LONG famous for Nam Kee chicken rice, Ivin's Peranakan food and sugar rolls from Dino Cake House, foodies can now check out these newer restaurants in Upper Thomson Road.
Devagi's 01-03 Thomson Imperial Court,
Tel: 6255-2440 Open: Noon to 10pm daily, closed on Mondays
TV host Devagi Sanmugan, 51, opened her first restaurant here because she lives in the area.
To live up to her reputation as Singapore's Queen of Spice, she offers dishes that use spices from around the world.
There is mutton chop in thick gravy ($9), chicken dum briyani ($9.90) and fishhead curry ($28 for a whole head).
Everything on the menu is prepared using her recipes. She is at the restaurant every day, supervising its operations, while her brother, Sivaraman, helps with the cooking.
There is also a retail counter where you can buy her cookbooks and food pastes.
Hooked On Heads 01-01 Sin Ming Plaza Tower 2
Tel: 6455-4948 Open: 10.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30 to 10pm; closed on Mondays
This no-frills family restaurant offers an excellent range of local favourites,including mee siam, black pepper beef and barbecued stingray.
Its signature dish, fish head curry, is beautifully done, with succulent fish submerged in a delicious simmering sauce.
Owner Thomas Leow, 46, says the recipes for all the main dishes are family secrets passed down from his mother.
Prices are rock-bottom. You can have a set lunch at $4.80 or $5.80 (with mee goreng or curry chicken), or a three-dish set lunch for four at only $19.80.Value for money.
The Ang Ku Kueh Shop 215 Upper Thomson Road
Tel: 6554-4573 Open: 11.30am to 5pm; closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Hand-made in the kitchen behind, the wonderful ang ku kueh cost 70 cents each and come with either peanut, coconut or green bean filling.
While the skin has a robust pandan flavour, its filling is substantial and not too sweet.
This business started 20 years ago when Mr Richard Toh, 66, started making and selling the ang ku kueh at his home in the Balestier area.
In 2003, he opened this shop which is now run by his brother Francis, 51. Advance orders are recommended.
This crab eatery has a unique claim to fame - the crabs it serves are caught by hand by the owner himself.
Every other day, Mr Elger Kua, 26, catches his supply of crabs from a kelong off Pasir Ris Park, near Pulau Ubin.
Using mainly flower crabs, his dishes include crab spaghetti ($7.50), crab baked rice ($6.50) and crab gratin ($3.20).
It is located in a coffee shop and styled after a seafront beach cafe.
Hankook Rice Cake House 9 Thomson Ridge
Tel: 6456-3456 Open: 11am to 7pm daily
The first bakery in Singapore to specialise in Korean rice cakes, this is opened by the owners of the excellent Auntie Kim's Korean restaurant just a few units away.
Traditionally eaten during festive occasions, these rice cakes are made with glutinous or rice flour, and come with various types of filling, including red bean, peanut, raisins and sesame. Prices range between $5 and $7 per 300g.
Containing no milk, butter or eggs, they taste harder than the Japanese variety but are not overly sweet.
The Baker's Story 01-05 Sin Ming Centre
8 Sin Ming Road
Tel: 6452-0265 Open: 10.30am to 10pm daily
This hole-in-the-wall bakery boasts a gem of a creation - the cheese brownie ($1.80).
Owner-chef Eric Tan, 39, miraculously blends the two heavy textures of cheesecake and chocolate brownies into a luxurious treat.
The shop offers other treats, including white chocolate cheese brownie ($2),cranberry brownie ($1.80) and mint cheese brownie ($2).
For the Christmas season, it is offering its cheese brownie cakes with three different decorations. Enjoy promotional prices if you order by Tuesday ($15.50for a 550g cake to $37 for a 1kg cake).
Zui Fairprice Live Seafood Restaurant 220 Upper Thomson Road
Tel: 6455-2033 Open: 11am to 2.30pm, 5.30 to 11pm daily
Part of a restaurant chain from Hong Kong, this one-year-old seafood eatery banks on its range of fresh seafood and reasonable prices.
Unless you order live fish, you need to pay only $20 per person for a filling meal.
Try the "san ba" salted chicken ($11 for half a bird). The free-range bird yields moist, tender meat.
Another must-try are the steamed live prawns ($13.80), a hearty dish that is enhanced by minced garlic and light soya sauce.
