Jalan Wong Ah Fook Charcoal Curry Fish Head @ Tampines Street 64 - My Favourite JB-Style Charcoal Curry Fish Head is in the East

With curry fish head spots popping up all over the island, it begs the question — which ones are truly worth your time (and calories)? For me, Jalan Wong Ah Fook Charcoal Curry Fish Head in Tampines is a clear standout at the moment. What sets it apart is how closely it mirrors that iconic Johor-style curry fish head many Singaporeans willingly travel across the Causeway for. In fact, the recipe here is inspired by that very same famous establishment in Johor Bahru, resulting in a rendition that feels both nostalgic and satisfying, with slight tweaks to better suit local palates.

Charcoal Curry Fish Head 4.5/5

The Charcoal Curry Fish Head ($26/$32) is undeniably the star of the show and a must-order. Prepared over charcoal, the curry develops a gentle smokiness that adds an extra layer of complexity to its already robust profile. The gravy is thick, creamy, and deeply spiced — rich without being cloying — coating every element in the pot with its full-bodied intensity.

The fish itself is fresh, with moist and tender flesh that holds up well against the bold curry. Accompanying the fish are classic additions like long beans, lady’s fingers, and brinjals, all of which absorb the curry beautifully. A standout component is the generously sized deep-fried beancurd skin, which soaks up the gravy like a sponge while offering a contrasting texture that makes each bite more satisfying. Altogether, it’s a dish that feels indulgent, comforting, and remarkably close to its Johor counterpart.

3-Cup Chicken 4.2/5

Beyond their signature, the kitchen also turns out a commendable selection of zichar dishes. The 3-Cup Chicken ($10) impresses with its aromatic profile — fragrant from Chinese wine, soy sauce, and generous handfuls of basil leaves. The sauce is rich and slightly caramelised, clinging well to the tender chicken pieces, which are thoroughly infused with flavour. It’s a comforting, well-executed classic that complements the heavier curry dish nicely.

Pig Trotter Vinegar 4.2/5

The Pig Trotter Vinegar ($15) is another highlight and one I would gladly return for. The trotters are stewed until fork-tender, with a luscious, gelatinous skin that retains a pleasant bounce. Each bite is deeply infused with the sharp, gingery tang of black vinegar, striking a balanced interplay between savoury richness and appetising acidity. It’s a dish that leans towards traditional flavours and delivers them confidently.

Fried Shrimp Cake 4/5

A surprising favourite at the table was the Fried Shrimp Cake ($10). Deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown, it boasts a crisp exterior that gives way to a slightly soft, doughy interior. The prawn topping adds an extra layer of crunch and natural sweetness, making it incredibly addictive — the kind of dish you keep reaching for without realising.

Sambal Stingray 3/5

The Sambal Stingray ($18), however, was less impressive. While the stingray itself was reasonably well-cooked, the sambal lacked the depth and punch expected of a good sambal chilli — missing that robust, piquant kick that elevates the dish. That said, I appreciated the inclusion of chinchalok on the side, which added a touch of authenticity and extra flavour dimension.

Jalan Wong Ah Fook Charcoal Curry Fish Head delivers a compelling dining experience, especially for those craving that distinctive Johor-style curry fish head without the need to cross the border. The charcoal-cooked curry stands out with its depth, richness, and subtle smokiness, while the supporting zichar dishes round out the meal with satisfying variety. While not every dish hits the mark, the strengths here — particularly the signature curry fish head and pig trotter vinegar — are strong enough to warrant repeat visits. For now, it comfortably ranks as one of the more noteworthy curry fish head spots in Singapore.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jalan Wong Ah Fook Charcoal Curry Fish Head
Tam Chiak Kopitiam
Blk 666 Tampines Street 64
Singapore 520666
Tel: +65 89395992
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Nearest MRT:

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tampines MRT station. Take Exit A, D or G. Walk to Tampines Bus Interchange. Take bus number 296 or 490. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 22 minutes. [Map]

Siong Tong Gai @ 313 Somerset - Choose From Top 8 KL Zi Char Crab Flavours From Popular Malaysian Zi Char Restaurant

Siong Tong Gai, a well-established Malaysian zi char chain with over 10 outlets, debuted in Singapore late last year in 313 Somerset, bringing its renowned seafood dishes to local diners.

