The seasoning of the porridge varies from stall to stall but it is typically prepared on the edge of bland so as to provide some relief from the punchy flavours of the dark soy sauce. There are more than one way to consume this delicacy but we like ladling the sauce over our congee to give it more flavour. Frog porridge is a popular dish to have for dinner and for some reason, supper. Singaporeans seem to almost exclusively seek this dish out in the wee hours of the night (or morning).
So to aid your midnight quest for a piping hot claypot of frog porridge, we compiled a list. Here's our pick of 5 spots.
323 Geylang Road, Lorong 19
Opening hours: 5pm to 4am, daily.
Frog porridge is to Geylang what ayam penyet is to Lucky Plaza. Customers will be spoilt for choice with three well-loved locales dishing up excellent frog porridge on Geylang Road to choose from. First on the list is Eminent Frog Porridge, which is the last of the three to have jumped on board the frog porridge bandwagon in 2004.
The menu here is extensive, showcasing the amphibian in seven different ways. The versions prepared with dried chilis, spring onions and chicken essence are their signatures but they’ve also got a couple of variants that they claim to be unique to them: white pepper and garlic and a dish made with their special homemade chili sauce. We can’t pick a favourite so we suggest heading down in a group of friends so you may sample several versions and make a supper party of it.
161/163 Geylang Road, Lorong 3
Opening hours: 3pm to 3.30am, Mon to Sat. 3pm to midnight, Sun.
Second on the timeline is G7 Sin Ma. They began their journey as a humble stall serving zi char and frog dishes in 1999 and have since expanded to open two other stalls in Chinatown and Upper Bukit Timah, both of which serve their signature frog porridge as well as a variety of zi char dishes; not to be missed are their frogs in kung pao sauce (read: spicy, sweet and savoury gravy made with rice vinegar, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar) accompanied by a pot of thick, tasty congee. Additional order of deep-fried pork intestines not optional.
Tiong Shian Porridge Centre
Ann Kway Building, 265 New Bridge Rd
Opening hours: 8am to 4am, daily.
Here's a spot that customers can patronise for breakfast and supper. As its name suggests, Tiong Shian Porridge Centre specialises in all things porridge. They serve a wide range of Cantonese-style congees, from a pork and century egg variant to a bowl with all the fix-ins – pork liver, intestines, minced pork balls, sliced fish & cuttlefish. But what we're really after is their frog porridge, which is truly excellent with tender chunks of meat doused in a salty-sweet dark soy sauce. Avoid dinner hours if you're looking for quick service and opt for supper instead.
DragonCity Claypot Frog Porridge
Dunman Food Centre, 271 Onan Road #02-29/30
Opening hours: 4.30pm to 1.30am, daily.
Occupying two stalls at Dunman Food Centre is another hawker stall specialising in frog porridge. The congee here is thick, velvety and substantial enough to hold up against the sticky, savoury-sweet gravy that comes with frog meat. The frogs arrive fresh everyday and are cooked to order, which makes all the difference. It can get pretty busy during dinner so head down after 10pm if you want to avoid the crowd.
Lion City Frog Porridge
235 Geylang Rd, Lorong 9
Opening hours: 5.30am to 3.30am, Mon to Sat. 5.30am to midnight, Sun.
You may know them as Lorong 9, Shi Cheng or Lion City but make no mistake, they're all one in the same. Lion City is the first of the three frog porridge heavyweights on Geylang Road with its opening tracing as far back as 1996. Today, fans of Lion City's frog porridge can also get a taste of it at Ang Mo Kio and Tampines. They've also ventured into the markets abroad in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia.
Unlike their Geylang Road neighbours, Lion City's menu is lean. There are only three types of frog porridge to choose from: dried chili, ginger and spring onion and simply frog porridge, which unlike the two former options, serves chunks of frogs in the porridge itself. All three are excellent.
