Tanah Merah’s food is glorious. Admittedly, I don’t live anywhere near Tanah Merah. As a matter of fact, I hardly travel on the green line. But, ever since my colleague did a review on an outlet in East Village selling takoyaki drenched in mouthwatering nacho cheese, my interest in the food scene over at Tanah Merah has piqued. Here are 10 Tanah Merah food places I’ve uncovered that are worth travelling down the green line for.
If you’re that person who always zeroes in on the takoyaki stand first thing at a pasar malam, then you’re bound to love Yummy Takoyaki. A hidden gem dishing out takoyaki in unique flavours, their most eye-catching dish would have to be the Cheese Banjir Takoyaki ($15 for 10 pieces). This bowl comes with 10 takoyaki balls submerged in a gooey flood of golden nacho cheese. Select your takoyaki fillings from five different options: octopus, prawn, chicken sausage, crab sticks and mushroom. If your taste buds are feeling adventurous, give both their Wassupbae Takoyaki ($15 for 10 pieces), wasabi-flavoured takoyaki, and Tako-Tella ($15 for 10 pieces), Nutella-drenched takoyaki, a try as well.
Read our full review of Yummy Takoyaki for more details!
Address: 430 Upper Changi Road, #01-03, East Village, Singapore 487048
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 2pm to 8pm
Tel: 9337 9195
Website
The Bedok Marketplace is a cool, modern-day hawker centre housing unconventional hawker stalls such as Urban Smokeshack. This unique stall offers meats smoked in hickory wood or applewood, like their Chicken Thigh with Buah Keluak Sauce ($6). For the price this earthy-tasting dish is tagged at, I’d say it’s super value-for-money.
A few stalls down is their sister outlet, Urban Smokeshack Dawgs, which sells Spanish and Thurgauer Pork Sausage Set ($12) – sausages with rosti, hickory-smoked shiitake mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. You can add on a side of Raclette Cheese ($8), although I’d advise you to eat it fast as it hardens quickly.
To find out more, check out our full review of Urban Smokeshack and Urban Smokeshack Dawgs.
Address: 347 Bedok Road, #02-19, Singapore 469560
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12:30pm to 2pm, 6pm to 9:30pm
Website
Terang Bulan is one of the rare outlets in Singapore selling martabak manis pancakes, blanketed in grated cheese and condensed milk. Try their Pizza Terbul ($10) and choose four toppings, two standard and two premium. If you have a sweet tooth, pick KitKat as one of your toppings; it even comes with a rich Nutella base. You should also get their Oreo Red Velvet Cream Cheese ($11), a red velvet-flavoured martabak manis folded in half, and oozing with cream cheese and Oreo bits within.
Check out our full review of Terang Bulan.
Address: 430 Upper Changi Road, #01-04, East Village Mall, Singapore 487048
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12pm to 8pm
Tel: 9230 9514
Website
Menu
Visit The Burning Oak to get your fill of affordable donburi and meats in a hawker centre setting. Get their Wagyu Rump Cap ($14) for juicy, medium-rare wagyu beef flown over from Australia, and try their Pork Cheek Don ($12), served with succulent slices of pork cheek, an onsen egg and Japanese pearl rice. If you don’t mind blowing a little more cash, order their Foie Gras and Beef Don ($20) for a generous portion of wagyu beef and 70g of foie gras. It’s pretty value-for-money, if you think about it.
Read on in our full review of The Burning Oak.
Address: 348 Bedok Road #02-16, The Bedok Marketplace, Singapore 469560
Opening hours: Tue-Thur 12pm to 1:30pm, 6pm to 9:30pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 1:30pm, 6pm to 10pm, Sun 6pm to 10pm
Tel: 9873 6093
Website
Image credit: The Naughty Chef’s Facebook page
You’ll find The Naughty Chef just two stalls away from The Burning Oak. The Naughty Chef serves up hearty Italian fare, such as pizzas and pastas, at affordable prices. You can choose to have your pizza crusts double-baked, hand-stretched or as a calzone (folded). I’d recommend trying their Italian Roasted Pork Belly Pizza ($13/18) as a calzone, or their Italian Pork Belly Risotto ($15). It’s not everyday that you get to taste a delicious pizza puff or risotto filled with sio bak! They also sell tortellini and gnocchi, so be sure to check this place out.
