Clarke Quay, Singapore
Paradise Group • Est. 2002
Address 3A River Valley Road, #01-03, Singapore 179020
Opening Hours Daily: 11:30am – 2:30pm | 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Phone 6379 9410
Group Paradise Group (est. 2002)
Halal Not halal-certified
Overall Rating 7.5 / 10
- Restaurant Review
Seafood Paradise occupies a commanding riverside position at Clarke Quay, representing the most ambitious iteration of a brand that began, rather improbably, in a Defu Lane industrial estate in 2002. That origin story matters: Paradise Group did not begin in the glow of prime real estate, but in the gritty pragmatism of a back-of-town canteen, earning its reputation dish by dish. The Clarke Quay outlet is, in every sense, the brand’s apotheosis—a large, handsomely appointed restaurant that faces the Singapore River with an al fresco terrace and a polished indoor dining room.
The menu draws from the full Seafood Paradise canon, which means a broad inventory of live seafood, wok-tossed zi char staples, and a handful of signature creations—most notably the Creamy Butter Crab topped with Coconut Crumbs, a dish the restaurant claims to have invented. The wine list and cocktail programme are modest but serviceable, and the service, while occasionally inattentive during peak hours, is generally polite and well-informed about the menu.
“The Clarke Quay outlet is Paradise Group’s most ambitious—and largely successful—expression of what a modern Singapore seafood restaurant can be.”
Pricing sits squarely in the premium tier for zi char: crabs at $10.80++ per 100g, bamboo clams at $15.80++ per piece, and the house noodle at $19++ per claypot. For a family of four ordering two crabs, a fish, a noodle, and a vegetable, expect a bill in the range of $180–$240++ before service charge and GST. This is not casual supper-club territory; it is a considered dining outing. Against that expectation, the food mostly delivers, with a few notable shortfalls that prevent a higher score.
Strengths
⦁ Exceptional riverside ambience, especially during evening service
⦁ High-quality Sri Lankan crab sourcing, consistent freshness
⦁ Innovative Claypot Ee-fu Noodle—a dish of genuine originality
⦁ Baked Jade Perch demonstrates confident, restrained cooking
⦁ Strong brand pedigree and decades of operational experience
Weaknesses
⦁ Creamy Butter Crab sauce less nuanced than at legacy outlets
⦁ Crispy Phoenix Chicken underseasoned despite labour-intensive preparation
⦁ Premium pricing may not be justified across all dishes
⦁ Service inconsistency during busy periods
Scorecard
Category Score Benchmark
Food Quality 7.5 / 10 High
Ambience 8.5 / 10 Excellent
Value for Money 6.5 / 10 Fair
Service 7.0 / 10 Good
Menu Innovation 7.5 / 10 High
Overall 7.5 / 10 ★★★¾
- Ambience & Atmosphere
Seafood Paradise’s Clarke Quay outlet occupies a ground-floor riverfront unit within the Clarke Quay entertainment complex, a site that confers considerable atmospheric advantage on any establishment lucky enough to hold it. The Singapore River, at this stretch, is neither a working waterway nor a tourist novelty—it is simply a handsome body of water flanked by colonial shophouses and modern facades, and in the evening it catches the light in ways that transform an ordinary dinner into something more cinematic.
Indoor Dining
The interior is a study in contemporary Chinese restaurant design: a palette of warm neutrals punctuated by timber accents and soft pendant lighting. Banquet-style round tables accommodate groups of 8–10, while two-top and four-top arrangements along the perimeter cater to smaller parties. The ceiling height is generous, which prevents the acoustic overload that plagues many zi char establishments, and the air-conditioning is calibrated for comfort rather than Arctic excess—a point worth noting for diners who prefer not to wear a jacket to a seafood supper.
The overall visual register is upscale casual: formal enough to mark an occasion, relaxed enough that a sauce-splattered shirt from dismantling a chilli crab will not feel out of place. Noise levels peak substantially during weekend dinner service, when large family groups fill the room and the open kitchen contributes a steady percussion of wok hei.
Al Fresco Terrace
The outdoor terrace is the establishment’s greatest asset, and arguably among the finest riverside dining settings in Singapore. Positioned directly above the waterline, the terrace looks across to the refurbished Clarke Quay shophouses and benefits from the natural ventilation of the river corridor. On clear evenings, the view encompasses a sweep of the Singapore skyline that includes the financial district towers to the east.
The seating is comfortable without being luxurious—sturdy timber chairs and cloth-covered tables—and overhead fans mitigate the humidity adequately, if not perfectly, from around April through October. For the most atmospheric experience, the al fresco terrace between 7:30pm and 9:00pm on a weeknight represents a near-optimal dining context: the heat has subsided, the river is lit, and the restaurant has not yet reached its most frenetic pitch.
