very once in awhile my family will get together, six of us (grandparents, parents, my brother and I) piling into the car and going off to get a meal somewhere. It’s always a noisy, crazy occasion, involving lots of shouting and simultaneous conversations on multiple topics in two languages.
One of our favourite places to go to is Saizeriya, a bustling Japanese-Italian restaurant in Liang Court not too far from the Central Business District of Singapore. Sure, the food isn’t gourmet and the chefs (probably) don’t have Michelin stars, but it tastes good and is cheap enough to not break the bank. It’s the only restaurant my family has been where the bill for all six of us came up to around S$50 (or less!) And my family can eat quite a lot, I assure you (Chinese + Peranakan, don’t mess).
Saizeriya have recently redid their menus, but not that much has changed. They still have their staples of meat dorias (a kind of baked rice), pastas and hot plate dishes. Servings are rather modest, but that just allows you to try more dishes! Don’t overdo it, though, you might just find the food to be more filling than you thought despite portion sizes. We actually quite like it this way, because many other restaurants serve huge portions that leave you struggling.
As already mentioned, one of the best parts of Saizeriya is the price. In a country where eating in air-conditioned restaurants can really add up, many of Saizeriya’s dishes are below S$10 (USD 7.79). Some of the dishes might even be around the same price as you would pay in food courts or hawker centres (albeit not the same type of food). If you’re comparing with other Japanese-Italian restaurants, you’re definitely in for a bargain. Add a few dollars and you get to partake of the free-flow self-serve drinks counter too!
Must try: My brother only ever eats the carbonara, while I always insist on having a chicken doria. If you ever try the squid ink pasta, do drop a comment and let me know how it is!
The menu isn't always in the best English, but you can't fault them for a lack of descriptiveness.
Grilled pork
Cabonara
Saizeriya Ristorante E Caffe
Address: 177 River Valley Road, #02-22 Liang Court Shopping Centre, Singapore
Tel: +65 6337 9001
Hours: 10am – 10pm
About the Author
