One place that we have managed to find out whilst scrolling through the phone is that of South&East — these folks are probably not the easiest to find. Hidden within the Shaw Foundation Alumni House in the campus of National University of Singapore, South&East is a dining establishment that is opened to the public — they are accessible from Heng Mui Keng Terrace, and is a short bus ride away from the nearest MRT Station being Haw Par Villa MRT Station along the Circle Line. From what we have gathered, South&East used to operate as a private dining concept but has since switched to being more of a bistro now that they have occupied the space that they are operating from at Shaw Foundation Alumni House — the space decked in a way that is cosy and comfortable; slightly home-style, but somehow warm and welcoming with tinted windows that brings in some natural lighting whilst matched with dining furniture featuring wooden accents that carries a bit of a European vibe. The walls are filled with paintings so that they aren’t left bare; there is also a feature wall in a shade of maroon that consists of illustrations of various ingredients along with South&East’s logo as well. The tables at South&East are configured in a way to suit patrons coming in groups of four (4). Some described South&East’s fare as South-east Asian cuisine — South&East does serve different menus during the day — the Lunch menu being available on weekdays only from 11:30am to 2:30pm / 3:00pm, while dinner is available on weekdays from 6:00pm to 9:30pm and the entire day on weekends. The lunch menu is restricted to a set lunch menu that comes with rice and two (2) accompaniments of the day, whilst ala-carte sides and desserts are also available to be ordered.

Dropping by South&East for lunch service on a weekday, we found ourselves drawn towards the Grilled Pork with Coconut and Palm Sugar Glaze. It is noted that all
Set Lunch items does come default with white rice that accompanies the choice of meat that one opts for form
the menu; that being said, South&East does offer patrons with a few different rice options that they do charge an additional top-up for if one chooses to go for them. For our order of the Grilled Pork with Coconut and Palm Sugar Glaze, with decided to go with the Thai-style Briyani instead. It is noted that the accompaniments served on the day of our visit seems to be braised cabbage and a broccoli dish — more on these later. Digging into the Thai-style Briyani, it is difficult to point out how different is does the Thai-style Briyani differ from the Indian-style Briyani we are more exposed to — that being said, we do know that the Thai-style Briyani does exist and is known as Khao Mok. Nonetheless, the Thai-style Briyani does come with long rice grains with a yellow-hue; the notes of turmeric and cardamom being pretty strong amongst other spices and is almost very close to being a hybrid of a Nasi Ulam but with stronger notes that brings it closer to a standard Briyani — all that without being too greasy or moist, yet especially fragrant that makes it easy for us to finish it all on its own. The Grilled Pork with Coconut and Palm Sugar Glaze itself features “Duroc pork” that had been “sous vide for here (3) hours” before being “finished over the charcoal grill”. This was incredibly juicy and tender whilst carrying a good bite; no undesirable notes of a porky stench, but one that is smoky on the exterior with the Coconut and Palm Sugar Glaze giving it a little bit of a sweetness almost akin to that of Chinese pork jerky (a.k.a Bak Kwa). The pickles on the side that comes in the saucer feels a little bit of a Indonesian-style relish comprising of cucumbers, onions and chili that delivers a zing and a tang with a crunch to reset the tastebuds from the meat. Between the two accompaniments, the broccoli was the one we had preferred more considering how it came with a sweet-savoury sauce while the florets had been charred light for a smoky note; the braised cabbage does remind us of something similar to that of what is typically served with Hainanese-style curry rice delivering a soft crunch.

We also had given the Babi Guling Spring Rolls a try — for those whom are uninitiated, Babi Guling is essentially a spit-roasted pork and crackling dish that is part of Balinese cuisine; a dish that is also pretty difficult to find being served in Singapore. These do come in the form of Spring Rolls at South&East, with the spring rolls coming with a dip on the side that accompanies them. Comprising of two (2) spring rolls that are sliced into halves for one portion, the Babi Guling Spring Rolls do make for fun finger food to share across the table; we personally do feel that the Babi Guling Spring Rolls do hit the spot here with the fillings being pretty reminiscent of the spit-roasted pork dish that it replicates — all that without carrying an undesirable porky stench and a texture that is difficult to chew. One can also observe how the spring roll fillings do seem to include bits of chili and spring onion, though these do not seem to contribute much to the flavour of the Babi Guling Spring Rolls — perhaps included just for visual appeal and a slight contrast of textures. The spring rolls themselves are also crisp without being particularly greasy. Dipping them into the sauce that accompanies the dish, the sauce does come with a very evident note of coconut-y fragrance that adds a rich flavour to the spring rolls — quite an interesting dish that is difficult to not like for most tastebuds out there. We did wish that they could have included some crackling bits into the Babi Guling Spring Rolls as part of the fillings though — this would certainly add an element of flavour and texture to the Babi Guling Spring Rolls though we would also understand the amount of work that has to be placed for such an inclusion.

We ended our meal at South&East with the ‘Cendol’ Pandan — the menu describes this dish to
come with elements such as Pandan "Panna Cotta", Coconut Foam, Gula Melaka & Coconut Rum Infused Sago and Charcoal Toasted Coconut Flakes. This does feel like a re-constructed Chendol dessert offering that also features modern / westernised cooking techniques — employing the use of pudding-like elements against Espuma to replicate what is often found in a typical bowl of Chendol. The Pandan fragrance does hit strong from the Pandan "Panna Cotta" which also provides the underlying sweetness for the dessert; all that whilst being matched against the saltish-ness of the coconut foam. Whilst the sago does come infused with Coconut Rum, the booziness of the element wasn’t particularly strong; it also features the earthiness of Gula Melaka more than the Gula Melaka’s inherent sweetness, though the Charcoal Toasted Coconut Flakes that topped everything off came with a bit of a crispness that gave the dessert a bit of a textural contrast amidst the different elements that it came with.

South&East does feel like an establishment that came from a bygone era in the local F&B scene prior to what has happened to the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic — we absolutely loved what these folks are doing by serving up South-east Asian cuisine with a little bit of twist where there is evident use of modern / contemporary cooking methods whilst serving up flavours that are familiar to the tastes that we have grew up liking or have taken pride about being South-east Asian. Whilst being of a bistro-like set-up, there is also a sense of non-pretentiousness from these folks where the key focus is really on the food (apart from prompt service, which is considered quite a feat with the number of staff they have against the number of tables within the establishment) — all that whilst offering the lunch set at a pretty wallet-friendly price point of $17.90+ (they do not charge any GST). An establishment with plenty of character and soul, South&East is one of those establishments that is really pretty much a hidden gem especially considering its location — a place that is passionate and putting their very best in serving up flavours we know and love; one spot that really created the impression for us amongst the many that we have visited for 2025. Wishing these folks all the best in what is to come in their journey in the local F&B scene here!