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The Old Raffles Place

4.3 (8 reviews)
ModerateSingaporean
Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

The Old Raffles Place Photos

THE OLD RAFFLES PLACE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Good for groups
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - The Old Raffles Place

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Photo courtesy of my foodie friend Deb, whose culinary expertise is matched by her picture collage skill as it turns out! :)
Cat W.

For those who were in Melbourne last night, you will be aware of the slightly inclement weather conditions that saw torrential rain, hail, and freezing cyclonic winds dominate the evening. My foodie work colleague, let's call her Deb, for that is her name, wanted to treat us all to dishes that she loved growing up, and so arranged a night at The Old Raffles Place for about ten of her (self proclaimed) nearest and dearest workmates. I must admit, leaving work, I was desperately wishing we were venturing out for catch-ups on another night, but into the wind and rain we went. Our journey ended at Old Raffles in Colingwood, with a night of gorgeous food in an interesting setting (though my vegan / vegetarian options were very limited...and there was the rather ominous 'most dishes are cooked with pork lard. We are not a vegetarian restaurant' disclaimer on the back of the menu). Eating at Old Raffles is really like eating at your Grandparents' house...with more fairy lights. Because of the size of our group, we had a table in the back room, and arrived to "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" on the TV, quite amusing in a silly charming way (but yes, we turned it off straight away...my palate tolerates neither meat, nor Eddie McGuire). The decor proudly screams 80s (in my humble opinion), and a visit to the bathroom is an adventure of its own, but I kind of loved the daggy factor / family feel of this place...and the food!!! I ordered the tofu vegetable curry (number 44) as the safest non-meat eating option on the menu, and it was delicious. My carnivorous colleagues ordered a range of dishes to share, with Deb at the helm to offer her expert guidance, and there were 'mmmmms' all around. The food arrived at lightning speed, and staff were extremely friendly and obliging throughout the evening. I would wager that if you are a meat eating, Singaporean cuisine seeking, adventurous journey to the bathroom liking Melbourne type, you will be enamoured of this place, check it out. For my vegetarian / vegan inclined friends, this is perhaps not the place for us, despite the deliciousness of the number 44 dish (though it does stand as an option at least if you find yourself there one night amidst a sea of friends!) In summary, four stars for The Old Raffles Place, based on the amount of mmmmm-ing emanating from my workmates as they sampled their generously portioned dishes, and of course for my own little bit of tofu vegetable curry heaven!

What a nostalgic feeling of a Singaporean Hainanese kopitiam found in Melbourne!  Owner Ah Kor Alan came over some three decades ago.

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15 years ago

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8 years ago

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14 years ago

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11 years ago

they make delicious traditional Singaporean dishes and nice waiters and waitresses.

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Killiney Kopitiam

Killiney Kopitiam

3.7(20 reviews)
2.1 kmMelbourne
$

I was craving for something Indonesian/ Malaysian/ Singaporean and that's how I ended up here. I…read moregot here before the lunch crowd did so, I had the place to myself...but not for long. You order your food and pay at the counter. They give you a number. You find a table and wait for your food. They have so many good options to choose from. I was so torn. I wanted sambal, nasi Goreng, mee goreng, roti, laksa...pretty much everything on the menu. But I had to calm myself down, clear my thoughts and focus on getting 2 entrees, kaya toast and teh. Sambal Fried Fish: Different chilies + deep-fried fish = amazing! Pass me the rice! 4/5 Singaporean Laksa: They have different varieties of laksa. I picked this since it has everything in it: tofu, fish, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, noodles in a coconut curry broth. 4.5/5 Kaya Toast: Basically, butter + sugar on toast. This reminds me of what my nanny would make for my afternoon snack when I was little. This is what made them famous (their tea and coffee are good too). 4/5 Teh: Hot or iced. White, black or green. With or without condensed milk. I got mine iced, black with condensed milk. 5/5 They have lots of dishes, drinks and desserts I remember having as a kid living in SouthEast Asia. Milo, longan, durian, lychee, mango sago, etc. I would have ordered more but I realized I had Canadian dollars left in my wallet instead of AUD. Mother of all failures!

Came here with partner and auntie. We ordered a signature vermi, chili crab and kung po chicken…read more The vermicelli was a single portion and spread pretty thinly for three people. The kung po chicken barely had any flavour (despite having dried chili) and was less than a portion. The chili crab2 (2) had a really nice sauce, though no taste of chili - but were $45 for the dish. This last was the best of the three. My partner mad to order more food, though, so went for a set meal for himself: Singapore laksa, grass jelly drink, and durian pancakes. The laksa was apparently good, but the durian filling of the pancakes appeared to be a flavoured cream filling.

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Killiney Kopitiam
Killiney Kopitiam
Killiney Kopitiam

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Laksa Bar - Soft Shell Crab Laksa.

