Founded in 1970, Kok Sen is an established home-grown restaurant brand in Singapore, known for its authentic zi char cuisine, in particular, their signature hor fun with eggs and dried shrimp, which managed to help it gain 8 consecutive years of Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition.
The restauarnt has recently launched their second outlet in a shopping mall at City Square, with the official grand opening on 11 January, 2025. This expansion marks a significant milestone for the family-run establishment, which has delighted diners for 54 years with its signature flavours and rich culinary heritage.
Located on the recently refurbished fourth floor of the mall which used to house a foodcourt, the new outlet promises an exciting mix of Kok Sen’s classic dishes and exclusive offerings. My father and I went this Friday night and got to try iconic favourites:
Big Prawn Thick Beehoon in White Soup: This beehoon was warm and comforting. While most beehoon soups would use fish, this one used prawn instead, which provided a strong seafood taste, and with the tiny pieces of chili scattered across the soup to provide a spicy kick, this soup was balanced overall and we felt it was quite delicious.
Big Prawn Hor Fun: Creamy hor fun with eggs and dried prawns. While rather spicy, this hor fun is not only tasty with the taste of seafood from the prawn and the creaminess from the eggs melded together, but also quite value-for-money and easy for sharing. The small portion was relatively big, and not too expensive.
Roasted Pork with Black Sauce: Packed with flavours, this side dish features shallots and roasted pork, being both tender and crunchy in one bite. The black sauce provides salty umami goodness that delights taste buds. The pork was soft and fatty, a sinful treat.
Claypot Yong Tau Foo: Typical yong tau foo ingredients such as eggplant and tofu stuffed with fishcake slathered in a special sauce. The yong tau foo was sweet and slightly spicy, and most of all, juicy. The tofu was crispy while the eggplant was buttery, a great side dish for a meal.
Deep-Fried “Yu Gai”: I was not expecting much from pieces of fried fish, but this fried fish was extremely crispy and crunchy on the outside, while juicy on the inside. Paired perfectly with the Big Prawn Bee Hoon with White Soup, this dish is a great accompaniment, or can even be eaten alone. This one was one of my personal favourites, each bite resounding with a crunch, especially with the fish skin being left on to add more crunchy delight.
Crispy Smoked Tea Duck: Moist, tender duck, a labour of love requiring over 10 hours of marinating, air-drying, smoking, and deep-frying, and yet another texture and taste delight. The skin is crispy while the duck is juicy, and dipping it in the sauce adds salty notes to balance everything out. Great to share in groups.
This exclusive duck dish will only be available at the City Square Mall outlet.
Grand Opening Celebration and Community Support
To commemorate the official grand opening of the restaurant’s second outlet and give back to the community, the restaurant is offering a special promotion. On 13, 14, and 15 January 2025, the first 100 tables at the new outlet will receive a complimentary bowl of the signature Big Prawn Hor Fun, encouraging diners to donate any amount to Arc Children’s Centre. Additionally, all proceeds from the sale of the 101st to 200th bowls of Big Prawn Hor Fun will also be donated to the charity, further supporting children in need.
For updates and reservations, visit Kok Sen Restaurant’s website.
[NEW] Kok Sen Restaurant @ City Square Mall
Address:
180 Kitchener Rd, #04-31/32 City Square Mall, Singapore 208539
Nearest MRT:
Farrer Park
Operating Hours:
11am-9pm daily
Kok Sen Restaurant (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
Address:
2, 4 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089110
Nearest MRT:
Maxwell / Outram Park
Operating Hours:
12pm-2:15pm, 5pm-9:15pm (Closed on Monday)
