Happy Seafood Village – Feast on Seafood and Zi Char-Style Dishes in an Open-Air Restaurant (Reminds me of JB!)

While we’re definitely excited about crossing the borders to Malaysia to shop and makanI,the pandemic has not made that quite possible. I really miss Johor Bahru (JB) so imagine my excitement when I found a place right here in Singapore that feels almost exactly like a zi char store in JB! Good food and beer? I’m sold.

Located at 1 Lorong 23 Geylang, Happy Seafood Village is an open-air restaurant that dishes out hearty servings of seafood, Szechuan and zi char-style dishes. Kick back and relax as you peruse their expansive menu that has everything from fresh fish dishes and different styles of chicken, to even soup and oysters!

All eyes were on the Stone Pot Lamb ($48), a hearty dish that is quite the uncommon sight in Singapore. The bubbling broth was surprisingly light on the palate, yet full of flavour. It did not have any hint of gaminess from the lamb. It’s also rich in collagen and Vitamin B, which makes it a great boon for your health and skin! As for the lamb chops, they were fall-off-the-bone tender!

At every seafood-centric restaurant, crab dishes are bound to be a highlightl. Besides the perennial Singaporean favourite Chilli Crab that is best paired with Fried Mantou ($6), fan favourite Black Pepper Crab, and highly-raved Salted Egg Crab, you can also indulge in other varieties such as White Pepper Crab, Steamed Crab with Egg, Salt and Pepper Crab, and Bee Hoon with Crab.

That’s not to say that the rest of the dishes on the menu were to be outdone. The Home-made Shrimp Roll ($14 for small, $21 for medium, $24 for large) saw a crispy batter encapsulating generous portions of well-seasoned shrimp paste embedded with chunks of the crustacean. For those who can take a bit of heat, we recommend giving the Stir-Fried Prawns with Garlic and Chilli ($25 for small, $35 for medium, $45 for large) a go!

Speaking of spice, be sure not to underestimate the Geleshan Spicy Chicken ($20). The chicken chunks were tossed in a mix of mind-numbing spices along with lotus root. It can’t get more authentically Szechuan! Other must-try dishes are the crunchy Fried Garlic Pork Belly ($15 for small, $22.50 for medium, $30 for large) that gets more addictive and flavourful with every bite, and the toothsome Braised Duck with Beer & Dry Chilli ($25).

We love our fill of carbs and the Flying Noodles was quite the fun dish to look at(it also makes for the perfect Instagram photo). But the true best part is when you bite into the crispy noodles which have soaked up the moreish gravy, together with the fresh prawns, cauliflower and black fungus.

Happy Seafood Village is not only here to satiate your hunger, but also to quench your thirst and liven up your dining experience with over 20 different types of beer to choose from! Once the sun sets and the fairy lights turn on, it really does bring about a casual, relaxed atmosphere for a memorable feast with family and friends. There’s undoubtedly plenty more delicious dishes to be explored on the menu, so be sure to grab your makan kakis and head on down to Happy Seafood Village!

This post was brought to you by Happy Seafood Village.