Roland Chilli crab is an old household brand many in Singapore would relate to as the restaurant for authentic chilli crab. They are located in the Marine parade district tucked on the top 6^th floor of a HDB multi-storey carpark beside the next notable landmark, Parkway parade shopping center. Let’s check the restaurant out with a casual dine-in.

At first impressions, the restaurant is large, taking advantage of the large floor areas provided by the mulit-storey carpark below. We had seen other similar restaurants in this setting like the Redstar at Chin Swee Rd and Yan Palace Cantonese restaurant at South bridge road.

Carpark building

Restaurant entrance

Restaurant interior

Also, like both Redstar and Yan Palace, Roland restaurant does has a rustic 90s vibe to it. It is founded and run by owner Roland Lim, 64 from the same era too, having been around for more than two decades since the late nineties.

A place for chilli crab

You come to Roland mainly for their Chilli crab. They are after all an expert in the uniquely Singaporeans dish, touting a Secret Chilli Crab Recipe since the 1956s. This is much so verified by the number of accolades and awards publicized on the signboards you see at their restaurant entrance. I am pleased to report that their food quality do back up the claims.

Here, your chilli crab is offered in three traditional flavours, with black or white pepper being the next most popular after classic Chilli. The crabs are huge too, with a dish with two crabs typical costing about $78.00. This one dish easily serves a table of 3-4 persons as a course meal.

Furthermore, the crab flesh are meaty and largely juicy, the meats simmer when scooped and shell pre-cracked opened, revealing the soft juicy tender crab meat within. Also, I reckon these large crabs are of the Sri Lankan crab. Additionally, the shell already strategically cracked from the kitchen in the right areas so there is minimal effort needed on your end to pry the goodness out. Also, if need be crab eating tools, shell crackers, gloves and even bibs are provided on request.

Best paired with fried Mantou bread

Additionally, your chilli crab is best paired with their crispy mantou bread (60 cents per bun). Their thick and creamy chilli sauce compliments the pan-fried dough buns. Only recently, the chilli crab traditionist had introduced salted egg yolk into their menu choices.

Moreover, it is recommended to have your chilli crab with the less spicy option, so you can taste more of the chilli crab sauce. Also, the gravy does still bring out the flavour of the crab without being overwhelmingly spicy. Interestingly the dish was the brainchild of Mr Roland’s mother, Cher Yam Tian. Back then she experimented with more adventurous ways to cook crabs in the 1950s at their Palm Beach at Upper East Coast Road in the 1960s.

Chinese dishes

Furthermore, being a Chinese restaurant at heart their menu offerings are typical of that of zhi-char. You can have them through a set-menu or ala carte.

Here, on offer are also a mix of seafood dishes comprising of regular fish and shellfish. I found their fried steamed pomfet is an interesting one, comprising of a half-fried and steam combo, it is worthy of a try.

Also, their bamboo clams gets a recommendation too. You will recognize them by their long straight hollow shells which resemble bamboo sticks, hence the name. You can have them cooked clear (steamed) or braised in a sauce of your liking, like mild-spicy oyster sauce mix as pictured above. Also, the clams are generous in size and laid open from the kitchen with good presentation.

Wrapping up my dinner includes having a go at their hot plate bean curd as well as asparagus and soups. They are typical of Chinese zhi-char and a good way to complete your gastronomical chilli crab meal.

Price-wise, you roughly know what you are signing up whenever you dine-in at a Chinese restaurant. What you pay is what you get. Such dinner often are priced more at a premium, especially so if you order al-la-crate meals instead of set meals for sharing. This includes typical 4-8 person set meals costing from $400 to even upwards nearing $800 per table of 10. I found the menu food offerings well-priced for the quality. A dine-in for 5 in my visit costed about $458 all inclusive, so that boils down to about $80 per head, about the same price as a hotel buffet.

Excellent service

Moreover, I found what sets Roland different, the staff was very attentive to your needs and service is brisk. Particularly for the chilli crab, commendably, the staff too were also quick in ensuring that every diner has adequate finger bowls bibs as well as crab shell levers available.

All in all, if you wish to have a go at one of the best chilli crab dishes in Singapore Roland restaurant in the old marine parade town center is the place to go. Prices are affordable and expected for a Chinese-style Asian dining experience. This, coupled with excellent service.

Verdict:

Must Go! | Actually pretty Good | Worth Trying | Shortlist Optionally | Should Avoid

Roland Chilli Crab restaurant Locality Map

89 Marine Parade Central, #06-750,
Singapore 440089
Opening Hours: 11:30am- 2:30pm, 6pm- 10pm (Split shifts)

Let’s dine-in at Wonderful Bap Seng Korean in Suntec city. They are a Korean BBQ and ala-carte dining restaurant located in the heart of town offering value and authentic casual Korean dishes.

Interestingly, “Bap Sang” means “table where meals are enjoyed”, the same can be said for the dining ambience and seating in the restaurant. The dining area is large and spread over a bare concrete floor. Furthermore, you pass through a small market (Lee market) area selling various Korean food produce and food to-go, such as ramen, sauces and condiments.

