Redhill Eateries

by | Dec 11, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Overview

Redhill, nestled in the Bukit Merah area, is a hidden culinary gem that offers an impressive range of affordable, authentic hawker fare alongside modern cafe options. This neighborhood food scene caters to all occasions—from late-night suppers to Instagram-worthy brunch spots.

Featured Eateries

1. Soon Li Yong Tau Foo

Location: 115 Bukit Merah View, #01-78, Bukit Merah View Market & Hawker Centre

Ambience: A bustling late-night hawker stall with a no-frills setup typical of traditional Singapore hawker centers. Even at 1am, expect queues and a lively atmosphere filled with supper-goers. The authentic hawker experience includes standing in line and communal seating.

Signature Dish: Yong Tau Foo (from $7)

Dish Analysis:

  • Base Components: Handpicked variety of yong tau foo items, vegetables, ikan bilis
  • Soup Profile: Rich, savory broth with peppery undertones
  • Cooking Method: Items simmered in fried ikan bilis and pork-based stock
  • Texture: Soft tofu pockets, springy fish paste, tender vegetables
  • Flavor Layers: Umami from anchovies, depth from pork, heat from white pepper

Key Features:

  • The soup base is the star—slowly simmered for hours to extract maximum flavor from fried anchovies and pork bones
  • Customizable selection allows diners to create their perfect bowl
  • Fresh chili and additional ikan bilis enhance the umami quotient

Recommended Cooking Approach (Home Recreation):

  1. Prepare stock by frying ikan bilis until golden, then simmer with pork bones for 3-4 hours
  2. Season with white pepper, salt, and a touch of sugar
  3. Blanch yong tau foo items separately to maintain integrity
  4. Serve immediately with chopped chili and crispy fried anchovies

Hours: Tue-Sun 12am to 2:30am (Note: Operating hours can vary as it’s run by an elderly couple)

2. Ye Shang Hai Teochew Porridge

Location: 107 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-1826

Ambience: Traditional Teochew-style setup with multiple small dishes displayed in glass cases. The atmosphere is casual and functional, focusing on quick service and hearty comfort food. Open nearly 24/7, it serves as a neighborhood staple for all meal times.

Menu Highlights:

Teochew White Porridge Set

  • Pricing Structure: $2.20 for 1 veg + 1 meat; $3.30 for 2 veg + 2 meat
  • Selection: Over 50 dishes available

Featured Dishes:

Braised Pork Belly

  • Cooking Method: Long-braised in Teochew-style dark soy sauce, star anise, garlic, and rock sugar
  • Texture: Melt-in-mouth tender with layers of fat and meat
  • Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, with aromatic spice notes
  • Dish Traits: Gelatinous, rich, comfort-forward

Teochew Braised Duck

  • Preparation: Whole duck braised in master stock with spices
  • Characteristics: Tender, aromatic, with pronounced five-spice notes
  • Serving Style: Sliced pieces with braising liquid

Fried Chicken Feet

  • Texture: Crispy exterior, gelatinous interior
  • Seasoning: Savory with hints of five-spice
  • Appeal: Textural contrast adds interest to the porridge meal

Cooking Instructions for Home-Style Teochew Braised Pork:

  1. Cut pork belly into 2-inch chunks
  2. Blanch in boiling water to remove impurities
  3. In a pot, caramelize rock sugar until amber
  4. Add pork, sear until golden
  5. Add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, star anise, cinnamon, garlic
  6. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours until fork-tender
  7. Reduce sauce until thick and glossy

Hours: Daily 6am to 3am

3. Rong Xing La Mian Xiao Long Bao

Location: 85 Redhill Lane, #01-77, Redhill Lane Block 85 Food Centre

Ambience: Humble hawker stall with modest seating. Despite the simple setting, the food quality rivals upscale dim sum restaurants. Expect a casual, fast-paced environment typical of hawker centers.

