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Those who love succulent roasted meats like sio bak and char siew will probably know of 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist along 308 Lavender Street. But do you know that the establishment has opened 88 Cafe, a food court with 4 stalls at the basement 2 of Marina One? “Yawn, it has already been around since May.” The buzz surrounding this location is likely well-known to those working in the vicinity. As my office is outside the CBD, my curiosity was piqued enough to make a trip down and see it for myself.
To beat the peak lunch rush, we arrived strategically at 10.30am, enjoying a nice, quiet atmosphere. 88 Cafe boasts a total of 170 seats, making it the largest food spot amongst all the F&B places along the Marina One stretch!
If noodles light up your universe, then 88 Specialty Pork Noodle is the stall for you. It offers the same options as the revamped Lavender street outlet, which now operates till 10pm daily, and has air-conditioned seating.
The Signature Noodle (S$7.80) comes in soup or dry, with your choice of mee pok or mee tai bak. There are also sides to share around the table like Fried Wanton (S$7.50) and Handmade Meatball (S$7.50). The founder wanted to recreate that old-school mee pok taste of the 80s, and engaged a friend from Sarawak to specially recreate the mee pok following his exact specifications.
Of course, after he said all of that, I had to try it! The noodles were crowned with minced pork, Chinese mushrooms, 2 meatballs, and thick slices of fish cake. I can’t remember when was the last time I had such good, authentic mee pok. The texture of the noodles was, indeed, something else. The seasonings were on point, too; just the right amount of chilli and vinegar.
Prepared in-house, the flavourful meatballs are made with crunchy turnip bits and fresh sole fish, which is carefully fried and ground into a powder before mixing to achieve a perfect texture.
For a delicious feast, head over to Nasi Padang 88 for legit Indonesian fare. In case you’re curious about the prices, Chicken Whole Leg such as the Gulai Chicken Curry goes for S$5.50 while Mutton costs S$6. Seafood such as Prawns are available for S$5 and Fish ranges from S$5 to S$7, depending on its size.
For someone who hasn’t been back to Muar for over 5 years, the Muar Otah (S$3.50 per piece) was authentic enough to hit the sweet spot, with generous chunks of Spanish mackerel embedded within. The Beef Rendang (S$5.50) was equally impressive; it was perfectly tender and skilfully balanced, delivering a rich punch of all the right spices.
No visit to 88 Cafe is complete without trying the range of roasted meats. Enjoy Roasted Pork Rice (S$6), Roasted Duck Noodle (S$7), Nai Bai w/ Special Sauce (S$6.50), or share a Medium Platter (S$22 for 2 to 3 pax) consisting of 1, 2, or 3 meats.
The char siew is nicely charred with an ideal ratio of meat to fat while the roasted pork’s crackling skin is simply mind blowing. Even the roasted duck is executed to perfection, with tender meat and a crisp skin.
If you’re early for work and are feeling peckish, head over to 88 Cafe for the Traditional Breakfast (S$5.50) set that comes with the usual suspects — kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs, and coffee/tea.
There are also fancy sandwiches like the Egg Mayo Toast (on Baguette) (S$4) and Premium smoke Ham & Scrambled Egg (S$6.50). I haven’t had Spam in a while and the Luncheon Meat & Scrambled Egg (S$5.50) was just screaming, “Get me!” And boy, did we succumb to temptation. The scrambled egg was smooth and creamy while the luncheon meat was unctuous and meaty. The fragrance of the butter emanating from the grilled bread also made the overall combination better!
So there you go, the 4 options available at 88 Cafe. To get here, take the Downtown Line to Downtown MRT Station (DT17) or board the Thomson-East Coast Line and alight at Shenton Way MRT Station (TE19). If you hate crowds like me, here’s a tip: try to avoid the peak lunch period.