“On clear evenings, the riverside terrace offers one of the finest outdoor dining settings in Singapore— a view, a breeze, and the slow drama of the river.”
Recommended Seating Strategy - Book at least 3 days in advance for riverside al fresco tables on Friday and Saturday evenings.
- Request tables on the outer perimeter of the terrace for unobstructed river views.
- For large groups (8+), the indoor round tables offer better workflow for shared dishes.
- Arrive 10 minutes early—the terrace fills quickly from approximately 7:00pm onwards.
- In-Depth Dish Analysis
The following analyses examine each dish served during the review tasting across four analytical dimensions: flavour architecture, textural composition, chromatic profile (hue), and overall balance. Each dimension is considered both in isolation and in relation to the whole plate.
3.1 Baked Jade Perch with Sea Salt
$8.80++ per 100g • Recommended
The Jade Perch (Scortum barcoo) is an Australian freshwater species that has gained significant traction in Singapore’s premium seafood market on account of its high omega-3 fatty acid content and its firm, sweet-tasting flesh. The baking-with-sea-salt preparation is a deliberate restraint—it allows the natural sweetness of the fish to assert itself without interference, trusting the ingredient to carry the dish.
Flavour Architecture
The primary flavour register is clean oceanic sweetness, which in a freshwater species is somewhat paradoxical but characteristic of Jade Perch raised in well-oxygenated aquaculture. The sea salt provides measured salinity and draws moisture to the surface during baking, creating a lightly cured exterior. The accompanying green chilli sauce introduces a secondary register of piquancy and citric tartness, functioning as a structural counterpoint rather than a dominant element.
Textural Composition
The flesh presents a medium-firm, flaky texture with good moisture retention—evidence of accurate internal temperature management. Overcooked Jade Perch becomes chalky; this specimen was pulled from heat at the optimal moment, yielding clean, succulent flakes that separate with gentle pressure. The skin, where it remained intact, offered a faint crispness from the salt crust.
Chromatic Profile (Hue)
The plated fish presents a pale ivory-gold exterior where the sea salt has formed a light crust, transitioning to a luminous white interior. The green chilli sauce introduces a vivid chartreuse accent. The overall palette is restrained and elegant—a deliberate compositional choice that signals the kitchen’s confidence in the quality of the fish itself.
Balance Assessment
This is a dish of admirable compositional integrity. The kitchen has resisted the temptation to add complexity and has been rewarded with a result of genuine clarity. The green chilli sauce, optionally applied, ensures the dish remains accessible to a range of palates without compromising its essential character. Rating: 8.5/10.
3.2 Stewed Ee-fu Noodle with Seafood in Claypot
$19++ • Highly Recommended • Signature Dish
This dish represents Seafood Paradise at its most inventive. Ee-fu noodles (also spelled yi fu or e-fu) are a Cantonese alkaline wheat noodle traditionally associated with longevity banquets, characterised by their pale golden colour, slightly chewy bite, and capacity to absorb braising liquids without disintegrating. The decision to stew them in chilli crab sauce is an act of culinary cross-referencing that could easily have been clumsy but instead produces a result of elegant logic.
Flavour Architecture
The chilli crab sauce base—built from a roux of egg, tomato, fermented bean paste, and chilli—provides a trifecta of sweetness, tanginess, and deep umami. Fresh tomatoes are added mid-braise, their acidity brightening the sauce and preventing it from cloying. The seafood component (prawns, clams, and squid) releases additional saline sweetness into the liquid, which the noodles then absorb over sustained stewing. The result is a noodle that tastes as though it has been marinated in the soul of a chilli crab.
Textural Composition
QQ texture—the Singaporean culinary shorthand for an ideal chewy resilience—is precisely the correct description for these noodles at the moment of service. The alkaline processing gives ee-fu noodles an elastic quality that survives prolonged liquid exposure better than most wheat noodles; they remain springy rather than waterlogged. The seafood components provide textural contrast: prawns carry a firm snap, clams offer a tender chew, and squid contributes a yielding slipperiness.
Chromatic Profile (Hue)
The claypot presents a dramatic tableau: the noodles have absorbed the deep rust-orange of the chilli crab sauce, creating a palette that ranges from amber to burnished terracotta. Scarlet prawn tails, ivory clam flesh, and the pale rings of squid punctuate the composition. Fresh tomato segments introduce a vermilion accent. The claypot vessel itself—dark grey earthenware—provides a high-contrast frame that intensifies the warmth of the dish’s colour palette.
