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Singapore

7 Reasons Why Farrer Park is the Best Neighbourhood

Are you contemplating moving to Farrer Park? You have my vote of confidence. Farrer Park was a wonderful neighborhood to me. I lived there for four years. I still remember arriving in Singapore and signing a two-year lease at City Square Residence like it was yesterday. Back then, City Square Residence was considered a dive. I suppose it still is! The condominium attracts many young foreigners, including students, due to its cheap rents and the fabulous pool. Naughty subletting was rampant once upon a time. Imagine 10 people squeezed into a 3-bedroom flat! These days, that’s all been nipped in the bud thanks to COVID19 and the introduction of a strictly guarded entrance.

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Let's Eat

Finally! Some Good Thai at SUK’s Thai Kitchen

Finally, a decent Thai restaurant in Singapore that doesn’t charge the earth! I’ve always been astonished at how Singapore, a country totally obsessed with food, has so many mediocre Thai restaurants. Krapow is very good, but it cheats with its heavily Chinese-influenced menu. That’s why SUK’s Thai Kitchen is a welcome addition to the Farrer Park neighborhood. Admittedly, the menu is a little hit-and-miss. But there are many superb dishes and the prices are reasonable. Read on for my recommendations on what you MUST order at SUK’s.

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Let's Eat

Best Places for Delicious Food in and Around Farrer Park

There is plenty of good food in Farrer Park, you just have to know where to find it. During the past few years of living in the area, I have found some real foodie gems in and around Farrer Park, from authentic Chinese dumplings and sautéed eggplant to dukkah sprinkled avocado on toast and hand-pulled Muslim noodles. Please enjoy my foodie roundup and top places to eat good food in Farrer Park.

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Let's Eat

Bruno’s Italian: Come for the Pizza!

My area wouldn’t be complete without a little Italian on Serangoon Road in the form of Bruno’s Pizzeria. Italian is my favourite cuisine. There aren’t too many Italian restaurants in Singapore that live up to my expectations. Fortunately, my local pizzeria happens to be a gem.

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Let's Eat

Cafe Hopping in Farrer Park and Lavender

When I first moved to Farrer Park in 2017 I never expected to write a blog about cafe hopping in the area. Back then, the only place to get a decent cuppa was Cedele in City Square Mall. Oh how things have changed. New cafes are popping up by the dozen here!

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Let's Eat

88 Hong Kong is the Best Hawker

There are a lot of hawker stalls in Farrer Park but none of them can really be classed as great except the 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist. In fact, amazing is probably a better descriptor. I have no hesitation in saying their original stall serves the best wanton mee and roasted pork belly in Singapore.

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Let's Eat

Seafood with a quirky, Asian twist at Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong

One of the newest additions to the Jalan Besar neighbourhood is Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong. This place is funky – and I mean it in a good way. Their menu is a sumptuous celebration of the farm to table concept and plays with typical Western dishes and South-East Asian flavours. If you enjoy plenty of spice, aroma, and the freshest of seafood, then you will love Scaled restaurant.

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Let's Eat

Cheap(ish) Lai Huat Seafood with kuay teow!

I’m excited to announce one of my new favourite restaurants near Farrer Park, Lai Huat Seafood Restaurant. I have been there twice in the last fortnight. The food is so darn tasty (it’s recession-worthy), not to mention reasonably priced. Let me start with my number one dish, the noodles.

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Let's Eat

Wine tasting and neighbourly chatter at Druggists

One dusky Sunday in late October, I found myself sampling wine and having a good ol’ natter with Corrine, the idyllic brains behind Druggists. Now, most craft beer lovers in Singapore will be familiar with Druggists. They will also be scratching their heads… wine tasting? At a beer joint? Well yes, but allow me to start from the beginning.

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Let's Eat

Bars in Farrer Park, When You Fancy a Drink but Don’t Want Beer!

I miss being able to enjoy a few quiet drinks at my local pub. The concept of a neighbourhood bar is not very popular in Singapore. I mean, it is a small country after all and it doesn’t take long to jump in a taxi and head to Robertson Quay. Nonetheless, I have been seeking out all the possible places to enjoy a good cocktail or glass of wine in my area of Farrer Park. While it is slim pickings, there are a few cool places to enjoy an alcoholic beverage for those of us who do not like drinking beer!

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Let's Eat

Incredible handmade halal beef noodles at Yi Zun Noodle

I love discovering new places in my local area and Yi Zun Noodle is a real gem. It is a smallish joint tucked away on a side street of Little India serving up incredible handmade halal beef noodles as its signature dish. Despite being a new addition to the area, it is already a favourite with locals and you will rarely see the place empty in the evening.

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Let's Eat

Farrer Park living and where to get Brunch and Coffee

Living in Farrer Park has its perks but good brunch and coffee is not one of them. To the untrained eye Farrer Park seems like a foodies delight as there is a high concentration of restaurants, from the Michelin starred Putien to Singapore’s beloved dumpling house, Swee Choon. You are surrounded by the curry houses of Little India, the family restaurants of City Square Mall and the Chinese hawkers of Lavender. However getting a decent espresso coffee and organic eggs over easy is hard to find. Read on for my full guide on where to go for brekkie and find good coffee in Farrer Park.

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Singapore

Finding a Condo to Rent in Singapore and the Unscrupulous Agents

One of the first challenges I faced moving to Singapore was finding a place to rent. I learned quickly that the system, which is designed to protect renters, is full of unscrupulous real estate agents. Nonetheless, luck was on my side as at the time rents were low and there were plenty of vacant modern condominiums. I found a convenient two bedroom apartment close to the city centre… and I lived to tell the tale.

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Let's Eat

Same old dumplings at Dim Sum Haus on Jalan Besar

Dim Sum Haus on Jalan Besar is a new addition to the vast number of eateries and hawker grub along this strip. I was excited to see this fancy looking Dim Sum joint open its doors so close to my home and whenever I walked by on a weekend I had observed queues of people waiting to eat here. So one weekend I finally made it to Dim Sum Haus ahead of the lunchtime rush but was disappointed to eat the same old dumplings but only of lesser quality.

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Let's Eat

Swee Choon Dim Sum for Chinese Brunch, Dumplings & Noodles

Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant is an unassuming, little place along Jalan Besar road in Farrer Park. If it wasn’t for the street-facing take away counter displaying row after row of delicious egg tarts, I may have walked passed and completely missed this little gem. Swee Choon has been serving Shanghai and Hong Kong style dumpling and noodle dishes in Singapore for more than fifty years. It is always busy and it stays open until the wee hours of the morning (6am) to feed both dinner and supper cravings. Their signature dish is the Mee Sua Kueh, a deep-fried vermicelli cake however everything from their steamed prawn dumplings to Shanghai chilli dumplings tastes good.

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Let's Eat

Old Hen Kitchen for Coffee, Avocado on Toast and Chilli Crab Fries

Old Hen Kitchen has the best breakfast and brunch menu in Farrer Park. Their avocado on toast is award winning and the coffee is made with care and precision. You also gotta try the Singapore Chilli Crab Fries for the novelty factor.