This big sis is a big fan of Vietnamese cuisine. I love the fresh “green” taste of (sometimes raw) vegetables and herbs used in Vietnamese dishes. Coriander and Vietnamese mint? Oh yes, more, please. And don’t get me started on fish sauce. Love it. After exploring a walking trail in Singapore with a friend, Miss Green Tea Fields – from Vivocity, Keppel Island, and Labrador Park – we had a choice of two places for lunch. It was between a garden-themed cafe or Vietnamese food at Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop. I jumped without any hesitation to vote for the latter.
I’ve never heard of it, but I couldn’t wait to eat there. Turns out it’s a pretty popular Vietnamese restaurant with celebrities and Singaporean food blogs.
Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop Address and Details
- 100 Pasir Panjang Rd, #01-04 Old Behn Meyer Building, Singapore 118518
- Open Monday to Saturday from 11 am – 8.30 pm (Open on Google Maps)
Table of Contents
Weekend Visit to Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop
Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop is pretty unassuming. I used to live in Pasir Panjang and even then, I never realized there was an Old Behn Meyer Building with a great Vietnamese casual restaurant. When my friend told me about it, I was expecting a literal tuckshop without air-conditioning… just a regular old coffee shop.
It ended up being this:
I did a double-take when we arrived, turned to her, and exclaimed, “It’s an air-conditioned eatery?! I wasn’t expecting that.”
Saturdays seem to be a great time to visit. With office buildings flanking Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop, it seems that this must be a fairly popular lunch spot on the weekdays. However, on weekends, it wasn’t too busy. We found a table easily even though it was right at lunchtime.
Bigger group? No worries too. There are a number of longer tables as well for bigger groups who are dining together.
What We Ate
After checking out the digital version of Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop menu, we wanted to try the Hanoi Tumeric Fish. This dish isn’t easy to come by in Singapore unlike Pho, Bun Thit, and Bahn Mi which are more accessible. Unfortunately, it was already unavailable when we visited the restaurant at 1 pm on a Saturday. We decided on three other dishes instead.
Banana Flower Salad
After seeing how highly recommended it was by reviewers on Google Maps, we decided to give the Banana Flower Salad a try.
First impressions? It reminded me of Som Tam (Thai Papaya Salad). The texture and flavor is amazing. There’s shredded chicken, toasted peanuts for crunch, plenty of coriander and mint leaves (my all-time favorites), beansprouts, fried shallots, and shredded banana leaves. Also, plenty of fish sauce, baby! This is the kind of salad I don’t mind having more of. So interesting!
Beef Combo Pho
We were tempted to have some pho, mainly to taste the broth. We had the Beef Combo Pho with beef balls, beef slices, coriander, and rice noodles.
I’d say if you’re feeling some pho, this isn’t bad. But I’ve definitely had better pho.
Beef Hot Plate Special
The Beef Hot Plate Special is only available on certain days of the week (including Saturday).
This is a hotplate wrapped in foil and filled with what I can only describe as tomato pizza sauce, melted cheese, beef slices, mushrooms, peppers, two eggs, and topped with coriander. It is served with a toasted, crispy, sliced baguette on the side.
I actually enjoyed this, but would probably not order this again unless I’m craving a… deconstructed beef pizza. I’ll probably try a Caramel Pork Bahn Mi the next time I visit instead.
The Verdict
The food here is not the cheapest, nor most expensive as far as Vietnamese cuisine in Singapore is concerned. The quality of the food is great so it’s worth a visit, but it is a little pricier than other similar casual dining Vietnamese restaurants.
I’ll still visit again because I haven’t tried the Bahn Mi or Bun Cha which Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop is known for. Oh, and I need to get more Banana Flower Salad in my life. Till next visit!
If you find this review useful, you can buy me pasta!
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