Red House Seafood Nanyang Review: Popular Restaurant With Over 47 Years Of History In Clarke Quay

Red House Seafood Nanyang is a popular restaurant in Clarke Quay

Chinese New Year is right around the corner, which means reservations for reunion dinners have officially begun. If you’re on the search for a restaurant with a central location, fresh seafood, and lovely ambience, Red House Seafood Nanyang is a name you should take note of.

This restaurant has been around since 1976, for over 47 years and counting, which I think is a good litmus test for how delicious their food is. My colleague and I were invited to try some of their signature dishes at the newly revamped Clarke Quay outlet, and let’s just preface this review by saying we left the restaurant with a satisfied tummy and a wide grin. 

Food at Red House Seafood Nanyang

We began with the incredible Chef’s Trio of Squid Platter ($38++/$76++). This signature dish comes with three types of squid: BBQ Squid, Crispy Baby Squid, and Golden Calamari Squid.

My colleague and I agreed that the Golden Calamari Squid was our favourite out of the three. I particularly liked that they were served in bite-sized strips instead of the usual ring-shaped pieces as it made it easier to eat. Plus, the deep-fried batter remained thin while the squid within was chewy. All of these elements came together with the house-made salted egg sauce—the rich, salty flavour had us going back for more, and we could barely resist clearing the platter.

Their BBQ Squid was equally delicious. Marinated for four hours in chilli and curry powders, it was no surprise that the grilled squid was tender and tasty with a slightly charred flavour. If you’re big on spice, we recommend dipping it in their sweet-spicy house-made chilli sauce for more punch.

Then there’s the Crispy Baby Squid, which would make the perfect snack to munch on while catching up with your loved ones over a meal. The sweet and crispy baby squid was coated in oyster and plum sauce, which I found to be too sticky towards the end of our meal. When we left it out for some time during our shoot, it became a little difficult to eat as the sauce hardened pretty quickly. But if you want a change from the usually chewy squid, this gives a nice textural contrast.

Moving on to our next dish, the Spicy Seafood Combination ($38++/$76++) is another delightful must-try on the menu. Don’t let the name scare you—it isn’t as spicy as it looks.

We were impressed by the variety of seafood in this single dish: you get scallops, grouper, prawns, and squid stir-fried together with a moderately spicy sauce that’s made in-house. When I took my first bite, I was a little confused by the citrusy flavour. Turns out, the savoury sauce is made with lemongrass, which explains the slightly tangy aftertaste. Also, the grouper had me in a chokehold—it was firm and plump, soaking up the moreish sauce really well. 

There are three Red House Seafood branches across Singapore, with each restaurant boasting different specialities. Over here, they are best known for their giant grouper. A beloved dish that best represents the outlet’s speciality is the Giant Grouper Stewed with Beancurd Skin and Garlic (seasonal price). 

If I weren’t told that this Cantonese-style claypot dish was made with giant groupers, I would have mistaken it for braised chicken instead, at first glance. You get chewy, slightly gelatinous, and tender fish stewed in a fermented soybean paste, along with smooth beancurd skin and shiitake mushrooms. The best way to eat this dish is to pair it with a bowl of rice so that you can mix it with the sweet-savoury sauce!

If you wish to cleanse your palate at this point, try their warm and comforting Double-Boiled Fish Broth with Sliced and Fried Giant Grouper Fish Fillet ($18.80++). Though each bowl only comes with a few pieces of sliced and fried fish submerged in a milky soup, the preparation for this dish is said to be labour-intensive. The broth is boiled with pork and grouper bones for about eight hours, giving it a deep and robust flavour. 

But considering its small portion, I’m not quite sure if the broth was worth the hefty price tag. Also, the addition of fried fish resulted in the soup being slightly greasy. Nonetheless, the tasty broth made up for the minor flaws, and fans of fish soup will still like what they find here.

Saving the best for the last, their Purple Glutinous Rice Cake was just melt-in-the-mouth delicious. It’s layered with traditional nian gao and purple glutinous rice, and covered with bits of grated coconut. This, too, requires a lot of time and effort to prepare—the nian gao is steamed for 45 minutes, then further steamed for 90 minutes after it’s topped with the glutinous rice. Do note that this dessert is only available if you order the CNY set menu.

Ambience at Red House Seafood Nanyang

Red House Seafood Nanyang is great for larger family gatherings of five to eight, and also perfect for intimate corporate lunches as there are private rooms here. We enjoyed dining amid the spacious and quaint interior while taking glances at the beautiful views of the lush greenery. Also, kudos to the stellar service here—the staff was always on the ball, ready to cater to our needs with a smile on their faces.

The verdict

During our visit, we were seated beside a table of tourists from Korea who seemed to enjoy their dining experience. This restaurant gets a nod of approval from both locals and tourists alike, so I think it’s a safe bet to bring your family and friends here, especially during the festive period. You can make your reservations here!

If you love seafood as much as we do, read our Yang Ming Seafood review for lobster chee cheong fun and crab pao fan. You can also check out Ah B Seafood White Mee Hoon for XL prawn and crayfish bee hoon at Golden Mile. 

Address: 3C River Valley Road, #01-02/03, The Cannery, Singapore 179022
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10pm
Tel: 6442 3112
Website
Red House Seafood Nanyang is not a halal-certified eatery. 

Photos taken by Raelynn Ng.
This was a media tasting at Red House Seafood Nanyang.