Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice at Jalan Besar

There are many recommendations when it comes to the must try iconic dishes of Singapore. Chicken rice, chilli crab, laksa, roti prata and nasi lemak are among the usual dishes listed. We think the humble scissor-cut curry rice may be most representative of Singapore’s multi-ethnic culture. An eat like a local meal at 美芝律剪刀剪咖喱饭 Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice restaurant at Jalan Besar may perhaps be the most authentic way to experience the unique culinary heritage of Singapore.

True blue Singaporeans will know that you do not expect to find Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice in Beach Road. The curry rice restaurant occupies two old shop houses at the junction of Jalan Besar and Kitchener Road.

美芝律剪刀剪咖喱饭 Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice restaurant, like the shophouses it occupies, can transport you back in time. The look and feel are quite different from the hip and modern Singapore depicted in glossy travel magazines and websites. It is rustic and unkempt but has a certain old world charm. You can sit out on the five foot way or in the main dining area which is basic but clean.

Hainanese curry rice is the main attraction of Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice restaurant. The dish is an unique dish and according to Roots.sg the dish

is believed to have been created in Singapore, starting with the Hainanese chefs and cooks, who drew from British and Peranakan influences. An eclectic blend of cultures produced this multicultural dish — the British-influenced breaded pork chop, the Peranakan-style braised cabbage, or chap chye, and the originally-Indian curry pastes thickened with starch in Chinese style.

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice at Jalan Besar has a long history and has been popular through the years. Nevertheless, it has evpved over time. New items have been added to its menu.

The Hainanese curry rice restaurant in Jalan Besar operates like a production line. The various food items are on the display cabinet. You stand in queue, specify the amount of rice you want and point out the food items you like. The food will be put on top of the rice. At the next stop of the assembly line, someone will ask if you want curry or sauce or both over your food and rice. You then move on to the cashier to pay and proceed to your table to enjoy the messy looking food.

The scissors is part of the production line. It is used to cut the pork chop and chicken chop. It is apparently more efficient than using a knife to chop up the meat.

We tried two plates of curry rice at Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice restaurant. We had cabbage and egg for both plates; and pork chop one one and prawn fritters on the other. We had all the curry and sauces on one plate and asked for no sauce and no curry on the other plate. Each plate was about $4.

As can been seen it the photos, whether with curry and sauces or otherwise, the dish looks like a mess. However, both were tasty and enjoyable. The cabbage was soft with just a slight crunch. The pork chop had a delightful crisp batter with succulent meat inside. The curry and sauces did make a difference adding different layers of tastes. We much prefer the dish that was drenched with gravy and sauces.

If you are sharing food or prefer not to have food heaped over your rice, you can order sharing plates. Each item will be served in a separate plate but the dishes will still not be Instagram-able.

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice restaurant is an unpretentious place for cheap and good food. The patrons there are from all walks of life. You get tourists and locals and you get young executives with designer handbags as well as macho men in constructions boots. Whether you just want a quick lunch or a midnight meal or you want to dine like a local or savour what life is like in Singapore many years ago, Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice at Jalan Besar will not disappoint.

Ratings:
Food: 4
Service: 3
Value: 5
Atmosphere: 2
Overall Rating: 4 TOPs

Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice 美芝律剪刀剪咖喱饭
229 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208905

Opening hours: 11 am – 3:30 am

The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog