Eat 3 Bowls Review: Affordable Taiwanese Cafe With Egg Crepe Rolls And More In Sengkang

Eat 3 Bowls has new all-day teatime items in Compass One

ICYMI, Eat 3 Bowls has just opened a new branch in Sengkang! Some of you may recall their previous classroom-themed outlet in Lavender, which they shuttered late last month. This new iteration sees Eat 3 Bowls as a modern Taiwanese cafe in basement one of Compass One━their first mall location.

You may have followed them from their days as a hawker stall in Seah Im Food Centre. For the unacquainted, the Taiwanese cafe was opened by a Singaporean and his Taiwanese wife in Lavender, and is known for their value-for-money and legit Taiwanese fare.

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Food at Eat 3 Bowls

This Sengkang outlet boasts an expanded menu, with well-loved mainstay dishes such as their signature lu rou fan and oyster mee sua, as well as new all-day teatime snacks, which are currently outlet-exclusive.

 

We started with their signature 3 Bowls Signature Trio Combo ($12.90), which comprises three petite-sized bowls served on a wooden tray, perfect for two diners.

A carb lover’s dream, the three bowls consist of lu rou fan, AKA Braised Pork Rice, Oyster and Pig Intestine Mee Sua, and Shredded Chicken Rice.

A trip to Taiwan wouldn’t be complete without having their classic lu rou fan. This iconic dish stars fatty bits of sliced pork belly that are slowly braised in a rich and savoury sauce, and topped with green onions.

The pork belly was melt-in-the-mouth tender, and its sauce carried subtle notes of cinnamon and clove. Just like in Taiwan, this lu rou fan was served with short-grain rice, and I especially like how its stickiness went well with the braised pork.

For those who want just the lu rou fan, they also offer a regular-sized portion at $6.30.

The Oyster and Pig Intestine Mee Sua was my favourite out of the three bowls. This comforting bowl of noodles features a strong bonito-flavoured broth that is accompanied by silky smooth mee sua. It’s then topped with a dollop of minced garlic, plump oysters, and sprigs of fresh coriander.

I enjoyed how the noodles retained a good bite, with the starchy gravy clinging to every strand.

I was impressed by the intestines that had a nice chew without being rubbery. 

Although the portions are referred to as “mini-size” on the menu, I find it to be just right for one person. However, it’s worth noting that the petite bowl contained just one rather small oyster. Nonetheless, I did still enjoy its succulent texture.

If you’re a huge fan of this Taiwanese street food favourite, be sure to check out the regular-sized portion at $8.50.

The last bowl was Taiwanese-style chicken rice, their Shredded Chicken Rice. This dish comes with hand-shredded poached chicken along with a slightly sweet sauce and caramelised shallots.

This was my least favourite out of the three bowls. While I appreciated how the meat was moist and tender, it was rather bland.

If you’re on a budget, they offer a regular-sized portion at $5.90.

Snack-wise, a Taiwanese night market must-have that we loved was their Crispy Fried Chicken & Crispy Mushroom Platter ($7.50).

The oyster mushrooms were coated in a light batter, and deep-fried to achieve an airy, exceptionally crispy texture. While it wasn’t particularly juicy, I could still taste the earthy flavour of the mushrooms. I also appreciated that the seasoning wasn’t overly salty.

The crispy chicken was well-tossed with a house-made mix of savoury spices, including salt, pepper, and chilli powder━which had a slight kick. It was also infused with the aroma of fried basil leaves, which elevated the flavour of the chicken. 

If you want to enjoy them separately, it’s priced at $7.20 for the Salted Crispy Chicken and $6.20 for the Crispy Fried Mushroom.

The highlight of the new additions is their Taiwanese Cold Noodles, and their selection of all-day teatime items comprising various sandwiches and egg crepe rolls.

First up is their Taiwanese Cold Noodles ($5.90), a refreshing dish great for a hot day. This dish features noodles served with a house-made peanut sauce and topped with shredded chicken, cucumber, carrot, and egg.

I’ve had Taiwanese cold noodles with sesame sauce instead of peanut sauce before, so I was excited to try this dish. However, their house-made peanut sauce left me somewhat puzzled. The consistency was almost as thick as chunky peanut butter, and its dark brown colour resembled curry.

It felt like they had added a bit of everything━there was a hint of peanut butter, some unidentified spices, and a touch of tartness. If you’re a fan of peanut butter, you might still enjoy this dish.

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Their noodles, directly imported from Taiwan, were cooked to al dente and had a firm bite. Sadly, since the sauce was already thick, and the noodles chewy, I felt that it got too jelak.

Moving on, a crowd favourite is their Hashbrown Egg Crepe Roll ($7.30), a crispy hashbrown patty wrapped in an egg crepe and served with a garlic soya dipping sauce.

We loved the textural contrast in this dish! The egg crepe was well-fried and maintained a sufficient crispiness without being too oily. Also, you get the satisfying crunch of the hashbrowns and the fluffiness of the omelette which had a thickness reminiscent of tamagoyaki.

If you’re a fan of tuna mayo, go for their Tuna Mayo Egg Crepe Roll ($6.50). This dish has a creamy and savoury filling tuna wrapped in a crispy exterior. I’d recommend dipping this into the garlic soya sauce, which helped cut through the heavy flavours.

Another Taiwanese breakfast delight is their Pork Patty Egg Sandwich ($7.30), which comes with layers of hand-pounded pork patty and shredded mayo cucumber between slices of toasted white bread.

While the pork patty was juicy, I wished it wasn’t as grainy and had a stronger marinade. Fortunately, the thick omelette added a creaminess which balanced the flavours and textures nicely.

Ambience at Eat 3 Bowls

Eat 3 Bowls situated in basement one of Compass One, conveniently located right next to Sengkang MRT Station. Unlike their train-themed Pasir Panjang outlet or the former classroom-themed outlet at Lavender, their Sengkang branch takes on a modern Taiwanese cafe concept with a sleek and clean look.

As part of their minimalistic approach, you may have noticed that Eat 3 Bowls’ new logo has been redesigned to look more simple and refined. These designs━the logo and the iconic landmarks and tourist attractions seen on the brand’s takeaway bowls and cups━were all crafted by a talented Taiwanese artist.

The verdict

While there were a few hits and misses, the mainstay flavours such as their oyster mee sua and lu rou fan are solid options that ought to make you return for more.

For more legit Taiwanese eats, definitely visit Lai Lai Taiwan Casual Dining for their beef noodles and cheesy dan bing. Otherwise, head down to Mohamed Javed Indian Muslim Food nearby for their award-winning crispy prata.

Address: 1 Sengkang Square, #B1-17, Compass One, Singapore 545078
Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 9:30pm
Website
Eat 3 Bowls is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Kaedynce Chew.
This was a media tasting at Eat 3 Bowls.