Address: 348 Bedok Road, #02-14, The Bedok Marketplace, Singapore 469560
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12pm to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Tel: 8732 3779
Website
Image credit: HoHo Chimek’s Facebook page
HoHo Chimek is a cosy little Korean joint tucked away in East Village, selling all your favourite Korean dishes, from Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken Wings ($9.90 for six pieces) to Army Stew ($15/25/35). Their menu is extensive – they offer Korean savoury pancakes in up to seven different flavours! Whether you consider yourself a Koreaboo or not, there’s no denying HoHo Chimek whips up some pretty hearty good stuff at affordable prices.
Address: 430 Upper Changi Road, #01-45 East Village, Singapore 487048
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 10am
Tel: 6702 1396
Website
Image credit: @liyanajuraimi
I’d pick Fish Tales over other fish and chips outlets in Singapore any day. If you’re a cheese lover, their fish and chips set, Cheesy Affair ($10.90) was made for you. The golden-brown, battered fish fillet, accompanied by a side of fries and tartar sauce, is drizzled in nacho cheese and further stuffed with cheese within. The Cheese Fries ($6) is another must-have, but share it with friends because the portion can be huge. The Fiery Sambal ($9.90) is a unique fusion fish and chips dish, as the fillet comes slathered in a spicy sambal gravy – super shiok!
Address: 351 Bedok Road, Simpang Bedok, Singapore 469539
Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 10pm
Tel: 6636 3966
Website
Full list of outlets
Image credit: @jorjorchng
Apart from offering a large spread of dim sum and zi char dishes, one thing you can’t miss at Tang Tea House Hong Kong Cafe is their Pan Fried Crispy Bee Hoon ($11/16). It’s a yummy bestseller at the eatery and pretty hard to find elsewhere. Order their HK Special Seafood OPEH ($12) as well, for heavenly seafood hor fun drenched in thick gravy, served in a delicate, boat-shaped bamboo leaf. If you’re looking for a good dim sum spot to grab supper with a bunch of kawans, you should definitely hit up Tang Tea House Hong Kong Cafe.
Address: 357/359 Bedok Road, Singapore 469545
Opening hours: Sun-Thur 11am to 2am, Fri-Sat 11am to 3pm
Tel: 6445 9100
Website
Full list of outlets
Image credit: @thebedokmarketplace
If you love sourdough bread but have always found it too expensive to pass as a midday snack…well, at Mr Kneady’s, it can! All breads at Mr Kneady’s are ‘100% sourdough’, according to the signboard hanging from its storefront. Mr Kneady’s pizzas are all priced at $12, and available only after 6pm! Get Art of War for dessert, a pizza topped with bananas, blueberries and white chocolate chips, among other sweet ingredients. Try their Smorrebrod ($3) as well, which comes topped with salami, cornichons and black pepper. It’s so affordable yet atas, you could get three slices to fill your belly, and your wallet would still thank you.
Check out what we thought of Mr Kneady’s:
Address: 348 Bedok Road, #02-24, The Bedok Marketplace, Singapore 469560
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am to 10pm
Tel: 9815 5025
Website
Image credit: @jwxiaowan
Unlike the average cafe selling ice-cream and waffles for dessert, D’Zerts Cafe and Patisserie also whips up an impressive assortment of artfully designed confectionaries, such as their Baby Unicorn Cake ($7.90). Unexpectedly, this cafe doesn’t only do sweet treats – they also offer pasta dishes, sandwiches and finger food so there’s a fair share of both sweet and savoury items on the menu.
Address: 30 Jalan Pari Burong, Singapore 488696
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 12pm to 11pm
Tel: 6448 6707
Website
You making it to the end of this article is a sign – Tanah Merah is a food haven waiting to be explored! If you don’t live near the East, it’s time to pull a friend along with you and go food hunting.
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