Hey everyone!
Recently, a lot of blog posts on food recommendations have surfaced on Facebook. Although organised geographically, these posts merely cover areas which are already known to have good food and they are typically located in the Eastern side of Singapore which is so far away from where I live (but no doubt there are really nice food in the East coz I really love both Bar Chor Mee stalls at Bedok 85).
Places in the west are seldom mentioned and it’s really, really sad. But does that mean my hometown, Bukit Batok, has nothing nice to eat? As a resident of Bukit Batok for 23 years (I have already moved FYI 😦 but I still return on a weekly basis for work!), I can vouch for the falsity of this statement. There are great food in this area and if you don’t know where to find them, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this post, I’ll be taking you through the list of top food finds in this neglected part of Singapore with additional input from my cabby Dad (because taxi drivers are also food experts right?). Bukit Batok, for the record, also includes Bukit Gombak (one of the 8 sub-zones of Bukit Batok).
Let’s begin!
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1. Alif Restaurant (previously Thohirah Restaurant)
This Muslim-Indian eating place formally known as Alif needs no introduction (edit: it has been renamed to Alif again). Even though it has been bought over (or so I’ve heard) by Thohirah (which has a pretty famous outlet at Jalan Kayu), it still remains as one of the supper hotspots in Bukit Batok. Highly raved by food bloggers and celebrities (e.g. Taufik Batisah in the 2005 Coffee Talk and Hawker Woks) alike, it is also very popular among youngsters who need a place to chill with their friends. I’d say it’s a landmark of Bukit Gombak apart from the driving centre (BBDC) because everyone who has been to the area would have seen it before.
Thohirah Bukit Gombak
Thohirah occupies two separate units (both beside McDonald’s). I frequent the one directly beside McDonald’s more because that’s where you can buy their famous Roti Prata. They are very generous with the cheese slices in their Cheese Prata to ensure that every part it would have some traces of cheese. Thirsty? Forget about Bandung or canned drinks which are readily available anywhere. Order a cup of hot, fragrant and well-pulled Teh Tarik instead. If you’re not a tea drinker, get yourself a cup of Milo Dinosaur. It comes in a relatively large cup with lots of Milo powder on it. So sinful but oh-so-good.
The other unit serves noodle and rice dishes like Mee Goreng (which I’m a huge fan of), Mee Rebus and Nasi Briyani, so if you’re a big eater, you could dine there instead.
And the best part? Thohirah has free Wi-Fi (Wireless@SG), thanks to their neighbour McDonald’s. Of course, the signal strength depends on where you are seated.
374 Bukit Batok St. 31
#01-204
Singapore 650374
Tel: 6564 6324
Operating hours: 24 hours
2. 新口味卤鸭饭 / Xin Kou Wei Braised Duck Rice
There are several coffee shops in the vicinity but Hong Kah Food Place (formally 五十千/50,000/Gor Zhap Cheng which aunties and uncles I know still call it today) has always been among the top on my list for its array of delicious eats. Most of these stalls only operate in the morning and will be closed by 4pm. Xin Kou Wei is one of them and their braised duck is so scrumptious that it usually sells out by 2pm.
Super tasty duck meat soaked in nice black sauce
Duck noodles soup. There’s also a dry version that comes with a small bowl of soup
The Fishball Noodles beside the Duck Rice stall is also not too bad, but the portion is quite small and their fishballs always run out before noon..
(OFF TOPIC, read caption above) Fishball noodles from next door! You guys can give it a try.
Like many other duck rice stalls, it also serves kway chap and duck noodles (dry and soup) for those who can’t stomach rice in the morning. But I’m just going to recommend their duck noodles soup because it’s something I’d always go for. The soup is very tasty and has a very mild herbal taste to it but it is definitely not repulsive or anything. The herbal taste would gradually dissipate once it mixes with the the sauce on the braised duck.
Hong Kah Food Place
376 Bukit Batok St. 31 (near Giant Supermarket)
Singapore 650374
Operating hours: 5.00am to 2.00pm
3. Siang Yuan (香袁) Porridge
Siang Yuan started out as a coffee shop (now a Muslim coffeeshop) in the late nineties behind what is now known as The Madeira Condominium (was previously an empty field). It used to serve the same porridge in the day and tze char in the night until they decided to scale down their business. I’ve been their loyal patron ever since they started their porridge business and I can vouch that the standard remains good over the years.
My usual fish porridge topped with lots of spring onion, fried fritters (You Tiao) and fried silver fish
Love the smooth texture of the fish slices!
