Overview
NEX in Serangoon stands as Northeast Singapore’s largest shopping mall and a veritable food paradise. With 22 diverse eateries spanning Asian cuisines, the mall caters to every palate and budget. This review analyzes the standout dishes, menu strategies, and overall dining landscape.
Featured Eateries & Signature Dishes
1. Oriental Kopi – Malaysian Comfort Excellence
Signature Dish: Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak ($9.50++)
The highlight of Oriental Kopi’s menu is undoubtedly their nasi lemak. The fried chicken—both drumstick and thigh—features exceptionally crispy skin encasing tender meat perfumed with a rempah blend of onion, garlic, and ginger. The aromatic pandan steamed rice serves as the perfect canvas for these bold flavors.
Value Pick: Curry Double Lava Egg Toast ($4.60++) offers an affordable breakfast option with poached eggs and curry dipping sauce, best paired with their signature kopi.
Menu Strategy: Focuses on Malaysian cafe classics with competitive pricing to establish themselves in the heartland market.
2. A Hot Hideout – Mala Customization King
Coming August 2025
Signature: Mala Collagen Soup ($2.50 base) with customizable ingredients
The standout here is their signature scrambled eggs—silky, buttery, and perfectly executed. The stir-fry option appeals to those who prefer crispy textures over soup, with generous portions of fried goods including potato and lotus root.
Menu Innovation: Tiered pricing system starting from $0.50 (non-spicy Oriental Stir Fry) to $2.50 (Mala Collagen Soup) allows customers to control their spending while enjoying variety.
Unique Selling Point: Offers ingredients unavailable at other mala chains, positioning itself as the destination for mala enthusiasts seeking novelty.
3. Aburi-EN – Flame-Seared Japanese Indulgence
Signature Dish: Premium Buta Don ($16.90++)
The thick pork belly slabs are flame-seared to perfection, allowing flavorful drippings to enrich the rice below. The blow-torch technique adds a subtle smokiness and textural contrast.
Premium Option: Salmon Ikura Don ($23.90++) features melt-in-your-mouth salmon slices elevated by the torching process.
Menu Analysis: The grilled beef with black truffle paste demonstrates their commitment to umami-forward dishes with earthy sophistication. Price points position them in the mid-range Japanese dining segment.
4. Fong Sheng Hao – Taiwanese Street Food Authenticity
Signature: Pork Egg and Cheese ($8.60)
Direct from Taipei’s Shilin Night Market, this eatery delivers authentic Taiwanese toast sandwiches. The in-house pork cutlet with chilli provides satisfying crunch and heat.
Breakfast Champion: The charcoal toast paired with milk tea offers a complete morning meal experience that’s both filling and affordable.
Menu Critique: While solid and authentic, the offerings don’t necessarily exceed expectations—reliable rather than revolutionary.
5. Beauty In The Pot – Premium Hotpot with Smart Pricing
Best Value: Individual Weekday Lunch Set Menu ($16.80++ per person)
The nourishing broths—particularly the Beauty Collagen Broth and Herbal Drunken Chicken Broth—justify the premium positioning. The weekday lunch sets make this otherwise expensive hotpot experience accessible.
Menu Strategy: Two-tier set menu system ($16.80++ and $20.80++) democratizes access while maintaining quality. Ingredient variety includes crowd-pleasers like Cheesy Chicken Ball alongside traditional options.
6. The Hainan Story – Coffee House Heritage Reimagined
Signature: Hainanese Pig’s Trotter Assam Curry Noodle ($10.80++)
This dish captures traditional Hainanese flavors with yellow noodles, tender pork trotter, fish cake, and egg swimming in spicy assam curry. The heat level is well-balanced, allowing the sour notes to shine through.
Appetizer Star: Ah Mai’s Chee Cheong Fun ($8.80++) with four distinct sauces (rojak, light soya, chee cheong fun, and green chilli) offers textural play and flavor variety.
Sweet Finale: Classic Pandan Waffles (from $2.40++) in 10+ flavors provide an affordable dessert option.
7. Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice – Michelin-Worthy Thai Flavors
Michelin Bib Gourmand Winner
Best Value: Single Portion Chicken (from $5.50++)
Succulent poached chicken over glistening flavored rice with house special green chilli dip delivers authentic Bangkok flavors at hawker-friendly prices.
Group Dining Winner: Steamed Sea Bass with Chilli, Lime & Garlic ($29.90++) balances tangy, garlicky, and sweet notes beautifully. The tender fish absorbs the sauce excellently.
Halal Certification: A major plus for Muslim diners seeking quality Thai cuisine.
8. Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine – Rising Star of Regional Chinese
Signature: Hunan Style Stir-Fried Pork ($19.90++)
Made with premium Spanish Iberico pork, this dish showcases the bold, spicy flavors characteristic of Hunan cuisine. The pork remains juicy despite high-heat cooking.
Speed Demon: 18-Second Angus Beef Stir-fry ($22.90++) lives up to its name with tender, barely-cooked beef that melts on the tongue.
Crowd Favorite: Spicy Bullfrog Pot (from $39.90++) features tender bullfrog meat in fragrant, spicy broth—a must-try for adventurous eaters.
9. Tamago-EN – Egg Excellence from Okinawa
Unique Offering: 5-kinds Dashimaki Tamago Skewers ($10++)
Using only fresh Okinawan eggs, these skewers showcase egg’s versatility with toppings like seaweed paste and cod roe mayo.
Fusion Innovation: Japanese Kaya Toast Set ($8.90++) brilliantly marries Japanese sweet potato and kaya spread, served with onsen eggs and black coffee.
Menu Focus: Laser-focused on egg-centric dishes, demonstrating expertise in a specific niche.
10. PUTIEN – Fujian Flavors Refined
Signature Transformation: Fujian Seafood Lor Mee (from $13.80++)
The unique reddish broth, stained by red mushrooms, is slightly sweet and packed with fresh clams, squid, and prawns. The potent chilli balances the sweetness perfectly.
Texture Champion: Crispy Oyster ($19.80++) delivers on both fronts—intensely savory with an extra-crispy exterior that shatters satisfyingly.
Brand Positioning: Successfully elevates Putian cuisine from hawker origins to refined restaurant experience.
11. Sō Ramen – Affordable Japanese Comfort
Best Value: Grand Tonkotsu Ramen ($17.50++)
Double-boiled tonkotsu broth achieves rich creaminess without being heavy. The combination of chashu and thick braised pork belly provides textural variety.
Egg Lover’s Dream: Tamago Shoyu Ramen ($15.50++) features both Ajitsuke egg and onsen egg—a brilliant way to satisfy different egg preferences in one bowl.
Price Point: Excellent value for quality ramen in a mall setting.
12. Seorae – Korean BBQ Accessibility
Group Value: Ultimate Grill Set (from $88++ for 3 people)
This comprehensive set includes varied meat cuts, stew, and japchae—everything needed for a complete Korean BBQ experience at approximately $29 per person.
Premium Cuts: Galmaegisal (pork skirt, from $21.90++) and Black Pork Seorae Samgyeobsal ($32.90++) cater to those seeking elevated pork BBQ.
Standout Side: Cheese tteokbokki receives consistent praise for balancing spice with creamy cheese.
13. Riverside Canton Claypot Cuisine – Mala Meets Claypot
Signature: Original Wushan-styled Grilled Fish ($36.90++)
Choose between Signature Fragrant Spicy Sauce or Fragrant Paste Sauce for your sea bass, then add three side dishes and your choice of rice or instant noodles. The customization makes this shareable dish excellent value.
Claypot Excellence: Claypot Braised Pork Belly ($22.90++) and Claypot Sliced Fish with Beancurd Skin ($19.90++) showcase traditional Cantonese cooking techniques.
Menu Strategy: Dual focus on mala grilled fish and claypot dishes appeals to two distinct customer segments.
14. Yakiniku-GO – Japanese Grill Value Champion
Best for First-Timers: Yakiniku-GO Set ($19.90++)
Beef short plate, ribeye steak, beef tongue, rice, soup, and kimchi or salad—comprehensive value for under $20.
Bestseller: Double Karubi Set ($19.90++) features fatty short plate that’s surprisingly tender and flavorful, alongside boneless short rib.
Value Proposition: Exceptional pricing for quality Japanese grilled meat in a convenient mall location.
15. Eat 3 Bowls – Taiwanese Trio Triumph
Signature: 3 Bowls Signature Trio Combo ($14.90)
Three petite bowls on a wooden tray perfect for sharing: Braised Pork Rice, Oyster and Pig Intestine Mee Sua, and Shredded Chicken Rice.
Standout Bowl: The Oyster and Pig Intestine Mee Sua features strong bonito-flavored broth with silky mee sua, plump oysters, and fresh coriander—comfort food at its finest.
Sharing Strategy: The trio format encourages sampling and sharing, ideal for indecisive diners or those wanting variety.
16. Dian Xiao Er – Herbal Heritage
Signature: Duck Roasted with Angelica Herb (from $18.50++)
The dang gui (Angelica herb) infuses the gravy with herbal sweetness that cuts through the duck’s gamey flavor—a perfect balance of tradition and taste.
Perfect Pairing: French Beans with XO Sauce (from $14.90++) adds umami punch and spice to complement the duck.
