I Want My Noodle is a hidden eatery in Shaw Centre that specialises in noodles. Known for their egg noodles that are handmade every morning, they contain no preservatives and colouring, and there is this amazing springiness in every strand that we love.

The highlights include their Bak Chor Mee, Asian Duck Confit, Roast Meat Noodle, and Lor Bak Noodle. Most of the dishes are affordably priced under S$10, making it a great spot for a casual meal the next time you are in town.

What you must try at I Want My Noodle is the signature Bak Chor Mee. Quite unlike your usual minced pork noodles, their version is spicy and generously tossed in black vinegar.

The handmade noodles are shaped to be slightly curly, and this allows the noodles to be more evenly coated with the seasoning. Every mouthful is hence robust in flavour with a nice, spicy aftertaste.

We also enjoyed the Asian Duck Confit. Seasoned with herbs, it reminds us of the Balinese-style dirty duck—crispy skin, tender meat.

The owner of I Want My Noodle, Derrick Kuah, has an Indonesian mother-in-law, and many of their recipes come from her. It is safe to say this is a place for some simple and comforting Indonesian food.

I Want My Noodle is also offering islandwide delivery (free delivery for orders S$80 and above and you can order it through their website.

I Want My Noodle
1 Scotts Road
Shaw Centre
#03-14/15
Singapore 228208

With swanky malls like ION and 313 Somerset, who even goes to the older drabby ones such as Far East Plaza? Unless you’re thinking of getting a piercing or tattoo, you’d probably not set foot in there.

Well, then you’re missing out. As shabby as Far East Plaza looks in comparison to its glammed-up neighbours, this shopping centre is an absolute gem for affordable eats in the town area.

Whether you’re in the mood for a spicy Thai dinner or hearty zi-char feast, you can always fall back on this mall. We’ve put together a list of budget-friendly eateries at Far East Plaza for budget days.

CAHAYA MUSLIM RESTAURANT

Cahaya Muslim Restaurant is an eatery on the level 5 of Far East Plaza which offers an impressive range of halal Chinese cuisine, with the likes of claypot rice, wanton noodles and even zi-char-style dishes.

Go for their Cereal Prawns (S$15/S$21) if you’re craving something fried and buttery and pair it with their Seafood Fried Rice with Chicken Topping (S$7.50) for a hearty meal.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-91/92
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6734 8434
Daily: 11.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/jyynius.eats/

CROSS STRAITS RESTAURANT

If you’re bent on getting a fix of comforting fish soup in Orchard, you’d better head down to Cross Straits Restaurants early. This popular, modest eatery does a pretty solid bowl of Sliced Fish Soup (S$5.80), which draws in sizable crowds during lunchtime.

They also do a mean Fried Tofu with Thai Chili Sauce (S$4.80). Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these golden cubes shockingly good.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-91/92
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6735 2779
Daily: 10am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

GREENVIEW CAFE

Ban mian stalls are a dime a dozen, but those that make their own noodles are rare gems — Greenview Cafe is one of them. This hidden eatery does some of the best handmade mee hoon kueh we’ve ever tried.

Their Dry Mee Hoon Kueh (S$4.80) is a must-try. The irregularly-shaped kueh is excellently bouncy with a nice resistant bite. Tossed in a savoury, mildly spicy sauce, the doughy morsels are insanely addictive.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #04-96
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6734 2312
Mon to Sat: 10am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

HAINANESE DELICACY

Mention “Far East Plaza chicken rice” to any foodie and they’ll immediately know what you’re talking about. Hailed as one of the best places for chicken rice in Singapore, Hainanese Delicacy has been tossing out impeccable plates of chicken rice for decades.

Whether you get their roasted or steamed chicken, expect only the most tender and silken meat. Heck, even the breast meat tastes almost as soft as fish. Their Half Chicken (S$20) is good for sharing among three to four pax.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-116
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6734 0639
Tues to Sun: 10.15am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/eatwhatah/

HONG HU EXPRESS

Hong Hu Express is a great option for those weekend nights when you’re out with friends looking for dinner but all the budget-friendly spots seem to have a full house. Modestly dressed with plain tables and empty walls, this place’s interior certainly doesn’t match up to the quality of their food.

