13 Miles – Delicious, Elevated, Yet Affordable, Western food

Singapore is incredibly fast-paced. However, if there is one part of Singapore that takes things a little more slowly, it is the north side of Singapore. From the relatively slower MRT red line, to the quiet neighbourhoods of Sembawang/Woodlands/Marsiling, things in the North seem to be much quieter and more relaxed.

One fine day, we spotted a humble little cafe with great reviews on its Facebook page. 13 Miles, a quaint little eatery located in Sembawang, had Facebook users giving them an overall rating of 5 stars. As such, I made my way to the tranquil neighbourhood of Sembawang to check this place out…

According to 13 Miles’ owner, they used to have a restaurant at Bottle Tree Park, but eventually decided to shift to Sembawang as rental had gotten a little too high. 13 Miles, which has set up a space offering good food at affordable prices, is currently applying for Halal certification.

Well, they certainly have achieved their goal — the plating here reminded me a little of a fine-dining experience, but the food options are very affordable. Nevertheless, everyone knows that the true test lies in the taste of the food, so I was pretty excited to dig in.

We ordered the Herb Crusted Salmon ($15.90), and were genuinely surprised by the generous portion. The thick slab of salmon was smeared with a herb spread, which tasted predominantly of basil. The veggies on the side were well-seasoned. On top of that, the accompanying mash potato was really smooth too! While the salmon had a good bite and was not tough, I would have loved it more if it was a little softer. However, I was not a fan of the sauce on the side which, in my opinion, tasted like a watered down version of a hollandaise and mayonnaise mix. Nonetheless, the herb-crusted salmon was a pretty stellar effort, and the munificent portion certainly left an impression. 

We also tried the Miso Butter Chicken Roulette ($10.90), and one could say that this is 13 Miles’ very own twist on chicken roulade. The miso butter chicken roulade is essentially a chicken roll stuffed with miso butter and Japanese rice, then roasted. The roasted chicken had a crispy skin, and a sweet and slightly savoury tang. It actually tasted a little like chicken bak kwa (with a completely different texture, of course). The rice within was coated with a creamy sauce and had a consistency similar to that of glutinous rice, which was a little too soggy for my liking. However, this might just be what they were gunning for. I’m not completely sure what the sauce on the side was, but I did not fancy it, and thought that the dish tasted perfectly fine on its own.

I rarely order drinks, but decided to order a Thai Iced Milk Tea ($3) to combat the seriously hot weather that afternoon. I’m glad I did, as the Thai tea tasted really legitimate and was very very good! A refreshing relief for my parched throat, and a must-order if you visit 13 Miles.

In conclusion, I believe 13 Miles is a gem in Sembawang, and they certainly deserve their 5-star rating. I was pleasantly surprised by their ability to execute both the items we ordered so well, especially since they have such an extensive menu. Other interesting items on the menu include the popular Chicken Cordon Bleu ($10.90), and Taiwanese Fried Chicken ($9). If you are in Sembawang, you really should visit 13 Miles which serves yummy food that does not break the bank at all.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.