Seng House: Family-Run Cafe With Hainanese Pork Chop, Fish & Chips And More

Seng House is a popular family-run cafe in Katong

As a fan of quaint, old-school districts, I always tell my Eastie friends they are lucky to be near many Katong food places. Though I’ve been to a fair share of them, one cafe remained unticked on my to-visit list until recently: Seng House. Pretty interiors and popularity aside, this family-run cafe offers interesting, lesser-seen items.

The family-run cafe offers an extensive menu: breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, desserts, and even craft beers. Of the many items, their lunch offerings, available from 11am, caught my attention thanks to uncommon cafe options such as the Claypot Chicken Rice ($19.80++). 

This familiar yet unique dish is a fun twist on our national dish—chicken rice—as it’s served in a claypot to achieve that smoky, charred base. It’s then topped with steamed chicken, house-made ginger paste, and tangy chilli sauce. 

There’s also the Hainanese Pork Chop ($23.80++), which pays homage to Hainanese culture.

You get a thick, deep-fried Hokkaido pork loin marinated in a traditional house-made sauce, then coated with Hup Seng soda cream crackers for textural variety. The meat is served alongside a Hainanese-inspired sauce made using 10 different ingredients.

Image credit: @kristen.eats

Besides these Asian-forward flavours, you can indulge in classic brunch affairs such as  British Fish and Chips ($22.80++). A plate features juicy haddock fillet deep-fried to a perfect golden brown, paired with their house-made tartar sauce and a dollop of mashed peas.

If you’re visiting with a dining companion, we recommend getting the Crabmeat Carrot Cake ($12.50++) to share. This fragrant dish features black carrot cake topped with shredded crabmeat, dried shrimp, eggs, and chye poh.

For punchier flavours, dip your carrot cake into their house-made chilli oil served on the side.

Else, the Crispy Squid Tentacles ($16.50++) is an equally delicious alternative; this chewy, bite-sized treat is deep-fried to a golden brown and served with sweet-tangy honey lime mayonnaise on the side.

Image credit: @yanfoodography

After you’re done with the mains, go straight for the crowd-favourite Donut Kiap ($11.80++): you get mango and coconut sorbet—or whatever that’s available for the day—sandwiched between a deep-fried brioche bun. Else, the ‘Kopi’ Butter Banana Treat ($14++) sounds like a lovely treat too; this features gula melaka banana walnut bread topped with kopi butter and a scoop of coconut sorbet.

There are both indoor and outdoor seats at Seng House, with the former more warmly lit and cosy, while the latter exudes a casual ambience. FYI, furry friends are welcome to join if you opt for outdoor seats. 

For more cafes in the area, read our June Coffee review, where we tried beef croffle, pistachio latte and more. Alternatively, read our Monk’s Brew Club review if you’ve been looking for a work-friendly cafe with nett prices. 

Address: 214 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437007
Opening hours: Daily 8am to 10:30pm
Website
Seng House is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Yoo Kyung and edited by Marcus Neo.
This was a media tasting at Seng House.