Clementi might be one of Singapore’s oldest estates, but this town in the West has loads to offer
What used to be swampland and kampungs back in the day is now a vibrant and thriving town in southwest Singapore. The estate got its name from Sir Cecil Clementi Smith who was the Governor of the Straits Settlement from 1887 to 1893. Developed between 1975 and 1979, Clementi is one of the earliest HDB towns in Singapore. These days, it’s a bustling township with amazing food options, top schools, historic rail tracks and neighbourhood bars.
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The backdrop of many an Instagram photoshoot, the disused metal track in Sunset Way is what’s left of the old railway lines in Singapore. There were two sets – one a north-bound line towards Malaysia (North-South Line) and the other heading westwards to Jurong (Jurong Line). Take a stroll through the neighbourhood to find the tracks and if you’re feeling adventurous, continue the trek along the line and immerse yourself in the lush scenery of the Green Belt.
The small neighbourhood park has a shady tree-lined trail, making it ideal for a stroll or jog at any time of the day. If you want to ramp up the workout, the sloping hills and stairs
add a challenging element to your route. Since 2007, Clementi Woods Park has been a learning park for the students of Ngee Ann Polytechnic, where they implement their ideas and experiments within its grounds.
Evertop has been plating up Halal Hainanese chicken rice for years. From a tiny stall in Tanglin Halt, the brand has expanded to a few branches around Singapore but the recipe remains unchanged. Poached chicken might seem simple, but Evertop’s is bursting with flavour. Pair it with chilli, ginger, soy sauce and of course, the fragrant garlic rice and you’ve got yourself a winner. Turn it into a family feast by ordering dishes like braised kai lan, sambal kang kong, tofu with sweet chilli and more.
Somewhere in the heartlands of Clementi, comfort food connoisseurs are lapping up home-style favourites like French roast chicken ($32) and indulgent panko and thyme-crusted fried veal chops ($69). There's also the famous fried chicken ($32 for two pieces) and sides of duck fat fries ($15) tossed with smoked paprika. Sunset Way is lucky to have this charming eatery in its ’hood.
A prata shop that has all the trappings of a hipster cafe, Prata Alley serves up bold versions of the classic like The Big One (a pizza and prata fusion) and the Murtabak Maggie (prata stuffed with Maggi noodles). You can still enjoy it with a side of fish curry to amp up the flavours and finish it off with a sweet cup of teh tarik.
Every neighbourhood deserves an ice cream parlour and Sunset Way has The Daily Scoop. With interesting flavours like maple crisp, strawberry shortcake, salted brown sugar and lychee martini, this place also serves up equally amazing waffles and brownies that make a great accompaniment to the ice cream.
Yeah, it may be a little walk outside of Clementi's central area but a trip to Ayer Rajah Food Centre is well worth the effort, whether by foot or by bus. At this hawker centre, enjoy plates from Habib's Rojak (Stall 68), a second-generation Indian rojak store. Pick as many ingredients from the display case as you can manage – we recommend the grilled squid ($4) and fried potato balls ($0.70) – and the stall owner will lightly fry them in a wok before serving them with a fab sweet dipping sauce.
Tucked away in a row of shophouses near Clementi Stadium, W39 Bistro & Bakery is conceptualised and owned by 20-something sisters Jasmine and Jamie Lu. Here, they combine nostalgia-tinged décor with a menu of upscale Western options. Espresso-based drinks are the star of the drinks menu, with unique concoctions of Goth Latte ($5), made with charcoal powder, PB&J ($6.50) with espresso, and a coffee-based cocktail ($18).
This hole-in-the-wall homebrew shop is one of Clementi’s best-kept secrets – despite being a permanent fixture in the neighbourhood for the past six years. For beer guzzlers who like to have the golden liquid on tap and close by (read: in your kitchen), iBrew’s kits are right up their street. They allow you to brew up to 23 litres of hand-crafted beer in four easy steps. All that’s required is some basic equipment and plenty of patience.
Opened the year Singapore gained independence, this old-school bakery is all about nostalgia. Count on them to be stocking up on some classic treats like sponge cake with hand-piped buttercream roses on it, hot chicken and beef pies, rum balls, cream horns and custard puffs.
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