The restaurant recently introduced eight signature KL-style crab flavours, offering classic and innovative options.

Signature Braised Crab with Cucumber 4/5

We started with the Signature Braised Crab with Cucumber ($63.80), an unexpected yet refreshing pairing. The dish emphasises the crab's natural sweetness, complemented by mildly savoury gravy and crunchy cucumber strips. This lighter option is ideal for those who prefer subtler flavours.

Signature Spicy Sauce Crab 4/5

Next, we had the Signature Spicy Sauce Crab ($63.80), a flavour for those who prefer a punchier flavour. It uses a special blend of spices and dried chilli. The spice was more than manageable despite its name.

Other crab flavours include Kum Hiong Style Stir Fried Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Crab, ⁠⁠'Ham Sup' Salted Egg Yolk Sauce Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Typhoon Shelter Crab and Soy Sauce Crab.

Fried Prawns with Soy Sauce 3.5/5

The Fried Prawns with Soy Sauce ($29) used large, easy-to-peel prawns coated in a sweet-savory glaze. While flavourful, the prawns were slightly dry.

Dry Salted Egg Sotong 3.8/5

A good dish to share is the Dry Salted Egg Sotong ($19.80). Each piece was coated in a thick, crunchy salted egg batter that was rich yet not overwhelmingly salty.

Kum Hiong Clams 3/5

We also tried the Kum Hiong Clams ($14.80). While the kum hiong sauce was pretty flavourful, the clams were smaller than expected.

3 Treasure Vegetable 3.5/5

For vegetables, the 3 Treasure Vegetable ($12.80) offered a simple combination of pea sprouts and mixed mushrooms.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Siong Tong Gai
313@somerset
313 Orchard Road
#B3-02/03/04/05/06
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 69081393
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Red Lantern Live Seafood Restaurant @ Sembawang Country Club - Hidden Live Seafood Restaurant In The North Offering Tze Char Dishes

Red Lantern Live Seafood Restaurant officially opened in August this year and is situated within Sembawang Country Club. It offers more than 80 tantalising Asian seafood dishes, such as the signature Live lobster porridge, Chilli Crab, Squid, Kailan, BBQ Pork Ribs and more. The spacious restaurant is not enclosed and has a nice view of the golf terrace.

Golden Salted Egg Squid 4/5

We started our meal with the Golden Salted Egg Squid ($15). Deep fried to a crispy texture, the slightly chewy rings of squid were coated in a slightly spicy, creamy salted egg paste. It was an enjoyable dish that packed a nice salted egg flavour.

Dual Taste Kailan 3.8/5

A unique way to kick up a notch to the usual kailan dishes, the Dual Taste Kailan ($12) was served with a pile of crispy kailan leaf shreds and anchovies atop the crunchy Kailan stalks. It was an interesting twist that gave diners two different flavours and textures from one vegetable.

BBQ Spanish Pork Ribs with Red Wine 4.2/5

One of our favourite dishes is the BBQ Spanish Pork Ribs with Red Wine ($18). The pork rib meats were superbly fork tender and fell off the bone easily. It was also coated in an incredibly flavourful marinate before being smoked and glazed, packing a robust sweet-savoury flavour with a strong smoky aroma.

Fragrant Spicy Crab 4.2/5

As they had run out of Lobsters for the day, we settled for the Fragrant Spicy Crab ($88) instead, which did not disappoint. The wok-fried crab was tossed and covered in loads of chilli peppercorns and crispy fried garlic pieces, which brought out the lovely spicy fragrance, while the crab meat was thick, sweet and fleshy. Besides the Fragrant Spicy Crab, they offer choices of Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab as well.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Red Lantern Live Seafood Restaurant
249 Sembawang Road
Sembawang Country Club
Singapore 758352
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Nearest MRT: Spring Leaf (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Spring Leaf MRT station. Take Exit 3. Walk to bus stop opposite Thong Soon Road (Stop ID 56091). Take bus number 167, 169, 860, 980. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Toranto Road. Turn right onto Toranto Road and walk to the end of the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

Jin Jue Seafood @ Jalan Besar - Cantonese Style Seafood Zi Char That Opens Until 5am

Just across the busy cluster of eateries in Jalan Besar is the new brightly lit signboard of Jin Jue Seafood. Specialising in Cantonese-style seafood zi char, it has a homely space with a reasonably priced menu. It operates till 5am daily, serving as another supper spot you can booklist.

