山珍“海”味

Shop Recommendations

Chuan Ji Café Hainanese Delicacies

Chuan Ji is the only surviving Hainanese Flaky Biscuit bakery in Singapore.

Chuan Ji was formerly known as Nam Tong Lee, a long-established confectionery shop selling a wide range of Hainanese pastries founded in 1920.

Unfortunately, Nam Tong Lee had to close down after the founder's death. It was not until Mr. Chong Suan, the 3rd generation of descendants, together with his mother, Mdm Wong Chih Lian, reopened the bakery under "Chuan Ji" that they managed to preserve the traditional Hainan-style mooncakes.

In addition to the mooncakes, Chuan Ji also sells other pastries, such as ‘Ondeh Ondeh’.

Although they are not the traditional Hainanese pastries, they are handmade by this old-time brand!

The mooncakes by Chuan Ji have crispy crust with a filling of a distinctive savoury and peppery layered taste.

The production process of the Mooncake is complex and elaborate the amount of each ingredient has to be very precise.

According to Mr. Zhong Chuan and Ms. Wang Qilian, the production method of Chuan Ji mooncakes originated from Hainan, China, and has been passed down from generation with a history of more than 100 years!

Address：401 MacPherson Road, Macpherson Mall #01-17,

Singapore 368125

Opening Hours：

Monday, Wednesday, Friday : 12-6pm

Saturaday: 12-4pm

Prince Coffee House

Prince Coffee House is one of the many old-school Hainanese cafes in Singapore that has been in operation for over 48 years. The coffee house provides Hainanese western food as well as Chinese food. Previously located in Shaw Tower, it is now relocated to Beach Road due to the demolition of the building. The name of the coffee house also originated from the Prince Theatre in the former Shaw Tower.

According to the friendly owner Uncle Jimmy, We name our coffee house after the theatre, so after watching the film at the Prince Theatre, the people will come over to our Prince Coffee House for dinner.

Uncle Jimmy’s recommendations

Signatures include the Oxtail Stew, Beef Hor Fun, and the Hainanese Pork Chop

Black Pepper Pork Chop： The meat is thick and tender with a smoky taste.
Fried Hainanese Pork Chop： The sauce has a special sweet and sour taste. The pork chop is soft and tender. It is extra juicy and not greasy.
Beef Hor Fun： The cooking temperature is well controlled, full of "wokhei". The thick gravy and the smooth and tender beef make the eating experience more satisfying.
Hainanese Chicken Curry Rice： Hainanese Chicken Curry Rice: The overall portion is sufficient with authentic ingredients. The curry is home-style with a rich sauce, tender chicken, and well-cooked long beans.
Fish and Chips： The portion of this dish is very large. The batter is crispy and the fish is soft and juicy. The fish and tender, and the batter are not oily. Its salads on the sides are not the usual ones you see. They are very refreshing.
: The portion of this dish is very large. The batter is crispy
and the fish is soft and juicy. The fish is fresh and tender, and the batter is not oily. Its salads on the sides are not the usual ones you see. They are very refreshing.

The coffee house has open doors but is equipped with air conditioners and fans, so the air is well-ventilated and not stuffy at all.

The overall lighting of the restaurant is a warm orange tone, which gives off a comforting vibe. There are also vintage chandeliers and table mats, making it a very comfortable dining environment.

Address：249 Beach Rd，#01-249

Singapre 189757

Opening Hours：

Normal days 11am - 9pm

Friday 11am - 8pm

YY Coffee Shop

YY Kafei Dian is the youngest Hainan restaurant located on Middle Road, founded by the father of the current owner 15 years ago. Since its establishment, YY has been dedicated to Hainanese cuisine. It is popular for its traditional flavours with long queues during lunch hours.

Address：

37 Beach Rd，#01-01

Singapore 189678

Opening Hours：

Weekdays

7.30am - 7pm晚上7

Weekends

8am - 7pm

YY's signature product is undoubtedly their Kaya Bread. The squarish round-headed bread is baked until the outside is crispy and the inside is fluffy, with sweet kaya and salty butter, making it fluffy and warm.

Another popular product on the menu is their doughnuts.