Signature Offerings:

Xiao Long Bao ($4.50 for 8 pieces)

Dish Facets:

  • Skin Quality: Thin, translucent, delicate yet sturdy enough to hold soup
  • Soup Content: Hot, savory broth with pork essence
  • Filling: Fresh minced pork, perfectly seasoned
  • Pleating: Hand-crafted with 18-20 pleats per dumpling
  • Temperature: Served piping hot in bamboo steamer

Dish Analysis: The hallmark of excellent xiao long bao lies in three elements: skin thickness (should be paper-thin), soup quantity (should burst upon first bite), and meat quality (fresh, never frozen). At this price point, Rong Xing delivers Din Tai Fung standards.

Eating Technique:

  1. Carefully lift dumpling by the pleated top
  2. Place on spoon with ginger strips and black vinegar
  3. Bite small opening to release steam
  4. Sip the soup first
  5. Consume the remaining dumpling

Dan Dan Mian ($4)

  • Noodle Type: Hand-pulled wheat noodles
  • Texture: Chewy, irregular thickness (authentic hand-pulled characteristic)
  • Sauce Base: Sesame paste, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, black vinegar
  • Toppings: Generous minced pork, crushed peanuts, scallions
  • Heat Level: Medium spicy with numbing mala sensation
  • Flavor Profile: Nutty, spicy, tangy, umami-rich

Red Bean Pancake ($3.80)

  • Form: Pan-fried crispy pancake with red bean paste filling
  • Texture: Crispy exterior, soft sweet filling
  • Temperature: Best served warm
  • Purpose: Sweet finish to balance savory dishes

Hours: Mon-Sun 8am to 9pm

4. Yan Fried Bee Hoon and Chicken Wings

Location: 85 Redhill Lane, #01-09, Redhill Lane Block 85 Food Centre

Ambience: No-frills hawker stall famous for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s visit. Simple setup with focus on value and consistency. Expect crowds during lunch hours.

Menu:

Fried Bee Hoon ($0.60)

  • Cooking Style: Wok-fried with light seasoning
  • Characteristics: Non-greasy, each strand separated, light soy seasoning
  • Texture: Smooth, not clumpy
  • Dish Traits: Clean-tasting, allows chicken wings to be the star

Chicken Wings ($1.30 each)

Dish Features:

  • Preparation: Marinated then deep-fried to order
  • Coating: Light batter or dry-fried (likely dry-fried given crispiness)
  • Seasoning: Well-marinated with likely soy sauce, garlic, five-spice
  • Texture: Crispy skin with juicy meat
  • Size: Standard mid-joint wings
  • Quality Indicator: Freshly fried, never pre-cooked

Recommended Marination (Home Recipe):

  • 10 chicken wings
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp five-spice powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • White pepper to taste
  • Marinate minimum 4 hours, fry at 180°C until golden

Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 8pm, Sat 9am to 6pm

5. 71 Lor Mee

Location: Blk 115 Bukit Merah View, #01-71, Bukit Merah View Hawker Centre

Ambience: Simple hawker stall setup focused on one specialty dish done exceptionally well.

Signature: Lor Mee ($2.50)

Comprehensive Dish Analysis:

Noodle Base:

  • Yellow wheat noodles, flat and thick
  • Texture: Chewy, absorbs gravy well

Gravy Composition:

  • Thickening Agent: Cornstarch-based, but not overly starchy
  • Flavor Base: Pork, garlic, five-spice, dark vinegar
  • Color: Dark brown, rich appearance
  • Consistency: Thick enough to coat noodles without being gluey
  • Special Feature: Bits of crispy pork fat mixed in for textural contrast

Toppings:

  • Fishcake: Bouncy, fresh
  • Wu xiang (five-spice pork roll): Crispy exterior, seasoned meat
  • Braised egg (optional)
  • Fried garlic

Flavor Profile: Savory, slightly sweet, with vinegar tang and five-spice aromatics. The pork fat adds richness and unexpected crunch.

