We Tried Orchard Towers Food Spots & Here Are 10 Worth Visiting
Yes, there are still nightclubs, but there’s a deluge of food spots to check out
By Terri Kue YX -
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Orchard Towers is still remembered by most for its nightclub scene. Now, though, it is getting a new kind of attention from foodies. While it definitely evokes old mall vibes (like Far East Plaza and Fortune Centre), the restaurants interspersed throughout the two buildings surprised us with a wide range of options.
There are a few Thai restaurants on this list if you are looking to satisfy those cravings. There is also one fine dining restaurant, a few that draw crowds, and many different cuisines. Not so bad for a mall with a ‘sleazy’ past. For our recommendations on the Orchard Towers food spots to try, we have compiled ten for you below.
1. La Pasta
La Pasta is often fully booked until 8:30pm.
La Pasta is no stranger to lovers of Italian food, and our trip down proved that it was for good reason. This cosy restaurant transported us out of Orchard Towers with superb wall decorations, an intimate setting, great service, and even better food.
The pasta menu features a few different types of pasta. We were recommended the Guanciale Carbonara ($28). For the uninitiated, guanciale is pork cheek or jowl that has been cured in salt. From our travels in Italy, guanciale is the first sign of authentic carbonara as compared to pancetta.
The personalised name card was the cherry on top.
The carbonara gave us a foodgasm. It was rich and creamy, with the guanciale’s saltiness cutting through the cream without being too overpowering. The handmade mafelda pasta also held on to the sauce extremely well. This dish is a flavour bomb, and though the portion seemed small at first, it was extremely filling. As for the cheese, the server grated it in front of us, so we went all out.
We also ordered the Secret Chicken ($15.90). True to its name, the recipe’s a secret and the server kept his lips sealed. However, we can tell you that there were eight pieces of tender, marinated chicken. The housemade tartar sauce combined white onion, carrot, egg, and black pepper, and was so good that we had to ask for more.
If carbonara is not your pasta of choice, the Rigatoni al Granchio ($32) is another popular dish — think handmade rigatoni, crab, tomato, and cream. There is also a selection of antipasti for your pre-main course tasting.
Do note that reservations are highly recommended and diners are limited to a one hour dining duration.
Opens Mon to Sat from 4pm to 12am. Located at #04-02, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its website and Instagram page for more info.
2. Cafe Blossom
Cafe Blossom holds events for dogs too!
At the very top floor of Orchard Towers is Cafe Blossom. At first glance, it seems out of place in the dreary-looking mall, with its signboard looking much more ‘hip’ than its surroundings. We did not need much convincing to head in after seeing a sign that advertised no GST or service charge.
This small eatery (we saw four tables) serves up all sorts of cuisines. We are talking Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and even Western. We were admittedly a bit sceptical as to whether a cafe focused on so many different fares could do them well.
We ended up ordering the Ramen with Kurobuta ($11.80) and the Seafood Ee-Mian ($12.80) to try. In short, we were pleasantly surprised.
The Ee-Mian is just like how our grandmas used to cook.
The ramen’s straight, thin noodles are a bit on the soft side, and the broth is light but satisfying. The kurobuta is the star of the dish and is chock-full of flavour. Overall, it’s a good bowl of ramen for its price.
The Seafood Ee-Mian is the dish that really left an impression. For one, the portion is generous, from the noodles to the array of seafood (squid, clams, snapper fish, sweet sea prawn, fishcake, and pork). There are also cubes of fried pork lard that give the dish that extra umami flavour, and make it feel like comfort Chinese food. The gravy’s rich and satisfying, and the noodles are just the right softness.
Other dishes on the menu include Grilled Salmon with Rice/Fries ($12.80) and Korean Ramyun (starting from $5.80).
The store is also pet-friendly and even has a resident dog that will come up and greet you (quite loudly, so be prepared).
Opens Tues to Fri from 11.30am to 9pm. OpensSat to Sun from 11am to 9pm. Located at #04-30, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its Instagram page for more info.
3. Mexico Mama
It’s located in the second tower.