Craving for it right now.
Their fish porridge is my breakfast staple (on days I don’t feel like eating a lot). The serving is a little small as compared to others you know but it’s really good. The thick porridge comes topped with crispy silver fish, chopped scallion and fried cut you tiao, making the dish extremely fragrant and flavourful. I would always order my fish porridge with egg, which is just an additional of 30 cents.
Hong Kah Food Place
376 Bukit Batok St. 31 (near Giant Supermarket)
Singapore 650374
Operating hours: 7.00am to 2.00pm. Closed on Mondays
4. Mei Hao (美好) Noodle House
A rather new addition to the food court, it proves to be very popular as they are always swamped with orders, especially on weekends. If you’re a noodle or soup person, you should totally try their 生面 (plain noodles with soup) because it’s always served piping hot and garnished with lots of pepper, fresh greens, pork meat, shelled prawns and most importantly, an egg!
Due to the hot temperature of the soup, the egg cooks pretty fast so be sure to lift it up the moment the dish is delivered to your table (unless you don’t mind hard-boiled egg). The broth is light on the palate and it also feels super healthy and refreshing especially when consumed during cold weather. I’m not sure what kind of noodles they use but it’s very chewy and definitely not something I see very often (the closest I can think of is probably Ramen).
Noodle with soup. This gives me a very homely feel because my Mom used to prepare something like that for lunch during my primary school days with all the de-scaled prawns and fresh greens. Knowing that I’m a huge fan of runny eggs, she’d also add one into my bowl, just like this!
The dry version that also comes with a bowl of soup.
Siang Yuan Porridge and Mei Hao Noodle House are just next to each other! Despite being there only for a relatively short period of time, Mei Hao’s owners have grown to be really great friends with Siang Yuan’s. I’ve seen both tenants helping each other out with the delivery of food to the patrons’ table, and sometimes even helping to take orders for the busier one! How heartwarming 🙂
Hong Kah Food Place
376 Bukit Batok St. 31 (near Giant Supermarket)
Singapore 650374
Operating hours: Closed on Mondays
5. 郎胜福建虾面 / Long Sen Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee
Moving on to a neighbouring coffeeshop which also has a huge variety of food choices, we have Long Sen that is pretty well-known for its Hokkien Prawn Mee. Some people think that it’s not bad but I feel that it’s a little too watery and they are also not very generous with the ingredients. To each his own I guess! You guys can give it a shot if you’re around the area.
But what I recommend from this stall is actually their Prawn Mee Soup. This underrated dish has awesome tongue-tingling broth which has a very unique taste. It is not the thick kind of soup that has an overwhelming prawn flavour, but it sure is very addictive.
Prawn Noodles Soup
It may not be very visible from the walkway because it’s partially hidden behind the coffee stall.
Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
371 Bukit Batok St. 31 (behind Prime Supermarket)
Singapore 650371
6. 实美芽菜鸡饭 / Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice
This stall always attracts a long queue of buyers especially during lunch time. Easily the most popular stall in the coffeeshop, Shi Mei serves smooth and tender chicken meat with beansprouts tucked underneath and doused with savoury gravy. Apart from the steamed and blanched chicken meat, they also serve other kinds like roasted chicken, chicken cutlet, lemon chicken and so on which are also quite tasty.
Chicken Rice Set for One (source)
Shi Mei Hainanese Chicken Rice (source)
Do note that beansprouts are not automatically provided for takeaways so you have to request for them.
Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
371 Bukit Batok St. 31 (behind Prime Supermarket)
Singapore 650371
Operating hours: 8.00am til sold out (typically by 7.00pm)
7. 旺旺粥品 / Claypot Congee
A great alternative to Siang Yuan, porridge here is served in a claypot to retain the heat throughout the meal. It is a lot more watery than Siang Yuan’s (but still very tasty), perfect for people on a low-carb diet like yours truly 😀 It would still be bubbling hot for a long time though so do not order if you’re in a rush (or risk burning your tongue, like me on several occasions. You’ve been warned).
Wang Wang Claypot Congee (source)
I don’t know about you but I’m a sucker for anything claypot. Anything that is served in a claypot would naturally appeal to me because somehow, the burnt and perfectly cooked areas blend really well to produce a very fragrant smell. Likewise, I usually go for their Sliced Fish Porridge with an additional egg which hardens really fast under the boiling congee. The fish slices are a little rougher (Mom says that it’s a cheap kind of fish), but still acceptable.
