We Tried 10 Fortune Centre Food Spots & Here's What To Order

If you are still under the impression that Fortune Centre is a run-down and outdated spot, you might want to reconsider. This mall situated in the heart of Bugis promises one thing: a plethora of restaurants with a ready supply of hearty meals catering to all tastebuds. With its proximity to two temples, it’s also no surprise that there are quite a number of vegan/vegetarian restaurants to choose from.

After hearing about the rich nightlife that bustles with customers after work hours, we just had to head down and check it out for ourselves. Below, you will find our top picks of Fortune Centre food spots to visit. From delectable Japanese cuisine to cosy traditional desserts, you can safely spend hours having dinner, supper, and dessert all in one night.

1. New Station Rice Bar

Looking for a fuss-free zi char-style meal? New Station Rice Bar whips up modern interpretations of Singapore favourites across different cultures. This seemingly inconspicuous store is a popular dinner spot, as evident from the store being at max capacity throughout the dinner rush. The seating area features wallpaper that mimics the look of white tiled walls, a nod to traditional zi char stores. It's a small but packed area with chatter echoing off the walls, resulting in a truly authentic experience of a bustling coffee shop along the streets.

We ordered two dishes to try, the first being the fan-favourite Salted Egg Chicken Rice with Fried Egg ($8.50). The sauce had a very strong salted egg flavour but was surprisingly not too overpowering, and paired nicely with the crispy yet tender chicken bites. For $8.50, we would definitely order this again.

We also decided to try the 48-Hour Sous Vide Beef in Rendang Sauce and Fried Egg ($12). Despite its name, this dish isn't quite what you'd expect from the usual rendang. It lacked the spiciness expected from beef rendang and instead had a very strong lemongrass flavour — definitely a different take on the classic. If lemongrass is a deal breaker for you, you can opt for one of their many other dishes, such as Mapo Tofu with Rice ($9) and Assam Fried Fish with Rice ($8.50). 

The store offers individual servings as well as sharing portions; great if you’re out with family and friends and want to taste a bit of everything. 

Opens Mon to Fri from 11am to 8.30pm. Opens Sat from 11am to 3pm and 4pm to 8.30pm. Closed on Sun. Located at #03-04, Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979. Visit its website and Instagram page for more info.

2. EN Seeds

If you prioritise healthy, well-rounded meals, EN Seeds will fit right into your diet plan. You can customise your bowl and choose between various bases, proteins, sides, and dressings for a meal tailored to your preferences.

There are three bowl sizes to choose from: petite ($10.80), regular ($12.80), and large ($15.80). We opted for a large, which allows for two bases, two proteins, three sides, and one dressing. Bonus: the store does not skimp on portion sizes, so expect a decent amount of everything. 

Our proteins of choice were the chicken thigh (additional $1) and smoked duck (additional $3). The chicken thigh was not bad, but the smoked duck was the star of the dish. It was tender, fatty, and with a nice amount of saltiness. Best part was that there was a good amount of it - six slices to be exact. Other protein options include sea bass (additional $3), tempeh, premium salmon (additional $4), and vegan protein.

For sides, we had a hard time deciding but finally decided on mushroom, shuka shuka (which had a pleasant tangy tomato taste) and delightfully sweet corn. We washed everything down with a cup of slightly sweet Pomegranate Tea ($2.50).

Dinner time saw a small crowd of diners in the spacious and well-lit eating area. The same cannot be said for lunchtime, which saw a huge influx of office workers.

Open daily from 11am - 8:30pm. Located at Fortune Centre #02-03, Singapore 188979. Visit the Instagram page.

3. Kiiro-San

Fortune Centre has its fair share of Japanese stores, some of which we will get to in just a bit. One that goes relatively unnoticed is Kiiro-San, a quaint little store specialising in dons. Here they sell curry dons, kaisendons, and donburis, all at relatively affordable prices (starting from as low as $7.30 for the oyakadon). 

The service here was fantastic, with staff members eagerly recommending their favourites and sharing more about the cooking process. This aspect alone made the meal much more enjoyable.