Cooking Instructions for Home-Style Lor Mee Gravy:

  1. Prepare pork bone stock (simmer 3-4 hours)
  2. Strain and season with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, five-spice powder
  3. Add black vinegar for tang
  4. Create cornstarch slurry (1:1 ratio cornstarch to water)
  5. Slowly whisk into boiling stock until desired thickness
  6. Add crispy pork lard for richness
  7. Adjust seasoning with salt and sugar
  8. Serve over blanched yellow noodles with toppings

Hours: Wed-Mon 6am to 3pm

6. Fu Ming Cooked Food Carrot Cake

Location: 85 Redhill Lane, #01-49, Redhill Lane Block 85 Food Centre

Ambience: Traditional hawker stall known for preserving authentic cooking methods. The proprietors still steam their own radish cakes—a rarity in modern Singapore.

Specialty: Fried Carrot Cake (from $3)

Two Variants:

White Carrot Cake

  • Appearance: Light colored with visible radish cake chunks
  • Cooking Method: High-heat wok frying
  • Characteristics: Crispy edges, soft interior
  • Wok Hei: Strong smoky aroma from proper wok technique
  • Seasoning: Fish sauce, white pepper, eggs
  • Texture: Combination of crispy and soft
  • Flavor: Savory, umami-forward

Black Carrot Cake

  • Color: Dark brown from sweet black sauce
  • Unique Feature: Sweet sauce added twice during cooking for deeper flavor
  • Taste Profile: Sweet-savory balance, more robust than white version
  • Caramelization: Edges slightly caramelized
  • Richness: More intense, heavier flavor

Dish Features:

  • Radish Cake Quality: Large, soft chunks (homemade texture indicator)
  • Steam-Fresh: Made in-house, not factory produced
  • Size Generosity: Substantial portions with plenty of radish cake pieces
  • Egg Ratio: Well-incorporated eggs throughout

Traditional Radish Cake Recipe:

Steamed Radish Cake (Prepare 24 hours ahead):

  1. Grate 1kg white radish
  2. Mix with 300g rice flour, 50g wheat starch
  3. Add water to form thick batter
  4. Season with salt, white pepper
  5. Add dried shrimp, Chinese sausage (optional)
  6. Steam in greased pan for 1 hour
  7. Cool completely, refrigerate overnight
  8. Cut into cubes for frying

Frying Instructions:

  1. Heat wok until smoking
  2. Add oil and garlic
  3. Add radish cake cubes, fry without moving to develop crust
  4. Add beaten eggs, fish sauce
  5. For black version: add sweet dark soy sauce twice during cooking
  6. Toss with chye poh (preserved radish) and spring onions
  7. Serve immediately for best texture

Hours: Mon-Sat 3pm to 1am, Sun 6am to 1am

7. Hock Shun Traditional Homemade Curry

Location: 85 Redhill Lane, #01-66, Redhill Lane Block 85 Food Centre

Ambience: Homely hawker stall specializing in Singaporean-style curries. The use of claypots adds authenticity and helps retain heat.

Menu Offerings:

Claypot Curry Chicken Wings ($4)

Dish Components:

  • 2 chicken wings (drumettes and flats)
  • Potato chunks
  • Choice of rice or bread

Curry Characteristics:

  • Spice Level: Mild to medium
  • Coconut Content: Rich coconut milk base
  • Color: Golden yellow-orange
  • Aromatics: Lemongrass, curry leaves, turmeric, galangal
  • Texture: Creamy, slightly thick
  • Cooking Method: Slow-simmered in claypot

Flavor Profile: Coconut-forward with warming spices, not overly hot. The curry has depth from slow cooking, allowing spices to bloom fully.

