10 restaurants in Singapore to visit if you're craving Taiwanese food

With a flight time of just below five hours, Taiwan is a country many of us Singaporeans love to travel to. One of Taiwan’s greatest pull is the amazing food ranging from rich braised pork rice (lu rou fan) and crispy fried chicken to beef noodles and oyster mee sua.

Of course, we can’t forget how Taiwan gave us bubble tea as well. And while we still can’t travel abroad (just a little while more hopefully!), we can still satisfy our cravings at these Taiwanese restaurants found in Singapore.

1. Eat 3 Bowls

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Started by a Singaporean man with his Taiwanese wife, Eat 3 Bowls has grown immensely since its humble beginnings as a hawker store in Seah Im Food Centre.

Once there, try the signature 3 bowl set (hence the name) that consists of smaller portions of braised pork rice (lu rou fan), intestine mee sua and chicken rice.

They also have full-sized versions, of course, as well as dishes including beef noodles, Taiwanese sausages and sauteed beef cubes with garlic.

462 Crawford Ln, #01-61, Singapore 190462 and 103 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118531

2. Monga Fried Chicken

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Any trip to a Taiwanese night market cannot be without the famous fried chicken. Monga uses honey instead of sugar to marinate their chicken, which they said results in richer flavours and tender meat.

While Monga mainly retails in a kiosk, you can head to the SingPost Centre branch for a sit-down dining experience. Choose your fried chicken from three available flavours, The King with salt and pepper, Hot Chick with chilli paprika powder and The Taiker with Japanese sauce and seaweed powder, before washing it down with a cold beverage.

Monga is also expanding its menu with the newest mee sua with fish maw and prawns.

10 Eunos Road 8, #01-131 SingPost Centre, Singapore, 408600; 2 Orchard Turn, #B4-62 ION Orchard Mall, 238801 and 50 Jurong Gateway Road, B1-k10 JEM, Singapore, 608549

3. Isshin Machi

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Don’t be fooled by the Japanese name, Isshin Machi is a cosy little nook serving up heartwarming Taiwanese food along East Coast road.

The restaurant sells over 80 dishes spanning across various different courses but the must-try dishes are the Hakka-style Braised Meat Rice, Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodles, Hakka-style Golden Fried Chicken, Deep-fried Marinated Pork Chops and Din Tai Fung-like fried rice with various topping options.

224 East Coast Rd, Singapore 428921

4. Monki Cafe

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For those who love to travel to different Instagram-worthy cafes and restaurants in Singapore, Monki Cafe is a place you can’t miss, especially with the cheery bright yellow interior and monkey figurines dotted around.

Monki’s menu is based on monthly specials that include Big Intestine Mee Sua, Sesame Chicken Mee Sua, Braised Duck Wings and Century Egg Tofu. There’s also room for desserts so cool yourself down with a myriad of icy snowflake desserts.

43 Holland Dr, #01-41, Singapore 270043

5. 8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro

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Fans of Mandopop singer Jay Chou would instantly recognise the name of the establishment as it is named after one of his albums. The laidback bistro offers many options, ranging from Oyster Meesua, Pork Belly Rice, Scallion Pancake, Oyster Omelette and Sakura Prawn Fried Rice.

The drinks menu is pretty extensive too, with bubble tea, green tea and many other flavoured teas available for your picking.

37 Teck Chye Terrace, Singapore 545734

ALSO READ: Foreigners in Singapore share where to go for authentic Taiwanese, Vietnamese cuisine and more

6. Typhoon Cafe

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Typhoon Cafe is a place you can rest your legs and feed your tummy as you shop along Orchard Road or Bugis. If you’re looking to change up from the usual Taiwan Lu Rou Fan, opt for the Taiwan Lu Rou Noodles instead where you’ll enjoy an interplay of chewy thin noodles with the hearty sauce.

The fan-favourites here, however, are the desserts that include souffle-style pancakes, the ‘gram-worthy Hell Valley Volcano and Mochi Waffles.

68 Orchard Rd, #04-63/67 Plaza Singapura, Singapore 238839 and 201 Victoria St, #04-08 Bugis+, Singapore 188067

7. Tie Fun Wan

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Tie Fun Wan is helmed by Chef Ken Chia, who had stints in The Ritz-Carlton, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, The Fullerton Hotel and the now-defunct Rice & Fries prior to opening this restaurant in 2019. As such, the food really shows off his experience.

Among the highlights are the Lu Rou Fan, made with Teochew-style spiced braise instead of the Taiwanese-style, Mala Minced Pork Fries (available only at the Kovan branch), Har Cheong Chicken Wings, Ramen and Pao Fan.

89 Rangoon Rd, #01-03 Urban Lofts, Singapore 218375 and 50 Hougang Ave 1, #01-00, Singapore 538885

8. Yeah Taiwanese Street Food

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Char-grilled beef cubes are another hallmark of Taiwanese night market street food and you can get them at Yeah served with a side of mashed potatoes and nacho cheese dip.

For big meat eaters, get the No Mercy combo where you’ll get a hefty four types of meat in your meal – braised pork, herbal 3 cups chicken, fried pork chop and fried chicken steak – with fluffy white rice, braised cabbage and an egg.

Still not full? Then round out your meal with Mee Sua, Taiwan Sausage and Mash and Okinawa Brown Sugar Milk.

73A Ayer Rajah Crescent, #01-04/05 Timbre+, 139957

9. Lai Lai Taiwan Casual Dining

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Besides lu rou fan, another iconic Taiwanese dish is beef noodles. Made with a rich broth from braising beef over springy noodles, beef noodles is one of the star dishes at Lai Lai. An insider tip is to ask for shallot chilli oil to make the noodles taste even better.

Other dishes to try are the Pig Intestine Vermicelli, Taiwan Popcorn Chicken, Cong Jua Bing (scallion pancakes) and Braised Pork Buns.

180 Kitchener Road #03-39/40 City Square Mall, 208539

10. 5 Little Bears

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The brainchild behind the name of 5 Little Bears belongs to a Taiwanese immigrant who settled here with his five kids. And at this quaint eatery, you don’t have to break the bank for a hearty Taiwanese meal as everything is set below $10.

Choose from a variety of bento boxes and snacks such as fried chicken chops, Braised Pork Rice, Oyster Mee Sua, Sweet Potato Fries and Fish Tempura. For drinks, choose between Wintermelon, Jasmine Green and Taiwan Black Tea.

60 Paya Lebar Rd, #B1-09 Paya Lebar Square, Singapore 409051

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.