Good Year Seafood Village: Serving Malaysian-style zi char like assam seabass, marmite chicken & lobster porridge for 17 years

Would you travel long distances just for food? If the answer is yes, then why not head over to Good Year Seafood Village located at 15 Tampines Avenue? Accessing this Malaysian-style zi char spot presents quite a challenge, as there are only 2 buses available at the bus stop in front, and no MRT station in sight.

Nestled amidst a stretch of shophouses within the backdrop of vast industrial structures and expansive empty fields, the atmosphere exudes a rustic charm that briefly transported me to Malaysia.

Good Year Seafood Village is currently managed by 2nd-gen owner, Miss Geraldine Peh, who took over the business from her parents 6 years ago.

She’s a former pastry chef who, just like myself, is a graduate of SHATEC. Her folks had set up this restaurant back in 2006. Despite her parents being retired, her father remains actively involved in the kitchen, often assisting during weekends.

As the only daughter among her 2 siblings, Geraldine is resolute in preserving her parent’s legacy while actively seeking to engage a younger customer demographic.

What I tried at Good Year Seafood Village

We started off with the Assam Style Sea Bass (seasonal price). The fish weighed about 900g and we ended up paying S$38 for it. Given the live nature of the fish, the price appeared reasonable.

Served atop 2 mini flames, the dish retained its piping-hot freshness throughout the meal. The whole sea bass, immersed in a rich, orange assam gravy, featured an array of vegetables, including lady’s finger, petai, eggplant, tomato wedges, and pineapple cubes.

The flesh of the fish, plump and naturally sweet, exhibited no unpleasant odours, a testament to its freshness. Geraldine shared that the restaurant’s fortunate proximity to a fish farm, just a 3-minute drive away, allows her to order small amounts each time, given the absence of a tank on-site.

The allure of the assam sauce was undeniable. Its tangy and flavourful profile had me captivated, and had there been a bowl of rice, I would have gladly adorned my grains with a generous slathering of this delightful gravy. Paper-thin slices of kaffir lime leaves were added, providing an extra layer of aromatic oomph.

The pineapple cubes introduced a subtle tartness, complementing the dish, while the assorted vegetables provided a spectrum of textures. Although petai is an acquired taste, given its numerous health benefits, I made a conscious choice to consume it anyway.

When Geraldine took over, she helped develop some new dishes; the Marmite Chicken (S$15) is one of them. The pieces of fried chicken were coated with a layer of caramelised marmite glaze. It was served with roasted garlic, onions, then garnished with curry leaves and sliced bird’s eye chilli.

The unique flavour of Marmite was a harmonious blend of soy sauce and honey, combining savoury and sweet elements. The chefs at Good Year Seafood Village showcased their expertise by achieving an exceptionally well-balanced taste. The chicken maintained its crispiness even when generously coated in the sauce.

For a different experience, I paired the roasted garlic together in a single mouthful. The roasting process heightened its fragrance, transporting me into a state of garlic euphoria— just beware of my garlic breath if you decide to approach me while I’m talking!

We also indulged in another of Geraldine’s innovations, the Big Prawn Yin Yang (S$13). It featured a blend of crispy bee hoon and hor fun, generously drenched in a rich, eggy gravy and crowned with big prawns.

The simultaneous encounter of the crunchy bee hoon and silky hor fun in each bite was unique, and the experience was taken up a notch by the smokey hints of wok hei.

The large prawns were juicy and plump, requiring minimal effort to peel and enjoy.

The Nai Huang La La with Fragrant Garlic (S$20) was coated in a gently sweet, salted egg gravy that was perfumed with the addition of fried curry leaves. The clams offered a satisfying texture, harmonising seamlessly with the rich and creamy sauce.

The Four Treasure Beancurd (S$30) featured large pieces of fried egg beancurd served with black mushrooms, sliced fish, scallops, prawns, carrot slices and broccoli doused in a viscous, golden-hued gravy.

The homemade silky pieces of egg beancurd were enveloped in a golden-brown layer, boasting an extra soft texture and a more robust, less floury taste compared to store-bought ones. The prawn and scallops that came with it were also large and extremely fresh.

The King Mushroom With Kai Lan (S$15) had generous slices of king oyster mushrooms which were coated in a light batter and deep-fried, then placed on top a bed of kai lan and finished off with a wolfberry-laden thick gravy.

You can also indulge in the Lobster Porridge (S$138) which has an entire rock lobster sitting in a huge bowl of porridge that’s filled with lobster meat, flower crab, ginger slices and garnished with coriander.

The lobster chunks were massive, with firm and succulent flesh. The porridge, infused with Chinese wine and ginger, was hearty and indulgent. It’ll be perfect for a cold, rainy day— although it happened to be scorching hot outside as I savoured it in air-conditioned comfort.

Final thoughts

Despite the 70-minute journey, the long trip was definitely worthwhile after savouring the dishes. Good Year Seafood Village truly earned my first 5/5 rating in quite some time.

Besides fresh seafood and Malaysian-style zi char dishes, this place is also renowned for its Pontian bak kut teh.

If you do make it here, I advise you to carefully check the signage and head to the left-most corner, as there is another similar eatery just next door selling almost the same dishes.

Expected damage: S$12 – S$20 per pax

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