Boyfriend ordered this and loved it: Century Egg Congee
Oops, forgot to snap a picture before I accidentally broke the egg while trying to look for it (I believe I’m not the only one who does this all the time -_-). Here’s my Sliced Fish Congee!
Sin Huat Lee Restaurant
371 Bukit Batok St. 31 (behind Prime Supermarket)
#01-326
Singapore 650371
Operating hours: 7.00am to 10.00pm
8. 金味穈 / Teochew Porridge
This Teochew Porridge stall has been around for a long time but I think it was only recently acquired by 金味. Still, its standards have not dropped and it’s still as popular as ever, having able to attract people from all around Singapore. It has a very wide spread of food to choose from so you are bound to be spoilt for choice. However, prices have gone up steadily over the years but it’s still within the affordable range.
Teochew Porridge
Menu on their signboard
Some of the dishes they offer (source)
Foodclique
347 Bukit Batok St. 34
Singapore 650347
Operating hours: Opens daily til 2.00am
9. Blk 359 Economic Fried Beehoon and Noodles
I have personally only bought from this stall once because the food sells like hotcakes and it closes even before I wake up! So my Dad (who is a morning person) was always the one that did the buying.
Their econ fried noodles is probably one of the best I’ve tasted so far and it’s extremely affordable! But as mentioned earlier, this makeshift stall is extremely popular (especially with the early risers, like cabbies) so they tend to sell out really fast! With its unusual operating hours, this stall makes an ideal choice for late night supper and breakfast 🙂
Sorry, no pictures of this yet until I’m disciplined enough to wake up early for it 
Meng Soon Huat Food Centre
359 Bukit Batok St. 34 (A small makeshift cart beside the drinks stall)
Singapore 650359
Operating hours: 4.30am til sold out (typically about 10.00am)
10. 瑞记香港烧腊 / Rui Ji Hong Kong Roasted Delights
NOTE: Rui Ji has moved! Follow their Facebook page for more information or scroll to the bottom for their new address.
Since my trip to Hong Kong last December, I’ve been craving for Cantonese cuisine especially roasted meat and Rui Ji is the closest I can get to the real deal in Bukit Batok. The queue (or crowd, because the one taking orders is extremely attentive and has superb eyesight and memory so queues are technically unnecessary) at the stall front is an obvious testimony to their excellent culinary skills. On top of the thick, tender and savoury roasted duck meat they serve, the soup that comes along with it is just so good, I wouldn’t mind paying for it.
Roasted Duck Noodles (dry), S$2.50
Yummy!
Besides noodles, the stall also sells rice dishes such as Char Siew (roasted pork) rice which is equally delicious.
Char Siew Rice and I can’t really remember the price. It is either S$3 or S$3.50.
Rui Ji Hong Kong Roasted Delights (old venue)
New venue (next to the car park)
Block 272
Bukit Batok East Avenue 4
Singapore 650272
Operating hours: Closed on Tuesdays
11. 如意园素食 / Ru Yi Yuan Vegetarian Food
I haven’t forgotten all about you, vegans! There are at least 3 vegetarian stalls in Bukit Batok, but I believe this particular one garners the most votes from vegan foodies with the only complaints so far about their food selling out really fast. Having said that, this stall is also quite popular with casual eaters especially the Buddhists. Long queues are common on days when Buddhists have to abstain from meat (齋戒) so be sure to avoid those occasions if you don’t want to wait!
Mixed Beehoon and Noodles with some mock meat and a large piece of crispy bean curd skin
More mock meat
Ru Yi Yuan Vegetarian
Kopitiam (just across the one above)
273 Bukit Batok East Ave 4
Singapore 650273
Operating hours: 5.30am til sold out
12. Jun Corner ▪ Nasi Padang (Malay Rice)
NOTE: Stall has shifted to Block 272. Address has been updated below.
One of the perks of living in Singapore is that you get to eat food from different cultures anywhere you are! Thus it’s not surprising that delectable ethnic foods are readily available in Bukit Batok so you don’t have to travel so far to get your food fix.
Jun Corner Nasi Padang (old venue)
Now you see them. Very soon they’ll all be gone!
My favourites in one picture
Despite having rather low tolerance for spicy food, I still cannot resist Nasi Padang, especially from Jun Corner even though eating it would mean that I have to gulp down a few glasses of water. It’s just too shiok to stop. My go-to dishes are Sotong Hitam (squid in black ink), Ayam Goreng (fried chicken wings but only when they’re still hot, otherwise they’d be stiff and hard to chew), Sambal Udang (my top favourite because the prawns are always so chewy and sweet!) and Assam stingray when I have a few more dollars to spare. As you can see, I only go for the meat hence my plate usually costs a lot more than usual (at least $7?). I can’t remember how their Kang Kong tastes but I think it should be mediocre considering that I don’t usually order that. But my Mom loves their french beans.
