Roast Paradise’s Old Airport Stall Draws Long Queues Daily—Is It Worth The Wait?

Roast Paradise has KL-style char siew at Old Airport Road

It’s almost rare to find a hawker centre that houses multiple reputable stores. Yet, Old Airport Road Food Centre manages to present itself as a treasure trove full of affordable and delectable hawker eats. Situated in a humble corner, Roast Paradise steals the show with its glaring display of roasted meat and snake-like queues.

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We had the pleasure of speaking with Kai, one of the two owners who founded Roast Paradise. Both Randall and Kai were previously promoters in the nightlife scene for approximately a decade, and they decided to open a food business to move to a fresh, new environment.

Opening a hawker store demanded a herculean effort as they had to research and study Singapore’s gastronomic scene as well as pick up necessary skills for the business. Hence, they decided to dive straight into a six-month training session in our neighbouring country, to learn the ways of making KL-styled char siew and roast pork (sio bak).

It was already around three in the afternoon by the time we reached, and there was still a queue. Despite being the fourth in line, we walked away with a tray full of dishes within minutes, beaming from ear to ear because of their sheer efficiency.

Food at Roast Paradise

Of course, we had to start our meal with their signature item, the Char Siew Rice. Since we had other dishes lined up, we opted for the small ($4.50) version to save some much-needed stomach space. Though if you’ve got a bigger appetite, they also offer a large portion at an affordable $5.50.

Each plate of Char Siew Rice features a decent portion of rice, a few slices of crunchy cucumber, and thick cuts of char siew slathered in their special char siew sauce. Better yet, you also get more of that house sauce on the side!

So what makes their char siew KL-styled? Kai shared that through their research, he realised that most hawkers in Singapore use leaner cuts of meat, such as pork collar and pork shoulder. Conversely, char siew in Malaysia is significantly fattier, more charred, and caramelised. The char siew that Roast Paradise offers clearly adheres to the KL flair, since they rely on a more expensive cut, pork belly, which takes two to three hours of roasting before it’s chopped up and served.

The char siew was a feast to the eyes—and our hungry stomachs. Each piece boasted a glistening, sticky, and charred exterior. It had a robust, sweet and smoky flavour, with a predominant bak kwa-like piquancy, thanks to the treacly sauce it was drizzled in. Although mostly sweet, we liked how the sauce had several layers to it, with a hint of spice and tang that added depth. We also appreciated the substantial layer of fat-to-meat proportion, giving each slice a juicy and unctuous body.

Texture-wise, the char siew was soft, succulent, and fall-apart tender. In fact, it practically melted in our mouths with barely any chewing. But what really stood out for us was its char. The caramelised edges added a bittersweet depth and a satisfying crunch you don’t usually find at other char siew spots.

The rice wasn’t your usual plain rice either. Much like chicken rice, it was fragrant with a slight garlicky aftertaste. That said, it fell short in terms of texture—it was a tad too wet and mushy. Kai explained that the fragrance comes from using butter, garlic, ginger, and pork oil instead of chicken oil. It was a shame, as the flavours were definitely there—we just wished the rice were fluffier.

Up next was the Roast Pork, which came with a side of fresh cucumbers and mustard. Portions for this dish are offered at 100g ($6.50), 200g ($12), and 300g ($18).

The roast pork skin that I’m used to usually falls into one of two extremes: rock-hard crispy, or chewy and rubbery like bubblegum. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here. Roast Paradise nailed the texture—the pork crackling was light, brittle, and crisp.

When asked what the secret behind this crispy texture was, Kai revealed that it boils down to the type of roasting method and pork breed used; both of which are different from what most stores in Singapore are accustomed to.

Similar to the char siew, the fatty layer was also quite substantial. It was soft and silky, offering a pleasant chew to contrast the firm yet tender lean meat. Better yet, it never came across as greasy, even with all the fat.

The flavours were also on point. The meat tasted fresh and was seasoned well with a delicious blend of spices.

The mustard was a nice addition, too. It had a tinge of sweet undertone, complemented by a bright tang to cut through the heavier flavours of the siew yoke.

