As most Asians will attest, Singapore remains a haven for foodies with its high density and variety of eating places. That is especially true if you love Asian street staples or seafood. For seafood lovers, No Signboard often is one of the top choices here. This strangely named restaurant now has branches all over Singapore; I had a chance to sample some of their innovative creations during a recent weekend.
No Signboard's name was actually a creation of its many patrons from when they operated off a streetside stall. People would give directions to friends, asking them to look for the one with "no signboard". When the restaurant decided to go bigger, they decided to retain this name!
Most people visit here to taste their crab dishes: the popular Chilly Crab or their special White Pepper Crab. While the chilly crab is usually large Sri Lankan crabs cooked in a fiery chilly sauce with garlic, prawn paste and a medley of spices, their White Pepper sauce is more subtle. The white pepper adds the spiciness that we love, while allowing the sweetness of the crabmeat to shine through. The crabs, imported from Sri Lanka, are fresh and meaty, and cooked to juicy perfection.
This is also where I got my first taste of Teochew cuisine. The steamed fish was delightfully flavourful, but in a mild sort of way. Teochew cuisine originates from the eastern parts of Guangdong province in China. Teochew cuisine is particularly well known for its seafood dishes and is often regarded as being very healthy. Its use of flavouring is much less heavy-handed than most other Chinese cuisines and depends much on the freshness and quality of the ingredients for taste and flavor.
While there are many places such as Jumbo and Longbeach which will serve you great Chilli Crab, try No Signboard for their White Pepper Crab, the dish that transformed them from a small roadside vendor to a recognised seafood chain in Singapore today.
Wow! It's yummy.
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