Claypot Fish Curry ($5.50)

Distinguishing Features:

  • Curry Type: Assam curry (tamarind-based)
  • Color: Reddish-orange hue from chili and tomatoes
  • Fish Quality: Soft, flaky, not overcooked (indicates fresh fish and proper timing)
  • Acidity: Tangy from tamarind, balances richness
  • Vegetables: Typically includes okra, eggplant, tomatoes
  • Spice Level: Medium heat with sour notes

Serving Style: Both curries served in traditional claypots that retain heat throughout the meal. The claypot also adds subtle earthy notes to the curry.

Home Cooking – Singaporean Chicken Curry:

Ingredients:

  • Curry paste: shallots, garlic, ginger, dried chilies, turmeric, coriander, cumin
  • Coconut milk (400ml)
  • Chicken pieces
  • Potatoes
  • Curry leaves, lemongrass

Method:

  1. Blend spice paste ingredients
  2. Sauté paste in oil until fragrant
  3. Add chicken, coat with paste
  4. Add coconut milk, curry leaves, lemongrass
  5. Simmer 20 minutes
  6. Add potatoes, cook until tender
  7. Season with salt and sugar
  8. Serve in warmed claypot if available

Hours: Tue-Sun 9am to 9pm

8. The Bakery Chef

Location: 161 Bukit Merah Central, #01-3711

Ambience: Modern bakery cafe with Instagram-worthy presentation. Clean, bright interior with comfortable seating. More spacious than typical hawker stalls, suitable for longer stays and social gatherings.

Signature: Lava Toast ($14.80)

Dish Anatomy:

Toast Base:

  • Thick-cut white bread (approximately 2-3 inches thick)
  • Texture: Light, fluffy, slightly crispy exterior
  • Quality: Airy crumb structure, not dense

Filling Options:

  • Matcha
  • Salted Egg
  • Nutella

Ice Cream:

  • Vanilla or Matcha
  • Served on the side
  • Premium quality, creamy texture

Featured: Charcoal Toast with Matcha

Visual Appeal:

  • Black charcoal bread creates dramatic contrast
  • Bright green matcha filling flows like lava
  • Matcha ice cream adds color dimension
  • Instagram-optimized presentation

Flavor Analysis:

  • Matcha Intensity: Pronounced but not bitter
  • Sweetness Level: Balanced—not cloying
  • Texture Contrast: Crispy toast + molten filling + cold ice cream
  • Temperature Play: Hot, warm, and cold elements
  • Portion: Large—designed for sharing

Eating Experience:

  1. Cut into toast to release molten matcha flow
  2. The filling is genuinely liquid-like (not just soft paste)
  3. Best enjoyed while still warm for optimal lava effect
  4. Ice cream provides cooling contrast to rich matcha

Other Variants:

Nutella Lava:

  • Classic chocolate hazelnut richness
  • Molten chocolate flow
  • Perfect for chocolate lovers
  • Pairs well with vanilla ice cream

Salted Egg:

  • Savory-sweet profile
  • Unique Singaporean twist
  • Creamy, rich salted egg yolk filling
  • Appeals to adventurous eaters

Recipe Concept for Home Recreation:

Matcha Lava Toast:

  1. Hollow out center of thick toast slice, leaving walls intact
  2. Toast until lightly golden
  3. Prepare matcha filling: matcha powder, condensed milk, cream, heat until smooth
  4. Keep filling warm and liquid
  5. Pour into toast cavity just before serving
  6. Top with matcha ice cream
  7. Serve immediately while filling is molten

Recommended Approach: Share between 2 people as a dessert after lunch. The portion is substantial and the richness is better enjoyed in smaller amounts.

Hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 7pm, Sat-Sun 10am to 7pm

9. Refuel II

Location: 28 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-4468

Ambience: Underrated neighborhood cafe with modern, casual-chic interior. More relaxed than typical cafes, with comfortable seating and friendly service. Good for brunch dates, casual meetings, or leisurely meals.

