Hakka Bond: Hakka Cuisine Lives On in Singapore
- Ava Lyn
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Hakka Bond
16 Jln Leban,
Singapore 577554
When Plum Village, one of Singapore's oldest Hakka eateries closed its doors, few expected its legacy to continue so seamlessly. Plum Village held a special place in our hearts, a place where we visited since I was a little child. Yet out of that closing chapter came Hakka Bond, a restaurant born from an intergenerational connection forced at the Singapore Hakka Association. The story goes that two kindred spirits met there, bound by a shared passion for preserving Hakka traditions while bringing them into the modern dining conversation. Trust and shared purpose led the former Plum Village owner to hand over the keys to a young lady determined to write the cuisine's next chapter.
Today, Hakka Bond stands refreshed and revived. What once was a nostalgic, old restaurant with paper calendars and a metal dining chairs has undergone a complete renovation. The look is now clean, bright and contemporary - a reflection of its owner's approach to Hakka food: rooted in heritage but reimagined for health and modern palates. The expansion to 2 outlets in just a short period of time shows how well that idea resonates with the diners of today.
Owner Chen Yiwen's food philosophy is simple but thoughtful, to present authentic Hakka flavours with balance, restraint and care. Rather than heavy seasoning or oily gravies, she focuses on freshness, lightness and clean flavours that still carry the comfort of home cooking. We see a particular focus on Hakka herbs that is showcased in many of the dishes offered.
We start with several dishes that stay true to their roots. The Hakka Rice Wine Chicken is a standout in both flavour and spirit (literally). The kitchen offers a optional shot of additional Pearl Red Hakka rice wine poured tableside. It is fiery, fragrant and deeply satisfying. The kind of dish that warms from within. The next dish is Lei Cha - a traditional Hakka tea rice bowl, the tea base is earthy and aromatic without being bitter and the ingredients are high quality. Even the non veg loving folks in our dining party enjoyed this Lei Cha, which says alot for this very polarising dish. Other dishes that we enjoyed were the meatballs served two ways with mugwort and preserved mustard as well as the Hairy Fig Steamed Chicken Leg.
Not everything shines equally here. The Yong Tau Food is solid in its handmade components, though the broth runs lighter and less complex than expected. The Abacus Seeds dish, a staple in Hakka cuisine, focuses on a new interpretation, softer with nice flavours, though missing some of the oomph from the traditional rendition with dried shrimp bits.
Booking
On weekends, Hakka Bond does not take reservations. However, on weekdays, it is possible to reserve at the Upper Thomson outlet. When we visited, it was relatively easy to get a seat, though do note that the Upper Thomson outlet is compact.
Accessibility
The location at Upper Thomson is not the easiest to get to. I would recommend a grab if visiting this outlet. The other, which is at Funan (we have not been) is definitely much more accessible via MRT.
The Damage
At 140 SGD for 4 pax with 2 serves of most dishes, the portions are small but reasonably priced.
Would We Recommend?
Yes! Hakka Bond stands as one of those rare stories where heritage and evolution coexists. It maintains the soul of Hakka food but takes a healthy and modern spin. When we visited, the wait staff was candid and took exceptional care of the elderly in our dining party, which we appreciated very much. It is really nice to see Plum Village live on in it's Chapter 2.
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