Laksa Bar

3.7(51 reviews)
2.0 kmMelbourne
$

Self serve and order first at the counter. Minimum $15 CC spend…read more Laksa comes in two sizes! I got the small chicken curry laksa. It was quite flavorful and the chicken was just so tender!!!! Good amount of meat in the small. I almost finished the creamy broth but controlled myself. The soft shell crab isn't as good though. They put way too much batter!

Laksa Bar is a humble eatery that makes one of the most stunning laksa in Melbourne…read more The location was a little hard to find, away from the bustling CBD restaurant scene, tucked at the corner street of Little Lonsdale, and more precisely next to the famous "The League of Honest Coffee". I came in for a late lunch and the atmosphere of Laksa Bar will definitely take you to the comforting atmosphere of the eating street food in Singapore/Malaysia, from the Southeast Asia ornaments, old nostalgic posters and memorabilia as well as on wall screen projectors that depicts short scenes from the past. This is a self-served restaurant, where we order directly to the cashier first, given a number, get your own utensils/water and choose where to sit. There are many interesting selections of Malaysian classics as well as street nibbles, such as house curry, nasi lemak, satay and etc. But of course, we tried their signature dish, and that is Soft Shell Crab Laksa. The soft shell crab laksa come in a drool worthy presentation - with a generous portion of fried wonton, fish ball, and a flour battered soft shell crab. Taste-wise, expect a robust flavor that will jolt your taste buds. The laksa was a perfect balance of creamy, salty, spicy and savory goodness, and the crispy soft shell crab just adds a touch of yum to the already scrumptious dish. On other occasions, I tried their nasi lemak with soft shell crab as it looks so damn tempting, but sad to say, it was such a let down; stale toppings and flavorless rice.. Clearly, this is not their strength. In all, Laksa Bar is such a precious spot for those who enjoy the richness of Malaysian cuisine. The service, food and price point are all on point. Definitely a spot that's worth many return visits!

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Laksa Bar - Singaporean hainanese chicken and rice

Singaporean hainanese chicken and rice

Laksa Bar - Nasi lemak with soft shell crab.

Nasi lemak with soft shell crab.

Laksa Bar - Soft shell crab laksa curry small size ($14.5)

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Soft shell crab laksa curry small size ($14.5)

Ayam Chef

Ayam Chef

3.3(7 reviews)
3.8 kmSouthbank
$$

What's going on? It's rare for me to visit a venue more than once a week. But I visited Ayam Chef 3…read moretimes in a week and it performed solidly. Got myself hooked - great food and price as well as a location that is convenient to me with no parking traumas. The decor is modern Malaysian and the staff attentive. Clearly there are experienced hands back of house. I'm told that the people behind this venue are the former owners of Kota Raya Malaysian food in Elsternwick. The Kota Rayas long had a reputation for the best Hainan Chicken rice in the southern suburbs. So naturally both the Hainan and roast chicken rice dishes are notable. In the stir fried dishes the wok hei - breath of the wok - is all there, especially in the cha hor fun. The focus is Nonya hawker food, so you won't find Mamak(indian) specialities like mee goreng, but you will observe that there's a specials board, an occasional dessert special like durian crêpe cake and interesting menu items like the school prawn pancake. The curry puffs are tasty but I personally prefer the Singaporean style flaky pastry puffs containing hard boiled egg over at Mr Loys puff. Not a big deal. The chicken satays they call 'skewers' here are big, hearty and tasty. This generousity carries through to most dishes so if dining in the evening go with friends and share plates. The lunch menu has meal sets ideal for one person, plus the regular menu is available. The lunch special of pepper beef came with rice, fried wonton and salad. The drinks list is small but I am so hooked on their kumquat drink my eyes glaze over once they've read those words. There is outdoor seating for sunny days and those who lace their palate with nicotine. Take away is also available. Parking outside is 2 hours metered before 6:30pm weekdays. But just near Victoria Barracks it is also accessible by Sturt Street and St.Kilda Road trams. After four visits I still haven't exhausted the menu. I'll definitely be back. Hey - might see you there?

Don't go to this restaurant! They have minimum $30 for you to use visa or any card! But not just…read morethat - we were order some take away and it's $50. But we would like to order some vegetables , they are ask us again to spend another $30 to be able to use card ! This is ridiculous! We will definitely not go back to this restaurant, not just cus their ridiculous unreasonable policies but for as customers just spend $50 and they dare to ask for another $30 to just use the card ! If there's 0 star rating! I would put that in here for them! The food is also too sweet and full of sugar! No other flavor at all.

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Ayam Chef
Ayam Chef - Crisp school prawns

Crisp school prawns

Ayam Chef - Crisp school prawn pancake

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Crisp school prawn pancake

The Old Raffles Place - singaporean - Updated May 2026

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