Perhaps it looks like an ordinary doughnut, with a simple layer of white sugar, sprinkled all over it, but the texture is amazing. The super fluffy doughnut melts in the mouth, leaving a light bread flavour that is not greasy, a very traditional doughnut. The doughnuts are only available for a limited time in the morning and usually sell out within half an hour of being baked. So they are only available to the early bird.

海
南
宝

Address：500 Jalan Sultan, #01-09 Hotel Boss, Singapore 199020

Opening Hours：24/7

The Hainan Story is a unique restaurant that caters to 5-in-1 brands of Hainanese specialties, which are:

Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice,
Newspaper Curry Rice,
Jin Jin Golden Porridge,
Uncle Robert Western& BBQ,

Whole Street White Kway Chap.

The retro decoration of The Hainan Story is inspired by the Hainan Opera, with Nanyang coffee cups hanging upside down on the ceiling, presenting a unique landscape that’s suitable for customer’s to take memorable photos. They are also a 24-hour cafe, which is a great place for a late night snack!

Hong Kee Beef Noodle

As a Michelin-recommended restaurant that has been in business for more than 60 years, Hong Kee only sells one dish:

Hainanese beef noodles.

The beef soup is stewed for 12 hours, and it will leave a fragrant aftertaste that lingers in your mouth when you drink it. The hot soup is bright red and not too greasy. It is both comfortable and satisfying! The rice noodles are white and al-dente, the tripe is tender and chewy, the thin beef tastes smooth and moist!

Address：7 Maxwell Rd, #01-42 Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111

Opening Hours：

Weekdays 11am - 7.30pm

Weekends 9am - 2.30pm

ColBar

Address：9A Whitchurch Rd,

Singapore 138839

Opening Hours：

Tuesday - Sunday

11.30am - 8.30pm

ColBar was built in 1935 and is a coffee shop established during the British colonial period in Singapore.

The most precious thing about this cafe is the interior of the hall. From the inside to the outside, the tables and chairs to the wallpapers, all have left traces of the years. In addition to the Chinese dishes, it also sells Hainanese Western dishes. Customers will have a memorable dining experience and unique food flavours.

Hometown Hainan Fen

Hometown Hainan Noodles is a stall located in the People’s Park Food Centre. It sells Hainanese noodles, which are commonly found on Hainan island. The stall was founded by two sisters from Wenchang city, Hainan.

Noodles are a common delicacy in Hanna. However, there are very few local stalls that provide the food. So the sister went back to Hainan to learn how to cook Hainanese noodles and returned to Singapore to open a shop together.

When the Hometown Hainan Noodles first opened, the clients were largely Hainanese who had migrated to Singapore (around 80% ). Later one, more locals and people from other dialect groups began to appreciate this cuisine.

The taste of Hainan noodles is similar to the marinade of Singapore beef noodles, with its own unique twist. It has side dishes such as bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, sauerkraut, etc., which perfectly blend with the thick soup and white powder, and greatly satisfy the taste buds!

Address：32 New Market Rd, Singapore 050032

Opening Hours：10am - 7pm

Maxwell Hawker Centre

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which has been in business for more than 30 years , is Michelin certified and “King of Popularity” at Maxwell Food Centre. According to the stall owner, his elder brother passed down his craftsmanship. After years of experimentation and innovation, he produced the tender and juicy soy-sauce chicken rice that he is known for today.

One of the most important elements in Hainanese Chicken Rice is the flavour of the sauce, and this is what characterizes Tian Tian Chicken Rice. While the common local chicken rice sauce is made with oyster sauce and soy sauce and then poured over the steamed chicken, Tian Tian Chicken Rice uses its own secret seasoning and is served with hot oily chicken rice and steamed chicken. The fragrance is overflowing. It is simply an amazing combination!

Hainanese Curry Rice

This China Street Hainanese Curry Rice in Maxwell Food Centre is an old-time stall that has been in business for over 70 years. This stall has over 20 different dishes for customers to choose from, and the ordering style is similar to the economy rice.

The Hainanese curry sold at the stall has a distinct Hainanese flavour. The curry soup is not as thick as other stores, but it has a unique spice flavour. The braised pork with rice and curry is very tender and melts in your mouth, giving the whole dish an amazing taste!

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Current Franchises

When it comes to Hainanese delicacies, there are many famous brands whose founders are also Hainanese!
These stores include Koufu, Mr. Bean, Yakun, Han's, and Jack's place.