Ah Lock & Co Review: Highly Rated CBD Eatery With Loaded Min Jiang Kueh And Hakka Bowls

Ah Lock & Co has min jiang kueh and Hakka rice bowls in CBD

There are plenty of good eats in the CBD, especially in Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar. If you happen to be in the area and you’re in the mood for some local fare, head to Guoco Tower, where you’ll find Ah Lock & Co. This casual eatery is highly rated on Google, with close to 3000 reviews and an impressive 4.8-star rating. We recently dropped by to see if they’re worth the hype—read on for our review!

Food at Ah Lock & Co

There are two main arms: Hakka-style rice bowls, and min jiang kueh by Munchi Pancakes.

A good range of Munchi’s Traditional Pancakes is available by the slice, but you won’t find their sandwich-like Munchi Pancakes and Mini Munchies here.

Munchi Pancakes is famous for their modern min jiang kueh flavours, including their signature Original Black Sesame ($1.80). This comprises a plain pancake loaded with a heaping amount of house-made black sesame paste. The MJK slice was properly thicc and chunky; it’s clear to me this hefty snack isn’t for the faint-hearted.

If you’re calorie-conscious, or a smaller eater, it might get a tad jelak. But for me, the bigger and bolder, the better—I wolfed down the pancake in no time. The nutty and fragrant black sesame paste kept me going back for seconds and thirds.

The Original Biscoff ($1.90), which pairs plain min jiang kueh with a caramelised cookie spread middle, was another stellar flavour. This turned out to be my photographer’s favourite, as the filling came packed with generous chunks of Lotus biscuits, adding a pleasant crunch to each bite.

I’d also recommend getting the Charcoal Peanut ($1.60) for the ‘gram. There was no discernible taste difference between the original and charcoal pancakes, so the black tint is purely for aesthetic purposes.

Similar to the previous two flavours, this min jiang kueh was stuffed with a sizeable amount of crunchy peanut butter that oozed out from the side. The filling was rich and nutty, with a slightly salty edge for a nice balance of flavours. This one’s a must-try for fans of classic PB!

Munchi Pancakes’ min jiang kueh were all soft and chewy, with a dense crumb within. If you prefer crispy pancakes, you might not enjoy the ones served here. Personally, I enjoyed Munchi’s fillings much more than the pancake itself—I’d have preferred if the mjk batter was a tad lighter and fluffier.

Should you want something savoury to fill up on, visit from 11am onwards for their Hakka-inspired rice bowls. These halal-friendly bowls come in an array of flavours, including vegetarian-friendly options.

The Hakka Signature Rice Bowl ($8.80) features fried Hakka chicken tofu, Hakka chicken meatball, mani cai, long beans, seaweed, and a special sambal mayo, on a mount of short-grain rice.

While I enjoyed the combination of the chopped veggies with the sambal mayo, the rice was, unfortunately, a tad mushy. The deep-fried items were also dry and hard on the outside, though the meat within was well-seasoned.

Go for the Hakka Black Beef Rice Bowl ($13.80) instead, if you don’t mind splurging. This main was worth the higher price tag as you get a huge portion of yakiniku-style beef slices piled on rice, and paired with a sous vide egg.

The flavoursome beef appeared to be lightly charred, suggesting that the meat was probably torched right before serving. Unfortunately, the egg had already burst when it reached our table, but I’d gladly look past it as the beef was delectable. On top of that, the savoury and greasy sauce here paired well with the rice, separating each grain.

Wash everything down with a cup of Green Tea Soya Bean ($2), which was the perfect complement to the hearty mains and pancakes. I didn’t have high expectations for this drink as it didn’t look like it was made in-house, but it turned out to be smooth and creamy, with a fragrant matcha note that wasn’t too in-your-face.

Ambience at Ah Lock & Co

To get to Ah Lock & Co, alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, where you’ll find Guoco Tower right at the exit. Then, walk all the way to the left and you’ll find the casual eatery, tucked in the corner of the basement. There are around 20-plus seats here, though it quickly became packed during the peak lunch hour.

The verdict

I foresee myself returning to Ah Lock & Co soon for their delicious min jiang kueh and meaty beef bowl, especially since the eatery is in such a central location. What’s more, they’re halal-certified, which means more people can enjoy their fare!

Another popular CBD eatery worth checking out is Surrey Hills Deli, an Australian-inspired cafe selling sandwiches and coffee. Otherwise, visit Whiskdom at Raffles Place for loaded bagels, lava cookies and more!

Address: 7 Wallich Street, #B2-22/23/24, Singapore 078884
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am to 8pm, Sat-Sun 10am to 6pm
Tel: 8218 8696
Website
Ah Lock & Co is a halal-certified eatery.

Photos were taken by Lynette Goh and edited by Melvin Mak.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.