A taste of Surabaya has landed on Rochor Road.
Warung Leko, loved by many with more than 40 spots in Surabaya, now calls Singapore home. The doors are open, the grill is hot, and the air smells like spice and smoke.
Here, penyet is the star. Bowls come bold, bright, and full of heat. Each bite feels like a memory you want to keep.
Their legend is the Iga Penyet. Beef ribs slow-cooked till tender, then smashed to crackle the edges. It meets a punchy sambal that wakes you up and makes you smile.
This is food that hugs you. Fast enough for lunch. Warm enough for a family feast.
Come with friends. Share a plate. Find your new go-to comfort dish on Rochor Road.
Step in, take a seat, and taste why Surabaya keeps coming back.
The menu leans hard into the fryer, and it smells like heaven the moment you walk in. Then a twist: Fried Otot on the list. Yes, fried tendon.
We went for the Iga and Otot Penyet ($22.50). Smashed beef ribs meet crisp tendon in one bold plate.
The ribs are tender and smoky. The tendon shatters, then melts.
Each penyet comes crowned with a mound of sambal. Pick your heat, from warm glow to full blaze.
The crackle, the spice, the rush — each bite pulls you back for one more. A squeeze of lime, a scoop of rice, and it all sings.
It’s rare to find tendon done this well. That mix of crunch and silk sets it apart.
Bring a friend. Share the plate, and the story you’ll tell after.
The first bite stops you. Heat, crunch, and a rush of joy.
The ribs take a slow bath first. They simmer till the meat sighs loose from the bone, moist and full. Then they dive into hot oil and crackle to a crisp coat you hear before you taste.
The tendons are little gold bars. The shell snaps. The heart stays springy and rich. As wicked as crispy pork fat, but with that silky hit of collagen.
The sambal is not a side. It is a star. Smoky, bright, and brave enough to eat by the spoon.
This plate lifts a long day. It feels like a small feast you earned. Come hungry, leave happy. Bring a friend and share the crunch.
Start with the soups. They feel like a warm hug on a cold day. The kind you still think about on the ride home.
We tried both: the Soft Beef Ribs Soup ($15) and the Oxtail Soup ($15). The ribs come so tender they fall apart with a nudge. The broth is rich, clear, and full of slow, deep flavor.
What makes it special is the care. The beef ribs are sourced by season from Australia or New Zealand, so the meat stays prime and the taste stays true. You can tell with each spoonful.
If you want comfort that lifts your mood, start here. Bring a friend, share both bowls, and let the table go quiet for a moment. Then smile, and plan your next visit.
The first sip stopped me. Warm, deep, and bold, it felt like a hug on a cold night.
The soups drew out the soul of the ribs and oxtail. Each bite was tender, rich with marrow, and slick with silk broth.
I could taste long hours in the pot. Bones simmered low, with spice that felt calm and sure.
There was that gentle lift of white pepper. A soft hum that stayed with me, like a quiet song.
Hints of garlic and sweet spice slid in and out. Maybe star anise. Maybe clove. All in balance.
It took me back to a sturdy bowl of Bak Kut Teh. Familiar, yet new. Comfort, with a little spark.
If you crave food that warms more than your hands, start here. Slow-made, honest, and worth the wait.
The Golden Pomfret ($14) caught me off guard in the best way.
It came to the table with a warm glow and that faint, toasty scent that pulls you in. I took one bite and paused. Crisp, light, clean.
No grease. Just a shatter as the skin gave way. Even the fins, tail, and head were a joy to crunch, like little chips from the sea.
Inside, the flesh stayed juicy and sweet. It felt fresh, simple, and right.
This is whole-fish bliss at a price that feels like a win. It’s the kind of dish you tell a friend about before your plate is clean.
If you want one thing that lifts your night, order this. Add a squeeze of lime, a cold drink, and let the crunch do the rest.
You spot it first by the smell. Warm egg, a hint of spice, and the promise of heat.
This is Telor Dadar. A slim, spiced omelette for just $2. Crisp at the edge. Soft in the middle. It begs for a dip.
Tear off a strip. Slide it into the sambal. The chilies sing. The garlic blooms. The lime lifts. You taste home, even if it’s your first time.
It’s simple, yes. But that is the charm. No fuss. Just good eggs, a touch of turmeric, tiny slivers of shallot, and love in the pan.
Bring a plate to the table and watch hands reach. It starts the talk. It keeps the mood light. It turns a quick stop into a small feast.
For two dollars, you get more than a snack. You get a moment you’ll want to share. Come hungry. Leave happy.
We went in for greens and left with a story.
First up, Stir-Fried Broccoli ($8). Indo‑Chinese style, hot from the wok. Each floret wore a gloss of soy and smoke. Fried garlic bits crackled on top, with soft ribbons of egg slipping through. One bite and I caught that Hokkien Mee echo — rich, savory, a little sweet — unexpected and so good.
Then the Stir-Fried Kangkong ($8). Tender stems with a lively snap. A kiss of chili, a lift of vinegar, and that deep wok heat made it sing. It tasted bright, green, and bold.
If you want veggies that don’t feel like a compromise, start here. Order both, share, and let the table fall quiet for a moment.
The buzz hit me at the door. Warm spice in the air. Laughter at every table. It felt like a flight to Java without the jet lag.
It was not just the food. It was the crowd. Many Indonesians ate there, side by side with curious locals. That said a lot without a word.
I even met a friend from Surabaya. We swapped stories over hot rice and a fiery sambal that sang. The ribs were smoky, tender, and bold. The kind you remember the next day.
Warung Leko brings heart to Singapore’s food scene. It feels real, from the clay plates to the crackle of fresh fries, to the soft pull of beef.
Go for comfort. Stay for the thrill. Try the heat level you dare, then cool it with sweet tea.
More dishes are on the way as they settle in. New plates, new thrills, the same soul.
Keep watch. Bring a friend. Make it a night you will tell others about.
Name: Warung Leko
Location: 162 Rochor Rd, Singapore 188437
Social: Facebook, Instagram
Closest MRT: Bugis Station (East-West and Downtown lines)
Hours:
Mon–Fri: 11:00–22:00
Sat–Sun & Public Holidays: 10:00–22:00
- Limited Information: Most establishments appear to be dine-in focused
- Takeaway Available: Several hawker stalls and coffee shops
- No Delivery Mentioned: For most locations
Tourist Accessibility:
- Highest Value: Maxwell Food Centre, Tong Ah Eating House, Original Katong Laksa, Atlas Bar
- Moderate Accessibility: Most hawker centres and established restaurants
- Advance Planning Required: The Ampang Kitchen, Burnt Ends reservations
Cultural Significance:
- Historical: Tong Ah (1939), Singapore Zam Zam (1908), Song Fa (1969)
- Heritage Preservation : Kim Choo Kueh Chang, Tan’s Tu Tu Coconut Cake
- Modern Innovation: Burnt Ends, Cloudstreet, % Arabica
Cooking Techniques Highlighted:
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