Curry fish head is a Singaporean specialty. During my initial days here, I used to wonder “a curry with fish head? But isn’t the head the part we usually discard?”. Well, apparently not. Pictures like the one below are pretty common as are restaurants offering curry fish head.
Ocean Curry Fish Head is one of our favourite haunts from work. Its a 10-min walk from work and any time we have a new joinee in the team (roughly once a month or so), there will be a calendar invite from someone saying “Curry Fish Head with —-“.
Well, it kinda looks like this in real life! There’s a fish head in there somewhere. Its huge and its got meaty parts too. The thing is, when a claypot that’s bigger than my head comes bubbling to the table, the smart thing to do is stay a bit away and click carefully.
The curry is very hard to describe. It definitely doesn’t taste anything like any Indian curry but it has coconut and all the spices and vegetables that we normally use. And its pretty darn good.
This place also has a whole range of other food we can pick, to go with the steamed rice and curry fish head. We have some regulars..
Like the tofu salad with raw mango slices. The sauce is tangy and spicy and light.
Then, of course, the stir fried bean sprouts.
This is a favourite for quite a few people at work. Fried anchovies (ikan bilis) with peanuts. Its slightly sweet but definitely tasty. I suspect if they add honey to this.
One of my faves. Fish Otah (aka otak-otak). Its mashed, spiced and steamed fish in banana leaves. It looks like raw fish marinated in masala, I know. But you have to taste this to see how awesome fish can taste. Really! Ocean Curry Fish Head place has one of the best otahs I have tried.
This is something we don’t usually order but someone was feeling experimental that day. Which ended up being a good thing because this was super good. Jumbo prawns in a hot and sweet sauce with pineapple chunks, chillies and spring onions. I usually don’t like pineapple in my food (yes, not even in Biriyani) but for this dish, I could just ignore that. 
In case you thought we are eating too much fish, think again. This pepper chicken is just the right kind of spicy and tasty as they come. A crowd favourite, although this place is better known for their seafood, and of course, Curry Fish Head.
What you’ve seen here is probably just 1/3rd of what they have to offer. We usually go in a group of 6-8 people and order a bunch of stuff like this. You can also dao bao (take away) your lunch.
The queue around noon is extremely long so be prepared!
**All pics taken with my Nexus One with a very hungry group of people around so excuse the picture quality 🙂
Ocean Curry Fish Head181 Telok Ayer Street S(068529)Tel: 6324 9226Closest MRT: Tanjong PagarAvg cost per person: 12-14 SGD
mallugirl, these are all standard singaporean dishes. since i have been here 2 years, i am quite familiar with them now. either case, i have colleagues who are singaporean or from other parts of asia and someone or the other always knows what to order 🙂
Wonderful place to enjoy delicious foods..
My sister lives in Singapore and I will give her the address. All the items in the pics look very delicious. While on a visit to Singapore I have had food at the food courts many times and I know how delicious they are.
Wonderful review Nags! Now I really wanted to visit Singapore again to have all these 🙂
what a spread.. did u have someone guiding u thru the menu.how did u get to try all that unusual food?
This is the 'tipping point' moment of your blog for me:) I always wanted to add this super successful popular blog to my blogroll and Reader list but the preponderance and predominance of the greeny, leafy items held me back. The floodgates have opened today! I am taking to it like fish to water:)
Just loved the post, and it could make me hungry for lunch 5 minutes after I finished a hearty breakfast. By the way, the concept of the fish' head in the curry is very Bengali too, have grown up having the head (and depriving the rest of the family members of it). I remember having made a mental note of this item while in Singapore, but somehow forgot to try it. On my list for the next trip.
And I must congratulate you on the pictures. Had you not mentioned that you'd taken them with your phone I would've never imagined.
Photos, non-veg food and your descriptive style – a perfect blog to follow:)
Hi Nags, wonderful review. Loved the pics too. Mouth watering, esply since I can't eat fish for a month more at least 🙁 Can only drool for now.
btw, fish curry with head is definitely a delicacy in Kerala and Bengal too, if I am not mistaken. In my house, Amma makes curry with fish head separately or adds it to fish curry with normal pieces if they are big enough. I usually fry the pomfret heads too. ~Shreya
Nangs – In the Papa Johns Pizza web site there is a contest for a best pizza idea. if you win you get royalty on it plus free pizza for life. Since you are sooooo good in food could you suggest some of yours in that contest?
Hope you win 😉
Suhel, there's going to be more of the leafy greeny stuff happening here, and sad to say, more often too.
BUT, Singapore restaurant reviews will also be a standard because I do eat out quite a bit with the team. So you can follow those 😀
Thanks!!!
sounds good!! will check it out, thanks!