Singapulah: Authentic Singaporean Cuisine in the Heart of London

Singapulah is a celebration of the island state rich cultural heritage, weaving classic dishes throughout the menu, many we will all know and love and those rarely found outside of Singapore; take the unique flavours of the Durian ice-cream, for starters, which is mentioned later in the review.

The restaurant is bang in the centre of the pulsating heart of London’s West End; the area is a hive activity with diners often queuing around the building, such is the popularity of restaurant. Luckily for diners yet to visit, reservations are now being taken which we heartily encourage.

Once inside, you’ll discover the restaurant design is a clear nod to the retro aesthetic of the 1970’s, transporting diners back to the Singapore of yesteryear. This concept manages to fit perfectly with the current space and manages to feel fresh, new, and above all, welcoming.

So, what shall I order?

Fried Chilli Crab Bao

Deciding what to order first was made instantly easier by tempting title of Fried Chilli Crab Baos. These deeply bronzed, plump baos are a treat to the senses and look oh-so appetizing. When pulled apart, these crispy buns reveal a pillowy soft centre of rich, spicy-sweet chilli crab filling. They’ll be devoured within seconds, and the perfect starting point for the dishes to come.

Kueh Pie Tee

This signature delicacy of Peranakan is one of my favourite Singaporean specialties. The perfectly uniform crispy pastry shells are filled with a mixture of carrot and stewed turnip which gives those earthy-sweet flavours. The filling is topped with plump, sweet prawns, and crunchy peanuts – incredibly moreish.

Kopi Pork

This dish is a sure-fire hit, and we certainly noticed one or two glances making a beeline for our dish as it was presented at the table. These little morsels of savoury, tender pork are coated with an aromatic, sticky coffee sauce – rib-sticking deliciousness! We could have easily ordered a second portion.

Singapore Laksa

A warming bowl of Laksa is always a no-brainer, and the most glorious centrepiece for the table. This beloved dish, is a deeply rich, gleaming coconut broth made with dried shrimp, succulent prawns, DoDo fish balls and Tau Pak. What makes this dish such a go-to is that it provides such contrasting textures: the spongy texture of the tau pak, next to the succulence of the prawns alongside a pool of broth – heavenly. This dish makes for a hearty lunch or dinner, without the need for extras. It’s one of the best Laksas we’ve tasted.

Nasi Lemak

The classic Malay dish of deep-fried chicken thigh on a mound of fragrant rice is always a crowd-pleaser, and rightly so. The crispy batter is generously spiced, and with the combination of the fried, fudgy egg and salty crispy anchovies is incredibly satisfying.

Bak Chor Mee

One of Singapore’s most popular noodles dishes which came highly recommend by the Singapulah team. This is a dish of Mee Pok noodles coated in spicy sambal topped with braised mushrooms, fish balls, pork belly, minced pork and served with a side of flavoursome pork broth. The dish as a whole is savoury, richly meaty and one of the highlights of the meal.

Coconut Shake

This ‘shake’ has received a lot of excitable word-of-mouth in recent weeks and rightly so. The mixture SiamCoco coconut water (including the flesh), mixed with Udders creamy coconut ice-cream is a taste that will transport you to sunnier climes. This tropical delight can equally be ordered as dessert.

Kueh Salat

If room allows, there’s nothing better than a final sweet treat to round-off a meal. We took the plunge and ordered the love-it-or-hate-it Durian ice-cream, which for us, was a little too pungent, however, if you’re an adventurous eater and perhaps familiar with the durian fruit, it’s certainly worth a try.

The other dessert, Kueh Salat, was much more to our liking. This pretty dessert also known as ‘princess cake’ is a base of glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and then topped with a Pandan custard. Sweet, sticky, and just the right amount after a full-on feast.