One of the newer additions to Sunshine Plaza’s slew of hidden food gems is Steakville, a humble hole-in-a-wall that serves up some seriously good steak as well as a myriad of other enticing mains.

Striving to bring the “farm to table” dining experience, Steakville sources their beef from specific farms, ensuring that only the best quality beef is chosen. Costing only S$15 for a hanger steak, we were beyond impressed given the quality of it. On top of their food, they also serve solid artisanal cuppas as well as an array of cocktails.

Located within walking distance from NAFA and Kaplan, this new steak joint is definitely a great hangout spot for students as well given its location and affordable prices.

With only 6 curated mains to choose from, Steakville keeps its menu offerings limited to ensure that quality is prioritised above all.

This small, 25-seater restaurant is decorated with wooden furnishings and gentle lighting, making it a cosy space for an intimate meal.

Starting our meal off proper with something to snack on, we opted for Steakville’s Italian’s Truffle Fries (S$12++) that features a bowl filled to the brim with truffle-infused shoestring fries, accompanied by a side of their house-made truffle mayonnaise dip.

Salted just right and topped with a generous topping of shaved parmesan, it was pretty decent by our standards although we wouldn’t necessarily it was the best we’ve tried.

Coming to a place with a name like Steakville and trying anything but steak would be pretty silly, which was why it didn’t take long before we settled on their Signature Hanger Steak (S$15++) and it was hands down one of the better steaks we have tried.

Served with a House Leaf Salad, beetroot purée, truffle mustard and Maldon sea salt and costing only S$15++, you get a decent portion of steak that is pan-seared to perfection.

The steak was perfectly charred and incredibly juicy and tender on the inside. Even though the beef tastes excellent on its own, the combination of the subtly sweet beetroot purée and umami-packed truffle mustard really enhances the flavour of the meat tenfold.

We also got the Seared Norwegian Salmon (S$15++) that comes with a generous piece of pan-seared salmon, salad, beetroot purée and herb-infused honey mustard dip.

The seared salmon was cooked decently but our only gripe would be the fact that the skin was not as crispy as we had liked.

However, the salmon was really soft and flaky just the way we like it. A tad salty at first, but soon balanced out when dipped into their special, sweet and tangy herb-infused honey mustard dip.

Steakville
91 Bencoolen Street,
Sunshine Plaza #01-56
Singapore 189652
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Closed on Sundays
Nearest Station: Bencoolen

Better known for its printing services for students studying nearby, the unassuming Sunshine Plaza is actually a food haven that houses some of the city’s most affordable eateries. The latest addition to its list of eateries is District Sushi, a Japanese joint that serves up delicious Japanese fare at wallet-friendly prices.

Their stellar Bara Chirashi Don, which is priced at an unbelievable S$13 per bowl (no GST and service charge), is stacked high with generous cubes of fresh marinated fish and is one of their most frequently ordered items. Besides that, the casual eatery also has a range of sashimi, nigiri sushi and a la carte sides that are mostly below S$15.

If you ever find yourself craving for some donburi, fresh sushi or sashimi without burning a hole in your wallet, this is where you should probably be heading to!

Two-week-old District Sushi is the owner’s first business venture into the F&B industry after working in hotels and Japanese restaurants for many years—both locally and abroad—to gain some experience. The Japanese eatery was then set up with the aim to provide high-quality dishes at affordable prices.

The simple eatery had a basic sashimi counter and long communal dining tables for groups of friends and colleagues to have a meal together. Nothing was particularly outstanding about the interior as the focus was all on creating mouthwatering Japanese cuisine for the patrons.

We went for their highly sought-after Bara Chirashi Don (S$13) and boy, were we blown away by the freshness and quality of the ingredients used. The raw fish had no strong fishy odour and the meat was springy when we bit into it.

Going beyond just the standard ingredients including salmon, tuna and octopus, there is also the addition of a poached prawn on top. Diners get generous portions of sashimi cubes atop sticky Japanese rice—for only S$13! We are definitely going back to District Sushi again just for this.

