There’s plenty of good food in town, but it’s not every day that easties would want to hustle through the crowds of the North-South Line just to eat some quality restaurant food. Well, whatever you’re looking for, it’s closer than you think it is.
Unknown to many, OneKM is a foodie’s paradise in Paya Lebar that provides a variety of restaurants you can find in town. From Malaysian hawker eats to authentic Italian food cooked by an Italian chef, this is an underrated food enclave.
Here are 7 shiok eats in OneKM mall that will make you forgo that trip to Orchard for a meal.
If you’re looking for legit Italian places that can al dente your pasta to perfection, Kucina Italian Restaurant is right up your alley. Owned by an Italian muslim chef, this is a rare gem of a place for you to bring your muslim friends as it is a halal-certified restaurant.
Their menu is so extensive that you might feel a ‘lil lost, but definitely go for their signature tomato cream based Al Granchio ($20) pasta. It’s a fresh twist from other plain pasta usuals like Bolognese or Carbonara – slightly spicy and full of chunky crab meat bits.
As much as it’s an authentic dish, the Margherita Pizza ($17.80) here is done with flour from Italy and a too-good-to-be-true amount of chewy cheese.
Fun fact: The 3 main ingredients of a Margherita pizza symbolize the colours of Italy’s flag – basil leaves for green, mozzarella cheese for white, and tomato sauce for red. Truly an Italian classic.
Dessert Platter ($19)
This was hands-down, the best dessert platter I’ve ever had in my life. 9 different desserts at $19, that’s a 10/10 steal to me. The Dessert Platter consists of tiramisu, crème brûlée, cannoli (an authentic Italian dessert) as well as 6 other items that the chef switches up every now and then.
Most of Kucina’s visitors find the place by word of mouth. Make sure you make reservations before you visit – the whole place was fully booked for dinner the entire period of Ramadan recently!
Kucina Italian Resaturant
Unit Number: B1-09/10
Opening Hours: 11:30AM–10PM, Daily
Phone: 6493 2154
Left – Beauty Collagen Broth; Right – Spicy Nourishing Broth
Beauty in the Pot is a great option to nourish your stomach and your skin. Its signature broths, the Beauty Collagen Broth and Spicy Nourishing Broth ($22 per pot) are rich in collagen; ladies would know that this is a magical protein that firms and glows up your skin.
Flavoured with Szechuan chilli oil, we especially loved the Spicy Nourishing Broth – mala-lovers will approve the strong kick of flavour that it gives. Not to mention, it’s full of Chinese herbs, giving you an extra boost of energy and immunity.
Start your meal light with Fried Beancurd Skin ($9). Dip it in any of the soup base for 3 seconds and you’ll be able to keep it crispy yet well seasoned, a perfect way to taste the flavour of each broth.
I thought the Homemade Fish Tofu ($1.80 per piece) was just beancurd shaped like fish, but boy was I wrong. One of the restaurant’s most popular items, this tasted like a melt-in-the-mouth fish ball with a unique texture that still retained the natural flavour of actual fish.
The Ebiko Prawn Paste ($17.80) was another one of our favourites. Mix the roe in the paste, and scoop them into the size of a small fishball before dunking them into the soup. Once cooked, it becomes a chewy fishcake with the roes poppin’ in your mouths for a sensational bite.
S Wagyu Ribeye ($21/$42) – steamboats are not legit without some meat in your selection
With over 60 items on the menu for you to choose, Beauty in the Pot will leave you spoilt for choice during an energy-boosting hotpot meal.
Pro tip: Cruise in for supper after 10pm and you’ll get 20% off food items!
Beauty in the Pot
Unit Number: #02-21/22
Opening Hours: 11AM–3PM, 5:30PM–1AM (Mon-Thu), 11AM–3AM (Fri, Sat & Eve of PH), 11AM–1AM (Sun & PH)
Phone: 6702 2542
PappaRich is my favourite go-to place for quality authentic Malaysian food when I have a craving for flavourful curries and fluffy kaya toast. It’s generous in its portions – just look at that whole sotong and fat chicken thigh in the Nasi Lemak Super Combo ($15.90).
The sambal used in this common dish has a unique ingredient: cockles. They added a nice salty flavour and texture to an otherwise plain sauce, and slices of onions also gave hints of sweetness too!
I would strongly recommend their Assam Laksa ($10.90), a different variation of laksa that is not coconut milk based. There was a right balance of sweet, sour, salty and spice – a piquant kick of flavours that completely threw off the fishy smell you would expect from this dish.
Besides the meals, you cannot miss out on their Hainan Steamed Bread with Butter and Kaya ($3.90). The owner liked the bread’s particular recipe so much that he bought the entire factory over – so this pillowy soft and springy goodness is only available at PappaRich.
PappaRich’s interior resembles Malaysia in its colonial era, making it a popular film spot for old-school dramas and movies.
This restaurant is perfect for a hearty meal with your loved ones, and a great choice for those who’d like to explore authentic Malaysian cuisine at a single place.
PappaRich
Unit Number: #01-60/61/62
Opening Hours: 10AM–10PM, Daily
Phone: 6384 2232
That marblin’ and shine though
Gyu-Kaku has a prime selection of wagyu beef for you to try, and is a well known name amongst Japanese BBQ establishments around town. We went down during its weekday lunch hours, when sets are served at relatively affordable prices.
Their signature Wagyu Premium Set ($44) comes with marinated Australian wagyu and Kagoshima wagyu – the former has a grade of A5, which is the highest grade awarded to the finest beef. I especially loved that they were grilled over charcoal as it gave a nice smoky taste to the meat.
