A fish and chips tavern on Jln Selaseh in Serangoon, Dolphins Tavern holds a 4.4 Google rating from 172 reviews, with diners calling it a hidden gem and returning years after their first visit.
Old-school western taverns, the trade many fish and chips shops in Singapore's heartland belong to, are judged less by décor than by the kitchen. The fish should arrive crisp from the fryer with thick-cut chips, but menus in this trade lean towards comfort: pork chops in brown sauce, slow-simmered stews that regulars order for years. A chef who steps out to talk through the menu, and a room that takes a big table in its stride, are both good signs. The dated, late-1990s look many of these places carry is usually part of the charm, not a warning.
At 22 Jln Selaseh, the oxtail stew, pork chop and fish and chips that fill its reviews suggest Dolphins Tavern is exactly that kind of unpretentious kitchen.