My portion, ~S$4? Kinda looks like kids’ meal hehehe.
A more balanced meal.
(NEW LOCATION)
272 Bukit Batok East Ave 4
Singapore 650272
Operating hours: Early morning til sold out (typically by 1pm). Closed on Mondays.
13. 可口鸭饭 / Ke Kou Duck Rice
NOTE: Owners of Ke Kou Duck Rice plan to retire and will cease operation end October 2017. Hurry down and get your fill of their scrumptious braised duck before it is gone for good 😿 #RIPSGHawkers
If roasted duck isn’t to your liking, why not try braised duck instead? Tucked between residential blocks near Bukit Batok MRT (actually, it’s just 5-7 minutes walk away and relatively near to SHATEC), Ke Kou has risen to popularity among taxi drivers with its tasty and well-marinated braised duck. Patrons have the choice of yam rice, normal white rice or “Kway” (of Kway Chap). You can also ask for an extra bowl of “zhap” (gravy) if you want.
Portion for three!
With egg
And the very generous amount of gravy!
Kway
Porridge
Their stewed eggs are also nice and soft unlike some other stalls that sell eggs that feel like rubber. The soup has a mild herbal taste and it’s really comforting because it’s always served hot! Shiok. Even more so if you like tao gay (bean sprouts) because as you can see from the picture above, there’s a lot of them!
Ke Kou Duck Rice
FoodPark Food Court
207 Bukit Batok St. 21
Singapore 650207
Operating hours: 9.00am – 9.00pm daily
14. 肥仔荣食摊 / Fatty Weng
Fatty Weng is the biggest tenant in the coffeeshop. It serves fish soup, fried oyster omelette and fried carrot cake (only available in the morning) in one unit and roasted pork in another, side by side. Being part of a nationwide chain, this stall opens every day even on Mondays when fish soup stalls typically close (because wet markets close on Mondays). However, they hardly disappoint with their clear and tasty soup with plenty of smooth and supple fish slices. They are also very generous with their greens and tofu. Definitely a very healthy food choice!
Fatty Weng
Fatty Weng but this only sells roasted meat
The best sliced fish soup in Bukit Batok, hands down.
Love the clear soup and smooth fish slices!
Their oyster omelette is another must-order when you’re there. I usually opt for chilli to be added to give it an extra kick. It’s crispy on the surface and has good mix of eggs and starch. The amount of oysters is also quite reasonable but like traditional “or jian”, this can be a little too oily to some. But it’s acceptable to me 🙂
Fried Oyster Omelette a.k.a Or Jian
Fried to perfection :-9
Yong Xing Coffeeshop
155 Bukit Batok St. 11
#01-324
Singapore 650155
Operating hours: 11.00 am – 10.00 pm daily
15. 顺记福建炒虾面 / Soon Kee Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
Previously at Yong Xing Coffeeshop (behind) before finally shifting to its current location 3 years ago due to high rents, Soon Kee is considered to be the best in Bukit Batok by many. Their Hokkien Prawn Mee is fragrant and more towards the wet side. It also serves really nice chilli, thus they’d charge additional 50 cents if you ask for more.
I used to love this a lot until standards started dropping after the relocation. I couldn’t finish my $3 plate of Hokkien Mee (the minimum amount) the last time I was there because it was terribly bland. But it could be a one-off experience so do give it a try!
Soon Kee Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
Fried Hokkien Mee
Li Soon Eating House (behind the above)
155 Bukit batok St. 11
#01-322
Singapore 650155
Operating hours: Closed on Mondays
16. Eng Kee Noodle House
(The previous feature – Ba Ji Satay Beehoon – has ceased operation in December 2014)
Known for its springy and moist Wanton noodles and crispy fried Wanton dumplings, Eng Kee is also a queue magnet which was originally at Yong Xin Coffeeshop. Even so, standard has been maintained over the years and the service is still as fast as ever. Most importantly, the price for a plate of Wanton Mee still remains the same although it had shifted to a newer and cleaner location.
Wanton Mee
Chicken feet noodles and my favourite crispy fried wanton dumplings!