Pro tip: Cook the beef for a maximum of 3 minutes per side and avoid putting it on the centre of the grill; wagyu tastes the best medium-rare, so you won’t want to overcook it.
We also tried the Kurobuta (Black Pork) Set ($24), which is the wagyu equivalent of pork. Our favourite part was the jaw, followed by the belly and then the collar – the chunky jaw could retain a lot of the pork’s natural flavour.
P.S. Pork ain’t beef, so don’t try to eat this medium rare. Pork should always be fully cooked before consumption.
For those looking for bento sets, the Gyu-Kaku Bento ($15) is a steal. You get 6 different items in your bento, portioned just enough to fill a hungry stomach. My favourite was the Tofu with Sesame Dressing; it was so good that I wouldn’t have minded having multiple servings of the soft, buttery textured beancurd.
If you’re feeling like a king, try their premium Kagoshima Japanese Wagyu Platter ($145), comprising of loin steak, short ribs and chuck slices.
Gyu-Kaku at OneKM also offers a BBQ buffet option at $42.90++ per person, exclusive to this branch. It’s only available for weekday dinners and weekend/public holiday lunches, so take note!
Gyu-Kaku
Unit Number: #01-15/16
Opening Hours: 12PM–11PM, Daily
Phone: 6362 4001
Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh serves Bak Kut Teh Soup ($7.20) cooked Malaysian style – sweet, savoury and herbal, which is a nice change from the usual peppery Bak Kut Teh you’ll taste in other restaurants. If you like your BKT with a bit of spice, all you have to do is add some chilli for that kick.
Another fan favourite is their Dry Bak Kut Teh ($8.50), flavoured with dark soy sauce and dried chilli. The meat was well seasoned and not overcooked (my number one criteria for good BKT). Ideal to go with a steaming bowl of rice!
Give their Braised Pig’s Trotter ($8.50) a try as well – it’s not only delish, but also rich in collagen, that magical protein for your skin.
They’ve recently rolled out Seafood White Bee Hoon ($6.90) with generous seafood ingredients as part of their new menu along with other dishes, so go and check it out!
Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh
Unit Number: B1-K6/K7/K8/K15/K16
Opening Hours: 11AM – 10PM
A popular restaurant chain from Malaysia, The Chicken Rice Shop is a halal place that many muslim families frequent for a hearty meal outside of their homes. We ordered the Hainanese Chicken Rice Set ($7.90) and Curry Chicken ($7.50), both being no-frill meals to fill an empty stomach. The curry chicken was buttery and thick, and excellent with the fragrant chicken rice.
We felt that other menu items at The Chicken Rice Shop were also worth trying, like this Nyonya Pai Tee ($6.00 for a regular-sized portion) as an appetiser. This was a light and refreshing bite before our meal – the radish and carrots were crunchy and the pai tee shells retained their crispness even with the fillings inside.
The Penang Rojak ($6.80 for a regular-sized portion) tastes similar to the pai tee, but with a thick sweet sauce and peanuts toppings for an added nutty taste. The cucumbers do well to balance out the dish; other wise it might be a little jelak for the liking of some.
Whoever it was that decided cendol and coffee would make a good pairing, give him a trophy.
The Cendolcino ($5) served here was a winning combination of espresso, milk and gula melaka. The Lychee Tealicious ($5.00) and Berry Jelly Fizz ($5.00) were really good fruity concoctions too. For someone with a kid’s palate, I loved their drinks.
The name of this restaurant hides the wide variety of items it sells under its belt. We recommend ordering a bunch of sides along with a whole chicken to share if you’re going with a big group!
The Chicken Rice Shop
Unit Number: #02-17/18
Opening Hours: 11AM–10PM, Daily
Phone: 6702 2618
Eastie fans of Baikohken Japanese Ramen Restaurant’s branch in Takashimaya don’t have to travel to town for their favourite bowl of ramen. Small with minimal store decor, this is an unpretentious chain that serves age-old recipes from Baikohken’s original stores in Japan.
We tried 3 of their ramens – the Charsiew Ramen ($15.50), Tokusen Ramen ($10.70), and Miso Ramen ($10.50). The first two shared the same shoyu (soy sauce) soup base, but the Tokusen Ramen was zhng-ed with a special paste made of ginger, spring onion and garlic, so we found it to be more fragrant and flavourful.
The Miso Ramen didn’t have a strong bean flavour, so it’ll either be a hit or a miss depending on whether you like your miso to have a strong scent of fermented beans. We loved that the portions were substantial and the charsiew pieces were big – certainly worthy of our money.
Besides ramen, you can try its Charsiew Don ($5.50), ‘cause I’d go back just for its soft charsiew anytime.
Baikohken Japanese Ramen Restaurant
Unit Number: #01-67/68
Opening Hours: 11:30AM–10PM, Daily
Phone: 6702 2694
OneKM has 30 more restaurants and eateries that are mostly halal certified – so if you’re thinking of where to bring your muslim friends out for a meal, you know where to suggest. From affordable fast food like KFC to premium wagyu beef meals, it has them all.
Forget long trips to town and beyond. Even without the annual Ramadan Bazaar, your heartland of Paya Lebar has much to offer when it comes to food. OneKM also has free weekday lunch shuttle services, so if you’re working around the area feel free to hop onto its shuttle buses to go for lunch!
OneKM
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, OneKM Shopping Mall, Singapore 437157
Opening Hours: 10AM–10PM
Phone: 6702 3610
This post was brought to you by UOL Group of Malls.
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