Cheng’s Gourmet Food Bar: More than just homecooked food

If you’re looking for a cafe with a wide array of options (beyond just truffle fries, poached eggs and muffin), you can’t give Cheng’s Gourmet Food Bar a miss.

Located at the heart of a neighbourhood district, Cheng’s was started by Aimee Cheng-Bradshaw, an Asia’s Next Top Model finalist, and her mother with the humble purpose of serving hearty wholesome food to those who are too busy to cook for themselves. Recently, Cheng’s has collaborated with celebrity chef Benson Tong to revamp its menu, offering a greater variety of yummy meals that came with a healthy home-cooked twist.

As a health-conscious foodie, I ordered the Seabass, which was accompanied by Cheng’s signature brown rice and fresh seasonal vegetables. True to its name, the Seabass tasted tender and moist, as though it was “fresh from the ocean”. For the finest-quality ingredients used in this dish, I’d have to admit that the price is rather reasonable.

Seabass ($23.90)

For a hearty main dish, I’d definitely recommend the Wagyu Charcoal Burger. Tucked between charcoal buns, you’ll find a juicy wagyu patty, topped with melted Cheddar, tomato, onions, gherkins and argula. If that’s not filling enough, feel free to add a sunny-side up ($2), foie gras ($6), crispy bacon ($3) or portobello mushroom ($2) at additional costs.

A huge basket of mesquite fries comes with the Wagyu burger. The natural mesquite smoke flavor which exudes from the fries is truly irresistible. Beware, you might be addicted to it after a few bites!

The Wagyu Charcoal Burger ($22.50) and Earl Grey Lemon Tea

Since the first two dishes didn’t disappoint, my companion and I decided to be adventurous and ordered the Spaghetti Seafood Tom Yum. This sounds like a difficult dish which could go awry if the Western ingredients and Eastern spice do not complement each other. However, the first mouthful of pasta eliminated any glimpse of skepticism that we had about the dish. The seafood wasn’t too dry and the pasta wasn’t too oily or spicy. The Tom Yum flavour was at its optimum, just what we were looking for.

Spaghetti Seafood Tom Yum ($18.90)

For desserts, we ordered Cheng’s signature Gula Melaka Hotcakes, made of fluffy pancakes topped with tropical coconut ice-cream and browned Gula Melaka. If you’re a fan of sweets, this is a must-try dessert. While the generous portion of pancake and coconut ice cream shouldn’t be something to complain about, I would definitely recommend sharing this plate between 2-3 friends because it can be overwhelming after a few mouthfuls. 

Gula Melaka Hotcakes ($14.50)

Cheng’s is also now a place to chill out at after the sun sets. With a label from Cheng’s carefully curated selection of 20+ craft beers and specially-designed drinks, you will most definitely be set for a wonderful late evening.

Cheng’s Gourmet Food Bar is located at: 

28 Clementi Rd, Singapore 129754

Tel: +65 6464 0617

Operating hours:

Brunch/Lunch: 11.30am­-5.00pm, Dinner: 5.30pm­-11.45pm daily