To complete the roast meat trio, we also ordered the Roast Duck. Unlike most roast meat stalls, Roast Paradise allows you to choose your preferred cut of meat, with the bird’s upper and lower parts costing $15 and $17, respectively. We went with the former, as they had already run out of the lower cuts by the time we arrived.

FYI, if you’re eating in a big group, you can get their duck in half ($25) or whole ($45) portions.

Our plate was doused in a load of thick, viscous duck sauce, lending the dish a balanced mix of sweet, herby, and savoury flavours from the spices and umami-rich duck drippings. The generous coating of sauce kept the naturally lean upper duck meat from turning dry, making the thick slices still enjoyable to eat.

However, this also meant that the skin lost its crispy texture, with some parts turning a tad rubbery.

Hakka Noodles aren’t a common sight in Singapore, perhaps because it’s a more KL-centric dish, but at Roast Paradise, you can get that for an affordable $3.20. A bowl here comes with a hefty serving of flat ‘mee pok’ noodles, topped with a scatter of boiled minced pork, scallions, fresh cucumber slices, and a dollop of house-made sambal.

We were blown away by the luxuriously QQ texture of the noodles. In fact, we could already witness the springiness even when mixing the noodles up with the minced meat and chilli. We could tell that it was slightly undercooked to achieve that perfect al dente effect, evident from the light, translucent appearance of the mee pok. That said, we still recommend eating this on the spot to properly enjoy this heavenly texture, as understandably, it may turn soggy if left out for a while.

Despite the audacious flavours of the roast meats, the noodles still held their own. It had a slight tang from the vinegar that helped to balance out the meaty and savoury flavours of the minced pork, zhnged up by the chopped green onions for added fragrance. If you love spice, this dish will surely please you, as the sambal lends the dish a tasty and ultra–fiery kick.

FYI, everything here can be complemented with their free Cabbage Soup, which you can help yourself to via the large pot seated adjacent to the self-serve condiment counter.

The soup wasn’t anything to shout about, but it was still warm and comforting, with a subtle sweetness from the fresh cabbage. Overall, it was a nice addition to round out our meal.

Ambience at Roast Paradise

With a quick five–minute walk from Dakota MRT Station or a seven-minute walk from Mountbatten MRT Station, you’ll be rewarded with a variety of local favourites at Old Airport Road Food Centre, including wonton mee, prawn noodles, kway chap and more. It is one of those places in Singapore that remains bustling at any time of the day.

Roast Paradise lifts its shutters at 10:30am, with people already making a beeline towards their store. I can’t help but notice that there would always be a queue in front of the store, whether it was during peak or non-peak hours. Regardless, the staff was adept at managing the crowd.

Located near one of the hawker centre’s entrances, you can expect a comfortable space to dine in, with plenty of natural light and ventilation. If you choose to visit in the evening, you can also opt for the outdoor seating without the harsh rays of the sun.

Roast Paradise – Eatbook review

Roast Paradise is definitely not one of those typical ‘Roasted Delights’ stores that you’d find dotted around Singapore. In fact, it sets itself apart by relying on the KL-style of roasting meat. They are not shy about using more costly and premium ingredients as they believe that it would reflect on the quality of the finished dish.

NGL, not everything was perfect on this visit, but considering their strong performance in our recent roast meats ranked listicle and the consistently solid experience I’ve had when dining with them every couple of months, we’ve likely caught them on a bad day. Even so, their dishes still impressed us, and it’s easy to see why Roast Paradise remains a hot favourite among local patrons.

Not everything was perfect on this visit, but given their strong showing in our recent roast meats ranked guide and the consistently solid experiences I’ve had dining there over the past few months, we likely caught them on an off day. Even so, the dishes still impressed, and it’s easy to see why Roast Paradise remains a favourite among locals.

For more delicious plates of char siew and siew yoke, read our review of 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist’s revamped Lavender outlet. If you’re in the area, check out Bakes N Bites for chilled muffins by a 72-year-old hawker at Old Airport Road Food Centre.

Popular 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist Revamps OG Outlet And Menu—Here’s Our Verdict

Address: 51 Old Airport Road, #01-121, Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Opening hours: Daily 10:30am to 7pm
Tel: 9786 7396
Website
Roast Paradise is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Heather Ng.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.
By: originally written by Ashley Lim on 11 August 2020.