Shin Ong Lai Restaurant Lunch

Thanks to Chiefeater Jon Besar, I finally discovered Shin Ong Lai Restaurant, tucked away in the residential pocket of Tiong Nam. At first glance, the location is a surprise — a modern multi-storey building rising quietly among terrace houses — but inside, it serves up well-executed Chinese dishes that deserve attention.

We had a strong line-up: Salt & Pepper Prawns, Chives with Intestines and Innards, Stir-Fried Kailan with Mushrooms, Oyster Omelette, and, added mid-meal, a serving of Pineapple Pork Ribs.

All the dishes were enjoyable, but the intestines which came with other innards stole the show. Beautifully seasoned with a pleasant savoury depth, the dish had that ideal crunchy yet tender texture that’s hard to get right. It’s rare to find innards done this well.

The prawns were fresh had a satisfying snap and were lightly crisped in the salt and pepper batter.

The kailan with mushrooms was a reliable supporting act. Fresh greens, well tossed with a bit of wok hei.

The oyster omelette had nicely size oysters and a lovely flavour. And the best part, it's eggs and oysters, NOT starch overpowering everything else.

The pineapple pork ribs, added as a last-minute decision, that rounded off the meal beautifully. Sweet, tangy, and sticky in the best way, it turned out to be a great way to end lunch.

I later found out that Shin Ong Lai Restaurant is the new iteration of Ong Lai which was a tai-chow stall operating from the back streets just about a hundred feet away from the current location. Walking through the neighbourhood to the PWTC metro station, I noticed that this area has become liveable and the notoriety that this area used to be known for is now certainly a thing of the past.