12 Heavenly Fish Head Curries That Will Make You S-curry Back For More!

For one reason or another, Singaporeans just love to add curry to everything we eat. Unique to Singapore and Malaysia, Curry Fish head is an iconic dish made from stewing a red snapper (angkoli) head in a fragrant pot of curry with assorted vegetables. So, we have uncovered 13 curry fish heads that will make you swoon.

• Xin Yuan Ji
• Yu Cun Fish Head Curry
• Soon Ho Eating House
• Zai Shun Fish Head Curry
• Nana’s Homemade Fish Head Curry
• Gu Ma Jia
• Muthu’s Curry
• Ocean Fish Head Curry
• 805 Seafood Kitchen
• Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant
• West Coz Café
• Chye Lye Fish Head Restaurant

1. Xin Yuan Ji

Another noteworthy assam fish head can be found at Xin Yuan Ji, which is conveniently located near Bugis MRT. The bubbling curry is served in a claypot, so remember to get your camera out!

I liked the generous servings of tau pok (bean curd) and vegetables. The fragrant curry is thick and well balanced, nothing too overwhelming. I liked that the curry wasn’t too spicy and that it leaves a pleasantly sweet aftertaste in your mouth. I would’ve preferred a more distinct sourness from the assam and more generous serving of fish. The angkoli fish wasn’t as fresh as it should be, though. The fish also carries a slightly stronger fishy taste which can be quite offputting for some. Nonetheless, the essence of fish head curry is still captured well in the dish and you can see it from the incessant queue.

I hear that their fish soup bee hoon is one of the more popular dishes. Also, note that they only take NETS for orders above $30.

You may wish to read the full write up of Xin Yuan Ji here!

2. Yu Cun Fish Head Curry

This one is for the east-siders. Yu Cun Curry Fish Head offers an attractive curry fish head with some delectable tze char dishes to go along with. Unlike the usual fish head curries, they choose to use the head of a sea bream instead of the regular red garoupa. You can also choose your spiciness level so that you can enjoy the curry just the way you liked it.

We picked the normal level but felt that we could handle more. The curry was thick and creamy which makes for an excellent pairing with rice! I felt that the generous serving of vegetables and tau pok made the dish worth every penny. If you intend to visit, remember to give other dishes like the Chicken with Radish ($10.80) a try!

3. Soon Ho Eating House

While they are not Halal certified, Soon Ho Eating House’s curry fish head is made without any pork or lard. They feature a Singaporean-style fish head curry instead of the more popular assam fish head curry. The main difference is the lack of assam (tamarind) which eliminates the sourness from the curry. You can probably tell from the pictures that this curry is significantly oilier than the rest.

I liked that the curry wasn’t too thin and had a good mouthfeel. The curry, however, has a more watery consistency as opposed to a thick creamy base, probably due to the lack of coconut milk. The fish was notably larger and is good for about 4 people. I would say that the serving is more generous, as compared to that of other stalls, for approximately the same price.

They also sell other seafood dishes such as Chilli Crayfish and Assam Snapper Fish Meat!

4. Zai Shun Fish Head Curry

Recently awarded the prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand 2017, Zai Shun Curry Fish Head offers an assam-styled fish with a distinct tanginess. I prefer the assam-styled version fish curry because of its sour character which I find refreshing. The curry is light, yet full-bodied, and goes well with the red snapper fish, which was fresh and sweet.

For $26, you’ll be able to satisfy yourself and 2 more so don’t forget to call your friends for this one.

You may wish to read the full write up of Zai Shun Fish Head Curry here!

5. Nana’s Homemade Fish Head Curry

Spice-kings and spice-queens rejoice because this one is for you. Most curries probably aren’t that spicy but this is may just be enough to give you a kick. Nana Homemade Fish Head Curry offers a thick and spicy fish head curry that appeals to many Singaporeans.

What stands out is their use of yam, which has been cooked till soft, in the curry. The interesting combination was surprisingly well thought out and worked really well. We also noted that the fish was fresh. Depending on the market rate, the price of the dish can vary from time to time.

Overall, it was pretty well executed which allowed the essence of fish head curry to shine, despite the fiery spice. If you love spice and curry, then you can’t afford to miss this.

6. Gu Ma Jia

Inspired to create a cosy place intended for family gatherings, Gu Ma Jia stands out as yet another contender in this fish head curry race. If you do a google search, you’ll see tons of praises for the curry fish head here, and it does live up to its reputation. While the recipe of the dish is top-secret, we know that they use 13 different spices to create the flavorful curry that many have fallen head over heels in love with.

