTON'S OF CHICAGO The Oriental Tel: 6339-3740

CHINESE
3. CHEF CHAN 331 North Bridge Road #01-02 & 05/08 Odeon Towers Tel: 65-6250 3363/4
4. CRYSTAL JADE PALACE RESTAURANT Ngee Ann City #04-19 Tel: 6735-2388
5. GOLDEN PEONY Conrad Centennial Tel: 6432-7488
6. HUA TING Orchard Hotel Tel: 6734-3880
7. IMPERIAL TREASURE Great World City #02-06 Tel: 6732-2232
8. LEI GARDEN Chijmes #01-24 Tel: 6339-3822
9. PEACH GARDEN 273 Thomson Road #01-06 Tel: 6254-3383
10. SUMMER PAVILION The Ritz-Carlton Tel: 6434-5286
11. TASTE PARADISE 48-49 Mosque Street Tel: 6226-2958
12. WAH LOK Carlton Hotel Tel: 6311-8189

FRENCH
13. AU JARDIN Singapore Botanic Gardens Tel: 6466-8812
14. AU PETIT SALUT 44 Jalan Merah Saga #01-54 Tel: 6475-1976
15. JAAN Swissotel The Stamford, Equinox Complex Tel: 6837-3322
16. LES AMIS Shaw Centre #02-16 Tel: 6733-2225
17. RAFFLES GRILL Raffles Hotel Tel: 6431-6156
18. SAINT JULIEN 3 Fullerton Road, Waterboat House Tel: 6534-5947
19. SAINT PIERRE #01-01 Central Mall Tel: 6438-0887

FUSION
20. BUKO NERO 126 Tanjong Pagar Road Tel: 6324-6225
21. RESTAURANT EMBER 50 Keong Saik Road Tel: 6347-1928
22. IGGY'S The Regent Tel: 6732-2234

HENG HWA
23. PU TIEN 127 Kitchener Road Tel: 6295-6358

HOKKIEN
24. BENG HIANG 112-116 Amoy Street Tel: 6221-6684

INDIAN
25. RANG MAHAL The Pan Pacific Tel: 6333-1788
26. SHAHI MAHARANI Raffles City Shopping Centre #03-21B Tel: 6235-8840

ITALIAN
27. DA PAOLO BISTRO BAR 3 Rochester Park Tel: 6774-5537
28. GARIBALDI 36 Purvis Street Tel: 6837-1469
29. VALENTINO'S 11 Jalan Bingka (off Rifle Range Road) Tel: 6462-0555

JAPANESE
30. AKANEThe Japanese Association 120 Adam Road Tel: 6467-2768
31. AOKI Shaw Centre #02-17 Tel: 6333-8015
32. MIHARU JAPANESE NOODLES Gallery Hotel #01-11 Tel: 6733-8464
33. NADAMAN The Shangri-La Tel: 6213-4571
34. SHIRAISHI The Ritz-Carlton Tel: 6338-3788
35. TATSUYA Crown Prince Hotel Tel: 6737-1160
36. TENSHIN The Regent Hotel Tel: 6735-4588

LOCAL
37. LONG BEACH SEAFOOD Car Park A, Marina South Tel: 6323-2222
38. SIK WAI SIN EATING HOUSE 287 Geylang Road
39. TRUE BLUE CUISINE 117 East Coast Road Tel: 6440-0449

MODERN AUSTRALIAN
40. PIERSIDE KITCHEN & BAR #01-01 One Fullerton Tel: 6438-0400

MODERN CHINESE
41. CLUB CHINOIS Orchard Parade Hotel Tel: 6834-0660
42. JADE Fullerton Hotel Tel: 6877-8188
43. MAJESTIC RESTAURANT 31-37 Bukit Pasoh Road Tel: 6511-4718
44. MY HUMBLE HOUSE (below) #02-27/29 Esplanade Mall Tel: 6423-1881

REGIONAL
45. PAGI SORE 88/90 Telok Ayer Street Tel: 6225-6002
46. SABAI Ngee Ann City #04-23 Tel: 6333-8491

SICHUAN
47. SILK ROAD Amara Hotel Tel: 6227-3848

TEOCHEW
48. CRYSTAL JADE GOLDEN PALACE Paragon #05-22/24 Tel: 6734-6866
49. EAST OCEAN Shaw Centre #02-18 Tel: 6235-9088
50. GUAN HIN Block 34 Whampoa West #01-01

[WSSS]

Good hawker food in Singapore

List of places where I think the food here is really fantastic, subject to one's taste.

