Mellben Signature at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Singapore

When it comes to answering the question "where is the best chili crab in Singapore?" Rest assured that you'll only be able to get the answer after surviving a long debate. With hundreds of zi char outlets all over the island and long time restaurants with histories spanning for decades, this question will never ever have a singular answer. Taste is subjective, after all so while some might like their chili crab burning hot with spice, I like mine with a hint of tangy notes and a bit of creamy texture coating the meaty crab.

Whenever we have guests over, Paul and I would make it a point to take them to either a new, unique restaurant, or perhaps to one of our favorite foodie places or to Mellben Signature to feast on some local favorites. There are actually two zi char places that we frequent but since Mellben Signature is located just in Tanjong Pagar, this is the best choice in terms of accessibility. Recently, we had my first ever friend (I kid you not) A, as well as my cousin M and her hubby E here in Singapore. While A doesn't really know M and E, I still decided to host all of them together because.. time is gold and it doesn't hurt to gain a friend or two. :) There were just 5 of us but of course, I wanted to make sure that our guests are well-fed so I think I might have ordered a meal that's good to feed an entire basketball team. Oops!

Check out what we ordered that evening:

Chili Crab (seasonal price)
This was E's special request after hearing my brother-in-law E rave about Singapore Chili Crab. While he surely had high expectations, I was confident that Mellben Signature's version will definitely impress him. Together with the meaty crab, I ordered a plate of fried mantou which was perfectly used to mop up the delicious tangy, spicy sauce that I love so much. I'm personally not really into eating crabs in public but it's only in Mellben Signature where I would make an exception. I just can't help it! The crab is always so meaty and you can taste the slight hint of spice in every bite. Yummy! Together with the mantou, I also recommend that you get a bowl of rice too.



Crab Beehoon (seasonal price)
For those who are not into spicy chili crab, then I highly recommend Mellben Signature's Crab Beehoon. This is unique to the restaurant and I think what makes it so good is that you can taste the strong crab flavor in the broth. You can ask to add more beehoon or to top up on the soup for a minimal price. We had some leftovers the next day and you know what happens when you heat the soup up for the second time, the flavor was just so rich and intense! I love it!

Nestum (Cereal) Prawns
Just like me, my cousin M loves cereal prawns and both love covering our rice with all those crunchy cereal bits. Mellben Signature has been very consistent in cooking this dish that the prawns stays fresh and you won't have to worry about having the meat sticking to the shell. It was just perfectly done every single time.

Salted Egg Pork Ribs (S$15-S$30)
With all the salted egg anything craze happening, of course we just got to include this in our dinner spread. No regrets though as the the pork ribs is clearly the best in town. The serving size is huge and the meat automatically falls off the bone. It's actually one of my favorite dishes at Mellben Signature and it goes very well with your crab too.

Coffee Pork Ribs (S$15-S$30)
However, if salted egg is not your thing then go for the Coffee Pork Ribs. This one has a nice sweet, slightly bitter taste coming from the coffee-flavored glaze. The pork ribs were very tender too so this is also a good choice if you want to try something different.

Crispy Seafood Beancurd (S$12-S$18)
I ordered this in fear that what I have ordered above may not be enough for our guests. Who would have thought that I'd fall in love with it and this has been my staple order for two succeeding visits already. It's a very simple seafood tofu dish but I just love how light it was thus creating a balance from all the other dishes that we had on the table.

Stir-Fried Veggies in Garlic
Of course, I need to make sure my guests have a complete meal and by that I meant covering all the major food groups. We got seafood, meat, carbs and so gotta have veggies too! Mellben Signature's vegetable selections are quite good. Aside from this Garlic Kangkong, I also love the Stir-Fried Garlic Chives which is also a yummy, leafy dish.

I'm so glad to have Mellben Signature in Tanjong Pagar. It makes it such a convenient place to buy food when we're hosting at home or when we got visitors staying in the CBD area. I also recommend that you go there for dinner as the restaurant is located at a coffee shop so expect al fresco dining here. Go visit and do let me know below if you think that Mellben Signature has the best Chili Crab in the island.

Check out Mellben Signature at Blk 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, 01-15 Singapore 081007. Reservation is highly recommended so call them at 6220-5512 or leave them a message on Facebook where they normally reply very promptly.