A staple of Singapore food is roast meats, especially our char siew (Cantonese-style barbecued pork) and siew yok (crispy roasted pork belly). One popular household name people flock to for these porcine gems is 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist (88 Hong Kong Roast), which employs a special charcoal roasting technique to achieve a deep caramelisation and a signature biscuit-like crispiness on the rind.
88 Hong Kong Roast is helmed by Chef Martin Ong, who developed his own slow-roasting technique that takes over 2 hours to achieve a shatteringly crisp rind, complete with the unctuous, melt-in-your-mouth fats and succulent meat. Known as the nomadic chef, foodies have been following Chef Martin and his roasts since 2012, from Singapore, to Johor Bahru, and back.
Thankfully, you can now find his restaurants at various locations in central Singapore. These include a cafe-style eatery at Far East Square, a standalone multi-stall concept called 88 Cafe in Marina One – and the much-anticipated Specialist Store, now open at Lavender Street, 88 Hong Kong Roast’s old homeground.
Ensuring the Best for his Guests
To provide more comfort and convenience for his patrons, Chef Martin has revamped his latest specialist outlet at Lavender, installing air-conditioning and refreshing its interiors. A familiar location for many – the refreshed space now lets both regulars and new diners enjoy Chef Martin’s signature roasts in cool, air-conditioned comfort. From its humble beginnings as a hot and humid coffeeshop stall, this premium and cosy setting is the perfect respite from the heat.
To cater to more diners and fulfilling a long-time request, 88 Hong Kong Roast’s revamped Lavender Street outlet has now extended its operating hours. Roast meat fans no longer need to rush down early just to secure their portion — gone are the sold-out afternoons, as the refreshed Lavender specialist store now opens from 10am all the way to 10pm. Families of all sizes can also enjoy their evening meals here, with larger and more comfortable spaces now available.
And because true-blue Singaporeans know just how good siew yok is fresh from the oven, Chef Martin has stepped up roasting operations, opting now to produce a new slab of these sizzling beauties twice daily – once in the morning at 9.00am and once in the afternoon at 5.30pm – to ensure the best possible quality of roast meats for his clientele.
New Menu of Signature Speciality Roasts & More
Diners at 88 Hong Kong Roast’s Lavender Specialist Store not only can savour the signature roast meats that 88 Hong Kong Roast is famous for alongside rice or noodles, but also new menu items sure to delight all generations.
The Lavender Specialist Store will feature all the classics, from Roast Pork and Char Siew, to Roasted Duck with its burnished caramelised crispy skin and succulent flesh. These can all be paired with a choice of noodles or rice, or even served as a platter on its own.
There will also be new exciting items at 88 Hong Kong Roast’s Lavender Specialist Store. Of note are the debut of the 88 Signature Noodles featuring handmade, bouncy meatballs, paired with a delicious, addictive house-made sauce.
Roast Meat
Savour Chef Martin’s famous roast meats at the new 88 Hong Kong Roast Specialist Store, in particular the siew yok that’s succulent within and with its signature biscuit-like rind; his glistening char siew with a carmelised crust; and juicy duck with shatteringly crisp skin.
Enjoy these roast meats on their own, with platters of a choice of 1, 2 or 3 meats starting at $10 for a one-person portion. Otherwise, opt to pair them with rice (from $6), or with Hong Kong style egg noodles (from $7).
Diners who would like to savour the roast meats in the comfort of home or need a centrepiece for a party can order larger, takeaway portions by the kilogram. The minimum order for roasted pork and char siew is 300g, priced at $60/kg. Meanwhile, an entire roasted duck costs $50, half for $30 and a quarter for $15. Those who love the duck drumstick can select this prized part at $9 each.
New Signature Noodles
Riding on the recent pork noodle trend where beloved brands are creating their own versions with signature sauces, meatballs and other ingredients, noodle lovers will be thrilled to hear that 88 Hong Kong Roast has also prepared their own version.
Order a bowl of the new 88 Signature Noodles ($7.80), showcasing Chef Martin’s mee pok made from his special recipe with high quality flour, paired with signature meatballs, along with minced pork, as well as fishballs and fishcake made from 100% yellowtail fish, all tossed in a moreish sauce. Of note are the handcrafted meatballs; bouncy with umami notes, the secret is in the ti poh (dried sole fish) for that extra savoury depth; as well as the addition of fish paste for that special spring and bite.
Choose to have your noodles dry or in soup, with or without noodles, make it all meatballs or all fishballs, or swap your mee pok for mee tai bak instead.
Side Dishes
Add on some sides as well to complement or even customize your bowl of noodles. Add on a Lava Egg ($1.80), crispy Fried Wanton ($7.50 for 10pcs), or even more Handmade Meatballs ($7.50 for 8pcs).
To up your fibre intake, order a platter of Nai Bai vegetables ($6.50), stir-fried in chef’s special savoury sauce and fried shallots. Those craving something soupy but hate soggy noodles can order a bowl of Wanton Soup ($6.50) to warm their stomach.