Red Snapper Fish Head Steamboat 4.5/5

The signature of Jin Jue Seafood would be their charcoal Red Snapper Fish Head Steamboat ($38). The fresh snapper slices are deliberately served separately to avoid having the fish break up throughout the meal and for diners to be able to have them fresh upon cooking. We especially enjoyed the broth's herbal notes, which resulted from the addition of goji berries and dang gui.

You have vegetables like yam, seaweed and Chinese cabbage in the base. You can opt to top up for additional ingredients to go along, such as Prawns ($18/5 Pieces), Spinach ($6), Enoki Mushrooms ($4) and more. We appreciated our pot was promptly refilled and that they provided the actual broth for refills instead of watered down base or water.

Lemongrass Pork Ribs 4.2/5

It looked unassuming, but the Lemongrass Pork Ribs ($18) was quite a crowd favourite. The sweet-glazed exterior had a nice slight crunch, while the meat was tender and easily torn off from the bone. The hints of spice also had us wanting more. We didn't mind it, but as its name suggests, we expected the lemongrass flavour to be much more pronounced than it was.

Stir-fried Dried Scallops & Kailan 3.5/5

The Stir-fried Dried Scallops & Kailan ($15) had stir-fried kailan beneath deep-fried kailan. Adding dried scallops helped lend an umami touch, but we found the dish as a whole too oily.

Curry Fish Head 3.8/5

I haven't had that many curry fish heads to compare, but my dining companions found Jin Jue's Curry Fish Head ($35) pretty satisfying. It came with a generous portion of vegetables like brinjal and ladyfinger, along with crisped beancurd skin. The curry leans more milky and creamy, and we thought the spice could be more assertive.

Black Pepper Crab 4/5

We were impressed by how fresh the Black Pepper Crab (Seasonal Price) was, the meat was firm and sweet, and it came with a good amount of roe. Their black pepper sauce leans sweeter, with a medium spice level from the chilli and peppers used.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jin Jue Seafood
369 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208997
Tel: +65 65303689
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Nearest MRT: Bendemeer MRT (DT Line), Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 5pm - 5am

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk towards Kitchener Link. At Kitchener Link walk to Petain Road. Turn right at Petain Road, walk towards Jalan Besar Road. Turn left at Jalan Besar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bendemeer MRT station. Take Exit A. Left right and walk to Kallang Bahru towards Lavender Street. At Lavender Street, turn right and walk towards Foch Road. Turn left onto Foch Road and walk towards Jalan Besar. Cross the road at Jalan Besar. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Tang Xiang Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat @ 5 Kallang Food Centre - Popular Fish Head Steamboat By Mediacorp Celebrity Ben Yeo & Chef Cao Yong

Mediacorp celebrity Ben Yeo and Chef Cao Yong have partnered to open Tang Xiang Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat at 5 Kallang Food Centre. The new zichar stall is located in an industrial food canteen selling Signature Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat and an array of zichar dishes. The stall is so popular that the wait can be up to two hours long.

Red Grouper Steamboat 4.5/5

A must-try here is their Signature Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat which comes with two options - Giant Grouper Steamboat ($40/ $60/ $88) and Red Grouper Steamboat ($48/ $68/ $88). Each steamboat comes with fried fish head, round cabbage, yam, seaweed, tofu, tomato and a separate plate of fish slices. The robust broth s refillable too.

Unlike other fish head steamboat places, the concept at Tang Xiang Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat allows diners to add on ingredients for the steamboat, similar to having hotpot concept.

Fried Prawn Roll 4.5/5

Besides the fish head steamboat, the stall woks up an array of delightful zichar dishes too. We had the Fried Prawn Roll ($12/ $18/ $24). It is meaty and plump, with a light crispy coat on its exterior, giving it an extra textural enjoyment.