District Sushi’s 5 Kind Nigiri Sushi (S$10) did not disappoint either. The sushi selection was decided by the chef who gave us a good mix of tamago, unagi, ikura, salmon and tuna nigiri sushi.

While the rest lived up to our expectations, it was the tamago sushi that created the deepest impression on us—the Japanese omelette came with a slightly charred taste which added a new layer of flavour to it.

All in all, District Sushi is a hidden gem we would highly recommend to students studying at the campuses nearby or those who are on a budget. Their value-for-money donburis and nigiri sushi sets are definitely worth a try!

District Sushi
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-15, Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Nearest Station: Bencoolen

Sunshine Plaza is an ulu building with both commercial and residential units that is located near Bras Basah MRT Station. While there is generally nothing much to do there, many who work or study nearby flock to Sunshine Plaza during meal hours as the place is home to a few popular eateries.

If you have not been to Sunshine Plaza, drop by the mall next time when you are hanging out in the Dhoby Ghaut area—the unassuming building may have more dining options than you think!

Here is our guide to 9 Hidden Eateries and Restaurants In Sunshine Plaza even locals never knew about.

#1 DISTRICT SUSHI

District Sushi is a Japanese joint that serves up delicious Japanese fare at wallet-friendly prices. Their stellar Bara Chirashi Don, which is priced at an unbelievable S$13 per bowl (no GST and service charge), is stacked high with generous cubes of fresh marinated fish and is one of their most frequently ordered items.

Besides that, the casual eatery also has a range of sashimi, nigiri sushi and a la carte sides that are mostly below S$15.

91 Bencoolen Street
#01-15, Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Nearest Station: Bencoolen 

#2 ICHI TEI

This low-key Japanese eatery is where one can find affordable Japanese food in town. If you are on a budget, Ichi Tei serves simple and flavourful meals below S$14. We thoroughly enjoyed the Chicken Teriyaki Rice Set which comes with a small portion of potato salad and miso soup.

Otherwise, Ichi Tei also has other options such as Curry Rice, Udon, Udon Curry and some of the basic side dishes.

91 Bencoolen Street
#01-52 Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Tel: +65 9139 1746
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 8pm
Sun & PH: Closed
Nearest Station: Bras Basah

#3 MERELY ICE CREAM

A popular hang out for students who are studying in the area, Merely Ice Cream is an inviting place with bright cheerful colours splashed across its door front.

The insides are entirely different, as the owner has made full use of wooden furniture and clean white walls to give off a soothing vibe. Merely’s ice cream are homemade and they use natural ingredients such as nuts and fruits as toppings.

Nobody goes to Sunshine Plaza unless they are printing name cards, but you would have heard about the famous Victor’s Kitchen and made a trip there for dim sum.

But we have another reason for you to visit that otherwise random mall.

Our search for good and affordable eateries led us to this discreet Japanese shop called Ichi Tei, which is located inside Sunshine Plaza. Ichi Tei’s set meals are less than S$14, which makes for a decent lunch or dinner.

Upon stepping into the mall, you will definitely notice the bright red colours of the signboard of Ichi Tei, which will stand out in the plain-looking mall.

Affordably priced at S$8.90, the Chicken Teriyaki Set Meal is a good go; flavourful, and we liked that the chicken skin was slightly charred and crispy. The sweet teriyaki sauce enhanced the flavours of the chicken without it being overwhelming.

Every set meal entitles you to a rice set, creamy potato salad and a bowl of miso soup.

Another popular choice at Ichi Tei is the Unadon Rice Set Meal (S$12.90), where visitors get a generous serving of unagi (Japanese eel) with rice.

While we also enjoyed this rice bowl, the chicken teriyaki fared much better.

There is more on Ichi Tei’s menu—Udon Set, Curry Rice Set and Curry Udon Set. Sides include Deep Fried Shumai (S$6), Salmon Sashimi (S$9) and Tori Karage (S$8).

Ichi Tei
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-52 Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Tel: +65 9139 1746
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 8pm
Sun & PH: Closed
Nearest Station: Bras Basah