DISCLAIMER: Some photos were grabbed (and credited) from other food blogs. I was with boys… and they were too hungry to wait til I took photos.
My good friend (and SG local) S recommended the steak at New Ubin Seafood. You’d think, logically, that a seafood restaurant would be famous for, er, seafood but to my amusement people actually talk more about the steak here. I was intrigued.
The place is quite tricky to get to as it’s hidden in an industrial estate. It’s not the most glamorous of places, but the buzz you get from punters says a lot. We went on a school night for dinner service and the place was packed. By the time we finished another table was being prepped - for a third sitting.
The menu is quite extensive. Plaid Boy and I got there ahead of everyone and got a good scan - we wanted to order so much. Or at least I did.
Of course, we knew we were having steak…
The highly recommended
US Black Angus rib-eye was a treat - and how can it not be at $12/£6 per 100g? Cooked medium-rare and chopped into bite-size pieces, the beef is juicy and seasoned generously. I picked on the rare bits and can’t complain much. Served with potato wedges, caramelised onions
and fried rice, this really is a bargain.
But I’m telling you, it was the steak fried rice that did for me (and I, for one, do not like rice that much).
The rice is fried in soy sauce and beef trimmings. Simple, yes? You get a bit of fried, crispy, fatty burnt ends with each spoonful. I know it sounds like a lot of clogged arteries in the making but seriously, it was surprisingly light. Trust me - you need this in your life (in moderation, of course).
Embraced by gluttony, I thought we needed two XXL Sri Lankan crabs ($6/£3 per 100g) for our chilli treat but the boys said one would suffice. They were right. Ours came drowning in this silky, glutinous sauce which was quite nice but it was just a teensy bit too sweet for my liking. The crab was really meaty and really fresh, though. I like the body more than the claw and I was really happy with what I had.
They served it with these fried man tou ($1/£0.50 a piece). Yum. I loved the crisp skin and the fluffy dough. It wasn’t sweet and was perfect to dip in the chilli crab sauce. I can’t tell you how many pieces we shared between us four. I’m pretty sure I had three.
I originally wanted to order some dou miao (pea shoots) simply stir-fried in garlic but our friend recommended the HK Kai Lan Special ($18). They basically shredded the kai lan leaves and deep-fried it with garlic. It was okay but I wish we had some dou miao instead.
We had some salted egg squid ($20/£10) which I reckon was more for the boys than for me (egg abhorence gene!). I tried a piece and the flavour was actually pretty tasty. If not for the eggy, yolky texture I’m sure I can easily finish a whole plate.
We swiped all our dishes clean
(look Ma, empty plates!)
And then sloshed a few pints of beer
and stretched our bellies to a merry state.
Easily one of the least pretentious and most delicious cheap eats I’ve had in a while, New Ubin is absolutely worth the trek. The ambience isn’t geared for a Michelin mention but the food is pretty good and absolutely bang on for your buck. I reckon it’s best to go with a group so you can try a lot of stuff and make it super
sulit. I can’t wait to go back.
New Ubin Seafood Restaurant
Block 27 Sin Ming Road, #01-174, Sin Ming Industrial Estate Sector A, Singapore 575680
*phew*
+65 6466 9558
Average spend pp: $50/£25
