Editors’ picks: The best lunch spots around Tatler House

“I am always in search of a good set lunch for working meals. I like the Craig Road branch of Griglia. The ambience is rough luxe, i.e. a little chic but also a little rustic. It’s stylish without being pretentious. The food is the same—beautifully prepared unpretentious, comfort food presented with flair and just enough creativity to excite and charm diners.”

—Aun Koh, editor-in-chief

“One of my new favourite lunch spots near the office is Cenzo, chef-owner Drew Nocente’s casual restaurant on Club Street which fuses his Italian heritage with his Australian upbringing to create an enticing menu of familiar Italian dishes with a modern twist. There’s a set lunch for those who want a quick and unfussy meal, but a la carte is the way to go if you’re dining with friends and have a bit of time to spare.

I recently dined here again for lunch with my senior digital editor and we opted for the a la carte menu in order to sample as many of Nocente’s creations as possible—four appetisers, two pasta dishes and two desserts, to be exact. The pepperino di tonno, or piquillo pepper stuffed with marinated tuna tartar, was a delicious start to the meal with the sweetness and mild heat of the pepper fusing really well with the freshness of the tuna chunks. The capesante (scallops) which came after were seared just enough for each medallion to retain its succulence; these were complemented by the crispy bits of ham and velvety cauliflower purée. Pasta dishes here are a must—in particular, the gramigna alla pistachio which is nutty, zesty and creamy all at once.”

—Dudi Aureus, senior dining editor

Cenzo
Address: 81 Club Street, S(069449), +65 9155 8374

Read more: Celebrated Chef Drew Nocente Honours Italian Roots With Latest Restaurant Concept, Cenzo

“I am a sucker for French bistro fare and great service. The uber-charming proprietress of Chez Suzette (Suzette Simon) makes every visit an utter joy. The food is simple but executed perfectly; the room is charming and sunlit. While the tiny shoebox bistro is nestled in an alley off Keong Saik Road, after a glass of wine, I can pretend I am in Paris.”

—Aun Koh, editor-in-chief

Chez Suzette
Address: 5 Teck Lim Road, 01-01, S(088383), +65 8690 4810

“It doesn’t get more classic than Tong Ah. This old school coffee shop is a stone’s throw away from the office and the menu is chock-full of wok-fried noodles, zi char favourites, and perhaps most famous of all, kaya toast. I personally love the noodles which are served in huge portions, so come hungry. I particularly love the fish soup bee hoon—the soup is rich, creamy and umami, and it arrives to your table studded with many large chunks of white fish, including its intestines (which I devour). 

If I need to save my stomach for a dinner tasting, I’ll go for the kaya toast instead. I’m sure poems have been written about the toast here, and I won’t disagree—the bread is perfectly crisped to my liking and spread with the appropriate amount of kaya. Closing your eyes in appreciation when biting into the necessary slice of butter in-between is necessary.”

—Ethan Kan, dining writer

Tong Ah Eating House
Address: 35 Keong Saik Road, S(089142), +65 6223 5083

“Filipino and Mexican? Hell yes. I love Alegria. This dark, narrow restaurant has become one of my favourite regular haunts near the office. Firstly, the food is excellent and inventive. Whoever thought to combine Filipino and Mexican cuisines—both with Spanish roots—is a genius. The sisig tacos and the corn elote are dishes I think about regularly. Secondly, they offer half off most of their tacos on Tuesdays. And who can say no to a great Taco Tuesday deal? I certainly have not been able to.”

—Aun Koh, editor-in-chief

Alegria
Address: 18 Teck Lim Road, S(088390), +65 6223 1553

“Flame-kissed rice noodle flats, sweet crunchy cai por (preserved radish), and expertly fried egg, are a handful of headlining ingredients that make up a satisfying plate that is big on flavour and texture. Chef Ng, a former chef from luxury hotels such as the Shangri-La Singapore and Amara Hotel, cooks upon order and rightfully so.

The rice noodles are first to line the wok with hot oil and firmly pressed against the wok. Ng patiently listens to the sizzle and observes the smoke to ensure it doesn’t burn. Instead, the edges will crispen up while the centre stays soft and tender. Next, he tosses aromatics and greens before a ladle of egg wash is poured over like a blanket. There is an option to choose between fresh prawns or oysters to complete the dish—I usually opt for the former which arrives crisp and sweet.

While Ng’s repertoire of tzi char favourites is rather modest, his meticulous cooking is what’s worth looking forward to come lunchtime. Think comforting wok-fried carbs and even crispy prawn-paste chicken. Enough said, get in line already.”

—Dawson Tan, assistant dining editor

Poh Preserved Veg Hor Fun
Address: Block 335 Smith Street, Chinatown Complex, #02-011, S(050335)

“I’m not someone who likes to break out in a sweat (unless I’m at a beach club in Bali), so if there’s a dish that’s worthy enough for me to drag myself under the hot sun for at least ten minutes, you know it’s worth it. And that dish is Traditional Hakka Rice’s thunder tea rice.

Located at Tanjong Pagar Plaza’s second level, this store offers hearty and filling thunder tea rice—at an affordable $4 (for white rice) or $4.50 (for brown rice). The tea paste is thick, rich, and has a nutty umami flavour. If you find it too savoury, you can always dilute the paste with hot water.

I’d normally add a bittergourd omelette (which, by the way, isn’t bitter at all) to my meal, but there are other options like meatballs and yong tau foo.”

—Sean Tham, social media editor

Traditional Hakka Rice
Address: 6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, 02-21, S(081006)

“Technically, it is a place to tapao instead of lunch-in—it does have a rather cluttered small dining area, but I prefer to eat at the many parks dotting the Tanjong Pagar-Outram areas. The delicatessen selection here is fantastic. I need variety in my meals, and the supermarket's many side dishes satisfy this; I can build any meal to suit my mood: hot fried stuff, omurice, cold soba, you name it. Among my favourites are the five-bean rice with shirasu, funwari agetofu and generous heaps of ikura. Finish the meal with something sweet from the freezer, like mochi ice cream.”

—Asih Jenie, editor, Tatler Homes

Don Don Donki
Address: 100 Tras Street, 02 01- 05/22-26, 03 01-05/09-23 100AM, S(079027), +65 6249 8811

“I’m notoriously indecisive when it comes to choosing what’s for lunch—just ask any of my colleagues. But there is one dish that’s quickly become a firm favourite of mine during the workweek: a plate of sinfully rich and silky noodles from You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle in Chinatown. The hokkien mee here is served with an intensely aromatic stock that’s cooked for over eight hours, perfectly coating each strand of wok hei imbued noodles. Topped with fresh prawns, thinly sliced pork belly and delightfully crispy pork lard, it’s easily one of the best plates of hokkien mee I’ve ever come across. As an added bonus for fussy eaters like myself: it comes without bean sprouts.”

—Sabrina Low, assistant digital editor

You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle (Chinatown)
Address: 335 Smith Street, 02-186, S(050335) 

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