Taiwanese cuisine is more than just chicken cutlet and oyster mee sua. That’s why we were delighted when we found out about Song Yue Taiwan Cuisine which serves homestyle specialities and elevated renditions of familiar family favourites.
Located at Leisure Park Kallang, the minimalist 120-seater space welcomes guests with natural wood and stone elements, cosy ambient lighting and Chinese paintings on the walls. It also has private dining rooms and tea rooms for special occasions and tea cultural experiences.
The menu celebrates Taiwan’s rich food culture and heritage with produce-driven wholesome dishes. From chilled appetisers and rich herbal soups to fresh fish and meat items and comforting rice and noodle classics, the food is based on the culinary philosophy of enjoying seasonal produce to nourish and heal the body.
The variety of dishes is impressive and affordable, so arrive hungry and ready to feast. Minnan Fried “Chicken” Rolls ($10.90++) are a speciality of Taiwan’s Hokkien community, featuring a tasty mixture of minced pork instead of chicken, water chestnuts, and spring onions wrapped in tofu skin and deep-fried until golden brown. A perfect accompaniment: Song Yue’s pickled chilled dishes, including Winter Melon Pickled with Fresh Passion Fruit ($8.90++) and Pickled Cherry Tomatoes with Sour Plums ($8.90++).
Main dishes (best eaten with steaming white rice) showcase the essence of flavours and local Taiwanese produce. There’s the fall-off-the-bone Traditional Ginger Duck ($19.90++ to $36.90++), stewed with thick slices of ginger and black sesame oil.
Farm Chicken with Spring Onion ($18.90++ for half; $33.90++ for whole) consists of local kampong chicken lightly poached in a superior broth. Comforting Slow-Braised Pork Ribs with White Radish ($18.90++) are simmered in a soy-based sauce with a variety of herbs until they are melt-in-your-mouth tender. It is served with an aromatic fresh spring onion and ginger dipping sauce.
Additionally, Song Yue’s menu includes traditional Taiwanese seafood dishes, such as Salt and Pepper Pomfret with Crispy Garlic Chips ($35.90++), dipped in a light batter and deep-fried until crispy and golden. Another signature dish in Taiwan restaurants is Pineapple Prawns with Crispy You-Tiao ($18.90++). This restaurant’s version is stuffed with hand-beaten squid and prawn paste and wok-tossed in a light, citrusy mayonnaise dressing.
For carb lovers, Stone Pot Rice with Cabbage and Hokkaido Scallops ($19.90++ to $32.90++) and Ah Ma’s Rice Vermicelli and Taro Soup ($19.90++ to $32.90++) will be a delight. The latter is a comforting dish served in a rich and aromatic pork bone broth alongside sliced pork, dried shrimp, clams, shiitake mushrooms and fragrant taro.
Taiwanese meals are dominated by vegetables, and the restaurant uses only the freshest. Silken Tofu with Pumpkin and Crabmeat ($18.90++) is an ode to the humble pumpkin. With a generous portion of fragrant egg floss and a drizzle of aromatic shallot oil, the Traditional Style Braised Cabbage Casserole ($17.90++) features lightly braised cabbage, fried pig skin, shredded cuttlefish, shiitake mushrooms, and slices of radish.
On a sweet note, Double-Boiled Apple & Pear in White Fungus Soup ($7.90++), Sweet Potato in Ginger Soup ($6.90++), or Chilled Oolong Ai-Yu Jelly with Green Lemon ($6.90++) are the perfect ending to a soul-satisfying meal.
Adding to the authentic dining experience is the range of hand-picked premium teas from small family farms across Taiwan. Highly recommended are Taiwan High-Mountain Tea ($5.90++ per person), Dong Ding Oolong Tea, Jin Xuan Tea and Muzha Tie Guan Yin ($5.50++ each). Guests can even partake in tea experiential and tea tasting experiences conducted by the restaurant to pick up the skill of tea brewing and understand the heritage behind Taiwan’s tea culture.
Song Yue Taiwan Cuisine is located at Leisure Park Kallang, #01-38/39, 5 Stadium Walk Singapore 397693. For reservations, call 9012 9585.
