We Found A $7 Cai Fan Buffet With Unlimited Lychee Fish, Honey Pork And More

Jiale Kopitiam has a $7 lunch buffet in Jalan Besar

You might have read our recent news on 131 Mookata’s $19.90 buffet. But what if I told you there’s an even more irresistible deal at their new outlet in Jalan Besar, Jiale Kopitiam, offering an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for just $7?

I did not stutter: the buffet offers a multitude of cai fan dishes for the low price of $7, without any hidden fees, GST, service charge, or gimmicks, as confirmed by our visit. It’s available from Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 2pm.

Such an affordable price is usually derived from 1-for-1 deals or discounts. Still, the $7 pricing here is plain and simple—it’s $7 even if you’re dining alone. You can also eat all you want for the entire duration of four hours.

What’s the catch, then, you may ask? Could it be from a low quality of dishes?

We’re happy to confirm that the answer to that question is a resounding NO. You aren’t going to find gourmet-standard food here, but each cai fan dish was palatable enough, and some stood out as hits worth going back for more. 

What’s on offer here rotates daily. We started with the Yangzhou Fried Rice—it wasn’t anything special, but served as a great base for the toppings to come.

Those who prefer noodles can go for their Ee Fu Noodles, which were moist yet springy.

I am personally a fan of eggplants, and the Long Bean with Eggplant here was a pretty good rendition, with the veggies neither too mushy nor too crunchy. 

Here’s what our first plate looked like—piled with Scrambled Egg with Corn, Curry Chicken, Masala Chicken, Hotplate Tofu, and Chicken Nuggets. These were not the most noteworthy, but considering their unlimited nature, we thought it was a steal. 

Later in the buffet, the Honey-Glazed Pork was served. While the pieces with fat were enjoyable and the sweet marinade had good flavour, we found the lean meat to be rather tough.

The absolute winner of the buffet was the Lychee Fried Fish, which ran out almost as quickly as it was introduced. 

The fish was soft and tender, pairing excellently with the sweet-tangy lychee sauce that coated the fried pieces well. The addition of whole lychee pieces also elevated each bite with a fruity chew.

Drinks are not included in the buffet, but you can expect kopitiam standards such as kopi, teh, canned drinks, and even Thai Milk Tea here.

Don’t forget that you can also enjoy their Mookata Buffet or Steamboat Buffet at $19.90 from 12pm onwards, all in this airy, spacious coffeeshop. 

If the $7 buffet at Jiale Kopitiam interests you, you definitely should check out our cheap buffets guide. The legendary Sungei Road Laksa is also located nearby, which we featured in our laksa ranked guide. 

Address: 28 Kelantan Road, Singapore 200028
Opening hours: 10am to 12am
Website
Jiale Kopitiam is not a halal-certified eatery. 

Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was a tasting at Jiale Kopitiam.