Char Restaurant - Char Siew In A League Of Its Own

Most char siew in Singapore is an afterthought — batch-roasted in gas ovens, glazed with whatever syrup is on hand, and portioned out without much fuss. Char Restaurant on Race Course Road is a different proposition entirely. Founded by brothers Anthony and Alvin, with Alvin drawing on three decades of Chinese restaurant cooking, Char has always been built around a single conviction: that Cantonese roast meats deserve to be taken seriously.

After a stint at Guillemard Road and a long-running chapter at Jalan Besar, the restaurant has found a new home on Race Course Road — and it’s cooking better than ever.

Special Char Siew ($21)

This is the dish everything else is built around, and it earns every bit of the reputation. Each serving of char siew goes through a three-stage process that most roast meat stalls simply don’t bother with. The pork is first marinated in a blend of five-spice and fermented red tofu, layering in deep, savoury base notes before a drop of heat is applied. It’s then glazed with molasses honey, which builds the lacquered, sticky exterior that char siew lovers live for. The final pass is over a custom-built charcoal oven — the detail that separates this from commercial gas-roasted versions — where the glaze caramelises into those signature blackened edges. Pork shoulder is used for the ideal ratio of fat to lean, and when you bite in, the result is yielding, juicy, and almost dissolving. Each piece gleams under the light, intensely flavoured from the inside out. It does lean rich, so sharing is the move.

Crispy Roast Pork Belly ($21)

The sio bak holds its own alongside the star of the show. The crackling arrives medium-thick and snaps cleanly, giving way to pork that’s kept moist and tender beneath. It’s a more restrained dish compared to the char siew — less cloying, less complex — but the execution is clean and consistent. For those who want to cover both bases, the combination platter of Char Siew and Crispy Roast Pork ($30 for 200g each) is the most efficient way to eat here.

Jasmine Roast Duck

The roast duck brings a lighter, more fragrant dimension to the table. Jasmine-infused during the roasting process, it produces a skin that’s lightly crisped and carries a subtle floral note beneath the savoury exterior. The meat stays tender and doesn’t dry out — a common pitfall with roast duck — and it rounds out a roast meat spread nicely without competing with the char siew for the spotlight.

XO Sambal Fried Rice ($17.80)

The carb options at Char are more than just filler. The XO Sambal Fried Rice punches above what you’d expect from a rice dish at a roast meat restaurant — fragrant, with a house-made XO chilli that carries real depth from dried shrimp. The portions are generous and built for sharing. For something simpler, char siew rice or noodles are available from $8.80 to $13.80, making it easy to build a solo meal without breaking the bank.

Dry Beef Hor Fun ($16.80)

A solid supporting act for anyone who wants something different from rice. The beef hor fun brings wok breath and silky flat noodles into the mix, a satisfying option that complements the richness of the roast meats with a bit more textural contrast.

Char Restaurant is the kind of place that makes a strong case for why the roast meat category deserves more than hawker-stall speed and shortcuts. The three-stage char siew technique alone — the fermented red tofu marinade, the molasses honey glaze, the charcoal finish — sets it apart from everything operating on a gas burner. With a Michelin Plate to its name from its earlier chapter and a loyal following that’s followed it across three addresses, Char has clearly figured out what it’s doing. Come with an appetite, bring a group, and do not skip the char siew.

Address: 454 Race Course Road, Singapore 218697
Contact: +65 9446 8227 | [email protected]
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11:30am – 2pm, 5pm – 10pm | Closed Monday