8 hidden food gems in Farrer Park

The Parlour Mirage is an interesting mishmash of different things. There’s a menu that’s proudly all about Japanese yakitori but with a hint of Mediterranean flavours woven in. A lineup of 12 craft beers on tap, with pale ales, sours, and IPAs at the ready. Plus, a sideline gig as an NFT bar – crypto and NFT-related events are often hosted at this quiet spot along Owen Road. For a night out, order an eight-skewer platter ($48): you can choose from the likes of tsukune (chicken meatball), Hokubee beef cubes, and pork belly. 

TRY Besides the yakitori skewers, it’s the chicken karaage ($12) that’s the star of the show. Here, each bite is coated in a light tempura batter for a delightfully crispy crunch. If you ask us, this might very well be the perfect drinking snack – just as well since you’ve got pints of craft beer to quaff. 

No one quite expects quality sushi in such a near vicinity to a hospital. But here Sushi Jin is, an intimate Japanese restaurant that’s housed in the same building as Farrer Park Hospital. It’s under the Les Amis Group, so of course, they’ll only be serving fresh seafood that’s specially flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu market. Some of the menu items aren’t exactly traditional, with excessive use of premium ingredients like A4 Wagyu, truffles and uni. But go in with an open mind, nonetheless. 

TRY What else but the omakase? From $88 for lunch and $268 for dinner, an omakase is the best way to gauge a restaurant’s standard. As the bare minimum, you can expect an appetiser, assorted sashimi, a seasonal cooked dish, a lineup of sushi, and a dessert.

There are many worthy contenders for Singapore’s best bak kut teh. One of them is Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh – they first became a household name back in the 50s and have been at this Rangoon Road restaurant since 1988. While some renditions of this flavourful pork bone soup lean towards a Klang-style herbal broth, Ng Ah Sio prides itself on a full-blown peppery kick. Since you’ll be eagerly downing the soup, it’s worth mentioning that the service staff will readily give you free broth top-ups. 

TRY Go all out and order the Premium Loin Ribs Soup ($10.80), with ribs that are fall-off-the-bone tender. Make sure to dip each bite into the chilli padi and dark soy sauce – it goes beautifully with a bowl of white rice. 

There are plenty of Thai restaurants in Singapore, but only a scanty few make the cut – we want our food to be simultaneously spicy, sweet, salty, and sour all at once. For a neighbourhood Thai eatery, Suk’s Thai Kitchen isn’t half bad. The chef hails from Chiang Rai. Already, we know that means the menu is heavily reminiscent of Northern Thai cuisine with dishes like khao soi ($10), yellow noodles drenched in a tasty coconut curry, and nam prik ong ($10), a minced pork dip spiced with tomatoes and chilli.

TRY It’s a cliche but also a classic for good reason: the tom yum nam sai (from $10), a clear spicy soup. Some places overdo the spices while others rely on a ready-made paste, but at Suk’s Thai Kitchen, they do it just right. 

This hawker joint demands one of the longest queues at Pek Kio Market. And rightfully so, since each Hong Kong-style chee cheong fun (rice noodle) roll is made fresh with a generous heap of prawns, char siew (barbecued pork), and scallops. Each roll is silky smooth with sesame seeds atop, and pairs well with the light soy sauce and dollop of chilli.  

TRY Like most specialty hawker stalls, they do just one thing. But if you’re peckish, order more than one chee cheong fun for variety. Go with the original ($3) and the luxed-up scallop roll ($6).

While Le Cafe is most known for their “golf ball” pineapple tarts during Chinese New Year, this quaint HDB bakery is well-loved for their nostalgic bean curd tarts other times of the year. These buttery tarts come with a soya bean filling, and are sold in boxes of eight ($11). Beyond the classic bean curd though, you can opt for the mixed box ($13) which comes with added ingredients like longans, peanuts, grass jelly, or even egg white-infused bean curd. 

TRY Pick up a box of bean curd tarts for sure, but since you’re already there, try the swiss rolls. Once again, these rolls ($13) are as old-school as they get – thick swirls of fresh cream and flavours like pandan and mandarin orange. 

Relatively new to the bagel scene, Wooly’s Bagel popped up along Rangoon Road towards the end of 2022. This Muslim-owned joint has yet to be deemed fully halal, but they do solely use halal-certified ingredients. You can choose between plain, cheese or sesame bagels, with prices starting from $8.80. The menu has taken quite the conservative approach, with savoury flavours like lox and cream cheese ($14.90) and teriyaki chicken with scrambled eggs ($12.80).

TRY The Otah Kau ($12.60) – this could be a wordplay on the Japanese “otaku” but we’re left unsure. In any case, expect thick otah slices and scrambled eggs sandwiched between a bagel. 

Situated in the quiet stretch of Rangoon Road, this stylish restaurant attempts to meld Japanese, French and Singaporean flavours into one experience.  Helming the kitchen is chef Tariq Helou, previously the co-founder of the popular Division Supper Club. Expect innovative dishes such as sake-stewed Japanese abalones, local prawn-mee-inspired cold ebi somen, exquisite foie gras monaka, and highly sought-after Hida Wagyu.

TRY The thought-driven 10-course experience ($298). Chef Helou taps into his roots to reinterpret his favourite childhood flavours using the finest ingredients.