The Boiler (Buona Vista)

The Boiler (Buona Vista) is a casual seafood boil restaurant on the ground floor of Elementum, at 1 North Buona Vista Link. You pick your seafood and a sauce, and it arrives in a bag that is emptied straight onto the table.

The idea came from the owner, a former banker. In 2008, relatives took him to a seafood boil restaurant in Los Angeles, and he fell for the Cajun style of eating. He then worked out his own mix of 11 spices and ingredients that blends Asian and American flavours. The Boiler opened in 2014 in the Tai Seng area. Today it has two outlets: this one and another at Esplanade Mall. Its website lists a Chope Best Seafood award from 2017 and a Chope Hottest Dining award from 2019.

What to order

The seafood bags are the main event. The Bombdiggity Bag, for four, is built around a Dungeness or seasonal crab. The Duo Plus Bag for two has a mud crab, while the Duo Bag leaves out the crab. All of them come with prawns, mussels, clams, smoked sausages, sweet corn and buns. You can also order crab, Boston lobster, Alaskan king crab legs, prawns and shellfish on their own.

Next, choose a sauce. The house sauce, The Works, comes in mild, medium or Ragin' Hot. Garlic Butter and Peppa' Butter are the other regulars, and there is also a sauce of the month.

Not everything comes in a bag. The Truffle Lobster Mee Pok is a signature dish, pairing lobster and black truffle with local flat noodles, sakura ebi and tobiko. There is also a sweet and savoury chilli crab, lobster and chips, and fish and chips with Cajun fries. Burgers, pastas, baby back ribs and fried starters fill out the rest of the menu.

The setting

Meals here are casual and hands-on. Expect to crack shells and eat with your fingers, so leave your best clothes at home. The format works best for groups who like to share. The bar serves beer, sake, soju and cocktails, including the house Beerita, a lime slushie topped with a bottle of Corona.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: you can reserve through The Boiler's website, on Chope or by phone. Chope bookings come with a 90-minute dining window, and tables are released 15 minutes after the booking time.
• Children: there is a kids' menu for children aged 10 and under. Each meal comes with a small drink and a dessert.
• Diet: the menu marks which dishes are vegetarian, spicy or contain pork.
• Groups: the restaurant hosts private events such as baby showers, family reunions and wedding receptions.

Getting there

Elementum is in the one-north business district. The restaurant's own directions point to Exit D of Buona Vista MRT station, which serves the East-West and Circle lines.

Nearby

One-north and nearby Rochester Park have several other good places to eat. Try One Fattened Calf (One-North) for burgers, Jimmy Monkey Cafe (One-North) for brunch, or Les Bouchons (Rochester) for French bistro food. For a green walk, Kent Ridge Park is a short ride away. See more chilli crab and seafood restaurants or all restaurants in West Coast and Buona Vista. Menus are on The Boiler's website.