Moreover, the restaurant sits on the pedestrian bridge linking Suntec north wing to the east wing between tower 2 and 3. It provides a great overlooking view of the Suntec Fountain of Wealth in the background especially if you get a window seat. You might remember the mall being home to Wolf Burgers where we visited them at Pasarbella.

Great for small groups

Furthermore, there are individual table sand booth seating available. Each table has a circular hotpot insert, allowing you to have your communal shabu shabu for tables of four. Otherwise, it would be sealed off with a stainless steel cover which serves as part of your table surface.

Korean staples done right

Getting on to the food, you can’t go wrong with Korean staples such as Bimbimbap ($12.80), Kimchi soup and Korean fried Ramyeon springy noodles. Bimbimbap is a packed loaded with quality ingredients and topped with trademark hotsauce to your liking. It is a simple yet delicious dish which is sure to fill you up and served in a classic hot stone bowl.

Additionally, I would recommend their Kimchi noodles (in Kimchi Jigae stew) and Ginseng chicken soups as sides for sharing. With the latter cooked in their Samgye Tang chicken broth ($19.80) and are served with a bowl of rice and condiments.

Also, it is a healthy potpourri of herd said to balance and keep your energy up in the hot weather. Here, a main course sets you back on average mostly under $15-20 per person.

Moreover, other side dish recommendations includes their Kimchi Joen and Pajeon (Seafood) Pancake ($10.80). It is a staple Korean delicacy which goes well to brightening up. Also if sides are not enough, there is also free-flow of Korean mini condiments places comprising of bean sprouts, vegetables, pickles and of course wait for it- Kimchi.

An authentic food and experience offering

Additionally, a skewer soup stew dish known as Kkochi Eomuk ($7). You may also know it as the normer “Fish Cake Soup”. It is a popular street food in Korea and served well especially in cold winters.

Also, you can pick on the skewers like a satay on your main dish, or split them out of a plate for sharing. Also, another go-to dish is their Egg Jjim ($5.80). It is also known as Gyeran Jjim (also known as egg Jjim) is a mellow and clear dish which is paired well with rice and goes well in neutralising the more harsh fermented items on the menu.

In addition, service is prompt and friendly, with food served promptly too with all dishes served within 15 minutes from ordering. You also get free-flow of Malt wheat tea as a drink. Also, your serving cutlery uses metal chopsticks and spoons just like an eatery in Korean. You can’t get any more Korean than that.

All in all, Wonderful Bap Seng is a nice and authentic Korean restaurant bringing forward to the masses what Korean casual dining food have to offer- great value and tasting food in a good location at a reasonable price to boot. And I say, Wonderful Bap Seng has got this recipe done well.

Verdict:

Must Go! | Actually pretty Good | Worth Trying | Shortlist Optionally | Should Avoid

Wonderful Bap Seng Locality Map

Suntec City Tower 3 East Wing (Between tower 2 and 3)
Units #02-609, 610
Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 11:30am- 9:30pm daily

Hainan Story is a boutique style restaurant and café themed with an oldie look. They tout to offer a curated food offering of the best of classic Hainanese. I had managed to dine-in at two of their outlet branches in Hotel Boss as well as Hillion mall. Let’s see what’s good on offer at these 2 branches.

A Hainanese food fest curation

In a nutshell, Hainan Story is tad like a fusion restaurant curating several favourite long time Hainanese delicacies all under one roof. It’s synonymous to Malaysia Chiak, but with a focus on Hainanese food instead.

Menu

Funky lighting

Sauces

Also, moving onto bit of history, the Hainanese are the native people (including Han Chinese) who originate from Hainan, the southernmost and smallest Chinese province. So what is Hananise cuisine?

Uncle Robert Hainanese western

Starting off be their western selections, touted as “Uncle Robert western food“. You can find a full selection of Beef, chicken, port, and fish choices here. Do try their old English oxtail stew $18.80. It is a classic Hainanese western item similar to the one we previously had at Shashlik Russian Western Restaurant, albeit more it affordable here, though not as tasty, but still good.

From our food past explorations, we had learnt that Hainanese western cuisine has its roots deep in Singapore food culture. You might remember the Mariner’s corner restaurant, eateries like Colbar and Jacks place we visited on our previous food journeys. They have one thing in common- having their roots starting out with Hainanese western grille. Here, the story is that many Hainanese chefs who are previously employed as chefs to cook for the British during the colonial times half a century ago, went to start their own F&B business after the British left. Also, we can see them the hotel business to individually run family-restaurants today.

Simple and affordable western food

Moreover, the Hainanese are known to be very adaptable people. This is in particular the immigrants who migrated to Singapore from Hainan China. The same can be said for their western food choices. Hainan story Hainanese pork cutlet ($15.80) and British fish and chips ($21.50) are quite a no-brainer to try on your visit, though they are priced higher than what I expect it to be a casual dining spot. There are spaghetti portions too, which I won’t cover too much on.

