Is the east side really the best side? I think not. As a westie myself, I’ve decided it’s time to uncover all of the food gems the west has to offer to show that we’re as good (or even better) than our neighbouring regions (more specifically, the east).
Introducing Clementi— the not-so-ulu-still-quite-accessible spot in the west. This determined westie is here to present to you 10 must-eat food spots in Clementi that will have you chanting “west side best side” by the end of this listicle.
1. Soon Huat Cooked Food
Sesame oil is one of my favourite condiments and if you’re like me, you will definitely love Soon Huat Cooked Food’s Sesame Oil Chicken (S$3.50 w/o rice). The dark gravy of the dish is savoury and fragrant, which goes perfect with the fluffy rice. The chicken is extremely soft and falls apart almost instantly, when at the first prod of my fork.
This dish would make for great comfort food, especially on a rainy day.
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-14, Singapore 120448
Daily: 11am – 8pm
2. Nam Kee Fried Prawn Noodle
Nam Kee Fried Prawn Noodle’s Fried Prawn Mee (S$4), might be on the drier side, but wow their gravy sure packs a punch! It clings to the noodles very well and makes the dish a solid 10/10. I was also pleasantly surprised by how fresh the prawns and squid rings were. My only woe was the small portion of chilli that came with it. More of that tasty sambal please!
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-12, Singapore 120448
+65 6779 5736
Tue to Sat: 10:30am – 3pm & 4pm – 8pm
Closed on Sun & Mon
3. Yong Fa Hainanese Curry Rice and Curry Fish Head
As a passionate curry fan, I tend to get a little disappointed whenever I have thin, watery and unsatisfying bowls of it. The curry at Yong Fa Hainanese Curry Rice, however, is a different story.
Besides offering the signature curry fish and curry fish head, you get to have a huge ladle of thick, aromatic curry poured all over your rice when you order their rice and sides (cai fan style). The curry has just the right amount of thickness and body, with a nice, spicy kick that is truly heavenly.
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-25, Singapore 120448
Mon to Fri: 10am – 2:30pm
Closed on weekends
4. Fried Carrot Cake
This stall, very simply named, sells the old-school version of carrot cake, all nicely chopped up. The carrot cake at Fried Carrot Cake has a nice bite to it, slightly crispy with bits of salted radish and omelette all mixed together. The carrot cake here is so popular that it sells out so fast, hence, is only open in the mornings.
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-45, Singapore 120448
Tue to Sun: 6am – 6pm
Closed on Mon
5. Spicy Mei Mala Hotpot
My go-to stall when I’m craving for a plate of mala with a real intense spicy kick. I don’t know about you, but I get a little annoyed when I order zhong la (medium spicy level) and get no heat from it whatsoever. Because, what is mala without the la (spiciness) right?
Spicy Mei Mala Hotpot might be slightly pricier than other stalls, but their quality of ingredients and flavourful mala sauce mixed with lots of aromatic herbs, more than makes up for the price. I mean, their long queues during peak hours speak volumes for their food!
442 Clementi Ave 3, BGAIN 442 Eating House #01-122 Singapore 120442
Daily: 10:30am – 10pm
6. Soon Lee Porridge
Ah, the perfect comfort food to warm you up on a rainy day. This 79-year-old stall sells Hainanese-style porridge that is unlike the normal smooth paste porridges. A must-try dish would be their Pork Porridge (S$3) which had a lovely thick consistency to it that I found to be really comforting and filling. They aren’t stingy with their ingredients, and you can also add an egg for S$0.30! But once again, be prepared to wait up to an hour if you’re there during peak hours.
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-50, Singapore 120448
Mon to Sat: 6am – 7pm
Closed on Sun
7. Chai Ho Satay
No stranger to those in the west, Chai Ho Satay sells reasonably priced satay at just S$0.45 per stick. Their meats are well-marinated, nicely charred and have a sinful but decadent layer of fat that we all love. Dunk these sticks into their luscious peanut sauce and you’ll be in satay heaven!
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-10, Singapore 120448
Wed to Sun: 2pm – 8pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
8. Kee Hock
Kee Hock serves all your typical zi char dishes, but they’re well known for their hor fun. Some must-tries include Beef Hor Fun, Seafood Hor Fun and Sliced Fish Hor Fun all priced at a reasonable S$4.50. Their hor fun comes piping hot with loads of thick, eggy sauce that’s flavourful and not too heavy.
448 Clementi Ave 3, Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, #01-43, Singapore 120448
+65 9778 7171
Fri to Wed: 12:30pm – 8pm
Closed on Thu
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9. 2ThumbsUp Hainanese Curry Rice
Sometimes all I want for lunch is a plate of rice, fried chicken cutlet and fried egg all drenched with some thick, fragrant curry. 2Thumbsup Hainanese Curry Rice sells affordable Hainanese Curry Rice with loads of ingredients to choose from. You can either get one of their curry sets or opt to choose your own ingredients like Hainanese pork chop, chap chye, braised pork belly and more.
450 Clementi Ave 3, #01-271, Singapore 120450
+65 8209 3383
Daily: 9:30am – 9:30pm
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10. A-Poh Kitchen
It’s rather rare to find a stall that sells solid halal zi char. Ah Poh Kitchen here, is a hidden gem in the heart of Clementi, that serves all the usual zi char staples that even our muslim friends can enjoy!
The steady streams of customers during peak hours are a strong testament to their delicious food and quality. Some of their signature dishes include Assam Curry Fish Head (S$18), Salted Egg Prawns (S$15) and Crab Meat Vermicelli (S$6.80).
Block 354 Clementi Avenue 2 #01-223, Singapore 120354
+65 6774 5534
Daily: 11:30am – 9:30pm
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