7 Great Places to Visit The Next Time You’re at Simei

I won’t lie, it was pretty tough finding good food within walking distance from Simei MRT(apart from the typical fast food outlets). Even my friends who stay at Simei were sceptical that I could do a write-up on good food in Simei. Let us know if we have missed out on any hidden gems.

J-Story

This casual Korean restaurant with another branch at Capitol Plaza specializes in Porridge. However, they ran out of porridge when we were there on a Sunday night, despite it being only 7.30pm. Undeterred, we tried the Cheese Dak Galbi Hotplate Set ($10.80) which comes with peach tea.

Our sizzling hotplate arrived promptly, with lettuce, slices of chicken, rice cakes and of course, cheese. The cheese was quite evenly spread over the top of the ingredients and was nicely melted (perfect for the #cheesepull shot). The cheese complements the meat instead of overpowering it. Save those rice cakes because there are only 2-3 on one hotplate.

Sakura Halal Thai Chinese Restaurant

This halal-certified Thai restaurant is more like a Muslim-friendly tze char place. It serves up a huge variety of dishes, which ranges from the popular Oyster Omelette ($12/$16/$20) to Chilli Crab (from $29).

We tried the Golden Oats Chicken ($10/$15/$20) which comes with a generous portion of fragrant smelling oats. The chicken comes in popcorn-sized chunks. They look tiny, but they weren’t coated with too much batter nor were they fatty. The curry leaves provide a subtle curry fragrance, but the amount of chilli padi was lacking. Could have been more spicy, in my opinion! 

三宝板面 (San Bao Ban Mian)

This stall in Hola Cafeteria, just beside Simei MRT, is rather popular. We tried their Dry You Mian ($3.80) which comes with a fragrant sauce with fried onions. While the noodles were too starchy and got dry quickly, I thought that the chilli was satisfying enough to make up for it. It would have been better if the egg wasn’t overcooked, to allow the creamy yolk to mix with the noodles. The fried anchovies stayed crispy despite having been tossed around in the noodles, and were extra savoury after soaking up the sauce at the bottom of the bowl. 

Snack Shop Chicken Rice

Come here if you’re on a tight budget, because their chicken rice is so affordable! At just $2.50, you get a decent portion of chicken on top of fragrant, savoury rice. Sure, there isn’t any free-flow cucumbers or achar here, but the yummy rice which can be eaten on its own sure makes up for it. While the ingredients are simple, this makes for a fuss-free meal that can be eaten in less than 15mins. If you’re craving for a more hearty meal to fill your tummy, you can add on extra dishes(they seem to be a cai png store as well). Also, get some of their chilli – its addictive!

Jiaxiang Pancake

This place has one of the most impressive min jiang kueh menus I’ve seen. They have Black Sesame ($1.40) and Corn ($1.10) for those with a sweet tooth and even Cai Po + Egg + Spring Onion + Carrot ($1.80) if you want a heavier snack or a quick meal replacement. We tried the classic Peanut ($1.10) because I wanted a clear taste of the chinese pancake without all the frills! The lady manning the store is extremely generous with the portion of peanuts. Do get a plate because its going to get really messy. I liked that the batter of the pancake was done just right, and it was made to order, making it crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The peanuts weren’t too sweet as well. If you’re eating this on the go, consider getting the Peanut Paste ($1.10) as it is a less messy option.

Cantonese Porridge @ Hola Cafeteria

You might spot a long queue at this store which sells Cantonese-style porridge. We tried the Sliced Fish Porridge ($4) which comes with a whole stick of youtiao (dough fritters)! The fish was well cooked and did not have a fishy smell and went well with the generous ginger slices that came on top of our bowl. The porridge could be smoother and creamier. Although it isn’t of the highest quality, it is still a bowl of comfort food that is almost perfect for a cold day. Add an egg($0.50) for extra happiness!

Metta Cafe

Established in 2014 by Metta Welfare Association, Metta Cafe aims to provide vocational training for students with mild intellectual disabilities and/or autism who have graduated from Metta School. The menu changes every four weeks and they have daily specials. With vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, dietary restrictions are well taken care off here. We tried their best-seller – the Olive Fried Rice ($4). It comes with carrots, peas, corn and mock meat. We thought that it was rather tasty, but lacked wok-hei and was too oily for us. They offer whole cakes and other bakes such as homemade eggless cookies as well! The public may access Metta Cafe via the main gate or the side gate near the bus stop.

The next time I’m around Simei, I’ll be sure to grab a min jiang kueh to munch on from Jiaxiang Pancake. The impressive range of toppings certainly sets them apart from the quintessential pancake store. Other than that, Sakura Halal Thai-Chinese restaurant is a good place to bring your Muslim friends for a hearty meal!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!