You Can Eat Your Way Around The World At These Casual Makan Places In S'pore

You won’t find your usual char siew or tau sar paus here. Started in 2015, Bao Makers is touted as the first in Singapore to offer traditional open-faced Asian-style buns — think pimped up kong bak paus, but filled with a smorgasbord local and international flavours. Take your pick from classic favourites like Belly of Pork and Chilli Crab or trendy options such as Mala Beef and Truffle Mushroom. But that’s not all that you can have. If baos aren’t your thing, there are delectable fusion dishes like sushi rolls, grilled seafood and meats, and even pastas; great for sharing with family and friends.

4 Jiak Chuan Road, Tel: 6291-2330. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

If you’re all about healthy eating, Gentlebros Café is just the place to head to. There’s something for everyone — from flexitarians to vegans — with the café’s great-tasting, nutritious and customisable grain bowls that cater to a range of dietary needs. Every grain bowl is freshly prepared, and food is served proper dine-in wares, instead of one-time use takeaway containers; perfect for a healthy brunch, lunch or light dinner after a gym session.

To complement your healthy grain bowls, there’s also a range of fresh juices, vegan protein shakes, healthy snacks and handcrafted coffees to choose from.

18 Cross Street, #01-111 Cross Street Exchange. WhatsApp 9720-5865 for pre-orders, self-collection and kerb-side pick-ups. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

For a fun night out, check out Moonstone Bar. Previously known as 21Moonstone, it’s since undergone a massive transformation and now serves up a modern contemporary menu influenced by flavours around Asia. A must-try is the M.F.C (Moonstone Fried Chicken), which includes fried chicken drumsticks made with a special recipe served with a side of homemade slaw. Add a portion of curry-spiced fries to complete the meal.

To wash all that down, quench your thirst with the bar’s latest themed cocktail menu, Child of the Tropics. The brainchild of two tropical boys – Moonstone’s veteran bartenders Pascal and Farid, and their island experiences (one’s from the Caribbean and the other is from Singapore) - it features a selection of 19 island-inspired drinks infused with bright flavours and in-season local fruits.

103 Amoy Street, Tel: 6610-3029. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

Looking for a place to dine out with the family? Por Kee Eating House has been serving Cantonese-inspired cuisine in the quaint neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru since 1996, and offers a wide selection of old-school, home-style dishes that tastes just like it came from grandma’s kitchen. Must-tries include the champagne pork ribs that wows with its faint champagne after-taste, and the signature homemade beancurd that is a perfect balance of taste and texture — crispy on the outside and silky soft on the inside. That much sought-after wok-hei that is a must at zi char stalls? Por Kee has it down pat.

69 Seng Poh Lane, #01-02, Tel: 6221-0582. More info via Facebook.

Experience the art of tea appreciation at Yixing Xuan Teahouse that even the Queen of England approves of. Royal visitors aside, this family-run teahouse conducts tea tasting workshops where you will not only learn about the different varieties from pu-er and oolong to green and white teas, but also how to brew the perfect cup as well as health benefits of daily tea drinking. Plus, you can even continue to enjoy the experience at home by picking up a teapot or tea set from teahouse’s specially curated range of tea brewing accessories.

78 Tanjong Pagar Road, Tel: 6224-6961​​​​​​​. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

Transport yourself to the Land of Smiles. For over 20 years, Sawadee Thai has been serving up a range of delectable Thai culinary delights, full of intense and robust flavours. Forget what you know about Thai cuisine. At Sawadee Thai, the dishes are elevated with the use of the freshest and finest ingredients like kurobuta pork, black angus beef, lobsters and even mao shan wang durian.

9 Tan Quee Lan Street, Tel: 6238-6833. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

More than just chicken soup for the soul, The Soup Spoon offers a range of nutritious and wholesome soups that are handcrafted from scratch using fresh ingredients and without the use of preservatives, MSG, artificial flavours and enhancers. With a variety of soups available, there’s no easier way to travel the world one bowl of soup at a time. There’s the light Tokyo Chicken Stew to the rich and creamy Boston clam chowder or jet off to South America with the Mexican chicken tortilla soup. There are 28 stores islandwide, making for a convenient stop to refuel wherever you are.

#B1-K24A Bugis Junction; #B1-62 Raffles XChange; #B1-31 Tanjong Pagar XChange; #01-05 The Metropolis; #03-21 Plaza Singapura. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

Featured in the Michelin Guide Singapore for three years running, Ka-Soh is well-known for its Cantonese style fish soup noodles. Its rich and flavourful broth, extracted from fish bones and achieved through long hours of boiling, is enriched with nutrients — collagen, protein and calcium, and makes for a truly slurp-worthy soup, down to the very last drop.

Besides its signature fish soup noodles, you can also take your pick from its array of zi char dishes, including well-loved favourites like har cheong gai (prawn paste chicken), spare pork ribs and sanlao horfun, or zero in on outlet exclusives such as pork lard fried rice at Outram and prawn noodles at its Greenwood outlet.

In addition, Ka-Soh now offers a range of frozen items that you can purchase so you can enjoy your favourites in the comfort of your home.

2 College Road (Alumni Medical Centre), Tel: 6473-6686; 22 Greenwood Avenue, Tel: 8754-7481. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

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