When I was a JC student, I was envious of the wide variety of food options available to Polytechnic students. While I only had a canteen and one cafe to dine at, Poly students have multiple food courts and cafes to choose from! If the endless options are daunting and you don’t know what to eat, this Republic Polytechnic food guide comprising recommendations from current students and alumni will come in handy.
Table of Contents
This Mala Xiang Guo stall was the first place mentioned by many students whom we interviewed. They were quick to highlight that the stall is halal-certified, making it a great lunch spot for you and your Muslim friends! You can choose from a wide variety of ingredients to add to the mala, including Quail Egg, Enoki Mushrooms, and Chicken Thigh Meat. The mala here is also said to use less oil, which means you won’t leave feeling jelak.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm, Sat 7:30am to 2pm
Mala Xiang Guo is a halal-certified eatery.
Next on the list is the Steamed Chicken Rice ($3.50) from Chicken Delights. We found the silky chicken to be super juicy and flavourful thanks to the ginger and sesame oil. The fluffy rice was also well-cooked in chicken fat. We also liked that the chilli sauce packed a punch, cutting through the greasiness of the meat.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm, Sat 7:30am to 2pm
Chicken Delights is not a halal-certified eatery.
Image credit: @foodinthehoodsg
Located on the second floor of the food court is Nanyang Cafe, serving up affordable local delights. Their Curry Popcorn Chicken Rice ($3.80) has rice drenched in curry and then topped with popcorn chicken pieces and a slice of fried omelette. We recommend having the crispy chicken bits with the curry gravy for the most flavourful experience.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm, Sat 7:30am to 2pm
Nanyang Cafe is a halal-certified eatery.
Priced at $5, this bowl of Minced Meat Noodle from Teochew Noodle House is the most expensive dish you get on the list. The students seem to be willing to pay as it’s touted to be delicious and worth every dollar. The minced pork in each bowl was really fatty and carried lots of porky umami flavour to the noodles. And the sweet-spicy chilli sauce was also a key ingredient that made this dish extra delectable.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Teochew Noodle House is not a halal-certified eatery.
To warm yourself up after class in the chilly lecture theatre, head to the Ban Mian Fish Soup stall to get a bowl of Ban Mian for just $3! We loved how comforting the pork broth was—each sip was filled with rich, robust goodness. These noodles are hand-stretched, which explains why the noodles were so chewy and QQ.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Ban Mian Fish Soup is not a halal-certified eatery.
For a light snack between lectures, we recommend getting the Matcha Waffles ($1.90) from Sweet Tooth Waffles. The mochi-like batter of this sweet treat had a strong fragrance of vanilla, but worry not as it wasn’t too sweet. Just look at its stretchiness when we tore the waffle apart! The matcha filling was a crossover of tea and condensed milk, which we found to be creamy and sweet.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Website
Sweet Tooth Waffles is not a halal-certified eatery.
My colleagues who are alumni of Republic Polytechnic still think about the Lok Lok ($4.10) from Mr Lok Lok. This bowl of mala soup comes with a variety of toppings, including tofu skin, chicken cocktail sausages, and quail eggs. For such a simple dish to evoke the good old school days, this must be really delicious. The mala soup is also said to be super spicy, so we recommend having a cup of cold drink on hand.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Mr Lok Lok is not a halal-certified eatery.
Lawn Food Court is where the food options take a modern twist. This Egg Quesadilla ($4.50) consists of a tortilla wrap with fried egg and cheese, and served with nacho chips and a cheese dip on the side. You can’t go wrong with a medley of butter, pepper, and eggs in the quesadilla.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Mexican Cuisine is not a halal-certified eatery.
66 Fried Chicken might be one of the most affordable Korean fried chicken places in Singapore. For just $3.90, you get three pieces of Korean Fried Chicken and a dipping sauce out of five different sauces such as Soy Garlic and Mala. Their set meals are even more affordable! At $4.80, the Set B comes with two pieces of fried chicken, a choice of jjajangmyeon, a side of fries or tteokbokki, and a salad or soup!
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
66 Fried Chicken is not a halal-certified eatery.
Fried chicken fans are in for a treat as you have another option in the same food court: Coal 3606. Their Chicken Wing ($1.50 per piece) goes way back: the chef’s grandmother, Madam Lim Meow Lang, has been making them since 1972 at CHIJ St. Nicholas Girl’s School. For a full meal, they also have customisable pasta dishes starting from $2.50.
Read our Coal 3606 review.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm
Website
Coal 3606 is a Muslim-owned eatery.
With a good variety of cuisines across these three food courts, rest assured that meal options are aplenty at Republic Polytechnic. Also, check out a video version of our Republic Polytechnic food guide:
For more food in the area, check out our list of the best food places in Woodlands. Or if you are curious to see what other schools have to offer, read our Ngee Ann Polytechnic food guide.
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