Balance Assessment
The Claypot Ee-fu Noodle is the most compelling argument for visiting Seafood Paradise. It synthesises two of Singapore’s most iconic culinary traditions into a cohesive, original dish with genuine conceptual ambition. Rating: 9.0/10.
3.3 Creamy Butter Crab with Coconut Crumbs
$10.80++ per 100g • Signature Dish • Recommended with Caveats
The Creamy Butter Crab is Seafood Paradise’s proprietary creation and, by extension, its most scrutinised dish. The preparation involves a butter-based sauce enriched with evaporated milk or cream, finished with toasted coconut crumbs, and served over freshly wok-tossed Sri Lankan crab. It occupies a distinct position in Singapore’s crab taxonomy: less aggressive than chilli crab, less eggy than salted egg crab, more complex than steamed crab, and more indulgent than black pepper crab.
Flavour Architecture
The butter sauce functions as a unifying emulsion, linking the oceanic sweetness of the crab to the rich, dairy-forward creaminess of the sauce body. Coconut crumbs add a toasted nuttiness and slight granular sweetness. The crab’s natural brininess permeates the sauce over the course of eating, deepening it progressively. However, at this Clarke Quay outlet, reviewers noted that the sauce lacked the depth and aromatic complexity found at the original Defu Lane location—a common challenge when flagship preparations are scaled up for high-volume venues.
Textural Composition
The Sri Lankan crab delivers the expected textural dividend: firm, sweet meat that requires some manual effort to extract, rewarding the patient diner with chunky, intact flesh. The sauce is emulsified to a silky, coating consistency—it clings to the crab and to bread without breaking. The coconut crumbs, if they have been freshly toasted, provide a welcome granular contrast; if they have rested too long, they absorb moisture and become indistinct.
Chromatic Profile (Hue)
The dish is an exercise in warm monochrome: the sauce presents in a pale amber-gold, deepened at the edges where it has caramelised against the hot wok. The crab shell, flushed coral-orange from heat, sits against this cream-gold ground. Coconut crumbs, scattered at service, introduce a toasted ivory accent. The overall effect is opulent and warm—a dish that looks as generous as it tastes.
Balance Assessment
The Creamy Butter Crab concept remains sound, and the execution at Clarke Quay is more than adequate. The noted reduction in sauce complexity—plausibly attributable to ingredient scaling or modified recipe parameters for a larger kitchen—prevents the dish from achieving its full potential. Diners encountering it for the first time will likely be impressed; those with reference points from the original outlet may sense the gap. Rating: 7.0/10.
3.4 Singapore Style Chilli Crab
$10.80++ per 100g • Classic • Recommended
The chilli crab occupies a position of near-mythological significance in Singapore’s culinary identity—it is a dish that functions simultaneously as comfort food, national symbol, and tourist pilgrimage object. Seafood Paradise’s rendition adheres to the genre’s conventions while making a clear and defensible editorial decision in favour of sweetness over heat.
Flavour Architecture
The sauce is built on a tomato-chilli-egg base thickened with cornstarch and enriched with dried shrimp paste (belachan). The sweetness register, derived from palm sugar or light soy, dominates over the chilli heat, making this a broadly accessible interpretation suited to mixed groups that include chilli-averse diners. The egg, folded in at the final moment of cooking, creates silky, semi-set curds that float through the sauce in translucent sheets—a textural signature that distinguishes a well-made chilli crab sauce from a merely adequate one.
Textural Composition
The crab is wok-fried at high heat before sauce addition, which produces a slightly crisped, Maillard-reacted exterior on the shell and concentrates the crab’s natural sugars. The meat inside is notably juicy. Against the thick, clingy sauce, the firm crab flesh creates a compelling contrast—and the obligatory mantou (fried buns) for sauce absorption complete the textural argument.
Chromatic Profile (Hue)
Chilli crab is, visually, an assertive dish. The sauce presents in a deep vermilion-scarlet, opaque with cornstarch and animated by the golden threads of set egg. The crab shell, having absorbed the sauce, deepens to a rust-orange at its margins. The whole composition is vivid, generous, and unapologetically red—a visual declaration of indulgence that reads as both inviting and slightly dangerous.
Balance Assessment
A dependable, crowd-pleasing rendition of a national classic. The sweetness-forward calibration is a deliberate and competent choice for the Clarke Quay tourist-adjacent context. Purists may prefer a more pungent, fermented depth; mainstream diners will find this entirely satisfying. Rating: 7.5/10.
