Serangoon BBQ & Curry, Sin Ming: Shiok Nasi Padang with BBQ chicken & butterfly pea rice from S$4
I’ve discovered something very wonderful since I started working at Seth Lui: the amazing variety of excellent, affordable food in Singapore’s heartlands. That realisation dawned during one of the most pleasant foodie experiences I have had and it came at Serangoon BBQ & Curry (1983).
Despite the name, this family-run hawker stall is located at Sin Ming Road. The team consists of Uncle Tan, his wife Auntie Cheong, and son Eugene. Eugene stepped into the role just last year after 15 years as an English and GP teacher at Dunman High. He is transforming the operation, including introducing cashless payments and island-wide delivery.
All this almost never was as the Serangoon BBQ & Curry (SBC) story is somewhat of a phoenix saga. Eugene’s parents started the stall in 1983 and sold it off in October 2020, intending to retire. Fortunately for us, they found retired life too easy and got back in business a year later, this time at Sin Ming.
I couldn’t help but adore their new cute logo, which is an anime version of Eugene’s favourite photo of his parents.
What I tried
SBC has created a Sedap Sets series. They consist of one main dish that comes with rice (butterfly pea rice and all its antioxidants while it lasts every day) as well as two free side dishes.
The side dishes are Achar, Begedil, Curry Vegetables, Stir Fried Cabbage, Stir Fried Spinach, Sambal Brinjal & Ladies Fingers, Sambal Kang Kong, Sambal Goreng, Fried Egg, and Omelette. You can also top up S$1 for Ikan Bilis & Petai or Otak Otak.
SBC’s most popular dish is the Signature BBQ Chicken (S$5) and its crispy golden skin pulls you in visually. However, I had to take just one bite to understand why it’s such a hit.
The meat came easily off when I tucked in, tearing apart at gentle prods from my fork. But the real magic happened after I took a bite and a beautiful range of subtle flavours from the seasoning enhanced the taste and texture of the chicken.
I started to salivate the moment the exquisite scent of the Mutton Rendang (S$8) hit my nose. Its characteristic yellow-brown colour promised that familiar, rich taste of curry and herbs we Singaporeans love. If you like to eat your rice wet, it’s hard to go past this dish.
Hot on the heels of that was the BBQ Fish of the Day (from S$7). Eugene explained that they strive to always use better quality fish such as black pomfret (which we had) and grouper. As you can see from the pictures, the flawless crispy brown garnished surface gives way to tender and moist white flesh underneath. Cooked absolutely perfectly.
Eugene served us their Serangoon Fried Chicken (S$6) next, cut up on my plate on a bed of home-made blue butterfly pea rice. This is another of the long-time SBC favourites and certainly one of mine. Every juicy mouthful was the ideal accompaniment to the butterfly pea rice and tangy, spicy acar.
The little rings of Signature BBQ Sotong (S$8) looked really appetising, arranged in rows at the stall and I just had to have a try. I found this dish much better than what I’ve had at most other places because it was firm enough to retain that lovely sotong mouthfeel without being too tough.
You can’t really have traditional nasi padang without otak, can you? For that reason and also because everything else had been so delightfully tasty, we also asked for the 2 Vegetables and 1 Otak (S$5). I was super pleased to learn that they make their own Otak (notably chunky pieces) here at SBC— score!
My side dish of Omelette was simply stuffed with shallots and other delicious ingredients. The Curry Vegetables side dish was very similar in flavour to the Mutton Rendang, making it a great option for vegetarians. They made for a couple of very charming accompaniments to the main dishes.
Final thoughts
Figuring the operating hours are 10 am to 3 pm, we first visited Serangoon BBQ & Curry in the afternoon. There were literally 2 dishes left— one otak and one fish. People, everything sells out fast at SBC. Come early to avoid the queue as well as disappointment!
SBC has two very affordable meals that feature the two dishes that I enjoyed most. The Value Meal (S$5) consists of 1 piece of Mutton Rendang and 1 Vegetable side, while the Value Meal (S$4) consists of 1 piece of Signature BBQ Chicken and 1 Vegetable side.
The close-knit family has a strong sense of community, donating $5 SBC food packs to needy residents in the neighbourhood every Friday to Sunday. (You can help by donating your CDC vouchers to them).
This was my first visit to Serangoon BBQ & Curry and it was so thoroughly enjoyable that I had to tapau back 7 more dishes to share the experience with my family. Thank the stars that Uncle Tan and Auntie Cheong didn’t retire and have Eugene to carry on their delectable legacy, then visit them!
Expected damage: S$4- S$12 per pax
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