Serangoon BBQ & Curry broke many hearts when it announced the permanent closure of its Sin Ming hawker stall earlier in January this year. Loved for its signature barbecued meat dishes and Peranakan-style nasi padang, this humble but popular family-run business has amassed plenty of regulars over the past 40-odd years – and what a run it’s been. But all good things come to an end, and Uncle Tan and Auntie Cheong – the elderly couple behind some of our favourite dishes – are now enjoying their well-deserved retirement as we speak.
But their culinary legacy lives on. Keen to continue bringing his family’s recipes to the masses at accessible price points, their son Eugene recently launched a modern offshoot of SBC at Junction 8 with tweaked versions of old favourites and fresh new items. Though some may be skeptical about a hawker-turned-quick-service concept, Serangoon BBQ & Curry 2.0 at Bishan quickly proved to be a hit. With bowls priced from just $8.90, air-conditioning, and the option to pre-order a takeaway, it certainly checks multiple boxes for hungry folks of all ages seeking convenience, comfort, and honest-to-goodness local flavours.
If you haven’t found the chance to get a taste of SBC’s nosh due its heartland location being out of the way, you’ll be glad to know that there’s now a second branch at Raffles Specialist Centre, just a short walk from Bugis MRT station. This outlet has everything you’d get at the Bishan branch and more, with special menu exclusives like toasties and traditional Nanyang coffee – made with caramel-roasted and butter robusta beans and brewed using a $12,000 Swiss coffee machine. It’s also way bigger than the first outlet, so with any luck you won’t have to queue for seats.
While the Bishan outlet opens at 10.30am, the one at Raffles Hospital welcomes diners bright and early at 9am daily (from 8am for pre-ordered pick-ups). This is to cater to the healthcare staff and office workers in the area who might like to stop by for a hearty breakfast before tackling a day’s work.
Start your morning with the perfect balance of flavours with the lontong set ($9.90). The comforting bowl of goodness comprises SBC’s signature sayur lodeh with rice cakes and quail eggs, and comes with your choice of a complementary drink: hot black tea, hot green tea, hot lemon ginger tea, iced jasmine black tea, or the Raffles-exclusive hot Nanyang kopi O. Top-ups can be made if you’d rather go for an iced Niko Neko matcha latte (additional $3) or iced kopi with fresh milk and gula melaka (additional $2), the latter of which is outlet-specific.
Can’t stomach rice and spice early in the morning? Go for the toasties sets ($9.90) instead, where you can choose between sandwich flavours of rendang royale (beef), rendang chix (chicken), and otak melt, all paired with melty cheese, lettuce and multigrain bread. Other than the aforementioned free drinks, these protein-packed breakfast and teatime treats also come with two onsen eggs per set, with your pick of either soya sauce or curry.
The lontong and toasties are also available a la carte at $8.90 and $7.90 respectively, but it’s wise to go straight for the sets for best value.
Another item you can only find at Serangoon BBQ & Curry’s Bugis outlet is the siew mai, served in sets of three for $4.50. This isn’t your regular dim sum staple – select from unique flavours of rendang, otak, truffle, and the ever-classic chicken. And if you’re feeling fickle, there’s always the option of a trio plate featuring the latter three flavours.
Of course, the customisable bowls with mains like the SRGN fried chicken, BBQ chicken, and rendang remain, along with signature sides including the floral coleslaw, spicy chinchalok brinjal and house-made otak. Read our review on Serangoon BBQ & Curry’s modern rice bowls to know what’s in store.
Find out more about Serangoon BBQ & Curry via its website and @sbc1983 on Instagram.
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