Food hunt around Tanjong Pagar

HATTENDO Café

Join the craze at HATTENDO Café which recently opened its doors at the Tanjong Pagar Centre! Did you know that the café was founded in 1933 in Mihara, Japan? What’s good on the menu? 

Definitely the icy cold cream wrapped in the pillowy-soft buns. The ratio of bun to cream is simply perfect! This will be your best bet for a post-lunch dessert or a tea break. 

There are five flavors to choose from: Azuki, Chocolate, Cream, Custard, and Matcha ($2.50 each). Opt for the set that comes with one cream bun and a drink for $5. In addition, the café serves other light bites like jar salad, bun croutons and sandwiches that go well with a refreshing cup of Ceylon tea that can be served cold or hot. Most people queue for takeaways but if you have some time to spare, take a seat at the cafe so you can really savour this irresistible dessert.

Tanjong Pagar Centre #01-05,
7 Wallich St., Singapore 078884
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday; 10.00am to 9.00pm, Weekend & Public Holidays; 11.00am to 8.00pm

VENUE by Sebastian

VENUE by Sebastian – a fine dining restaurant recommended by the Michelin Guide is now located at Downtown Gallery! I really like the openness and simplicity of the restaurant layout. The spacious environment provides a very relaxing vibe, perfect for a nice lunch break! I love the piping hot potato gratin side dish ($5), a rich, creamy and soft dish. Totally addictive!

For mains, I ordered the Chilean seabass ($32), one of the highly recommended main dishes, served with mushroom and bacon ragout, toppled with truffle yuzu butter. The dish is well balanced and the fish has a fresh and light taste, complementing the savoury mushroom and bacon side. Besides the seabass, the duck confit with truffle emulsion is also definitely worth a try as the meat is cooked to perfection! Overall, the restaurant offers pleasant service, but expect to wait as the chef meticulously prepares your food to make sure the quality of the food matches your expectations. 

Downtown Gallery, 6A Shenton Way
Unit 01-02, Singapore 068815
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday; 11.30am – 2.00pm & 5.30pm – 9.30pm; Closed on Sunday

Pho Stop

Pho Stop has relocated from Tanjong Pagar Road to our Shenton Way office building so it’s time to get your cravings fixed! Here’s my recommendation: a bowl of piping hot Beef Feast Combo, consisting of sliced ribeye beef, beef shin and huge chewy beef balls – priced at an affordable $13.90! If beef is not to your liking, give the Hanoi Chicken Pho ($10.70) a try! Thumbs up to the succulent shredded chicken that complements the flavourful soup. Add a dash of pepper and tuck in! To complete the meal, order a side of crispy deep fried spring rolls filled with delicious meat filling. Pho Stop has a good ambience with a spacious seating area that houses up to 100 pax. With upbeat music playing in the background, you will leave the restaurant feeling extra energised!

6A Shenton Way #02-28, Downtown Gallery, Singapore 068815
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday; 11:30am to 9.00pm; Closed on Sunday.

MOJO

Nestled along Telok Ayer Street, MOJO Singapore offers affordable protein bowls that boast Asian-western fusion at its finest. This place is the perfect go-to destination for a quick and healthy fix for lunch and as quoted from the shop, it is definitely “food for the best folks”. In the day, MOJO provides a healthy and filling lunch option with a fully customisable menu. Build your desired protein bowl by first picking a base (e.g. quinoa, cha soba, turmeric rice etc), followed by 1 protein (e.g. chicken, beef, salmon), 3 sides, 1 sauce and 1 topping. When night falls, the restaurant provides a dinner menu that includes a large selection of alcoholic drinks like cocktails, Korean soju, wines and beer; definitely a good spot to kick back and relax after a hard day at work!

204 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068840
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday; 11.30am – 12.00am; Closed on Sunday.

SAMA Curry & Café

SAMA Curry & Café offers Japanese curry with a twist in its texture and depth of flavour, completed with ramen-style broth as its base. The first thing you will notice when you enter the café are the bear graphic designs in the shop. This is because the soup curry here is available in three different categories of spice levels, namely “Baby Bear”, “Adult Bear” and “Crazy Bear”. So how do you start? First, choose a curry, (hint: the more popular choices are Cheesy Bear and Marathon Chicken); next, choose the spice level; and lastly, your choice of soup base. I opted for Cheesy Bear, coupled with “Adult Bear” spice level of 13 and a coconut soup base. It turned out to be a fantastic meal! The curry base had just the right amount of tanginess and light enough to be drank as soup. The Japanese rice served was moist and soft, and matches fantastically with the curry soup and ingredients!

OUE Downtown 2 Gallery, 6 Shenton Way #03-26, Singapore 068809
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday; 11:00am – 9:30pm