Seng House: Where Hainanese-Western Comfort Food Meets Café Charm

It took Mother’s Day for me to discover this Hainanese-Western cafe called Seng House in the east side of Singapore.

I have constantly been on the lookout for ‘real’ fish burgers–having tried in recent times those that were either made of processed surimi, fish fingers or scraps of fish I could barely taste. Now, when Seng House announced that it’s offering a seasonal fish burger to honour Mother’s Day, it got me intrigued for sure.

As the story goes, the fish burger carries a sweet personal history for the founding Seng family as it was always the mother’s go-to order when the parents were dating. It was a simple joy that endured for the family, remaining a consistent presence in their lives as the family grew.

Located within a corner shophouse in Tanjong Katong, Seng House features an open-concept drinks space, with a bar-counter and high stools that looks onto the main road. Meanwhile, indoor and outdoor dining tables create a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. The interior comprises charming white-topped tables, complete with a few diner-side banquettes and mosaic-like square floor tiles that add to the nostalgic charm.

As I slid in to let my mom take the seat beside me (yes, that type of booth seats), I could honestly feel a wave of nostalgia wash over me. I could not quite remember the last time I sat in one of these classic ‘diner’ booths in Singapore. This is the exact sort of place for your family to gather for a unhurried meal out, with tunes the likes of the Bee Gees’ ‘How Deep is Your Love’ playing in the background. I appreciated the soundtrack as a millennial, and I’m sure my parents did too!

We started with drinks. The coffeeholic in me was happy to discover the extensive range of coffee-based beverages on the menu. Despite bed time being only some hours away, we could not resist an iced Pandan Latte (S$7) and the Black Tiramisu (S$8), a creamy concoction that comes with a layer of whipped oat milk, adding a salty foam experience best enjoyed sipped direct from the glass and not a straw. I liked that both these drinks were not too sweet.

My mom and sibling preferred to avoid caffeine, and opted for a hot chocolate (S$6) and a hibiscus tea (S$9 by the pot, in many flavours). The tea initially sounded like the less imaginative choice, but its tartness later proved to be a perfect palate cleanser for the rich desserts.

As with most Hainanese eateries here, Seng House serves a mix of Chinese and Western dishes, including several fusion-style offerings. I was keen to try the new fish burger, the Filet-O-Haddock (S$21.80), which comprised a thick flaky haddock patty tucked between a buttery brioche bun and a slice of melted cheddar cheese. The fish portion was impressively generous. What stood out the most, however, was the creamy tartar sauce, which folded in fresh dill with its unmistakeable bright, herbaceous fragrance. While tartar sauces usually produce a taste dominated by bits of crunchy gherkins or capers, this version uniquely leaned more onto dill, one of my favourite herbs with fish, adding a refreshing citrusy note. Paired with a side of fries, this was a solid fish burger that I appreciated (yes, ‘real’ fish indeed!).

For the other orders, we decided to focus on the menu’s Hainanese signatures and went for the Claypot Chicken Rice (S$19.80). Unlike the brown and soy-sauce laden version one might expect, Seng House’s featured generous portions of boneless thigh prepared Hainanese chicken rice-style, cooked with ginger and spring onion, and accompanied by a housemade chilli sauce. The standout detail, however, was the accompanying shot of chicken consommé — deeply rich and comforting, almost like drinking concentrated chicken essence.

Another quintessentially Hainanese dish we tried was the Hainanese Pork Chop (S$23.80), a sizeable piece of hokkaido snow pork loin, served with green peas, a cute caramelised onion and fries. Despite being deep fried in cream cracker crumbs, the pork chop was not greasy at all and was impressively tender beneath the crispy crust. It came smothered in the obligatory tomato sauce, albeit a bit too much of it. We would have preferred it to be served at the side.

The last mains we tried was the Oxtail Stew ($29.80), an oxtail braised overnight, served with creamy mashed potatoes, carrots and celery that is only available for dinner. We were overwhelmed by the huge portion and generous chunks of oxtail, and unfortunately that worked against the dish. While oxtail does contain a fair amount of fat, the particular cut we got on that day leaned too much towards fatty parts. When combined with the rich condiments, it was all too much for us. This ended up being only dish we did not finish, although we made good on everything else.

Desserts next  however, brought things back on track. The Fried Ice Cream and Banana Cake (S$14.80) featured a crispy fried giant ball of coconut ice cream which remained surprisingly solid long after it arrived, perched on top of a warm banana walnut cake. While it was nothing to shout about, the fried ice cream immediately triggered another wave of nostalgia, reminding me of the novelty it once held back when I was a student and the item landed in Singapore for the first time. A quick search online reveals that Seng’s House is probably one of only a few places here serving this hot and cold marvel. Kids in particular will find delight in this.

Our favourite dessert of the night was undoubtedly the Durian Crème Brûlée (S$12.80). Made with durian pengat, creamy caramelised custard and blueberries & strawberries, the topping was rich, decadent and unmistakeably made with the real deal. We initially intended to mix the pengat in with what we thought was regular creme brulee custard, before realising that the custard itself was also durian-flavoured, making this a full-on indulgence for durian lovers.

The Frozen Ondeh (S$10.80) was a playful dessert, featuring pandan coconut ice cream balls with attap seed and fresh coconut, moulded into ondeh ondeh shape. Meanwhile, the Burbur Chachacha (S$10.80), predictably delivered exactly the comforting flavours we expected from its description. The icy coconut milk dessert came with homemade taro balls, pumpkin, yam, sea coconut, attap seeds, red bean and was drenched with gula melaka, which we love. Definitely not for the weight watchers!

For someone who rarely heads to that corner of East Coast, Seng House turned out to be a delightful discovery. Beyond its modern take on Hainanese food culture, its solid coffee beverages and desserts make it equally appealing for afternoon tea or a post-dinner gathering. The wide range of alcoholic drinks and the inviting open-bar counter also lend the pet-friendly eatery a relaxed, laid-back vibe. If we had one small critique, it would be that the kitchen could perhaps be a tad less heavy handed on the sauces, syrups, and oversized portions. While generous servings are always appreciated, in some dishes they come at the expense of finesse — proving that sometimes, even a good thing can be a little too much.

Seng House
214 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 437007