3.5 Crispy Phoenix Chicken
From $23.80++ • Mixed Results
The Crispy Phoenix Chicken is a technically ambitious preparation: the skin is removed whole, dried for four hours, and fried separately to a lacquer-like crispness, before being recombined with a filling of minced chicken and squid. The concept gestures toward the Peking duck tradition of separating skin from meat to achieve independent textural perfection for each component.
Flavour Architecture
The combined chicken-squid filling has a pleasing chewy-juicy character, but the seasoning is insufficient to carry the dish. Where Peking duck succeeds through the concentrated flavour of air-dried, lacquered skin plus intensely savoury pancake accompaniments, the Phoenix Chicken’s crispy skin alone cannot compensate for the comparative blandness of the filling. A stronger marinade or a more assertive dipping sauce would resolve this.
Balance Assessment
A technically interesting preparation that does not yet fully succeed as a dining experience. The concept warrants further development. Rating: 6.0/10.
Dish Comparison Matrix
Dish Price Rating Dominant Hue Primary Texture Rec.
Baked Jade Perch $8.80/100g 8.5 Ivory-gold Flaky, succulent
Claypot Ee-fu Noodle $19++ 9.0 Terracotta-amber QQ chewy
Creamy Butter Crab $10.80/100g 7.0 Amber-gold Firm, silky
Chilli Crab $10.80/100g 7.5 Scarlet-vermilion Firm, clingy
Crispy Phoenix Chicken From $23.80 6.0 Golden mahogany Crisp + chewy
Scottish Bamboo Clam $15.80/piece 7.5 Pearl-white Tender, bouncy
- Home Recreation Recipes
The following recipes are developed interpretations of the dishes served at Seafood Paradise, reconstructed from flavour analysis and knowledge of Singaporean culinary technique. They are calibrated for the domestic kitchen and may not replicate the precise character of wok hei-dependent restaurant cooking, which requires equipment and heat levels unavailable in most home contexts.
Recipe 1: Chilli Crab Ee-fu Noodles in Claypot
Serves 3–4 • Preparation: 20 min • Cooking: 25 min
Ingredients
⦁ 300g ee-fu noodles (available at Chinese supermarkets; substitute with thick udon if unavailable)
⦁ 200g medium prawns, shelled and deveined (tails intact)
⦁ 150g squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
⦁ 200g clams, purged in salted water
⦁ 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
⦁ 4 tbsp chilli crab sauce paste (store-bought or see sub-recipe)
⦁ 2 eggs, beaten
⦁ 400ml seafood or chicken stock
⦁ 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tbsp water)
⦁ 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Chilli Crab Sauce Paste (Sub-recipe)
If making from scratch: blend 6 fresh red chillies, 4 dried chillies (soaked), 3 shallots, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 tsp belachan (fermented shrimp paste) into a coarse paste. Fry in 2 tbsp oil over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until fragrant and oil separates. Add 3 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp palm or brown sugar, and cook a further 3 minutes.
Method
- Blanch ee-fu noodles in boiling water for 90 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. Do not overcook—they will continue cooking in the claypot.
- Heat a claypot or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and fry garlic until golden and fragrant, approximately 60 seconds.
- Add chilli crab sauce paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes to release aromatics. Add stock and bring to a vigorous simmer.
- Add tomato wedges and cook 2 minutes. Add clams, cover, and cook until they just begin to open, approximately 2–3 minutes.
- Add prawns and squid. Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch mixture. Cook until sauce thickens and prawns turn pink, 2–3 minutes.
- Add blanched ee-fu noodles to the claypot. Toss gently to coat in sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of stock.
- Drizzle beaten eggs over the noodles in a thin stream. Gently fold once—do not over-stir; the egg should set in light, translucent sheets.
- Serve immediately in the claypot. Accompany with crusty bread or fried mantou for sauce absorption.
Chef’s Notes
Wok hei cannot be replicated domestically—the goal here is a clean, deep sauce rather than the charred-edged complexity of restaurant wok cooking. A claypot maintains heat well and provides an authentic presentation. Ee-fu noodles vary significantly in alkalinity between brands; some require longer blanching. Taste before adding soy sauce, as some brands are quite salty.
Recipe 2: Baked Jade Perch with Sea Salt & Green Chilli Sauce
Serves 2–3 • Preparation: 15 min • Cooking: 20–25 min
Ingredients – Fish
⦁ 1 whole Jade Perch, 400–600g (substitute: Barramundi or Sea Bass)
⦁ 3–4 tbsp coarse sea salt (Maldon or similar flaked sea salt preferred)
⦁ 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Ingredients – Green Chilli Sauce
⦁ 8–10 green bird’s eye chillies, stems removed
⦁ 3 green finger chillies (for body and mild heat)
⦁ 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
⦁ 1 tsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp fish sauce, ½ tsp sugar
Method
- Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Score the fish 3 times on each side with a sharp knife, cutting to the bone.
