Deep within Dover Road, the meta-named restaurant, The Restaurant at Singapore Poly Graduates Guild, is open to public. Chef Bob Ko with 25 years of experience comes up with the menu. There are some special creations that I have not eaten elsewhere before, and while the food isn’t outstanding, it is easy and won’t break your bank.

We ordered enough for a small army, and our unanimous favorite was stir-fried four season vegetables 四大天王时蔬 ($8.50). The string beans, four anchor beans, lady fingers, and eggplant were stir-fried with garlic, hae bee, and bean crumbs, in such a refreshing manner that I, carnivore, approved of this dish. This dish had a kampong feel that reminded me of Malaysia. 

The other dishes were okay too. Crispy brinjal with spicy chicken floss 鸡肉松茄子 ($6.80) was crispy enough in a tasty batter. Golden-fried chicken roll with salted egg 金皇咸蛋鸡肉卷 ($10.50) sounded awesome on paper, but tasted as it was described, nothing more, nothing less. Three egg boxthorn with prawn meat & egg flower 三蛋虾肉羹 ($10.90) was a soup, not a vegetable dish, and wasn’t bad. Only the braised red glutinous rice wine chicken claypot 瓦锅红糟鸡 ($10.50) was disappointing: diluted with bony chicken.

We argued among ourselves before asking the chef: was the steamed red snapper 冬炎蒸红鱼 ($25.80) in tom yam or assam sauce? Answer: a cross of both, so it was sourish, spicy, and everything that assam and tom yam had. Quite a reasonable price, and quite a fun(ny) dish.

If you come alone, there are also one-meal dishes, like the lackluster nasi goreng Istimewa 马来炒饭 ($12).

Having tasted several desserts, all my three friends said they would skip the desserts, but I liked the red bean pancake 红豆沙饼 ($11) because it had flaky skin.

I wouldn’t rush down to The Restaurant if I live in Changi, but if you live at Dover, Bueno Vista, and Clementi, it would make an inexpensive option for family or friends gathering. Bonus: The building houses a gym and pool. You can’t use the facilities, but you can watch, if you know what I mean. ;)

The Restaurant @ SPGG

1010 Dover Road, Singapore 139658
T: 6796 9961
menu
M-F 12-3pm, 6.30-10pm, Weekends and PH 11.30am-3pm, 6.30-10pm
Rating: 2.95/5 stars

Written by A. Nathanael Ho.

This is an invited tasting.