Brand Legacy: Successfully maintains heritage recipes while remaining relevant to modern diners.
17. Ghost Kakigori – Japanese Shaved Ice Haven
Signature: Bean & Matcha ($14.90)
Sweet red beans topped with creamy brulee, blanketed by shaved ice—a textural and temperature contrast that delights.
Theatrical Touch: Flamed Strawberry Brulee ($14.90) with torched-to-order topping adds entertainment value.
Niche Positioning: Specializes in Japanese shaved ice and dorayaki in a cozy cafe setting—clear differentiation.
18. Jollibee – Filipino Fast Food Phenomenon
Cult Classic: Chickenjoy and Spaghetti (from $7.80)
The signature crispy chicken (original or spicy) maintains its crunch while staying juicy inside.
Unique Offering: Spaghetti (from $5.30) with distinct sweet sauce, hotdog pieces, and shredded cheese—love it or hate it, but undeniably different from Italian-style spaghetti.
Success Factor: Consistent quality and unique flavor profiles explain the ever-present queues.
Menu Analysis & Pricing Trends
Price Range Distribution:
- Budget (<$10): Bingz, Fong Sheng Hao, Oriental Kopi breakfast items, Jollibee
- Mid-Range ($10-20): Sō Ramen, Yakiniku-GO, Eat 3 Bowls, Aburi-EN
- Premium ($20-30): Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine, PUTIEN, Beauty In The Pot, Seorae
- Splurge ($30+): Group sets at Seorae, specialty items at Riverside Canton
Cuisine Representation:
- Japanese (6): Aburi-EN, Tamago-EN, Genki Sushi, Sō Ramen, Yakiniku-GO, Ghost Kakigori
- Chinese Regional (5): Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine, PUTIEN, Dian Xiao Er, Lao Huo Tang, Riverside Canton
- Taiwanese (3): Fong Sheng Hao, Bingz, Eat 3 Bowls
- Korean (1): Seorae
- Thai (1): Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice
- Malaysian (1): Oriental Kopi
- Filipino (1): Jollibee
- Singaporean Heritage (1): The Hainan Story
- Hotpot/Mala (2): Beauty In The Pot, A Hot Hideout
- Bubble Tea (1): CHAGEE
Strategic Insights
What NEX Does Well:
1. Asian Cuisine Dominance NEX recognizes its demographic and doubles down on Asian offerings. The absence of Western chains (except fast food) is a deliberate strategy.
2. Price Point Accessibility Multiple options under $10 ensure students and budget-conscious diners feel welcome, while premium options cater to families and special occasions.
3. Halal Inclusivity Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice, CHAGEE, and Jollibee provide halal options across different meal types and price points.
4. New vs. Established Balance Mixing heritage brands (PUTIEN, Dian Xiao Er) with trendy newcomers (Oriental Kopi, A Hot Hideout) keeps the mall relevant across age groups.
5. Set Menu Strategy Many restaurants offer set menus and combos (Beauty In The Pot, Yakiniku-GO, Eat 3 Bowls) to simplify ordering and improve perceived value.
Areas for Improvement:
1. Limited Vegetarian Options While most restaurants offer token vegetable dishes, dedicated vegetarian or plant-based eateries are notably absent.
2. Western Cuisine Gap Beyond fast food, there’s minimal Western dining—no pasta specialists, steakhouses, or contemporary Western fusion.
3. Breakfast Options Only a handful (Oriental Kopi, Fong Sheng Hao, The Hainan Story) serve breakfast, missing opportunities for morning traffic.
Final Verdict
NEX succeeds as a heartland food destination by understanding its audience: families, students, and working professionals seeking affordable, authentic Asian cuisine. The mall doesn’t try to be Orchard Road—instead, it excels at being a neighborhood gathering spot with reliable, diverse options.
Must-Try First-Timers:
- Oriental Kopi – Nasi Lemak
- Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice – Single Portion Chicken
- Yakiniku-GO – Yakiniku-GO Set
- Eat 3 Bowls – Signature Trio Combo
- PUTIEN – Fujian Seafood Lor Mee
Best for Groups:
- Beauty In The Pot (Hotpot variety)
- Seorae (Korean BBQ)
- Riverside Canton (Grilled fish sharing)
Best Value:
- Yakiniku-GO sets
- Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice
- Eat 3 Bowls Trio Combo
Most Unique:
- Tamago-EN (Egg specialization)
- Ghost Kakigori (Japanese shaved ice)
- Bingz (Chinese crispy burgers)
NEX proves that shopping mall dining can transcend food court mediocrity when thoughtfully curated with quality, diversity, and understanding of local tastes.