Hainanese chicken rice

• Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, Maxwell Road Food Centre (see the chicken rice stall with long queues) Anthony Bourdain has tried it. NYT calls it a chicken rice "shrine".
• Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice, Novena Ville (Thomson Road, MRT station: Novena)
• Sergeant Chicken Rice, Food Republic at Wisma Atria (Level 4), Suntec City (SSICEC Level 1), VivoCity (Level 3, Lobby L) Chef formerly from famed Chatterbox coffeehouse at Meritus Mandarin Singapore.
• Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice, 401 Balestier Road or 425 River Valley Road
  

Roti prata

• Thasevi Food, 237 and 239 Jalan Kayu. Die, die must try. Slightly pricey though. Branch at Botanic Gardens food court.
• Casuarina Curry, 126 Casuarina Road (off Upper Thomson Road) Branch at Biopolis.

Nasi lemak
Lots of nasi lemak stalls, all taste fine, but there are a few which are the best.

• Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak, #01-02 Adam Food Centre. Quite long queues at this stall, due to its fame. Its the best in Singapore.
• Ponggol Nasi Lemak Centre, 965 Upper Serangoon Road, opens from 6pm to 5am, closed on Thursday. Be prepared to queue up, non-halal.
• International Food Stall, #01-57, Changi Village Market and Food Centre
• Mizzy's Corner, #01-55, Changi Village Market and Food Centre

Seafood
Not really hawker food, but local style seafood in a kopitiam or some air-conditioned. Forget about those stalls at Newton, go to the more reputable ones at East Coast.

• Jumbo Seafood, #01-07/08 East Coast Seafood Centre, East Coast Park Carpark D1. The best chilli crab you can find in Singapore, there are lots of other good dishes here. The queue is quite long here and is the main branch. They have two branches in the city, at The Riverwalk and Riverside Point. Both restaurants have alfresco seating which offer a view of the river. There's one at NSRCC near Changi Airport.
• Long Beach, 1018 East Coast Parkway, in the same place as Burger King at East Coast Park (can be seen from East Coast Parkway). Branch at East Coast Seafood Centre, #01-04 and Tanglin Village
• No Signboard Seafood, see http://nosignboardseafood.com/
• Roland Restaurant, Block 89 Marine Parade Central #06-750 (on top of carpark). Founder of chilli crab.

Carrot cake

• Shun Yan Carrot Cake, Block 111 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 #01-366, Chang Cheng Mee Wah Restaurant
• Fu Ming Shu Shi, Block 85 Redhill Lane, #01-348L
• Heng Carrot Cake, Stall 28, Newton Food Centre (No pork, no lard)

Hokkien mee

• Thye Hong, Stall 69 Newton Food Centre. Branch at Wisma Atria Food Republic.
• Nam Sing Fried Hokkien Mee (Hougang), Block 51 Old Airport Road, #01-115J (stall number may be changed after renovation)
• Kwang Huat, Newton Food Centre, #01-15
• Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee, Chomp Chomp Food Centre (Serangoon Gardens), #01-27

Bak kut teh

• Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House, 208 Rangoon Road, Closed on Monday.
• Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha, 7 Keppel Road, #01-05/07 Tanjong Pagar Complex
• Founder Rou Gu Cha, 347 Balestier Road
• Rong Chen Bak Kut Teh, Block 22, Sin Ming Road, Eng Hup Ho Hup Coffeshop

Bak chor mee

• Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee, Block 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-43, Hong Lim Complex Food Centre
• Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles, Block 466 Crawford Lane #01-12 Tai Hwa Eating House
• Joo Heng Mushroom Minced Pork Mee, Block 628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, #01-04, Yio Chu Kang Market and Hawker Centre, Closed on Sunday
• Capitol Puay Heng, Food Republic Wisma Atria Level 4. Other branches existent.

Ban mian

• Qiu Lian Ban Mian, Changi Airport Terminal 1 Staff Canteen

Beef kway teow

• Diandin Leluk (Thai style), #B1-27 Golden Mile Complex
• Hock Lam Street Beef Kway Teow, 27 Purvis Street
• Hong Hing Beef Noodles Soup & Katong Laksa, Block 233 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, #01-1194 Bing Garden Eating House
• Popular Hock Lam Street Beef Kway Teow, 22 China Street

Char kway teow

• Hai Kee Teochew Cha Kway Teow, Block 40A Commonwealth Avenue, #01-550, Commonwealth Avenue Cooked Food Centre
• Hill Street Fried Kway Teow, Block 16 Bedok South Road, #01-187 Bedok New Town and Food Centre
• Outram Park Fried Kway Teow, Block 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-18, Hong Lim Complex, Closed on Sunday and Public Holiday
• Thye Hong, Stall 69, Newton Food Centre and Wisma Atria Food Republic Level 4

Curry puff

• Old Chang Kee, Outlets can be found all around Singapore
• Tip Top Curry Puff, Block 722 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, #08-2843 Hiap Hua Coffeeshop (It has made it to the news twice, albeit not in the food section.)
• Selera Curry Puff
• Polar Puffs and Cakes, Outlets can be found all around Singapore. First stall to put curry puff filling into Western pastry.

