The ultimate guide to Sembawang

Think of JJ as a Thai zi char. It has all the usual offerings of traditional zi char restaurants – soups, vegetables, noodles and rice, chicken and pork, and more. Having moved from a humble hawker stall at Bukit Merah to a fully-fledged restaurant at Sembawang, it still sees hoards of loyal customers queuing for up to 2 hours every weekend. Its must-tries include steamed lemon seabass ($22), handmade prawn cake ($10), and minced pork stir-fried with basil leaves ($8).

As its name suggests, this forest-themed eatery comes surrounded by trees and plenty of lush greenery. Inside, the Peranakan eatery comes dedicated with a mishmash of memorabilia from various eras – posters of old-school singers, Chinese lanterns, and fairy lights that drape from the ceiling. Thankfully, the menu has a decidedly clear theme: classic Peranakan plates, with highlights that include nasi ulam ($14.90), babi pongteh ($14.90), and sambal sotong ($15.90).

East Bistro draws a quiet crowd for those looking to feast on freshly made Hong Kong dim sum and other Chinese cuisines. The restaurant is helmed by chef Tony Wong, whose storied resume includes being the former head chef at Lei Garden. To ensure the food stays affordable, the restaurant also does not charge service charge and GST.

The White Restaurant specialises in frying up plates of white bee hoon – a dish that shares equal placing in Singapore’s list of iconic food. This made-in-Singapore dish is a unique rendition of noodles, stirred up in a thick gravy that comes tossed with pieces of seafood. Equally popular is the restaurant’s other zi char offerings.

This shopping centre near Sembawang and Yishun MRT caters mainly to the residents of the area. Main tenants include Giant supermarket, Daiso, Popular bookstore, and Food Junction. There is also a water park and dry jungle gym on level three of the mall, with features of mist machines, water guns, and slides – but the park remains temporarily closed in view of safe distancing measures.

This traditional Teochew bakery, established since 1964, is one of the last few remaining ones that bake up age-old pastries. On its menu are lesser-known bakes, such as the da lao ping and fu jian tang, or Hokkien sweets. Next-generation owner Lawrence Lim has also introduced newer treats of durian mochi as part of the line-up. But Gin Thye’s best-seller is still its wedding biscuits – a traditional, customary treat that is fast losing relevance in today’s modern society.