Gourmet Garden

You could be forgiven for missing this nondescript Chinese eatery on busy New Bridge Road, but once you eat here the first time you may find your instincts dragging you back towards Clarke Quay MRT every time you pass through Chinatown. Okay, so Gourmet Garden may not set the world on fire with the names of its dishes – stewed chicken and mushrooms, beef seasoned with soy sauce, shredded cucumber with sauce and the like – but that is just a hint at the honest way they approach Chinese cooking. Things aren’t dressed up with fancy words like some Chinese restaurants in Singapore; Gourmet Garden let their food do the talking. From perfect chive dumplings to a satisfying stew-like concoction of steamed fish head and hot red peppers, Gourmet Garden offer a diverse menu of authentic, satisfying, affordable and downright tasty Chinese meals. It’s worth noting that Gourmet Garden is small and cosy (which is part of its charm) so it does fill up quickly – book ahead to avoid disappointment!