Curry fish head

• Muthu's Curry, 138 Race Course Road
• Our Makan Shop, 74 Race Course Road
• Samy's Curry Restaurant, 25 Dempsey Road (next to Long Beach Tanglin)
• Soon Heng Curry Fish Head, 39 Kinta Road
• The Banana Leaf Apollo, 54 Race Course Road (Good also for other Indian dishes)

Goreng pisang

• Boon Pisang Goreng, Longhouse at Upper Thomson Road
• Lim Kee (Orchard), Stall 61, Maxwell Food Centre (formerly at Somerset)
• Lucky Pisang Raja, Block 177 Toa Payoh Central, #01-176, Moon Sun Restaurant

Laksa

• 328 Katong Laksa, 216 East Coast Road
• San Katong Laksa, 29B Lorong Liput (at Holland Village)
• Marine Parade Laksa, 50 East Coast Road, #01-64 Roxy Square (the original Katong Laksa)
  
  Otah is available at all three Laksa stalls recommended.

Lor mee

• Tiong Bahru Lor Mee, Tiong Bahru Market at Seng Poh Road, #02-67
• Zhong Xing China Street Foochow Fishball and Lor Mee, Stall 62 Maxwell Food Centre

Mee goreng

• Old Satay Club Mee Goreng, 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-15D Gluttons Bay at Esplanade

Mee soto and Soto ayam

• Inspirasi Stall, Block 207 New Upper Changi Road Food Centre (serves good Mee rebus as well)

Nasi padang

• Nasi Padang River Valley, 55 Zion Road
• Rumah Makan - Minang P/L, 18 Kandahar Street

Ngoh hiang (five spiced pork fritters)

• China Street Fritters, Stall 64 Maxwell Food Centre
• Hup Kee Ngoh Hiang, Stall 97 Maxwell Food Centre

Oyster omelette

• Hup Kee Fried Oyster, Stall 73 Newton Food Centre

Pepper crab[LIST][*]Long Beach Seafood Restaurant (Black pepper crab; see above; first restaurant to create this dish)[*]No Signboard Seafood Restaurant (White pepper crab), #03-02 VivoCity

Popiah

• Bee Heng, Stall 12 Newton Food Centre
• Old Long House Popiah, Block 22 Toa Payoh Lorong 7, #01-03

Fruit rojak

• Brothers Rojak, Block 449 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-211 See Lam Hern Coffeeshop
• Soon Heng Rojak, Toa Payoh HDB Hub, Basement 1 Gourmet Paradise (Long queues here of up to 40 mins)
• Toa Payoh Rojak, Old Airport Road Hawker Centre #01-108 (Long queues here as well)

Satay

• Alhambra Padang Satay, #01-15C Gluttons Bay at Esplanade
• Fatman Satay, Kopitiam Food Court at Youth Park
• Warong Sudi Mampir, Block 14 Haig Road, #01-19 Haig Road Food Centre

Tau sar piah

• House of Tau Sar Piah, 529 Balestier Road
• Little Red Shop, 611 Balestier Road (Branch at VivoCity B2)
• Tan Hock Seng, 86 Telok Ayer Street #01-01

[Greatfox]

I have to agree with you on Casuarina Curry WSSS, SO GOOOOOOOD! I'd also recommend Lau Pa Sat in the CBD if you can stand the touts the food is great and it's especially fun to eat out in the street at night next to all the satay stalls!

[WSSS]

Yeah, Lau Pa Sat is okay. But I don't really like the food there since its run by Kopitiam. Things there are expensive. I never really had dinner there but don't mind trying. Fatman Satay's main branch is at Youth Park, the boss is at Orchard.

[YK@HKG]

Just had satay at Lau Pa Sat on Thursday...yummy as always...I ate about 20

[HUGE AL]

Anyone been to the roadside Sin Huat Restaurant, 659/661 Geylang Road, Lorong 35?

[9V-JKL]

Anyone been to the roadside Sin Huat Restaurant, 659/661 Geylang Road, Lorong 35?

IMHO the best Duck Rice in SIN

[WSSS]

IMHO the best Duck Rice in SIN

That's Sia Kee Duck Rice, not Sin Huat. Sin Huat serves Crab bee hoon.

And no, I never ate at Sin Huat before, think its overrated.