Mexico Mama opens from 5pm to 12am most days, making it a good place for after-work drinks with friends. And of course, a drinking session would not be complete without some finger food.
This store serves all the Mexican foods you could ask for - such as street food like Guacamole ($19) and Nachos Minced Beef ($22/28), as well as burritos, tacos, and quesadillas. We went for the Al Pastor Pork 1x6 inches ($12) and the Beef 2x4 inch tacos ($13).
Taco on the left, quesadilla on the right.
First up, the beef tacos. Beef, coriander, and jalapeno sauce come together to make a satisfying combination, with a sprinkle of lime adding a zesty note. (The picture shows only one, but each order comes with two).
While the beef tacos are good, the real kicker is the al pastor pork quesadilla. This dish sees juicy and tender marinated pork wrapped in a crispy, flavourful corn tortilla. The melted cheese (queso means cheese) gives that warm, gooey texture that really brings everything together. The jalapeno sauce also adds a spicy kick. Note: You can request either medium spiciness or normal spiciness, with medium being less spicy.
Overall, I highly recommend the pork quesadilla if you are looking for big flavour. If pork quesadillas aren’t your thing, the store also has Al Pastor Chicken 1x6 inches ($12), Beef 1x6 inches ($14), and Shrimp 1x6 inches ($14).
Opens Tues to Sat from 5pm to 12am. Open Sun from 5pm to 1am. Located at #01-06, Orchard Towers, Tower 2, Singapore 229594. Visit its Instagram page for more info.
4. Bhoomi
Turn left from the entrance to the second tower.
This restaurant is easy to overlook despite its position at the entrance of the second tower. Hidden behind the black wall is a fine dining restaurant specialising in Indian cuisine. It is helmed by Chef Milind Sovani who conceptualised the menu and food presentation of Song of India, which was the first Indian restaurant in Singapore to receive a Michelin star.
We were served complementary parpadum that comes with a mint cilantro chutney dip. The parpadum is crispy and fresh while the dip added a nice sour tang.
We came to this restaurant mainly to try the lunch set that is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. For $29.90, you can get two starters and four small bowls of ‘main’ dishes.
We ordered the vegetarian set by accident (we initially wanted to try the non-vegetarian set) but were still in for a treat.
Note: lunch sets cannot be shared.
For starters, we had the Bhima Onion & Avocado Kebab and Indori Tikki, Bhuttey Ka Kees. The kebab has a creamy, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. The avocado and cheese pairing is delicious, a surprise to the avocado-hater at my table. The Indori Tikki, Bhuttey Ka Kees (beetroot patty with spiced sweetcorn crumble) is a sweet treat. The sweetcorn crumble adds texture and enhances the beetroot’s natural sweetness.
Our four main dishes were the Pindi Choley (spiced chickpeas), Dal Dera Ismaail (black lentils in gravy), Lahsooni Palak Paneer (cottage cheese in garlic-tossed spinach puree), and Zafrani Pualo (basmati rice with saffron), with garlic naan on the side. Our favourite has to be the earthy and lightly spiced lentils. When paired with the saffron basmati rice, the sweetness of the rice enhances the lentil’s flavour, unlocking a whole new experience.
The non-vegetarian set lunch has only two differences. Instead of the Bhima Onion & Avocado Kebab for a starter, it is the Gilawat Kebab which is a pan-grilled lamb kebab. The Pindi Choley is also replaced with Koila Butter Chicken.
The lunch set is available from 12pm to 3pm and is not offered on public holidays.
Opens Tues to Sun from 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm. Located at #01-05, Orchard Towers, Tower 2, Singapore 229594. Visit its website and Instagram page for more info.
5. Ku-Kai Orchard
Ku-Kai Orchard is located between towers one and two.
No Orchard Towers food round-up is complete without a Japanese restaurant. This one caught our attention for the lunch set menu. You can choose from six different meals, some of which include the Buta Kakuni ($20) for slow-simmered Iberico pork belly and Oden Udon ($16), which comes with five pieces of assorted oden items.