The fried dumplings are my absolute favourite from this stall and it’s something I’d never fail to order whenever I have my lunch at Li Soon (even on days I don’t feel like having Wanton Mee). The size, as you can see from the picture above, is larger than any fried dumplings you see elsewhere. Each piece is brimmed with a rather generous amount of filling and the skin is really crispy! 🙂
Li Soon Coffeeshop
Blk 155 Bukit Batok St. 11
Singapore 650155
Operating hours: 6.00am to 8.30pm. Closed on alternate Mondays
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UPDATE (16-04-2015) : 2 MORE ADDITIONS
Hey guys, thank you so much for your overwhelming response to the original list above! I had personally tried out some recommendations that were put forward several times in the comments section and the following is what I feel deserve to be on here 🙂 I will be trying out others soon too so keep the recommendations coming!
17. 顺义砂煲鸡贩 / Shun Yee Claypot Chicken Rice
It was an impromptu trip to Shun Yee (previously Soon Yee) one Sunday afternoon. I was kinda worried that we would have to wait for a long time to be served since I was advised to make a booking over the phone prior to my arrival. But to my surprise (or maybe I was just lucky), our order came within 20 minutes which is typical of claypot rice due to the time-consuming method of preparation, and relatively fast for a portion for 3 I must say.
The aromatic claypot rice topped with lap cheong and salted fish
Stir ah stir. I love my Claypot Rice black and slightly greasy hehehe *guilty*
Honestly, it was a rather small portion for three adults, so do upsize your order if you’re big eaters like us. Otherwise, order individual bowls if you can afford to wait (maybe that’s when phone booking comes in handy). I also felt that there wasn’t enough salted fish to go around even when mixed thoroughly, so I will definitely ask for more salted fish the next time I dine there.
But tastewise, their signature claypot chicken rice was really good, tasty and fragrant! The rice was done to perfection and not overcooked at all so it was slightly crusty on the outside (love!) but soft and moist on the inside. I don’t remember having to scrape much burnt rice from the sides at the end so yay to minimal food wastage!
Unfortunately I had forgotten to ask for the contact number to make bookings so if you have it, please feel free to share in the comments below.
Coffee & Tea Coffeeshop
150 Bukit Batok St. 11
(Opposite Bukit Batok Presbyterian Church)
Singapore 650150
18. 正宗香港烧腊云吞面 / Zheng Zong Hong Kong Roasted Meat & Noodle
Previously located at the coffee shop next to Bukit Batok Community Club (and before that, at Block 109 coffee shop), it serves a variety of roasted meat from char siew to duck to chicken. Basically, the best of Hong Kong under one roof, just lacking my favourite goose meat. It had recently moved to a more inaccessible location on the topmost level of a not-so-modern-looking industrial building and occupying two units (one for noodles, and another for rice). Yet, there was still a queue for it (people who seemed like regular customers and not manual workers for sure) when I was there past noon at the otherwise quiet canteen. If people are willing to travel all the way to this godforsaken place for the food, then it must be a place worth visiting.
Shui gao soup
Shui gao
Shui gao filling
The soup was flavourful and thick. I wasn’t fond of the dumpling fillings although they were in very generous amount as they tasted a little bland in my opinion. But that’s alright because it’s not the highlight of the meal.
Roasted duck noodles
The roasted duck meat was plentiful and sliced in thick slices, making every dollar spent count and worthwhile! The meat was tender and juicy and the gloriously glistening skin makes it even more divine. The gravy was good too but it would have been better if was a little more flavourful. Still, it’s still a great deal for under S$5.
Roasted duck rice
Roasted duck rice
Char siew rice
However, contrary to appearance, the char siew was slightly disappointing because the meat on its own tasted a little dry and tough.
I’m not sure if the portion sizes were dramatically increased to cater to the appetite of the manual workers (who logically should make up most of their customer base now) but everything seemed to be served in large servings, including the amount of rice. It was astonishing! Even the family beside us was in shock and disbelief when individual plates of rice were served to their table (self-service, by the way). I bet one serving could satisfy 2 adults to the full. None of us managed to finish our rice in the end.
Food there is extremely value-for-money and better than average in general. But tastewise, I feel that it loses out to Rui Ji Hong Kong Roasted Delights.
SkyTech Building
2 Bukit Batok St 24
Level 9 Canteen
Singapore 659480
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And there you have it, the best food in Bukit Batok! Agree or disagree? I believe there are more that I haven’t discovered so please feel free to let me know in the comments below should you have any other recommendations! I’m open to other choices because having too much of the nicest food would also make you sick of it somehow.
Thanks for reading! ❤
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