Their comforting Chinese fare ranges from You Mian (S$3.50) in robust broth to a tom yum rendition, which really packs a punch. Add on some Pan-fried Dumplings (S$6) for an appetiser you won’t regret.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-98
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6732 5089
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/foodlovesme0315/

KRAPOW THAI STREET FOOD

Kra Pow Thai Street Food sits on the third level of Far East Plaza as a hotspot for dedicated Thai food lovers. This places dishes out solid Thai rice and noodle dishes, as well as a plethora of delicious sides at reasonable prices.

One of their more well-known dishes is the Drunkard Noodles (S$7.80) which features dry kway teow coated in a piquant mix of ingredients such as soy sauce, fish sauce, holy basil and garlic.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #03-26/27
Singapore 228217
Tel: +65 6734 1946
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/kitchenmaddies/

MADDIE’S KITCHEN

Yes, you’ve had Hainanese pork chop curry rice, but have you seen pork chops as huge as the ones from Maddie’s Kitchen? This humble-looking eatery in Far East Plaza serves up not-so-humble dishes, from zi-char-style fare to curry rice.

Apart from their fantastic Hainanese Curry Pork Chop Rice (S$4.80), they also do an outstanding Oyster Omelette (S$10.80/small, S$15.80/medium, S$20.80). Be sure to get there early because the wait can stretch beyond 45 minutes during peak periods.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #02-10/11/12/13
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6365 0501
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

NEW STATION SNACK BAR

Fans of Salted Egg dishes have probably heard or been to New Station Snack Bar. This name has become inextricably tied to their famed Salted Egg Pork Ribs Rice (S$6.50), which commands snaking queues during meal times.

While their star dish is undeniably good, their renditions of claypot rice will steal the spotlight. Dangerously smoky, their Claypot Rice — Chicken (S$6) has an excellently charred aroma and is downright delicious.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-95
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6734 2862
Sun to Fri: 11.30am – 9pm
Sat: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

PUNCAK HALAL RESTAURANT

One of the most popular Halal eateries in Orchard Road, Puncak Halal Restaurant certainly makes its presence known with its bustling lunch crowds. Hungry diners flock here for their popular — wait for it — Honeydew Roasted Chicken Noodles.

As bewildering as it sounds and looks, this traditional dish surprisingly works. But for the less adventurous, they offer a steady range of noodles and rice dishes. Their crispy wantons make for a great appetiser too.

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-94
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6738 4348
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

WOK WEI KITCHEN

For a comfortable, unpretentious zi char meal that won’t burn your wallet in town, hit up Wok Wei Kitchen. Their homely fare is well-executed, ranging from fantastic Imperial Pork Ribs to mouthwatering Sambal Kang Kong.

Get spoilt by their S$18 Zi Char Set which comes with three decently-portioned dishes and rice, great for sharing between two or three people!

14 Scotts Rd, Far East Plaza, #05-100/101
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 6909 7854
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Eating cheap at Orchard Road can be quite a feat, seeing how even the prices at the food courts are significantly more expensive.

Tucked away on the second level of International Building, Hua Yi Kitchen serves a good selection of Shanghainese cuisine.

In fact, this cosy eatery has been serving authentic xiao long bao for 20 years – even before Din Tai Fung reached our shores!

We started off with the Steam Juicy Minced Pork Dumpling (S$6.80)—a basket of 6 plump and juicy xiao long bao. While the skin was a tad thick and the minced pork was on the rougher side, we liked the burst of flavour from the soup.

However, it was a pity that the little soup dumplings were stuck together and the skin tore when we tried to pick them up.

The Fried Rice with Eggs (S$6.80) was a decent plate of fried rice. Fragrant and full of eggy goodness, we wished it was more evenly seasoned.

Our favourite would have to be the Special Braised Beef Noodle Soup with Beef (S$9.80). The beef broth was hearty and even had a slight mala taste that warmed our bellies. It also came with tender beef chunks that were most likely stewed for hours. However, the dish would have been complete if the noodles were chewier.

360 Orchard Road
#02-11/12 International Building
Singapore 238869
Tel: +65 6235 3156
Daily: 9.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard