Enjoy SG’s 1st Lead General Hot Pot, China Handmade Dumplings And More Exclusive Eats At Tiong Bahru Plaza

What to eat at Tiong Bahru Plaza

Tiong Bahru is a neighbourhood chock-full of good eats, from cute cafes nestled in heritage buildings to decades-old hawker stalls keeping culinary traditions alive. Adding to its vibrant culinary scene is Tiong Bahru Plaza—a well-loved heartland mall whose Level 2 Food Street boasts a diverse mix of eateries, including exclusive restaurants and stalls that aren’t easy to come by elsewhere in Singapore. 

One of these exclusive restaurants is Lead General Hot Pot (#02-117), a Chongqing steamboat restaurant that has just opened its first local outlet in Tiong Bahru Plaza. 

The bright and airy restaurant belies a menu power-packed with fiery, bold soups and Sichuan street food dishes that nod to the Ciqikou district in Chongqing’s Shapingba. Ciqikou is where you’ll find thousand-year-old Sichuan recipes and dishes preserved, including the likes of mala hotpot. If you can’t travel to Chongqing, Lead General Hot Pot is your next best bet.

There are six broths on the menu, so if you’re spoilt for choice, go straight for the General’s Four Palace Grid Pot, which gets you a quartet of soups. We zoned in on some recommended specials, including the numbing General’s Inferno Spicy Beef Tallow Pot ($7++), where mala broth is made the legit way, with beef fat to get that extra-flavourful chilli oil. Another top pick is the collagen-rich General’s Fish Maw & Chicken Pot ($11++), slow-boiled with over 25 different aromatics for maximum flavour.

When choosing ingredients to go with your hotpot, be sure to order the ultra-marbled Signature Snowflake Wagyu Beef ($40++) and QQ General’s Shrimp Paste ($24++). If you’re a big fan of offal, go for the delightfully textured Tender Chicken Gizzards ($12++), marinated in the restaurant’s signature blend of chillies and spices for added heat.

Craving Chinese fare but don’t want something as heavy as hotpot? Swing by Du Du Dumplings (#02-111), which you can only find in Tiong Bahru Plaza. Freshly made dumplings, steamed and fried, dominate the menu here, from guo tie to xiao long bao.

If you’re team XLB, try the Prawn and Pork Xiao Long Bao here, priced at $10.50 for six or $15.50 for 10. Unlike Taiwanese XLB, Du Du Dumplings makes theirs Shanghai-style, with thicker skins for added bite. Within, the combination of minced pork, prawns, and broth delivers literal bursts of flavour.

We especially enjoyed the guo tie here, which comes with an addictively crunchy skirt. These are pan-fried to perfection—golden brown and crisp on the bottom, yet soft on top. While there were several filling options to choose from, the Chicken and Mushroom ($9.50++) is our choice. 

For a more comprehensive meal, add a Zha Jiang Mian ($8.50++), topped with a fragrant minced meat sauce, to your order.

Tiong Bahru Plaza also offers a variety of restaurants for family meals. One such restaurant is Sakon Thai (#02-135), known for serving authentic, halal-certified Thai fare at wallet-friendly prices. 

The menu has mains under $10 aplenty, from their Phad Thai Seafood Noodles ($9.50++), generously topped with prawns, or their Pineapple Fried Rice ($9.50++), studded with sweet bits of pineapple.

For those dining in a group, definitely save space for Sakon Thai’s signature dish: the Special Thai Deep Fried Fish ($22++). Here, you get a whole, crispy-skinned seabass served with a sweet-spicy Thai chilli sauce that’ll get you going back for seconds and thirds. 

Many of the malls’ restaurants also offer promotions, especially during the lunch hour. At casual Taiwanese eatery, Lee Lai Jiak (#02-105), diners can get a set meal for just $10.80++ between 11am to 3pm on weekdays. Each set comes with your choice of main, a side, and a drink.

When it comes to mains, you can’t go wrong with the Braised Minced Pork Rice, a Taiwanese classic. A heaping portion of tender braised pork belly, simmered in a rich gravy, is served atop pearl grain rice for a comforting meal.  Other main options include Pig Intestine Mee Sua, Beef Noodles (add-on $6++), Railway Bento (add-on $6++) and more. 

Sides here are equally simple and hearty. Poached Vegetables offer you an easy way to get your greens in, but we say go for the silky Century Egg Tofu for something more uniquely Taiwanese. 

Wash it down with your choice of drink, either Wintermelon Drink, Milk Tea (add-on $2++), or Wintermelon Milk Tea (add-on $2++).

Just in case you need more of an excuse to swing by Tiong Bahru Plaza’s Level 2 Food Street to dine, the mall is currently running two cashback promotions for selected restaurants, from 2 June to 29 June 2025. 

Each day, spend $30 in a single transaction at participating F&B outlets to receive a $15 FRx gift card—that’s essentially half what you paid for your meal! This is limited to the first 50 redemptions daily. Terms and conditions apply.

Additionally, shoppers who spend a minimum of $50 at participating F&B outlets in the mall can also earn a chance to win a $100 FRx Gift Card!

The list of participating eateries is: AOne Signature, Aijsen, Dapur Penyet, Du Du Dumplings, Gong Yuan Ma La Tang, Lead General Hot Pot, Lee Lai Jiak, Milan Shokudo, Paik’s Noodle, PUTIEN MAMA, Ramen Hitoyoshi, Sakon Thai Village, Shi Li Fang Hot Pot, Tongue Tip Lanzhou Beef Noodles, and Zuya Vegetarian.

Aside from all these good eats, Tiong Bahru Plaza’s second floor is also home to unique shopping and lifestyle concepts, like KKV (#02-116), one of China’s most popular concept stores. So, the next time you’re looking for a mall to eat, shop, and enjoy rewards while you’re at it, head down to Tiong Bahru Plaza!

Find out more about Tiong Bahru Plaza’s food promos!

Photos taken by Marcus Neo.
This post is brought to you by Tiong Bahru Plaza.