It’s also worth noting that they make the assam curry themselves daily and also get their fish daily from the market (no supplier) to guarantee the superior quality that they’re known for. The rich curry is fragrant and carries a slight heat. The generous use of okras and tomatoes make this dish even tastier! The tanginess is distinct and addictive. The fresh fish adds an appetizing sweetness to the dish. Whether you enjoy assam curry, or not, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed by this.

7. Muthu’s Curry

Started in 1969, Muthu’s Curry offers a spicier take on the popular fish head curry that we all love. They specialize in curry and are famous for their authentic and flavourful curry. Their signature fish head curry comes in 3 sizes. Although a little oily, the curry is thick and flavorful. The addition of tamarind results in a unique sourness and the incorporation of pineapple adds a nice touch of acidity. Excellent service, great food, and a pleasant interior. We approve.

8. Ocean Fish Head Curry

Standing as the most expensive fish head curry in the list, Ocean Fish Head Curry is taking the game to a whole new level. Ocean delivers the quality that you will expect from an upscale restaurant. They use only authentic Peranakan ingredients to craft their mouth-watering curry. To say that the serving of fish head was generous is an understatement. The fish which was of superior quality was simply amazing. The quality of the ingredients, especially that of the fish, justifies the price ($40). However, I think that there are other places that give Ocean a good run for the money. While the curry is unique, I think you can get similar dishes that are just as good (dare I say better) for a fraction of the price elsewhere.

9. 805 Seafood Kitchen

Hidden away in a coffee shop in Hougang Central, 805 Seafood Kitchen is known for its signature fish head curry. They do offer a good selection of tze char dish, as well. For $25, we thought that the portion of the fish head wasn’t as generous as others that we’ve tried. However, the generous serving of cabbage and okra was commendable. The traditional-style curry wasn’t too oily and it complemented the fish.

I thought that the curry was a little more watered-down than the other curries but I enjoyed that since I’m not really into spicy food. If you prefer your curry spicy, then this probably isn’t for you.

You may wish to read the full write up of 805 Seafood Kitchen here!

10. Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant

Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant features a curry fish head that is a little different from the usual ones because of the use of Indian spices. They offer 3 sizes of curry fish head ($23.50/small, $30/medium, $34.50/ large) but we decided to go for the small one since we weren’t really hungry. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the fish head. Not sure if they serve fish heads this large usually but ours was definitely bigger than expected. The curry lacks the creaminess from the coconut milk as seen by the darker colour of the curry. In other words, it’s not as lemak as what you might expect but it offers a more distinct taste of tomatoes. If you get a rice set ($3.20), you’ll get free flow rice, papadum and pickled vegetables. Note that you’ll have to take the elevator from the first floor to get here.

11. West Coz Café

Who says Muslims can’t get to enjoy curry fish head too? Probably the only Halal-certified eatery on this list, West Coz Café offers both traditional and assam-style curry fish head for only $20, making this the cheapest curry fish head on our list.

And the best part? The fish head curry is definitely one of the better ones on the list. We got the traditional curry fish head and even dabao-ed the leftovers home when we couldn’t finish it. If you’re looking for an air-conditioned place that serves an impressive selection of Halal-certified Chinese Tze Char dishes, West Co’z is it. If you love spicy food, then this curry is for you. Its significantly fierier than the usual curry fish head (I noticed myself reaching for the iced water more often). The curry was addictive and well-balanced, and the fish was fresh. I have no complaints.

Even though I stay on the other side of the island, I’ll definitely be back to try the Assam Curry Fish Head which is also highly raved about.

12. Chye Lye Fish Head Restaurant

Last but not least, we have Chye Lye Fish Head Curry Restaurant which also specializes in assam-style curry fish head. I had to visit this restaurant twice since they were sold out the first time I visited them on a Sunday. They open from 5pm to 930pm for dinner and I was there at 730pm, but they were already sold out of the dish by then! Although disappointed, I returned on a Saturday at 4pm this time to ensure that I got the first curry fish head that evening.

This is an extremely close second favourite, behind Hooked on Heads. The fish was really fresh and the piquant curry has a distinct sourness that was very appetizing. It’s one of those foods that just gets better as you eat it. I finished the whole pot! They could have been more generous with the vegetables though. If you’re craving for some assam-style curry fish head, be sure to check them out! If you’re visiting on a weekend, just remember to come earlier to avoid disappointment.

Curries made by Chinese, Malays and Indians are all subtly different with varying ingredients and spice levels but they all boast that same great-tasting flavour that we all love. If you have any other recommendations, do share it with us!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the cafes/stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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