There’s no dearth of Taiwanese food in Singapore, but which is the best? To find out, I scoured the internet for recommendations and stumbled upon Abundance Taiwanese Restaurant and Bar. It had an incredibly impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars across nearly 900 Google reviews. What’s more, I also realised that the restaurant offers an exclusive discount for GetGoers! So, I grabbed some of my colleagues and headed to their Tampines outlet to see what everyone was raving about.
Getting there
Abundance has 3 outlets — Redhill, Jalan Besar, and Century Square. The latter is located on the external row of the mall.
Upon entering the restaurant, we were instantly amazed by the layout and ambience. There was a wide bar with an old-fashioned menu board above it, complete with items spelt out in block letters and neon signs. It reminded me of retro American diners. The seats were fitted with comfy cushions and armrests, giving the restaurant a snug and cosy feel. I was impressed even before digging into the food.
We then proceeded to order an absolute banquet. Here’s what I thought of each item.
The drinks
To kick off the feast, I ordered the Fizzy Iced Lemon Tea ($5.90). My colleagues ordered the Fizzy Lychee Oolong Tea ($5.90) and the Fizzy Yuzu Green Tea ($5.90). I thought that since the drinks had the word “fizzy” in their names, they would have a sharp, effervescent aftertaste. However, they turned out so subtle that I didn’t detect any fizz on my first sip — which allowed me to appreciate the other flavours of the drink.
The tea had a mild, mellowed-down sweetness to it. As an iced lemon tea connoisseur, I find that even big brands make them too sweet, which then becomes the only thing you can taste. Abundance’s Fizzy Iced Lemon Tea had just the right amount of sweetness, hitting all the right spots. ✅
The restaurant also serves a range of craft beers and cocktails like the Mulberry Sour Ale and Sunbird Lucky White Stout. If you’re going to the restaurant by car and plan to consume alcohol, please let someone else do the driving. ⚠️
San Bei Mushrooms
First to arrive were the San Bei Mushrooms ($13.90), which were cooked with basil, rice wine, and sesame oil. I was expecting to see king oyster mushrooms and was initially confused when we were served a bowl of what looked like scored scallops.
Confession time: I don’t like mushrooms. Whenever I’m unlucky enough to have them on my plate, I quickly chow them down with other items to muffle their taste. So, it was a moment of great personal growth to pop one of these San Bei Mushrooms straight into my mouth. 🏆
Instantly, my taste buds were hit by a sweet and slightly umami taste, which was so unlike any other mushroom dish I’ve tasted before. The mushrooms were so soft and didn’t require much chewing — another surprise to me because not all mushrooms are so forgiving and accommodating.
Let me tell you something. If you find good food, you have to be quick to devour it. I must’ve been a little slow with mine because after having only 2 pieces, I looked up and saw an empty bowl. It was a hot favourite at my table, and I’m sure it won’t be much different at yours.
Mala Popcorn Chicken
Next was the Mala Popcorn Chicken ($9). Sichuan flavours are another personal all-time favourite, but having below-average spice tolerance means that I order them with extreme caution.
Each piece of the popcorn chicken was thoroughly coated with Sichuan pepper, chilli, and aromatic spices, which readily seeped into my tongue before I even chewed on the chicken. The dish packed a sweet tang that’s characteristic of mala, yet no taste overpowered the other. I was surprised that I was able to ravish this plate without needing assistance from my drink.
Balsamic Vinegar Fries
The last side was the Balsamic Vinegar Fries ($10). The strips of perfectly fried, crispy potato came generously drenched in a caramelised balsamic vinegar dressing, which gave it an irresistible, glossy finish under the restaurant’s lights.
While ordering, we were warned that the fries would be sour due to the presence of vinegar, but all I found was a pleasant sweetness, which was balanced by a tinge of saltiness. These fries were easily one of the most unique dishes of the day.