We dug into the Chicken Katsu Curry ($9.80) that saw chicken katsu and rice bathed in Kiiro-San’s own curry concoction. Rich and tasty, it complemented the savoury chicken, making for a dish with a rich depth. Overall, for its price point, this dish was very satisfying.

Despite that, what really stole the show was the Mentaiyaki Salmon Don ($10.80), which features a decent-sized piece of teriyaki salmon. The grilled salmon was cooked just right and lacked the dry flakiness often seen in other restaurants. The mentaiko sauce was moreish and did not overwhelm the flavour of the fish, complementing it instead. Served together was tamago that had been torched (for the mentaiyaki), lending a slightly charred taste that went well with the sweetness of the tamago.

With the store being more on the understated side, it does not seem to draw a crowd during dinnertime, but it makes up for it with enthusiastic staff members who managed to entice us to give it a go. 

Open daily from 11am - 3pm and 4:30pm - 8pm. Located at Fortune Centre #02-12, Singapore 188979. Visit the Instagram page.

4. Seva

Those sensitive to allium vegetables know how hard it is to find meals that leave out garlic and onions. Most dishes, it seems, have one or the other (and commonly, both). Seva, however, is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant that is allium-free, which is a less common find in Singapore. Don’t be fooled by its modest storefront: the charming store specialises in bringing the taste of Singapore's favourite dishes into vegan- or vegetarian-friendly forms. This includes the Satay Set ($8.90), Nasi Lemak ($6.90), Char Kway Teow ($7.50), and many other local delights.

We opted for Chicken Rice ($7.90) and were pleasantly surprised that the plate placed in front of us had the fragrance of the chicken rice we are used to. The soy chicken chunks, though not the same texture and taste as their meat counterpart, were a very decent imitation of fried chicken. The rice itself managed to retain the authentic flavour of the original dish, and was equally as addictive.  

As a snack, we ordered Seva’s Vegan Kaya Toast ($3.90), which is egg- and dairy-free. The coconut flavour was quite strong in the absence of these ingredients, but it was not too overwhelmingly sweet and still made for an enjoyable munch.

Opens daily from 10.30am to 9pm. Located at Fortune Centre #03-19B, Singapore 188979. Visit its Instagram page for more information.

5. Yat Ka Yan

During our visit to Fortune Centre, one store saw a constant stream of customers and long lines throughout the day: Yat Ka Yan. For fans of traditional Chinese desserts, you cannot skip this on your visit. Here you can find an array of hot and cold desserts, some with a modern twist. We queued for about ten minutes at 8pm before finally being able to place our order. With the many dedicated seating areas already taken up, we were assigned a spot further away that was shared with a Korean store. 

Those looking for the comfort and nostalgia associated with warm pastes and soup can choose between options such as Yam Paste ($5.80), Hot Cheng Teng ($3.50), and Almond Cream ($4.50). If you are torn between a few options, the Mini Set of 3 ($6.80) allows you to choose up to three soups/pastes in smaller portions. For our set, we selected Walnut Almond (super smooth with no gritty texture), Almond Barley (silky smooth and served with ginkgo nuts), and Tang Yuan Longan Soup (which was super sweet and warmed the belly). 

Alternatively, those looking for a refreshing respite from the hot weather can pick from Fresh Mango Sago ($7), Ice Jelly Passion Fruit Soursop ($5.50), and the classic Chendol ($4). We ordered the Avocado Chendol ($8.50) for something a little different. It was creamy, with the avocado sauce balancing out the small drizzle of gula melaka sauce for a unique blend of flavours.

Open from Wednesday - Monday, 12:30pm - 10pm. Located at Fortune Centre #02-08, Singapore 188979. Visit the Instagram page.

6. Eizaburo

Fancy a drink? Eizaburo prides itself on being a drinking spot, and they have a large enough selection of drinks to back up that claim. Single-serving alcoholic drinks include Shandy Gaff (Ginger Beer) ($9.80), Umenoyado Aragoshi Umeshu ($8.90), and House Hot Sake ($9.80). You can go big with whole bottles such as the Kirin Lager Beer Bottle ($14.90) or Suntory Kaku Whiskey ($149) if you are feeling up for it. Non-drinkers can look forward to fruit sodas and good old Oolong and Green Tea ($6.90 each).

Of course, Eizaburo also serves its fair share of food. To accompany our choice of drinks (hot sake and Grape Soda ($6.90)), we went for three sides: Radish Mentaiko Salad ($6.90), Potato Salad ($7.90) and Umesuisho ($5.90). 

The Radish Mentaiko Salad was crunchy and had a slight briny taste from the roe, which supplemented the mild taste of the radish. Our favourite side dish was the Potato Salad, which included a mixture of egg and mayo, topped with fish roe. There was a hint of a ginger aftertaste that added a unique flair to the dish and made it stand out from a standard potato-egg salad. Umesuisho, for the uninitiated, is shark cartilage covered in plum sauce — a first for us. It was crunchy and sour, but went well with the sake, and is worth trying at least once. 

If you are coming down for lunch, Eizaburo also serves lunch sets such as the Sushi Set ($9.90). If you’re extra hungry, you can try the Mega Chicken Nanban Don ($15.90), which features a towering stack of chicken to dig into. 

This store is insanely popular, so be sure to make reservations before heading down. When we went, most of the seats were already taken, even though we arrived just as the doors opened for dinner. You can choose between sitting near the kitchen or an adjacent seating area that has a modern, private vibe. 

Note: the store has a policy of a minimum of two drinks per person.

Opens Mon to Fri, 12pm to 2pm and 6pm to 11pm. Opens Sat from 6pm to 11pm. Closed on Sun. Located at Fortune Centre #03-16, Singapore 188979. Visit its Instagram page for more information.

7. Wawa Lala Beehoon

If you love clams (as we do), Wawa Lala Beehoon has a menu full of clam dishes. As the first to serve clam noodles in Singapore, we could not leave that out during our tasting. The Authentic Clam Noodles With Chinese Wine ($9.50) is served with either glass or rice noodles and comes with an ample amount of clams. You can opt for spicy (which is what we chose) or non-spicy. The alcoholic taste of the Chinese wine paired well with the succulent flavour of the clams. The spice level was not too bad; just enough to give the umami-filled soup an extra kick. If you are not big on the taste of Chinese wine, Wawa Lala Beehoon has an alternative: the Refreshing Clear Soup Clam Noodles at $8.90 a bowl.

We also decided to try the Fresh Clams in Signature Homemade Garlic Butter Sauce ($8.90). Creamy, garlicky, and buttery, we did not expect the sauce to pair so well with seafood. Daringly, we added a Teochew Style Marinated Fresh Cockles ($14) to our order. If you are afraid of spice, stay far away. But if you love sweating up a storm eating super fresh cockles, then go right ahead! We recommend eating this as the last dish because our tongues were numb afterwards. 

Not a fan of noodles, or maybe it’s just a rice day for you? The Power Sambal Clams With Tasty Rice ($11.50) combines tasty cabbage rice, mushroom, and clams drenched in spicy sambal sauce. 

You can expect a queue if you are heading down around 7.30pm. However, the food came at lightning speed on our visit there, so that made up for it.

Opens daily from 11.30am to 9.30pm. Located at Fortune Centre #01-11/12, Singapore 188979. Visit its website and Instagram page for more information.

8. Hikari Izakaya

If you are looking for supper, how about some grilled Japanese skewers (otherwise known as kushiyaki) in a beautifully decorated restaurant? Kushiyaki is similar to yakitori, but while yakitori mainly uses chicken, kushiyaki encompasses everything grilled: pork, vegetables, beef, and more.

Hikari Izakaya has a total of 17 different kushiyakis to choose from. This includes Chicken Cartilage ($3.90) that was delightfully crunchy, Chicken Tailbone Meat ($3.90) that was super fatty and chewy, and Black Pork Jowl ($4.90) that was nicely salted. We also tried the Chicken Neck Meat ($3.90), which had a slightly smoky flavour. Non-meat options such as Quail Egg ($3.90), Shitake ($3.90) and Green Chili Pepper ($3.90) are also featured on Hikari Izakaya’s kushiyaki lineup for a bit of variety. 

