What’s good to eat at the new One Raffles Place

SINGAPORE - Hooray, keyboard warriors in Raffles Place. There are now more spots to eat at: 44 new outlets and counting, including a food court, all at the revamped One Raffles Place. And to keep you going, there are three specialty coffee joints - Jab at basement, Three Cups Coffee Co and JBM Coffee & Dining - in this building alone. With only one hour to spare for lunch break, don’t waste time and calories on ordinary fare. We put our stomachs to the test - and over-ate - to suss out the top five things you have to try at this massive food playground. Trust us, your productivity will improve after lunch.

1. THE DAILY CUT’S REGULAR-SIZED SIRLOIN STEAK LUNCH BOX: S$13

Attention all gym rats: Since fit is the new in thing, this new self-service concept of providing a protein box chock-full of healthy stuffing is your manna. A regular-sized box consists of one protein, one complex carbs (the likes of brown rice and sweet potato), three toppings (from sous vide egg to quinoa) and a dressing starts from S$12. We reckon adding S$1 more for the juicy, perfectly grilled 170 grams of sirloin steak is a real bargain. Affordable, healthy, easy to ta-pao and downright yummy - what’s not to love? (Located at #B1-31)

2, NGON’S BAHN CUON: SS4.50

There’s a reason why lunch queues get pretty vicious at Ngon - each dish we tried practically surpassed the last. With a Vietnamese head chef, you can rest assured the food is spot-on. While Ngon offers an unbeatable set lunch (one main, spring rolls and coffee or tea) for S$11.90; we find that it’s the aromatic Bahn Cuon (pronounced “ban kun”), a quintessential Northern Vietnamese dish you hardly see in Singapore which is worth the wait. The rice flour is hand-rolled fresh everyday before it’s steamed. Peppered generously with crunchy shallots and stuffed with savoury minced pork and black fugus fillings, it’s like soon kueh but way better. (Located: #B1-17)

3. SALAD & WRAPS’S MEXICAN BEEF WRAP: S$8.50

Not only is this store ultra-generous with their portions, the freshness of their ingredients make our mouth water. We especially love the savoury and chewy tortilla wraps used and the delicious fillings—our fave was the Mexican Beef that’s reminiscent of a good ole’ burrito. We’re glad to report the wraps kept us full till dinner time. Now we know why the gym aunties are cray-cray over this place. By the way, cheat the queues by calling to place your orders before 11am. Sneaky, sneaky. (Located at #B1-11)

4. RAMEN’S ISSHI RAMEN GYOZA SET: S$13

Opened by the same folks behind Orgo at The Esplanade, you get the same fanatical attention to quality and freshness here. To prove it, they displayed their machine for making the noodles, steamed baos and gyoza skins right at the entrance. Among the three variations of ramen here, it’s the Tonkotsu Aka that got our hearts racing with its punchy flavours—the soup is marvelously spicy with tongue-tingling Szechuan peppers and homemade XO sauce. Cool off with the free flow salad bar and a side of Gyoza for a sweet set lunch price. If you can’t get enough of their ramen, you can purchase their reusable ramen lunch box which comes with a little bag designed exclusively by Japanese illustrator Sayaka Iwashimizu for Ramen Isshi. (Located at #04-29)

5. MATT’S THE CHOCOLATE SHOP’S DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE: S$4

What’s lunch without something sweet and sinful? Now that Matt’s has a much more convenient location, there’s no need to trek to Amoy Street for its bestseller, a deliciously dark, molten orb, that you’d most probably need when you get back to your inbox bursting with emails. (Located at #B1-31)