Chances are if you have been to Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre is to eat at Fragrant Garden, an old school Teochew restaurant that serves an array of authentic dishes. I myself was a first timer to this shopping centre and the building has seen better days. However the nostalgic charm of shining the spotlight back on a heritage restaurant gives me great joy and hunger to share about this place. Everything we have ordered from the claypot sliced fish soup (soup is refillable!), to oyster omelette, braised pork steamed buns and fried kway teow oozes homely flavours that stood the test of time and hopefully many more years to come.
Had a chance to eat at this really popular teochew restaurant and I must say food here were executed really well!
For a start we had teochew cold crabs ($45 each) and they were so fresh, meaty and full of roe! The crab roe were rich and creamy, and did not have a foul smell.
Another authentically teochew dish we had was the Pork Jelly ($15) which was rich, gelatinous and meaty! Perfect with the chilli sauce 😍
Another dish worth mentioning is their Pig Trotters, which appears to be an off-menu item. The pork trotter was well braised in a savoury sweet sauce, and the meat was probably the most tender I've ever had! The sauce goes very well with some mantou, so be sure to get those!
Their Yam Ring ($18) was executed well too, with the yam itself fried very well as it was crispy on the outside, and creamy inside. The mixed vegetables inside were not overcooked definitely!
As for the mains, the Cai Poh Kway Teow ($12) is worth a mention, as the wok hei is strong in this plate and it was so flavourful with all the salted vegetables!
Will be back again! Seems like a wonderful place for family gatherings 😊
Being half teochew, I always relish teochew food since I have been eating teochew home cook food since young. So I was rather looking forward to try fragrant garden, which has been around since the 1950s.
Decided to have their cai poh kway teow, which has many good reviews.
Rather generous amount of cai poh, taste quite good with the hint of wok hei. But not much liao like prawn or meat inside, which was quite sad.
Waitress auntie here very ultra friendly. Good vibes here. Will return to try their other dishes.
Aka Teochew kway teow. While this Teochew restaurant was quite bad, this was probably the best dish. Good flavour and texture.
The dry variety. Okay lor. Overall this Teochew restaurant wasn't just underwhelming, but quite bad.
Not bad. It's starchy here, unlike soupy ones elsewhere. Overall this Teochew restaurant wasn't just underwhelming, but quite bad.
Significantly different from typical kong ba pau. It's much more savoury. It tasted exactly like the colour suggests. But despite its look, it wasn't that shiok. Overall this Teochew restaurant wasn't just underwhelming, but quite bad.
When eating Teochew, this is a staple. But the bird here was mediocre. A little dry. Overall this Teochew restaurant wasn't just underwhelming, but quite bad.
When eating Teochew, this is a staple. It's just pork inside jelly lor. Overall this Teochew restaurant wasn't just underwhelming, but quite bad.
The star item on their menu that you definitely must order as the dessert after your meal!
Very rare to find this traditional dessert in its authentic style. Where you could find shallot oil on top.
The paste was smooth and warm.
If you are here for their Teochew cooks, make sure you order their fried kway teow also.
It is the wok hei taste with lots of beansprouts, egg and pork lard.
Unlike many oyster omelette you find outside, their’s was more a crispy style, with crispy egg wrapping around the oysters.
Generous portion of braised vegetables that you can’t stop having more of it.
I was attracted by the photo on the menu, so decided to order.
When it was served, we finally know why it called flaming pork because it is served on hot plate with flame. Even though it last for a few seconds only.
I really enjoy the pork ribs because of the generous size and juicy. The sweet sauce wasn’t overwhelming as well.
If my friend didn’t share this place to me, I would never know there is such restaurant hidden in Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre.
On the basement of this deserted place, that you would probably just walk past from the outside; without realising there’s such a place here.
In this shopping centre, you could find an authentic Teochew restaurant here that have been here for awhile.
First to serve on our table was the fish maw soup, it was surprisingly tasty and warmly to kickstart your meal here.
- Authentic dishes at affordable price
Must try:
Steamed Halibut
Orh Nee Dessert
Ngoh Hiang
Oyster omelette
Braised duck with tau kwa
One of the best teochew style orh-nee yam paste in Singapore. Only teochew style have shallots, pumpkin, water chestnut, gingko nuts and no coconut milk!
The sea cucumber is well braised to a soft and bouncy texture. The stuffed meat mixture elevates the main ingredient, giving it a multi-textural enjoyment. Pre-order is required for this dish.
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Find out more at https://www.sgfoodonfoot.com/2019/10/fragrant-garden-upper-serangoon.html
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Fragrant Garden (馨香园)
Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre
756 Upper Serangoon Road
#01-15/16
Singapore 534626
Tel: +65 62897301
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC Line, NE Line), Kovan (NE Line)
Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm
It is fried to crispy on the exterior, retaining a slight gooeyness inside with plump and juicy oysters.
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Find out more at https://www.sgfoodonfoot.com/2019/10/fragrant-garden-upper-serangoon.html
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Fragrant Garden (馨香园)
Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre
756 Upper Serangoon Road
#01-15/16
Singapore 534626
Tel: +65 62897301
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC Line, NE Line), Kovan (NE Line)
Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm
