We were thrilled to visit Chatterbox again, a restaurant with over 50 years of history serving iconic dishes. The modern interior gives a warm and inviting atmosphere when you walk into the restaurant. There are two entrances. One from Mandarin Gallery, where you have to take the escalator up from the 4th floor or take the lift directly to level 5 from Hilton Hotel. The menu has plenty to choose from, but the star is still the Mandarin Chicken Rice set.

Served with fragrant jasmine rice, soup, a generous portion of juicy, flavourful chicken and sauces, the Mandarin Chicken Rice set has been served since 1971. We were blown away by how perfectly cooked the chicken was. The accompanying homemade chilli sauce, ginger puree, and dark soya sauce can be added to preference. The Mandarin Chicken Rice always lives up to its reputation, making it a legendary dish.

For starters, we tried several items, including the Wok-fried Sambal Wing Beans, Chatterbox Rojak, Lemon Butter Tiger Prawns, and Sea Perch with Burnt Green Chilli.

The Chatterbox Rojak was refreshing, tangy and flavourful, making it one of my favourite items on the menu. The Wok-fried Sambal Wing Beans were spicy but nicely balanced. The Lemon Butter Tiger Prawns were juicy and aromatic, while the Sea Perch with Burnt Green Chilli was also a hit. The green chillis are grilled for flavour before being blended to lend spicy undertones and generously topped over a fried sea perch fillet.

For mains, we tried the Lobster Laksa, which was loaded with a whole Boston lobster claw, quail eggs, fish cake, thick vermicelli noodles, and dried beancurd in a coconut broth of spices and fresh coconut milk. The dish was slurp-worthy and not too spicy.

We also tried the Char Kway Teow, a classic stir-fried rice noodle dish that is a staple of Singaporean cuisine. The dish was packed with succulent Vannamei prawns, fish cake, and vegetables and had a perfect balance of savoury and sweet flavours.

Another classic noodle dish is the Seafood Hokkien Mee at Chatterbox, packed with fresh and succulent prawns, squid, pork belly, bean sprouts, chives, and eggs simmered in a rich and homemade seafood broth. The combination of bee hoon and yellow noodles added a nice texture and soaked up all the delicious flavours of the broth.

To complement our meal, we ordered the Any Time Any Day cocktails. The drink perfectly blended dark rum, Campari, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, sugar syrup, and homemade ginger syrup. The sweetness of the pineapple juice and sugar syrup was balanced by the tartness of the fresh lime juice, while the ginger syrup added a subtle kick to the drink. The dark rum and Campari provided a rich, complex flavour that perfectly complemented the savoury dishes we had ordered.

Of course, we needed to try the Signature Coconut Ice Cream before leaving. Served in a coconut husk and topped with crunchy walnuts and tropical fruits, it was the perfect sweet end to our meal. The ice cream was incredibly creamy and had a subtle coconut flavour perfectly complemented by the crunchy toppings.

Every visit to Chatterbox leaves us in a satisfied food coma. The dishes were iconic and full of flavour, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff were friendly and professional. It was clear why Chatterbox had become such an institution in Singapore. We can’t wait to return and try more of their legendary dishes.

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Chatterbox

333 Orchard Rd, #05-03 Hilton Orchard, Singapore 238867