Singaporean food has always been considered standard, and yet here’s a bistro that decided to spice things up a little. They decided to enhance and focus on making a modern fusion food version of our Singaporean staple, hokkien prawn noodles.
Hidden away in the basement of Cuppage Plaza, we headed over to give their broth a test. It had a very chill vibe with many groups here trying out the food with their friends and family. They also serve beer if you’re looking for a light drinking session.
Arriving in a giant dim sum basket, the signature chao da charred ebi noodles was amazing. With large charred tiger prawns atop the noodles, there were also bean sprouts and chicken as toppings.
The broth was really thick, or gao as some Singaporean would say, providing us with a strong and unique umami of prawns. Their broth was said to be prepared by boiling it in over 40 kg of prawn shells and heads for at least 8 hours.
The noodles were springy, being a little thicker than the usual, providing a more chewy texture that leads to a satisfying bite. With a large serving of noodles given per bowl, you’d be happy to find that the noodles can fill your tummy up nicely.
The richness of the broth actually sticks to the noodles and permeates through to have a lingering taste of the broth as you slurp up the noodles. The sweet and savoury taste kept the broth feeling amazing and not too overpowering as there was a complex blend of taste hitting you constantly.
The charred tiger prawns were still huge after being peeled and were sweet to taste. They had a slight char flavour, packing a stronger flavour profile compared to the normal prawns. The meaty prawns added to a different texture profile that went well with the noodles and the broth.
The signature chao da charred ebi pao fan was another must try dish that we had to order. The pao fan had a wide spread of ingredients, ranging from the charred prawns, clams and soft tofu, to the crispy pao fan bits, fried dried shrimps and fried rice too!
The rice was soaked in the broth, containing a thick and smoky flavour. The soft and fluffy rice absorbed the broth really quickly to form a nice mixture that had a gentle texture while packing the punch of the rich umami flavour of the broth.
The clams were a great additional to the dish as they helped to provide a sweet taste that serves as a cleanser compared to the broth, allowing us to consume more of the broth.
Seeing test tubes at a prawn noodle place? These are broth boosters, they could be added to your broth to change the taste of it.
The mala broth booster was not really spicy, it had a slight chilli oil taste but lacked the punch of the ma component. While it was reminiscent of the mala taste that Singaporeans love, it felt weak and was a really subtle taste addition to our broth.
The truffle broth booster on the other hand, had a really strong aroma and could easily overwhelm your broth. Just a drizzle is enough to change your broth into something else entirely. Don’t rush the amount you’re adding if not you’d be facing a strong truffle taste overpowering everything.
Hearing many wonders about their sides as well, we decided to get their deluxe platter. Their platter contained many of their signature sides, including their ebi and vege crispy fritter, 1960s ngoh hiang and salted mackerel chicken. They also had their handmade shrimp balls and soft fried delicate tofu within as well.
Their ebi and vege crispy fritter was lightly battered, providing a thin and crunchy layer that went well with their noodles. The fritter shouldn’t be left out for too long as it would slowly turn soggy if left out by itself. Even though prawns were the main fixture in our mains we still welcomed the taste of the prawns and vegetables mixing together in the fritters.
The ngoh hiang was a little on the weak side, with it being slightly over charred on the outside. While it resulted in a really light and crispy outer layer that was satisfying to bite into, it left the inside dry tasting. More could have been done to help keep the inner fillings moist, to allow for a more balanced taste and texture.
The salted mackerel fried chicken was also vastly different in taste, with the salty taste standing out compared to all the other savoury dishes and sides. The saltiness, whilst not overpowering, was quite strong but paired well with the richness of the broth as the strong flavours balanced each other out. The meat was tender on the inside whilst having a crispy exterior though it paled in comparison to the ebi and vege crispy fritter.
The fried shrimp balls were sliced into smaller pieces and did not stand out after the amazing plethora of sides that had been tried so far. Whilst being fried perfectly without the oily taste, it did not seem as amazing as the other sides since it tasted as it should, a shrimp ball. Considering the uniqueness in flavours of the other dishes, this side seemed normal in comparison.
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Having tried the variety of sides and mains here, we were actually in love with the signature chao da charred ebi noodles and pao fan. Whilst the broth boosters were an interesting concept, we would suggest only the truffle booster as the mala one seemed too mild in comparison. We’d recommend for you to get an additional small bowl of broth when ordering to try together with your broth booster.
Their sides had a slightly different take on them and we would recommend trying out the ebi and vege crispy fritter as well as the salted mackerel fried chicken. For the rest of the sides, they did not seem to stand out to us and were decent at best.
The prawn broth here was something to behold, with its umami rich flavour packing a punch that would be hard to beat. Overall, we’d recommend coming down to try it once as it’s a unique experience though we’d think it’s hardly something to take on a consistent basis due to its strong flavour profile.
Ebi Bar
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📍 5 Koek Rd, #B1-21 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
🕒 11am–10pm (Tuesday-Saturday), 11am-9pm (Sunday-Monday)
