Sometimes I feel like calling myself a foodie—even though I’m not really one, LOL. Someday, I hope I can actually earn that title. 😄 Maybe I'm just fascinated by how foodies, especially influencer-level ones, manage to get free food and even make money from it. I follow one popular food vlogger who has mentioned several times that he’s received free meals worth $400—even up to $1,000—just because he’s a foodie influencer.
Isn’t that cool? He doesn’t even need the free meals since his YouTube channel already makes him a ton of money, and he can easily afford those kinds of price tags. But hey, who would turn down an offer when the restaurant owner is the one giving it—and it makes them happy to have their place featured, right?
Anyway, those are just a few thoughts that often cross my mind when I go out with the intention of eating something nice. It’s especially true when I plan to post about it—I end up daydreaming a little, thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could be a foodie too someday. 😄
So today during lunch, I visited a humble, lesser-known restaurant at Geylang West Community Club, located along Upper Boon Keng Road.
I’ve walked past this place a few times, but for some reason, I’ve never stopped to eat there. Maybe it’s because there’s a popular food centre nearby—but today, it was closed for major cleaning. Since the weather was warm and I wasn’t in the mood to walk to another hawker centre, I decided to finally give this restaurant a try.
The name of the restaurant is Xi Chu, and they serve a variety of local dishes, along with a few unique ones.
I ordered the Black Vinegar Pork Ribs Set, which came with steamed vegetables and white rice.
It cost me SGD 14.40—about two to three times the price of a typical hawker centre meal. That might sound expensive, but it actually felt like good value. The restaurant is fully air-conditioned, the portion size was generous, and the plating was neat and appetizing. It made me think the chef—or maybe the owner—might be professionally trained, because everything felt so polished.
Even the cutlery had the restaurant’s logo engraved on it, and the plates were of noticeably good quality. This place serves refined dishes, which made me wonder why it wasn’t more crowded during lunchtime. I really hope more people discover this spot and support these kinds of businesses—places that truly deserve to thrive.
Thanks for joining me on this little food adventure—it's always fun to stumble upon hidden gems like this. If you’re ever around Upper Boon Keng Road, give Xi Chu a try and see if it surprises you too. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll both be foodie influencers getting paid to eat! 😄
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