Dumplings (or guo tie) are an excellent quick meal, and pan-fried dumplings are often delicious because of the mix of crispy skin and juicy meat filling. The dumplings here are made with a thicker crust to give more bite, and the unconventional shape allows for crisper edges.

Pan-fried Mixed Minced Meat and Seafood Dumplings, $9 for 10 pieces, from Jing Hua Xiao Chi, 21 Neil Road, Tel: 6221 3060.

Three generations have been serving this dish. The bowls of slippery egg noodles come with flaky, tender fish meat, crispy fried meatball, braised egg and pork belly doused in piping hot gravy.

Fish Lor Mee, $4, from Ah Ma Lor Mee, 328 Clementi Avenue 2, Tel: 8288 0810.

While Joo Siah is popular for its peppery bak kut teh, its kway chap is gaining fans. The key to the eatery’s popularity is the silky noodles. When coupled with the aromatic stew, this is the ultimate comfort food.

Kway Chap, from $4, from Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh, 349 Jurong East Avenue 1 #01-1215.

Nothing like a warm bowl of assam soup to lift the spirits – especially when there is a 20 per cent discount off this dish till Sept 30. When you are there, also check out its la la (clams) Hokkien mee and char kway teow, both of which are also great mood boosters.

Penang Laksa, from $4.80, from Penang Seafood Restaurant, 32 Aljunied Road, Tel: 6841 3002.

The chicken curry is one of many dishes here, but if you are strapped for money and want some home-style food, order this and rice. If budget allows, you can order other stuff – such as beef rendang, sambal brinjal and sambal prawn – to add on.

Chicken Curry, from $7.90, from Rendezvous Restaurant Hock Lock Kee, The Central #02-72 to 75/77/92, Tel: 6339 7508.

This is slightly above our $10 limit but it is worth a mention as it is a popular dish. The restaurant serves seafood but the fresh sliced lotus root with marinated flour and salted egg yolk is an addictive option.

Salted Egg Lotus Root, from $10.80, from Uncle Leong Signatures, Waterway Point #B1-21, Tel: 6385 9989.