Beef Noodles Soup
Despite its slightly steep price, the Beef Noodles Soup ($16.90) was the number one thing we unanimously looked forward to. The noodles of this signature dish were doused in a dark beef broth and topped with a generous serving of beef slices.
I know everyone and their mother describes well-cooked beef as tender, but trust me when I say that this beef was truly deserving of that description. They were so tender that they were falling off my chopsticks. Forget melt in your mouth — these slices disintegrated in my mouth. I wouldn’t have got sick of eating a whole pot of them had they served me one.
As for the noodles, I loved how starchy and chewy they were. It felt like a stark contrast to the soft meat slices. The beef broth had subtle buttery notes and fragrance that enhanced the taste of the noodles. Its concentrated appearance made it look salty, but it packed a herbal and umami punch instead.
My only complaint about this dish was how hard it was to eat without spilling drops of the beef broth. Be sure to wear a napkin if you order it!
Herbal Braised Pork Rice
The Herbal Braised Pork Rice ($12.90) is Abundance’s take on the quintessential Taiwanese dish. Frankly, I’m not a big fan of it in general because of the excessive MSG, which makes the dish too salty. I believe there are better ways to add flavour to food.
But imagine my delight when I took a spoonful and didn’t grimace. It had just the right amount of salt! The sauce lent the dish a delicious, sweet and savoury profile. The pork pieces had a soft layer of fat that blended perfectly with the starchy rice, while the Taiwanese sausage was sweet without being cloying. The crunchy pickles were coated with a sweet dressing that added even more character. There was a sense of authenticity in this bowl.
Special shoutout to the egg with a runny yolk that spilled itself on the rest of the ingredients and made every bite creamy. It was easily the best braised pork rice I’ve ever had!
The buns
Abundance also prides itself on its speciality buns. Their signature bun was the Gua Bao ($7.90), which was filled with braised pork belly and roasted peanuts. It had an oddly sweet taste due to the presence of the roasted peanuts. I felt that this dish was a miss and would’ve been better without the extra peanuty embellishment. If you’re accustomed to combining sweet and savoury ingredients, you might like this one.
Next, we tried the Salted Egg Prawn Bun ($13.90). The salted egg taste was in the sweet spot of strength, so you’d get to enjoy its distinct flavour without getting sick. The prawn patty was also generously thick and tasty, making the bun a hearty dish. Among the buns I tried, this was my favourite.
Dessert
We were so full by the time dessert was served. But the classic Taiwanese ice cream rolls looked so tantalising that we couldn’t say no. So, we trudged along and had the Peanut Ice Cream Roll ($5.90) and the Black Sesame Ice Cream Roll ($5.90).
Each plate came with a liberal serving of vanilla ice cream. The Peanut Ice Cream Roll delivered a fun crunch of peanuts, which went great with the milky ice cream. The roasted peanuts in this dish tasted a lot better than they did in the Gua Bao. The rolls also contained a tiny sprig of coriander leaf to give it a slightly herbal twist.
The Black Sesame Ice Cream Roll, on the other hand, came with toasted sesame paste. I really liked the nutty and mildly chocolatey flavour of the black sesame in tandem with the ice cream. Both desserts were delightfully delicious, and I would shamelessly reorder them both on my next trip.
Final verdict
Abundance has easily bagged one of the top spots on my list of favourite Taiwanese restaurants. They truly did justice to the cuisine, so it’s not surprising to see the mountain of highly rated reviews on their Google page.
Their outlets are quite accessible, with the other 2 locations in Redhill and Jalan Besar. All dishes are made in their centralised kitchen, so you can be assured that they’re going to taste the same regardless of where you go.
Now that you’ve read my honest review, I don’t think you’d need further convincing to head down for a satisfying meal. Off you go, foodie! And don’t forget to redeem 10% off your bill if you’re a GetGoer.
📍 Address: 2 Tampines Central 5, #01-35 Century Square, Singapore 529509. See other outlets.
📞 Phone: 8032 1880
⏰ Opening hours: 11am – 10pm daily
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: a8undance.sg
