Rasa Istimewa Waterfront Restaurant

Rasa Istimewa Waterfront Restaurant is a seafood restaurant built on a jetty at Woodlands Waterfront Park, on Singapore's northern coast. It looks out over the Straits of Johor, so you can see the shores of both Singapore and Malaysia from your table.

The Rasa Istimewa name dates back to 1997, when it started as a small eatery at Simpang Bedok. The Woodlands outlet opened in 2012, and the group also runs restaurants at Pasir Ris Park and SAFRA Jurong. The kitchen cooks Chinese-style seafood dishes, known locally as zi char, along with grilled seafood and satay.

What to order

Seafood is the main draw here, and crab comes in several local styles. Black pepper crab is one of the dishes the restaurant features on its website, along with lobster with cheese. Many diners also come for the grilled seafood, which is cooked with spicy sambal chilli paste.

• Crab: black pepper and salted egg are among the styles on offer.
• Lobster with cheese: one of the restaurant's signature seafood dishes.
• Grilled seafood: stingray, cuttlefish and lala clams cooked with sambal, also sold together as a combination platter.
• Zi char dishes: such as cereal prawns, hot plate tofu, sambal kang kong and curry fish head served in a claypot.
• Satay: grilled skewers of chicken, mutton and beef tripe.

Rice and noodle dishes such as fried rice and mee goreng round out a meal. There is a separate list of drinks and desserts, and set menus make ordering simpler for groups and families.

The setting

The location is the main reason to make the trip. The dining area sits out on the jetty itself, and it has an open, alfresco feel. In the evening the breeze comes off the strait, and you can see the lights of Johor Bahru and the Causeway. The jetty itself is good for a short walk before or after your meal. The park also has a large children's playground nearby, which helps if you are dining with young children.

Good to know before you go

• You can reserve a table online through the restaurant's website or by phone.
• Takeaway and delivery can be ordered online.
• The restaurant also hosts weddings and private events.
• Seating has an outdoor feel, so dress for warm and humid weather.
• Menus for each outlet are on the official Rasa Istimewa website.

Getting there

Woodlands Waterfront Park is on Admiralty Road West, close to the northern tip of Singapore. It is a long way from the city centre, so a taxi or ride-hailing car is the simplest option for most visitors. Our guide to North Singapore has more ideas for the area.

Nearby

You can pair a meal here with a day out in the north. The Kranji War Memorial is a short drive to the west. The Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Paradise are in Mandai, further south. For more crab across the island, see our list of chilli crab and seafood restaurants and our chilli crab and seafood guides.