The Upper Thomson area is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots for a relaxing weekend and some great food. It may not be a large area with rows of commercial stalls and restaurants, but it offers a surprising amount of variety and creativity. You'll find shopping stalls, learning centers, music schools, and a wide selection of gourmet restaurants. There’s something for everyone—whether you're craving Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Western, Indian, or even Teochew-style cuisine.
For today’s lunch, I went with the Teochew-style restaurant! It’s always a solid choice when I’m hungry but have no idea what I feel like eating. The best thing about this style of dining is how quick and convenient it is, with lots of ready-made dishes to choose from. The displayed dishes make it super easy to pick what I want for lunch—perfect when I’m starving, haha.
The name of the place is Heng Long Teochew Porridge, just a minute’s walk from the Upper Thomson MRT station. It’s very accessible and super convenient to get to. Plus, it’s surrounded by gourmet dessert shops and bakeries. After my meal, I actually had a delicious blueberry donut—which I’ll be sharing at the end of this post! :)
The dishes I chose were braised pig’s ear, sweet and sour pork, sautéed vegetables, and an egg omelet. I ended up ordering quite a lot since I was already starving when I got there—and there were just so many delicious dishes to choose from, LOL.
A unique pick for me is the braised pig’s ear. I know it’s a popular ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine, with many different ways to prepare it. The version I enjoy the most is braised in soy sauce, which gives it a distinct, savory flavor. The texture might be off-putting to some—it’s gelatinous, while the bone cartilage is quite crunchy. But once you get used to it, you’ll definitely come to appreciate this dish.
After a heavy meal, I still couldn’t resist a sweet treat—so I headed to the bakery next door and got myself a delicious Blueberry Lime donut! I have to admit, I was tempted to grab one of each flavor, but I had to restrain myself from overindulging, LOL. Burning off all those calories won’t be easy, haha.
Sometimes I wish enjoying good food came with no consequences—but then again, maybe it wouldn’t be as satisfying. Part of what makes some things so enjoyable is the fact that we can’t have them all the time. If we did, we might actually lose the craving for them.
Overall, it was a satisfying meal and a sweet little food adventure at Upper Thomson. From savory Teochew classics to a flavorful donut treat, this place never disappoints. I’ll definitely be coming back for more—until the next foodie trip!
