ALC Rice Bowls serves hearty, flavour-packed rice bowls from the basement of Guoco Tower at 7 Wallich Street, in the heart of Tanjong Pagar's CBD. Founded in 2018 as Ah Lock & Co., a sister brand to Munchi Pancakes, the shop built its following on affordable Hakka rice bowls before rebranding in 2025 with a fresh look, a revamped menu and a dedicated space.
Every bowl starts with high-quality Japanese short-grain rice and a choice of protein — crispy chicken, chicken leg, beef, grilled salmon or tofu — layered with fresh ingredients like mani cai, long beans, broccoli, braised cabbage and tangy achar, plus roasted seaweed and sesame seeds. Most bowls come finished with a sauce of your choice from a lineup of eight, ranging from sambal mayo to mushroom and black pepper.
Vegetarian diners are well looked after with the Original Vege Bowl and a fully plant-based Impossible Meatball Bowl. Open every day from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm, with online ordering available through the shop's website.
Down on level B2 of Guoco Tower at 7 Wallich Street, in the working heart of Tanjong Pagar, ALC Rice Bowls does one thing and does it well: hearty, generously topped rice bowls built on soft, high-quality Japanese short-grain rice. Depending on the craving, the protein might be golden crispy chicken, a chicken leg simmered in Hainanese curry, tender beef, grilled salmon or plant-based Impossible meatballs. Every bowl is finished with fresh, vibrant toppings — mani cai, long beans, broccoli, braised cabbage, tangy achar, roasted seaweed and a sprinkle of sesame — and a sauce chosen from the house lineup.
Regulars may remember this shop by its earlier name. The business was founded in 2018 as Ah Lock & Co., a sister brand to Munchi Pancakes, serving hearty and affordable Hakka rice bowls that quickly gained a loyal following in the CBD. In 2025 came the rebrand: a fresh look, a revamped menu and a dedicated space, under the new name ALC Rice Bowls. The idea is to stay true to those Hakka roots while embracing modern flavours — food that feels like home, with a contemporary twist.
The menu is organised around chicken, beef and fish, and vegetarian bowls. On the chicken side, the Original Rice Bowl pairs tender chicken meatballs with crispy tofu, mani cai and sautéed long beans; the Original Crispy Chicken Bowl piles golden chicken and crunchy broccoli with a velvety sous-vide egg; and the Original Karni Bowl combines meatballs, crispy chicken and tofu for a bit of everything. For something spicier, the Lemak Chili Padi Chicken Leg Bowl brings fragrant heat with long beans and achar, while the Hainanese Curry Chicken Leg Bowl is comfort in a bowl, paired with braised cabbage and fresh greens.
Beef and fish lovers have the Original Black Beef Bowl, with tender beef, earthy shimeji mushrooms and a creamy sous-vide egg, and the sweet-savoury Beef Bulgogi Bowl, also crowned with a sous-vide egg. The Grilled Salmon Bowl pairs fresh salmon with crispy broccoli and homemade potato salad. Vegetarians are well looked after too: the Original Vege Bowl stacks potato salad, coleslaw, greens and tofu, and the Impossible Meatball Bowl is a fully plant-powered meal that even comes with a side of soy bean soup.
One of the fun parts of ordering here is the sauce. Most bowls come with a choice from eight house sauces — sambal mayo for a kick, rich mushroom or black pepper for savoury depth, and more — so two visits rarely taste quite the same. It is a simple idea that makes a quick lunch feel personal.
This is fast, friendly, counter-style eating aimed squarely at the neighbourhood: office workers grabbing lunch, colleagues catching up over a bowl, shoppers passing through Guoco Tower. Service is quick, portions are filling, and everything is built to order over soft Japanese rice. Doors are open every day of the week from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm, and online ordering is available through the shop's website if you would rather skip the queue. Whether you are after a fiery lemak chilli padi bowl or a comforting scoop of Hainanese curry chicken over soft Japanese rice, ALC Rice Bowls delivers a proper, home-style meal in the middle of the CBD.