Excite your tastebuds with these 10 hangout spots in Simpang Bedok

For as long as I can remember, Simpang Bedok has been a food haven for supper-goers staying in the east. I grew up in the east so Simpang Bedok is not unfamiliar territory but instead something close to my heart. Besides the abundance of mouth-watering food, Simpang bedok also offers Karaoke, a small shopping mall (East village) and numerous cafes for you to kickback and chill after work. Included in the list are some of my personal favorites that I usually hit up when I want to unwind or to just hang out with friends.

Sarah’s the pancake cafe

Nestled in East Village, Sarah’s The Pancake Café offers affordable and interesting pancake creations. For something savory, try their Wild Mushrooms ($12) that comes with wild mushroom ragout and veggies on pancakes or the Benedict ($15) that features smoked salmon slices, poached eggs and pancakes all covered in homemade hollandaise sauce. If you’re looking for something to sweeten your day, the Ala Dol ($12) will definitely make your day! It consists of red bean paste-filled crepes dressed with pandan chendol, corn, attap seeds and gula Melaka sauce!

Ambeng Cafe

Just in the vicinity of Sarah’s is Ambeng Café. As the name suggests, they specialize in Nasi Ambeng. We were especially impressed with their rendang and the sambal chilli. We tried the Classic Trio Set D ($48) which is good for 3 or 4 people. It comes with 10 side dishes – ayam kalio, beef rendang, sambal sotong, ikan sambal bali, urap kencur, terung garem asam, sambal goreng, sambal kachang ikan bilis, begedel, telur belado, paru, ikan kering, serunding and sambal belachan. If you’re planning to dine in, remember to make reservations before heading down to avoid disappointment.

Spize

Many supper-goers would be familiar with Spize which is well known for their extensive menu of Asian and Mediterranean delights. They are open all the way till 4am to ensure that you’ll have a warm satisfying tummy before you go to bed. Unlike any of the other places featured in this list, Spize offers a delivery service ($5-$16) depending on distance so you can enjoy your supper in your bed. We tried their Chicken Pesto Linguine ($14.50) and was a tad disappointed. The pasta was well cooked and the servings generous but we felt that the dish lacked the aroma and flavour you’d expect from the pesto sauce. Overall, the dish was a little bland and we would have preferred it to be slightly less oily. However, we’ll definitely go back to try the more popular choices which include their Penang Char Kway Teow($6.90) and Sriracha and Honey glazed chicken wings ($9.50)!

Fish Tales

Tucked behind the bus stop opposite the Simpang post office is a cozy restaurant that serves up some affordable C-food(comfort food) in a comfortable air-conditioned setting. Fish Tales is famous for their Beaurre Au Citron Fish and chips($9.90) and the Cheesy Affair fish and chips($10.90) amongst many other interesting items on their menu. We ordered their Tom Yum Seafood ($12.90) and polished the plate clean! It comes with 2 medium-sized mussels, sotong, prawns and small bits of fish drenched in a rich creamy seafood tom yum sauce. Unlike traditional tom yum soups where the sourness is prevalent, their tom yum sauce leaves only a mild sour aftertaste. The sauce complements the fresh assortment of seafood with a fiery punch. The spice takes a bit of time to set in but when it does, its pretty legit. Fret not, because they offer free flow water to extinguish the flames. Phew! Even though they don’t open for supper, we’ll definitely be back for dinner in the future.

Mahmoodiya restaurant

Perpetually crowded through the night, Mahmoodiya restaurant is a popular hangout place for many. They serve hearty Indian dishes like butter chicken, tandoori chicken, biryani and, of course, prata. I’m a regular patron of this restaurant. I go there for my prata fix every week. For just a buck, you get a thick piece of plain prata with 2 different curries. What I like is the crispy crust and the buttery soft center. If you observe carefully, you’ll also realize that the prata is devoid of any burnt parts! Since they’re open 24 hours, you have the luxury to get your prata fix at any time of any day.

The Burning Oak

If you’re in the mood for Japanese, The Burning Oak is the way to go. They have excellent value-for-money choices like the Waygu Beef Rump Cap Don ($13) which is sure to satisfy your tummy without breaking the bank. We also liked the Wagyu Rump & Iberico Pork Combo Bento ($15) which features tender and juicy slices of meat that really hit the spot. If you’re just looking for a snack to round up your scrumptious dinner, get the Angus Beef Short Ribs Skewers for only $6 per stick.

Tang Tea House Hong Kong Café

It is now common for restaurants to open past midnight due to the budding supper scene here in Singapore. Tang Tea House Hong Kong Café is a Halal-certified restaurant that opens till 2am. They offer more than 200 different items on their menu. Crowd favourites include local delights such as Assam Curry fish head and Char Kway teow. We ordered their signature pan fried crispy bee hoon ($11) and were not disappointed. Fresh lime and chili were served on the side of a satisfyingly rounded omelette filled with sotong, prawns, fish cakes and bee hoon. The crust was light, yet crispy, and it complemented the soft moist bee hoon. Remember to add in the lime and chili for that extra oomph. This is a must try!

Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh

Manned and run by a team of ex-convicts, Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh offers an amazing rendition of the popular Bak kut teh dish. The dry and soup versions are both top-notch in their respective fields. We liked the dry bak kut teh ($6.90) because of the dried cuttlefish which lent a nice crunch and rich flavour. If you’re less adventurous and prefer the soup version ($5.90 for 1 pax, $11.90 for 2-3 pax, $22.90 for 4-5 pax), you won’t be disappointed too. Albeit comparatively milder, the broth offers a rich full-bodied flavor with a hint of sweetness. We liked that the pork was tender and firm. We all need second chances in life, but this bak kut teh won’t need one. 

Badoque Café

Featuring an international menu consisting of Asian, fusion, Mediterranean and even middle eastern cuisines, Badoque is bound to excite your taste buds. Amusingly, Badoque which sounds like Bedok, is in fact a Malay slang for eat. Generous with their portion, this café is well known amongst the Malay community because of the quaint ambience and tasty food. The Badoque ribs ($36), which is their bestseller, comes with a succulent rib lavishly drizzled with a savory brown sauce. We also recommend the Greek salad, seafood pasta, lamb shanks and especially the potato wrapped prawns.

D’zerts Café

Although it’s not in the immediate vicinity of Simpang Bedok, D’zerts café is just about a 5-minute walk away. Opened in 2013 by an ex-navy chef, Lemuel runs this quaint and secluded café that specializes in handmade desserts. They do serve other mains like pasta, juices and coffee too. Their desserts cater to different palates, not just the sweet-toothed café-goers. I was informed that they change up their dessert selection every couple of months to keep things fresh. We decided to get their lemon tart which is an outfit of lemon mousse, lemon curd, almond cream and a roasted marshmallow! As the name suggests, it was really sour. The lemon curd was mildly sweet but was easily overpowered by the tangy bright yellow sprinkle on it. The light lemon curd complemented the crumbly tart really well and helped to balance out the sourness. Overall, I loved the refreshing dessert and I strongly recommend that you visit them for a sweet or sour fix.

For east-siders like myself, Simpang Bedok is irrefutably the quintessential supper place to satisfy your wee-hour cravings. I hope that this food guide will come in handy if you’re new to Simpang.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals 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 cafes/stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!