Just across the street from Changi Village Food Centre is Saltwater Café, which features kampong-style lunch buffets that bring back memories of the good ol’ days with a spread that consists of signature Singaporean eats like achar, lor mee, hokkien mee, briyani and pig tail’s soup with lotus roots and peanuts. Banish mental images of the stuffy environment when you order Singaporean food. Be greeted by the floor-to-ceiling glass panels that allow plenty of light to stream in without raising the temperature one notch.

Being located at the edge of Singapore has its perks too – it’s a wonderful alternative for meet-ups away from town, especially if you live around the east and are feeling too lazy to travel. This restaurant also makes an ideal place for completing your kampong Singapore experience after a family outing away at Pulau Ubin!

Kick start your meal with a freshly brewed cup of teh tarik. Even though the teh tarik station is located outdoors, wait staff will gladly showcase how tea is “pulled” to create that frothy, rich texture we love right at your table. Saltwater manages to pull off a perfect blend of tea and milk, but if you prefer it milkier or with a richer tea flavour, feel free to let them know! (Jul 2012)

"The penne came bathed in a very light cilantro pesto sauce, which went beautifully with the heady smokiness of the roast duck." -I-S Asia-City

Saltwater Café loves to see families spending quality time enjoying a great meal, with elders sharing stories of how living in Singapore used to be with the little ones. That’s why senior citizens dine free for lunch every day, and kids pay only half price!

Dining at Saltwater is a casual, fuss-free experience. Have a go at rolling your own popiah, stirring in ingredients for your personal mix of rojak, or cooking your lor mee and laksa noodles with the metal sieve like you always wanted to try at hawker centres! Be sure to add the pieces of salted codfish at the DIY noodle stations for that special crunch you didn’t realise was missing at today’s hawker stalls.

The satay definitely got us raving. It’s a sneak peek at the goodies the restaurant serves at their BBQ buffet dinners, but we think it’s definitely good enough to keep you coming back for more during lunch. We think diners who opt for al fresco traded in the air-conditioning for something way better: the sweet, charred smell of satay cooking in the background!

The Indian food counters serve a mean roti prata, tossed and prepared on the spot. Choose from three different curries – chicken, fish and vegetable – to spice up your meal. The prata counter is available on a rotational basis, and interchanges with pasta for a more international fare.

Changi Village reminds you of Singaporean hawker food like satay, popiah and laksa. Truth is, if you’re already there for the food, why not choose to pamper yourself a little more with better ambience and – trust us on this – better food? (Jul 2012)