Neighbourhood Guide: Siglap
A neighbourhood is (almost) only as good as its food gets.
I've called Siglap home for the last two years and have really enjoyed living in this neighbourhood. It has a small village vibe. Growing up in the west of Singapore, this part of the island (apart from East Coast Park) has always been unfamiliar to me, so ever since moving here, there was a fair bit of discovery. Here are a few ideas on where to eat and what to do the next time you are in Siglap.
FIRST UP: BREAKFAST
If you, are like me, and enjoy a good bowl of fishball noodles for breakfast, head to the Soy Eu Tua coffeeshop along Jalan Tua Kong. The noodles there has plenty of kick, but be prepared to wait up to 30-min during weekend mornings. The chicken rice there is also excellent.
If noodles and rice aren't your thing, there are also a number of cafes to head to. Bakers & Cook at Swan Lake Avenue, have the most awesome sourdough bread (which they also use for their pizza at their sister pizza eatery Plank, just next door), and chocolate croissant. Pity they don't serve chai latte, but if you really want that, you can get a decent cup at Craftsmen Coffee at Siglap V or at Dutch Colony Coffee along Frankel Avenue.
POST-BREAKFAST RIDE
Follow along the Siglap Linear Park and it will somewhat lead you to East Coast Park, Area E. This is where the cable ski park (now under construction), JUMBO and East Coast Lagoon Food Village are. Close to the food village is a bicycle rental kiosk, a good base for those looking to rent a bike to cycle east towards Changi, or west towards Marina Bay Sands. All along the Park Connect Network which I am a big fan of. The Eastern Coastal Route is a very scenic route and brings you to Marina Barrage area. Siglap also has a number of bicycle shops, including a proper Treknology 3store, in case you fancy buying a bike instead. We own two Treknology bikes and have had them serviced there before, great service and clearly very convenient for us.
GET BENDY
Located at Laguna Park Condominium, I find Kate Porter Yoga studio really down to earth, no frills, no pretence. In case you really want to know, my favourite instructor is Germin, so check out her lessons if you are keen to try it out.
A QUICK LUNCH-BITE AND SOME ICE CREAM
Across the road from the Soy Eu Tua coffeeshop is the 936 LTN Coffeeshop. Find the small stall selling rojak and popiah. Both are delicious, but save yourself a scolding from the auntie there by ordering properly, clearly, and quickly. I used to really enjoy buying ice cream from Udders but haven't done so as much recently after they changed to "Udders & Kook" (I kind of prefer it when they only served ice cream...) but it's still worth a visit if you're in Siglap.
SALON 916
Who would have guessed that the best head massage can be found here at this Salon 916 hair salon. I stumbled across it when looking for a haircut, and fell in love with the head massage which seems to go on and on and on...
DINNER BITES
For a relatively small neighbourhood, the variety available is really very decent and fairly diverse. Etna is my top pick for an authentic Italian meal and makes a good spot for a date night. Pasta Fresca across the road is a bit more economical, and they serve up a really good crab meat linguine. If you're craving Indian food, head to Kinara just 5 minutes further down Upper East Coast Road. Megumi is our go-to restaurant when we want a no frills Japanese meal, their katsu curry is really good. For seafood, most people head to Jumbo at East Coast Park, but actually one really nice old school alternative is Hua Yu Wee (closer to Bayshore, so maybe not quite Siglap). And one of my latest favourites, given the lack of Thai food in the area, is Dog & Bone, a pub that serves up spicy delicious Thai food, but only on Wednesdays. That and a beer, completes a mid-week night. If you're still up for a night-cap and a round of pool, head over to Georges at Upper East Coast.
Enjoy!
