More often than not, we make plans to visit brunch cafes, fusion restaurants or indulge in a buffet (or two) during the weekends. And thatās entirely relatable as we should treat ourselves after a long and hectic week of work.
If Iām being honest, making dinner plans at kopitiam isnāt the first thing that comes to mind and Iām beginning to wonder why. Nothing beats old-school fare as it brings back so many childhood memories and the taste of nostalgia that can’t be recreated elsewhere.
If you can relate, you might want to try out Great Nanyang, which will be opening their second outlet at Somerset on 31 March 2024 (some of you might already have visited their Tanjong Pagar outlet).
This is a sign to make those lunch plans that youāve been putting off with your friends.
The minute we arrived, it was like stepping into a time capsule back to old Malaysia and Singapore in the 1990s.
It was completely decked out in retro decor including old magazines, old-school flyers and posters, and vintage clocks.
Even though Iāve never been in an old-school telephone booth before, it was pretty surreal to witness it for myself, especially in todayās modern world where smartphones rule the world ā plus it makes for a good photo for the āgram.
My eyes were also drawn to the feature wall boasting towering rows of old Khong Guan Biscuit tins. See if you can spot your favourite snack (mine are the gem biscuits of course).
I couldnāt wait to tuck into the spread ā it certainly was a blast from the past and reminded me of going to my grandmaās house for home-cooked food after school.
We started off with the Curry Chicken Chee Cheong Fun (S$9.90) which features steamed rice rolls and fragrant curry chicken.
This was my favourite as the curry was creamy with a tinge of spice and had an interesting interplay of textures. Think chewy noodles with crunchy beancurd skin and soft green beans ā this would be great for people who donāt have the biggest spice tolerance but still want a taste of local food.
However, if you arenāt too hungry, the Curry Chicken Toast (S$7.90) makes for a great midday snack as well. It uses the same thick and rich curry as the previous dish but comes with slices of toasted baguette instead.
The star of this dish was definitely the fall-off-the-bone tender chicken that had a well-balanced seasoning.
Planning to visit Great Nanyang with friends or family?
Get the hearty Claypot Mee Tai Mak (S$9.90) to share which has mee tai mak, prawns and a luscious egg yolk just waiting to be mixed in.
I went in thinking that the gravy would taste more umami since it was cooked with a savoury black sauce but it was lighter than expected. Nevertheless, it still made for a pretty comforting dish (especially since it was raining when we visited)!
What I didnāt expect to enjoy so much was the Penang Asam Laksa (S$8.90), tart and spicy broth flavoured with fish and fermented prawn paste.
Even though itās such a simple dish, the sourness from the broth alongside the freshness from the cucumber and mint and spicy chilli padi made for a great combination of flavours.
Remember when we would get the old-school white bread from traditional bakeries to enjoy for breakfast the next day?
Well, Great Nanyang has it here in the form of the Milo Toast (S$4), inspired by the iconic drink that we all grew up drinking. I would say that it makes for a sweet treat rather than breakfast as itās generously served with Milo powder and condensed milk.
Speaking of which, my highlight of the day was the overflowing Sai Ka Hor (S$3 for hot, S$5 for cold) comprising a blend of milo and tea. Although the tea flavour wasnāt very strong, I just loved how chocolatey and malty this drink was.
Besides that, they also have a Soy Milk Coffee (S$5.90). Since the coffee is served on the side, you can control how heavy or bitter youād want your drink to be!
For a refreshing end to the meal, help yourself to an icy popsicle (S$3) with unique local flavours like Ribena, sour plum, kopi-O, hor ka sai (coffee and milo), milo, and mango. As we already had a heavy meal, I went with the sour plum which was super tangy and refreshing.
P.S. theyāre offering an opening promotion for up to 50% off the popsicles from 5 to 7 April 2024!
To take the old-school theme up a notch, Great Nanyang has an interesting cash system where you can simply place your money in a Milo tin thatās suspended on a pulley at the popsicle stand.
Overall, I would say that the affordable local fare and retro interior decor is worth paying a visit for. Aside from the Penang laksa and soymilk, the rest of the items that we tried are exclusively available at the Somerset outlet!
Are you in the mood for local kopitiam fare in town?
Great Nanyang
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š111 Somerset Rd, #01-09, Singapore 238164
š 7.30amā9pm (Daily)
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Photos by Jermina Peh
Sugar, spice, and everything nice š¼