Abundance Lenkok Bahru

Lets take a dine-in today at Abundance Lenkok Bahru (Redhill), a small restaurant café tucked away in the rustic corner of Lengkok Bahru neighborhood. I found offers a delightful experience for those seeking locally inspired Asian food staples. The mini restaurant is a cozy culinary corner, nestled on the first floor of Block 63A in Lengkok Bahru in the Redhill district.

Having opened this Redhill branch doors about two years ago, Abundance has been serving patrons from this HDB estate void deck shop unit. They offers a diverse menu that includes Taiwanese-style buns, rice dishes, and noodle options. Notably, the store also has another restaurant branch located at Jalan Besar.

One notable aspect of Abundance is its proximity to Redhill MRT station. This makes it conveniently accessible with just a five-minute walk. The HDB heartland void deck restaurant provides a comfortable setting for patrons to enjoy a variety of Asian flavors, though it can get rather cramped. More on that later.

Abundance exterior

Abundance Redhill Menu

Interior

An Abundance of Buns

The star attractions at Abundance are undeniably their Taiwanese-style buns. The signature Gua Bao. It is essentially a thick slab of fresh and tender pork belly. You get the pork meat and thick layer of fat and skin all stuffed into a fold of pao-like white buns with pickled vegetables and sauce. Your bao is also garnished with sprinkles of peanuts. You also get generous servings for the asking price of $7.90, I think it is reasonably priced for the portions.

Moreover, for those seeking a different bun experience, the Fried Chicken Bun is a standout option. Stuffed with a large fried chicken cutlet, finely grated radish, and carrot, it offers a flavorful twist. While it can get messy, opting to use cutlery is recommended to fully savor the experience, rather than using your hands, burger style.

Additionally, I recommend both their Crispy chicken bao as well as as their signature Gua bao if you are undecided for starters. You can’t go wrong with either of them. This delectable fried offering also costs a reasonable price of $6.90 per serving, providing ample portions that make it a value-for-money choice. It tad showcases Abundance’s commitment to delivering quality and taste.

Also, other interesting menu options includes Salted Egg Prawn Bun ($13.90++) a menu regular. Also, I find the portions of the buns adept and was delighted for its size. It does makes for a hearty lunch or to share for a mid-day tea break for two.

Fried Rice staples

Besides their buns, Abundance also serve other Asian rice and noodle dishes. These are for more filling options beside their bao buns, especially for dinner, I would recommend their fried rice dishes.

Fried rice is also another staple item on Abundance menu. The fried rice is of the small short grain version first conceived by Din Tai Feng restaurants, then popularised by the myriad of small independent fried rice stores which ensued. Recommended fried rice variants here be their Crab fried rice, and Metaiko fried rice. You can’t also go wrong with their regular pork chop fried rice staple.

Moreover, their Crab Fried Rice, priced at $14.90, stands out with generous portions of chunky crab meat. You do get rather generous servings of pulled steamed crab meat topped on top of your egg fried rice. The amount of crab meat here rivals those offered by competing fried rice stores, like King of fried rice for instance.

Another noteworthy option is their Mentaiko Fish Fried Rice. Priced at $13.90, featuring crispy fish fillet laced with strips of mayo atop flavorful fried rice. The fried fish is delightful crispy, fresh without the fishy taste and is tasteful with a juicy core without the batter being too airy. It pairs will with the mayo laced on the top as a garnish. While the portions may be smaller compared to other establishments, the focus on quality over quantity is evident.

Real chunky crab

Beef Noodles Soup

ice cream “popiah”

Try their Beef Brisket

For those inclined towards noodle dishes, Abundance’s Beef Noodles Soup, priced at $16.90, is a standout choice. The soupy dish boasts very tender beef meat immersed in a flavorful broth garnish with parsley.

It is served with fresh knife-cut flat “quay teow” shaped noodles which seemingly exhibits the consistency, texture and firmness of hand-pulled homemade noodles. On my dine-in, the noodles are crunchy and cooked “al-dente”. Also, besides the tender beef slices, the soup is the broth is flavourful rich and tasty. However, it is one of the more pricey options, I am on the fence whether it is actually worth the asking price of $16.90 for a relatively small serving. This is especially when equally sized beef briskets are available at hawker centers for a fraction of the cost.

Also, the beef noodles relatively higher price may prompt consideration. Maybe it might be something for a once in a while indulgence, but probably not one as a filling meal. Slow cooked and full of flavours. Still, the beef noodles are one of Abundance best menu dishes in my opinion, especially for those who appreciate a good bowl of beef noodles.

A tale of two ice cream

Additionally, it is not a bad choice to wrap up your meal at Abundance with their signature ice cream desserts. You have a choice of 2 selections both at $6.90 each, namely their black sesame or peanut ice cream cake. The wraps are like what I like to call “ice cream popiah”. You get soft popiah like skin encasing your vanilla ice cream block within. It adds a sweet localized touch to the dining experience. The messy yet tasty affair can be customized by requesting the ice cream to be served later and cut according to preference.

Moreover, the colour and flavour of the wrap depends your chosen flavour, with their signature peanut variant spotting a more brown-coloured skin. This is courtesy of the loose crushed peanuts stuffed between the skin and ice cream. Additionally, for the peanut flavor variant, the fresh coriander is replaced the coarse-ground peanuts with a house-made black sesame paste that’s equal parts nutty and creamy, but still wrapped in a popiah-like skin. It’s a messy affair, but tasty.

Likewise, their less-messier black sesame spots a darker coloured infused wrap enscasing your ice cream within. Also, you can request for your ice cream to be served later and cut to the number of pieces you require. Typically there is enough for a split in split or into threes for sharing.

Wrapping up

Ambience-wise, the seating space at Abundance is limited, with approximately four tables indoors and six tables outdoors. The air-conditioned indoor seating accommodates smaller groups, ensuring a prompt seating experience. However, larger groups may encounter longer waiting times. Hence, it is advisable to dine in smaller groups of two for a smoother experience. Additionally, the pet-friendly policy adds a welcoming touch for those dining with furry companions, although patrons need to bring their own water and bowls. It is also worth noting Abundance also offers happy hours with craft beers from $10/pint, and 15% off canned beers and wine from 11am to 7pm.

In summary, Abundance offers a diverse and satisfying dining experience with its flavorful buns, hearty rice and noodle dishes, and signature desserts. The quaint location, reasonable prices, and friendly atmosphere make it a noteworthy addition to the dining scene in Lengkok Bahru. Notably, Abundance themselves are located just a block away from the Living Room café at Leng Kee Community center we visited sometime back. Whether you’re in the mood for a casual lunch or a mid-day tea break, Abundance deserves a spot on your list of dining options in town.

This review is not sponsored by the establishment nor did they provide any editorial input or reimbursements into the content and outcome of this review. All meals were paid for in full out of my own pocket as a regular and anonymous patron.