Menu Highlights:

Truffle Eggs Mushroom ($13.90)

Dish Deconstruction:

Eggs:

  • Perfectly scrambled (still slightly wet, not overcooked)
  • Creamy texture from proper technique
  • Seasoned throughout, not just on surface

Truffle Element:

  • Truffle oil drizzled before serving
  • Aromatic, not overpowering
  • Adds luxury without overwhelming eggs

Miso Component:

  • Creamy miso paste incorporated into eggs
  • Adds umami depth
  • Unique twist on classic scrambled eggs

Mushrooms:

  • Variety mix (likely shiitake, button, oyster)
  • Sautéed separately to maintain texture
  • Seasoned individually before combining

Bread:

  • Toast served on the side
  • Allows dipping and soaking up flavors

Flavor Profile: Rich, earthy, umami-forward with truffle fragrance. The miso adds depth without being overtly Japanese. Sophisticated yet approachable.

Other Notable Dishes:

Pesto Scrambled Eggs ($12.90)

  • Fresh basil pesto mixed with scrambled eggs
  • Herby, garlicky notes
  • Mediterranean influence

Porky Egg Waffle ($13.90)

  • Hong Kong-style egg waffle with pork elements
  • Sweet-savory fusion
  • Crispy waffle texture with tender pork

Bacon Mushroom Mac ($13.90)

  • Comfort food elevated
  • Creamy cheese sauce
  • Crispy bacon bits
  • Sautéed mushrooms

Cooking Guide – Perfect Scrambled Eggs with Truffle and Miso:

Ingredients (2 servings):

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tbsp cream or milk
  • 1 tsp white miso paste
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Mixed mushrooms (200g)
  • Truffle oil
  • Salt, pepper

Method:

  1. Whisk eggs with cream and miso until fully incorporated
  2. Sauté mushrooms separately in butter until golden, season and set aside
  3. Melt butter in non-stick pan over low heat
  4. Pour egg mixture, stir gently with spatula
  5. Remove from heat while still slightly wet
  6. Plate eggs, top with mushrooms
  7. Drizzle with truffle oil just before serving
  8. Serve with toasted bread

Hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 9:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am to 9:30pm

Delivery Options

Traditional Hawker Stalls: Most hawker stalls (Soon Li, Ye Shang Hai, Rong Xing, Yan, 71 Lor Mee, Fu Ming, Hock Shun) do not offer direct delivery but are available through:

  • GrabFood
  • Foodpanda
  • Deliveroo

Note: Delivery quality may vary for certain dishes:

  • Xiao long bao: Best consumed fresh; soup may leak during transport
  • Fried items (carrot cake, chicken wings): May lose crispiness
  • Porridge: Travels relatively well
  • Lor mee: Good for delivery as gravy protects noodles

Cafe Options:

  • The Bakery Chef: Check with establishment for delivery options; lava toast best enjoyed fresh
  • Refuel II: Likely available on delivery platforms; eggs best fresh but other items travel well

Recommendation: For optimal experience, especially for specialty items like xiao long bao and lava toast, dine-in is strongly recommended.

Redhill Food Scene Summary

Strengths:

  • Exceptional value for money across all price points
  • Authentic hawker fare prepared by experienced cooks
  • Mix of traditional and modern options
  • Accessible location with multiple hawker centers
  • Operating hours cater to different meal times (including late-night)

Best For:

  • Budget-conscious food lovers
  • Those seeking authentic Singaporean hawker food
  • Late-night supper options
  • Instagram-worthy cafe food without traveling to trendy areas
  • Family meals with diverse preferences

Culinary Diversity: From $2.50 lor mee to $14.80 lava toast, Redhill offers remarkable range while maintaining quality standards that rival more expensive establishments.

Final Verdict: Redhill punches well above its weight as a food destination. While it lacks the polish of trendy neighborhoods, it compensates with authenticity, affordability, and consistent quality. Whether you’re craving traditional hawker fare or modern cafe food, Redhill delivers without the crowds and hype of more famous food areas.