Also, if you can’t decide between chicken or fish, why not have the best of both worlds with both? You could consider the Best of both worlds ($16.90). It is a grilled chicken chop, Barramundi fish fritter with Asian colesaw and French fries.

Tea with Egg Tarts

Furthermore, their English egg tarts is one worthy to try. It is one best paired with their traditional coffee and tea, served noteworthily in traditional “kopitiam-style” ceramic cups. There are two egg tart variants, a plain and one infused with Gula Meleka.

Also, each Hainanese Englishman egg tart $2 each, with combos for 2 at $3.60 and $6.40 for 4 pieces. Additional Gula Melaka egg tart $2.20 each, $4 for two and $7.20 for 4 pieces.

I would recommend only the regular egg tart as both actually taste very similar. Notably, Hainan story is a nice place for an afternoon tea break, where it is more devoid of lunch and dinner time crowds. The tarts are available at both their Hotel Boss and Hilion Mall branches.

Try their Claypot chicken char siew rice

A recommendation be their Claypot chicken char siew rice ($8.50). It is quite a joy, packed with flavour in the rice and meats without the “burnt taste” typically found Asian claypot dishes.

Also, the chicken is cooked in Char siew style which is an interesting take. The chicken is juicy without losing it flavour, though I reckon regular chicken chunks could suffice for this Hainanese staple. The dish is also reminiscent and a nice take of the boneless claypot chicken rice to that from Fuxiang kitchen and YMCA at Stevens road. One claypot portion are suitable for 1pax.

Rice Meal staples

Moreover, other dishes includes their Ah Kor Hainanese Lamb stew with rice ($11.80) and their Newspaper Hainanese curry rice. The newspaper curry rice is a modern take of the traditional Hainan curry rice, which typically comprises of a carbohydrate-loaded rice dish liked by labourers settlers on the docks in early Singapore.

Also, it is served cheaply on newspapers which you can pack and go. It typically comes a side of, vegetables (and meat if you are feeling rich back then) and doused with lots of curry. This provided the energy meal for laborious work. Today, this Hainanese staple is served in the like of scissors cut curry rice, as well as Hong Seng curry rice at Redhill market.

In addition, additional rice dies includes Ah Chiang traditional porridge. It is served with condiments of century egg, fish and pork variants. $8.50 gets you’re a rather sizable pork porridge while $9.80 get you’re their sliced fish and pork variant. Also, $9.80 but hawker standards is pretty expensive for a bowl of porridge. To make up for this, the portions are pretty sizeable (enough to feed two small eaters) and is served with a sides and You Tiao (fried dough fritters) to complete your meal.

Try their chicken rice

Additionally, you can’t get any more Hainanese than Chicken rice, a hawker staple. The traditional chicken rice here (Wee Nan Kee chicken rice) is served with both roasted and white chicken variants, with the latter having a crystal-like skin texture. This “crystal skin” or sorts is made during the preparation process where it is blanched in cold water to give the smooth crystal jelly like skin we see on their chicken.

Moreover, a single chicken with basic dish costs $5.20. A wholesome recommendation be their Vegetable and dumpling set ($10.90) which can fill you up well as a meal in the sub $10 range. It is a holistic set of vegetables and large dumplings served in clear soup. Also, extras such as dumpling soup, chicken gizzards and braised eggs are available as add-ons. If you have a large group to feed, a whole chicken costs $34.40, available in quarter and half portions too.

Wrapping up are miscellaneous dishes such as satay. Interestingly, one might be confused to learn that satay was actually brought into Singapore by the Hainanese, and not the Malay dish we grew to know about as a Malay staple served at the satay club. Legend is that the early Hainanese immigrants taught local Malay. This is one for the history books

Two branches to dine-in

Moreover, the establishment current has two branches in Singapore which always see strong patron ship. Their main branch at the exterior of Hotel Boss along Jalan Sultan and their second branch on the ground floor of Hillion mall in Bukit Panjang. Both are decked in typical kopitiam classing theming.

Interestingly, each branch sells something unique and not all items are available at one branch. For instance their Hilion Mall branch has the Claypot chicken rice, while the Hotel boss has their Ah Kor Hainanese Lamb stew with Crispy noodle ($12.80). Also, interestingly, their Hotel boss establishment is open 24 hours a day and long queues can be seen snaking outside store even before 6pm during dinner times.

All in all, Hainan story is a refreshing food franchise curating together all what we love in one joint, with menu selections catering to a large variety of Singapore favorites all under one roof. They are worthy of a dine-in for the quality of the dishes, less the huge crowds which would otherwise make for a better dining experience.

Verdict:

Must Go! | Actually pretty Good | Worth Trying | Shortlist Optionally | Should Avoid

Hainan Story Locality Map

Hillion Mall Branch
17 Petir Rd, #01-15/16 Hillion Mall,
Singapore 678278
Opening Hours: 7:30am–9:30pm

Hotel Boss Branch
24/7 500 Jln Sultan, #01-09 Hotel Boss,
Singapore 199020
Opening Hours: Open 24 hours