Royale Chives with Bean Sprout 4/5

For a balanced diet, we had the Royale Chives with Bean Sprout ($12/ $18/ $24). I enjoyed how the contrasting textures of the vegetables complemented each other for a delectable crunch.

Salted Egg Squid 4.5/5

The salted egg sauce for the Salted Egg Squid ($18/ $26/ $36) is legit goodness. It is probably one of the better salted egg squid I have eaten. Both flavour and texture are executed perfectly, with the addition of curry leaves lifting the taste profile.

Signature XO Yam Ring 4.2/5

Unlike the usual yam ring, the Signature XO Yam Ring ($28) here is black, infused with charcoal powder and comes with seafood instead of the usual chicken and vegetable. It is an elevated version of the traditional yam ring and an instagrammable one.

Claypot Spicy Chicken 4/5

Fragrant and tender is the Claypot Spicy Chicken ($15/ $22/ $30). Though the description said it is a spicy dish, I find it otherwise. The spiciness is very mild. I feel it is suitable for kids too.

The zichar stall is very popular, and the wait can be up to 2 hours. Hence, I highly recommend making reservations and pre-ordering your dishes before going down.


Tang Xiang Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat
5 Kallang Place
Singapore 339152
Tel: 8847 3776 (reservation via text only)
Nearest MRT: Bendemeer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Mon, except PH)

Direction:
1) Alight at Bendemeer MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk down Kallang Bahru Road towards Kallang Place. Turn right onto Kallang Place. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant (开洋海鲜菜馆) @ Clementi Ave 2 - Zichar Stall By Disciple Of One Of The Four Heavenly Kings

For those staying in Clementi, we are blessed to have one of the best zichar stalls in Singapore. Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant (开洋海鲜菜馆) is located inside a coffeeshop at Clementi Ave 2. The man behind the wok is non-other than Chef Hoy Yong, the disciple of one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Singapore.

Fried Hor Fun with Egg 4.5/5

One of their popular items, which you probably get to see on every table, is their Fried Hor Fun with Egg. We have the medium portion priced at $11. For the price, the portion is very generous with prawns, vegetables, fish slices, pork slices, and squids, topped with pork lards. The sight of the runny egg, coupled with the breath of the wok, already made me drool before digging in. It is definitely one of the best hor fun I have eaten.

Pig's Stomach Soup 4.5/5

A must-try if it is your first time visiting Hoy Yong is their Three Treasures - Pig's Stomach Soup, Braised Pork Ribs and Deep Fried Duck Roll. I had two out of the three dishes, starting with the Pig's Stomach Soup ($14). You can taste the soup that has been boiled for hours from its creaminess with a piquant peppery kick. What astonished me was the amount of ingredients in the bowl of soup. You get chicken pieces, fish maw and pig's stomach. It is restaurant quality serving!

Deep Fried Duck Roll 4.5/5

The other Three Treasure item we tried is the Deep Fried Duck Roll ($14). It is a unique and tasty creation. It is like a tempura Ngoh Hiang in the crispy crumb, stuffed with roasted duck, pork and prawn. Best to have it together with the mayonnaise.

Garlic Kai Lan 4/5

When you have a master behind the wok, even the Garlick Kai Lan ($12) tasted great. The greens still retain a delectable crunchy texture, simply stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and some pork lards.

Claypot Egg Plant 4.5/5

The other vegetable dish we ordered is the Claypot Egg Plant ($18). Not shown in the picture is the fried egg hidden inside the claypot, soaking up the delicious sauce. Instead of the usual minced meat, it uses crunchy shrimp coated in batter for extra textural enjoyment.

Herbal Kampong Chicken 4.2/5

To round up our meal with a meat dish, we decided to go for the Herbal Kampong Chicken ($18 Half). It was sauna-bath in aluminium foil wrap, cooked to fork-tender in a flavoursome herbal broth.

Hoy Yong is indeed a gem in the West. Its restaurant-quality dishes make it a notch above many zichar stalls in Singapore.


Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant
Blk 352 Clementi Ave 2
#01-153
Singapore 120352
Tel: +65 67782223
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Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 52 and 154. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Dover MRT station. Take Exit A Walk to bus stop at Dover MRT station. (Stop ID 19031).  Take bus number 74. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]