This set’s price can change depending on the size of the fish.
The one we had to try was the Buri Kama Arani ($24); simmered yellowtail buri collar served with rice and miso soup. We were served a pretty decent-sized piece of fish, coupled with thick-cut daikon and mushrooms. The fish on its own is succulent, fatty, and nicely salted. But when combined with the salty sauce, that’s when it gets really good.
The daikon is soft and soaked with sauce, while the mushroom has a nice bite to it. The rice is also really good. We generally enjoy Japanese rice, but this one is glossy and a great textural experience.
The lunch set menu is available from Monday to Friday from 11.30am to 2.30pm (last order at 2pm). When we went during lunch hours, it was relatively empty.
Open from Mon to Fri from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 11.59pm. Opens Sat from 4pm to 11.59pm. Located at #01-20/20A, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its Instagram page for more info.
6. Ibu Sarah Kitchen and Tea House
Fun fact: there is a sing-a-long every night!
Opened this year, Ibu Sarah Kitchen and Tea House serves up Indonesian fare that is tailored to be less spicy for Singaporean taste buds. Some dishes that caught our eye were the Ayam Penyet ($12.90), Gulai Kakap Meral ($42.90) (simmered whole snapper in a rich curry sauce), and Sup Buntut ($15.80) (Indonesian-style slow-stewed oxtail soup).
We eventually decided on the Rendang Pariaman ($17.90), Nasi Goreng Istimewa ($15.90), Soto Ayam ($7.80), and Perkedel ($8).
The crackers for the Nasi Goreng Istimewa were a bit soft.
The Nasi Goreng Istimewa is our favourite dish by far. The fried rice has a strong wok hei flavour. Interspersed within were little shredded bits of chicken that taste different compared to the bigger piece of chicken on the side, adding another layer of flavour. The chicken proper was tender and tasted like Nasi Goreng chicken done right; we couldn’t get enough.
The Soto Ayam is a tad different from our local Soto Ayam. The soup is thicker and incorporates turmeric, giving the soup an earthy note that we surprisingly really enjoyed. This dish includes beehoon and chicken as well. The perkedel is also unlike other perkedels we’ve tried. Instead of a mushy texture, this one had a firmer texture and even some small bits of potatoes.
Dubbed as beef rendang by the staff, the Rendang Pariaman isn’t the type of beef rendang we are used to. The meat is slow-cooked in coconut milk. Tender and easy to tear apart, it was coated in a thick paste, unlike local rendangs that come with gravy. I personally found it to be just okay and would recommend the other dishes instead.
Opens Tues to Sun from 11am to 10pm. Located at #02-21, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its Instagram page for more info.
7. Kin Hoi Thai Food
Picture is taken after the lunch crowd died down.
The first Thai store on this list is Kin Hoi Thai Food. Packed to the brim during lunch hour, this bustling restaurant touts itself as having the best Thai-street-style vermicelli. The Original Plain Style ($8) is one of its bestsellers, but we decided on the $18 option with crayfish instead.
Crayfish is turned over for photographic purposes.
The dish comes with two crayfish and a large serving of noodles. The crayfish is decently-sized with a good amount of meat in each. But the flesh was not as firm as we would have liked it to be, but flavour-wise, its subtle sweetness comes through and compliments the noodles well.
The vermicelli is where this dish really shines. Savoury-sweet with a hint of garlic flavour, each strand is infused with the sauce and packed with flavour in each bite. They are also smooth and chewy, making for a great textural experience.
The only thing to note is that the portion of noodles is huge, to the point where by the end, we were just eating vermicelli after finishing the crayfish. But then again, we enjoyed the vermicelli so much that we didn’t mind.
If you are looking for more affordable dishes, there are single meals available. The Pad Thai (Seafood/Chicken) is priced at $8, Thai Boat Noodle at $7.50, and Famous Basil Rice Pork/Chicken for $8. Top up $2 for a Thai Milk Tea.
Note: don’t be like us and queue for 20 minutes to order when you already have a table. There is a QR code on each table to scan and order.
