The vibe here is bright, vibrant and buzzing. Every Food Republic foodcourt I step into - even with an average capacity of 700 seats across the branches - never once feels vacant or cold.
The staff at the stalls are probably the friendliest I have met, perhaps because of the brand's many locations in town that serve tourists. I notice staff explaining dishes patiently and cheerfully.
There is a good mix of hawker and restaurant fare, and heritage stalls display their stories as well - an important factor to standing out from other foodcourts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Guan Chee HK Roast
#B1-85 to 87 and #B1-112 to 146 Parkway Parade, 80 Marine Parade Road
The array of meats - soya sauce chicken, roast duck, roast pork, even a suckling pig - displayed at the stall is enough to make me hungry. I go for the combination of roast duck and roast pork rice, which does not disappoint.
The roast pork has the right amount of fats and tender meat with a crispy skin. Prices start from $4.50 for char siew rice, roast pork rice, honey sausage rice, and honey glazed pork ribs rice.
The brand began in 1983 at Hougang Avenue 1, and has expanded into almost 10 foodcourt locations across Singapore.
It is an outlet to keep in mind to get Chinese New Year roasts.
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FAST FACTS
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RedRing Treasures' chicken cutlet and noodle set comes drenched in house-made spicy sauce. ST PHOTO: EUNICE QUEK
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Opening in 2019: Unable to disclose
Founded: 2005
Number of foodcourts: 13 Food Republic outlets and one Food Opera outlet
Total number of stalls: 279 stalls (includes Food Opera)
RedRing Treasures
Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Road, Level 4, Stall 6
What started as a hawker stall in 2013 is now one of my go-to brands at Wisma Atria's Food Republic foodcourt.
The stall specialises in fried cutlet sets - chicken, squid, pork or fish - with noodles or rice. Each set (from $6.30) comes with soup and a dish of kai lan or dumplings.
My favourite is the chicken cutlet with a crispy layer of thin batter coating the juicy chicken patty. It is not oily, and is chopped into thick slices. I prefer the thin egg noodles as they come drenched in the house-made spicy sauce.
Shami Banana Leaf Delights
#04-01/04 Causeway Point, 1 Woodlands Square
Pick from chicken ($8), mutton ($8), boneless mutton ($9), or fish ($7.50) with briyani and a choice of one vegetable. Naan, tandoori roti and dosai options are also available.
I get a huge serving of the briyani, a juicy chicken thigh smothered in gravy, and cabbage.
Prices may be slightly steep, but the portion is generous.