Having trouble deciding which skewer to order? The Kushiyaki Moriawase is a set of seven skewers comprising Green Chili Pepper, Black Mushrooms, Chicken Thigh, Chicken Wing, Pork Belly, Bacon Asparagus, and Chicken Meatball at the price of $23.90 (usual price $27.30).

Truly embracing the idea of an izakaya, this store has different sakes on its menu. Each one is labelled according to the Sake Metre Value that indicates how dry or sweet a sake is (if you don’t understand what this means, there is an explanation on the back of the menu to help you decide which to order).

Not only does the food transport you to Japan, but so does the store design. Split into three sections, the outside seats were placed under an atmospheric display of fake sakura flowers and red lanterns. Next to it was an indoor seating area filled with posters of geisha and Japanese banners. A very immersive experience, we have to admit.

Opens Mon to Fri, 12pm to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.30pm. Opens Sat from 5pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sun. Located at Fortune Centre #03-01, Singapore 188979. Visit its website and Instagram page for more information.

9. Herbivore

In Japanese cuisine, sushi necessitates fish, dons almost always feature meat, and soup bases for udon and ramen often consist of meat-based broth or dashi stock. So we were surprised to stumble across Herbivore, a vegan/vegetarian Japanese restaurant serving sashimi, maki, and everything else you would expect in a normal Japanese establishment. Intrigued, we sat down and ordered three dishes: Salmon Sashimi ($10) made of yam, which has a jelly-like texture, Ebi Tempura Maki ($10) made of mock soy bean meat, and Yaki Gyoza ($9). 

Firstly, we recommend giving the salmon sashimi a miss. Though the colour looked extremely vibrant and very sashimi-like, the taste was a far cry from regular sashimi. The Ebi Tempura Maki, however, lived up to expectations. We were a bit skeptical after the sashimi, but the maki tasted like genuine ebi, texture and all. It was also paired with a sweet sauce and mayo that brought the whole meal together.

For the Yaki Gyoza, it was filled with mushrooms and had a slight burnt aftertaste that we enjoyed. It is not a replacement for pork- or chicken-filled gyoza by any means, but is a delicious dish in its own right that mushroom lovers will love. 

Those looking for a fuller meal itself can pick between the selection of bento sets (such as the Unagi Tempura Bento priced at $29, Asparagus Bento priced at $29, and the Chawanmushi Maki priced at $36) and noodles (Udon Creamy Set at $25 and Cold Natto Soba at $15). 

Open daily from 11:30am - 2:30pm and 5pm - 9pm. Located at Fortune Centre #01-13/14, Singapore 188979. Visit the website and Instagram page.

10. Tracy Juice Culture

The last store we visited was Tracy Juice Culture, located on level one. While the bulk of the menu was taken up by fruit juices, three main dishes were proudly displayed: Fruit Juice Curry ($9.90), Wild Rice Congee ($5.90), and the Mushroom Udon ($9.90). A quick look at the store’s Google Reviews reveals that both the Mushroom Udon and the Wild Rice Congee are fan favourites, and we decided to give the former a go (the latter was out of stock both times we went!).

The udon was served in a very thick mushroom soup, almost like a gravy, and topped with three slices of cherry tomato and a liberal amount of broccoli. There were bigger slices of mushroom that were incredibly juicy, which added some interesting texture to the mushrooms already incorporated in the soup. The cherry tomato slices added a refreshing taste, and the mock meatballs were decent. 

The store also sells a few desserts (or snacks), including Hot and Cold Peach Gum Cheng Tng ($6), Red Bean with Lotus Seeds ($6), and Purple Yam Lotus Paste ($7.50) for those who just want a quick bite.

Opens daily 9am to 6.15pm. Located at Fortune Centre #01-34, Singapore 188979. Visit its Instagram page for more information.