Supper Club: Janice Koh's favourite wanton mee, dim sum and sharing plates
Theatre actress Janice Koh gives the lowdown on her favourite late-night hangouts, which includes everything from a wanton noodle joint in the East to an oyster bar in the CBD.
Before giving us the lowdown on her favourite supper spots, actress Janice Koh points out that she’s not “a supper person”.
“All my supper places are around the theatres where I work or watch shows. And because I’m not a supper person, I always choose a place where there’s some alcohol. I always need a drink after the show,” she said with a laugh.
Janice describes herself as a “functional eater”, someone who would go to a bak kut teh (pork bone soup) joint and eschew the bak kut teh. “I’ll order the sides like the white cabbage, peanuts and tau kee (soymilk skins) because I don’t really eat pork.”
Still, she has some great after-hours food-and-drink tips, especially if you’re heading out with a group of wine-loving friends.
READ> Supper Club: 'One of the best Hokkien mee in Singapore' is in... a bar?
EMPRESS
“I like that Empress has a nice selection of fairly affordable New World wines by the glass. I also like that they have dim sum as part of their bar menu because I try to avoid supper, so small bites are great for me.
What I especially love is that they have always some plant-based options like the Impossible gyoza because I don’t eat a lot of meat. They have indoor and outdoor seating by the river – it’s a nice, quiet place to chill after a show.”
1 Empress Place, #01-03 Asian Civilisations Museum
FEI FEI WAN TAN MEE
“This is the only non-wine place on my list and it’s because my good friend Tan Kheng Hua lives in the area. She’s the only one I really go out to eat supper with. I’ve been eating [these noodles] since I was a child.
I used to go with my extended family back when it was a back alley joint in Jalan Manggis. The table we ate on was literally a door, and we sat on stools. For me, it’s one of those [places to satisfy a midnight craving]. The chilli is the most important thing. It brings back memories of what I loved about eating there as a kid.”
72 Joo Chiat Place
GINETT
“When I’m at the Drama Centre or Lasalle, I go to Ginett since it’s within walking distance. When it’s available, we order the metre-long board of cheese, cold cuts and pate that sometimes comes with a bottle of wine, which is great for a group or a hired cast of four. They also have a great range of bistro items like Burgundy snails and duck confit.”
Hotel G, 200 Middle Road
THE OYSTER BANK
“The Oyster Bank opens fairly late compared to the other places in Funan, where [theatre company] Wild Rice is located. I come here because they have great deals like S$2 oysters with your drink or a bottle of Prosecco with a platter of oysters, which is great for sharing. I like to order the S$2 naked oysters and the amaebi karaage [deep-fried sweet shrimp], which was a recommendation from one of the staff there that I haven’t stopped ordering since. The spicy salmon tartar and truffle fries are always nice too. The people here are really friendly and they do a happy hour deal pre- or post-show.”
#02-32 Funan, 107 North Bridge Road
WINE CONNECTION TAPAS BAR & BISTRO
“When I’m at Singapore Repertory Theatre or 72-13 [Theatreworks], my go-to spot is always Wine Connection because they have a Fat Bastard Pinot Noir, which is my favourite bottle. They have lots of well-priced wines and lots of easy-to-eat cheese and cold-cut platters, and pizzas for sharing. I usually come here when we are in a large group cast or when I’m watching a play with friends. If you book in advance, it’s a great place for an affordable supper with lots of friends.”
11 Unity Street, #01-19/20 Robertson Walk