Open daily from 10am to 3.30pm and 4.30pm to 9pm. Located at #B1-24, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its website and Instagram page for more info.
8. Korat Thai Cafe
Picture is taken during lunch hours.
We probably don’t need to tell you about Korat Thai Cafe. Out of all the Thai restaurants at Orchard Towers, this one is the most popular.
Reservations are recommended for large groups during dinner time.
We had to try the famed Korat Tom Yum Mama ($32), which comes with meatballs, thick pork belly slices, squid, prawns, and instant noodles. The pork belly slices are perfectly fried and the prawns are plump and crunchy. The soup is savoury, creamy, and not too sour. It definitely has a kick, if you can’t take spice, you might want to ask for less spice.
We also ordered the Raw Prawn Salad ($13.50), a dish that we loved when we tried it in Thailand. Raw prawn might sound unappealing, but don’t knock it till you try it. The raw prawns are served with a very spicy and sour dressing that woke us all up. However, it’s definitely less spicy than the one we had in Thailand. This is a 9/10 dish for us.
The store is also well-known for its Signature Crispy Omelette ($9.50 plain, $12.50 for chicken, beef, pork, or prawn omelette).
Opens daily from 12pm to 10pm. Located at #03-28, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its Instagram page for more info.
9. Tan Xiang Sliced Fish Soup
There was no queue when we went during dinner.
Helmed by actor and host Ben Yeo, Tan Xiang Sliced Fish Soup has a few outlets around Singapore. The Orchard Towers’ outlet can be found in the middle of the food court on the basement level.
There are six different items on the menu. Three are sliced fish bee hoon soups with the option to change the type of noodle to mee sua, bee hoon thick, plain rice, or yam rice for an extra charge. Choose from Fried Fish Slice Bee Hoon Soup ($6.80), Batang Fish Slice Bee Hoon Soup ($6.80), and the Fried Grouper Bee Hoon Soup ($8.80), which is an outlet-exclusive item.
Both bowls were huge!
We initially went down to try the grouper, but were told they were out of stock and settled for the fried fish option instead. We are normally not fans of fried fish soup because the flour coating can often obscure the taste of the fish if it’s too thick. However, this one features a thin batter, and the taste of the fish comes through. The soup is creamy and sweet with some thinly sliced ginger slices, and the ginger’s flavour blends well into the rest of the soup.
We also ordered the Seafood Soup ($6.80), which has squid, prawns, meatballs, tofu, and fish slices. The meatballs have a subtle smokey flavour, lending an interesting touch. Compared to the beehoon soup, the seafood soup doesn’t have the same creamy quality and is instead a bit more on the sour side. The prawns are juicy and firm, and the fish slices are fresh.
Opens daily from 10am to 8pm. Located at 400 Brew Kopi, #B1-28, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Visit its website and Instagram page for more info.
10. Thai Tantric Restaurant
This restaurant is hidden in the corner of L3.
Thai Tantric Restaurant spans two stores and even has outside seating. It looks unassuming, but the Google reviews encouraged us to give it a go.
We ordered two dishes — the Khao Paad Kraw Pow (Stir-fried Chilli and Basil with Minced Pork) ($8) and the Moo Dad Diew (Mama Fried Pork) ($14).
You must order at the counter.
The kraw pow is very generous for the price, with a big serving of pork and rice. Sadly, the basil taste was not as strong as we would have liked it to be. It’s not a bad dish but not a must-try.
The Moo Dad Diew, on the other hand, is sweet and savoury all at once. Moo Dad Diew is a traditional Thai street food that incorporates palm sugar for sweetness and fish sauce for that umami punch. This dish has tender, juicy pork jerky that had us reaching for more. The chilli dip has a strong spicy kick and a slight sour flavour.
If you are looking for Tom Yum Mama but can’t afford Korat Thai Cafe’s, you can consider this store’s version. For just $18, it includes a large serving of prawns, noodles, sotong, meatballs, and fishballs, with raving reviews on Google.
Opens Mon to Sat 11.30am to 10.30pm. Located at #03-44, Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875.