- Pat the fish completely dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with oil. Pack sea salt generously over both sides and into the scored cuts.
- Place on a lightly oiled baking tray or rack. Bake for 18–22 minutes depending on thickness—the fish is done when the flesh flakes cleanly at the thickest point near the spine.
- While the fish bakes, blend all sauce ingredients in a small blender or mortar until a coarse, slightly chunky sauce forms. Taste for salt, acid, and heat balance.
- Serve the fish whole on the baking tray or transferred to a plate. Accompany with the green chilli sauce and steamed jasmine rice.
Recipe 3: Creamy Butter Coconut Crab
Serves 3–4 • Preparation: 30 min • Cooking: 20 min
Ingredients
⦁ 1 large Sri Lankan crab (800g–1kg), cleaned and chopped into portions
⦁ 100g salted butter
⦁ 160ml evaporated milk
⦁ 8–10 curry leaves
⦁ 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
⦁ 4 tbsp desiccated coconut, pan-toasted until light golden
⦁ 3 bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced
⦁ 1 tsp sugar, white pepper to taste; vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Deep-fry or wok-fry crab pieces in hot oil (180°C) for 3–4 minutes until the shell turns orange and the flesh is partially cooked. Drain and set aside.
- In a clean wok over medium heat, melt butter. Add curry leaves—they will spit dramatically but will quickly crisp and become fragrant.
- Add garlic and chillies to the butter and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add evaporated milk and sugar; bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add fried crab pieces. Toss to coat in the sauce, cover, and cook 5–6 minutes until crab is fully cooked through.
- Remove from heat. Slowly pour egg yolks around the edge of the wok while stirring—the residual heat should cook the yolks into golden threads without scrambling.
- Plate the crab and scatter toasted coconut crumbs generously over the top. Serve immediately with steamed rice or mantou.
- Delivery & Takeaway Options
Seafood Paradise operates within the broader Paradise Group delivery ecosystem. For fresh seafood restaurants of this calibre, delivery presents particular logistical challenges: crabs continue cooking in transit, sauces lose their textural integrity over time, and noodle dishes absorb all available liquid within 15–20 minutes of service. The following notes are calibrated to help prospective delivery customers make informed ordering decisions.
Available Delivery Platforms
Platform Delivery Zone Estimated Time Notes
GrabFood Central Singapore 30–45 min Most coverage; real-time tracking
Foodpanda Central + fringe areas 35–50 min Occasional promotions available
Oddle (direct) Selected zones 45–60 min Restaurant-managed; preferred for quality
Self-Pickup In-person only 15 min wait Best quality; takeaway packaging available
Dish-by-Dish Delivery Suitability
Not all dishes at Seafood Paradise are equal candidates for delivery. The following ratings reflect how well each dish maintains its quality during a typical 30–45 minute delivery window.
Dish Delivery Rating Key Consideration
Chilli Crab ★★☆☆☆ Sauce continues to cook crab in transit; order only if eating within 15 min
Creamy Butter Crab ★★☆☆☆ Butter sauce separates on cooling; best enjoyed in-restaurant
Claypot Ee-fu Noodle ★★★☆☆ Noodles absorb sauce over time; still enjoyable if reheated gently
Baked Jade Perch ★★★★☆ Holds well; reheat covered at 160°C for 8 min or microwave at 60% power
Crispy Phoenix Chicken ★☆☆☆☆ Skin loses crispness within 10 min; not recommended for delivery
Scottish Bamboo Clam ★★☆☆☆ Clam texture toughens on cooling; best for immediate self-pickup only
Ordering Recommendations for Delivery
⦁ Order rice-based dishes, the Jade Perch, and any braised items—these are the most delivery-resilient.
⦁ If ordering crab, request the sauce be packed separately and recombined at home over gentle heat.
⦁ The Claypot Ee-fu Noodle is best ordered for self-pickup—transfer immediately to a claypot at home and reheat with a splash of stock.
⦁ Do not order the Phoenix Chicken for delivery under any circumstances.
⦁ Minimum delivery order amounts and peak-hour surcharges apply; check the relevant platform for current pricing.
Contact for Reservations & Takeaway
Phone 6379 9410
Address 3A River Valley Road, #01-03, Singapore 179020
Website Available via Paradise Group official site
Lunch Hours Daily 11:30am – 2:30pm
Dinner Hours Daily 5:30pm – 11:30p