808 Eating House in Joo Chiat: Chill vibes and satisfying bites

808 Eating House may sound like your run-of-the-mill, void deck coffee shop, but it’s really anything but.

Southeast Asian flavours take centre-stage here, with a carefully curated menu underscored by familiar flavours with a fusion twist.

Just think: Fresh, raw oysters (S$8 per piece) topped with pickled green papaya sauerkraut and Sichuan chilli oil, and Peanut In A Cup (S$5) — a dessert of peanut milk and muscovado syrup made in-house.

Chef Eugene Chee, 30, is the young Singaporean chef behind the counter. Having trained at critically lauded restaurants such as Atelier Crenn in San Francisco and Singapore’s Cloudstreet, Chee has since struck out on his own with 808, a cosy 29-seater located in Insta-worthy Joo Chiat.

The restaurant is a departure of sorts from his fine-dining roots, in the sense that it’s a chill, casual eatery with a menu built with accessibility in mind.

“We wanted to create a space where people can come together, have a great time and enjoy delicious food,” he says. “I’m sharing the kind of food that I like to eat!”

And indeed, 808 feels more like somewhere you’d head to for a chill Friday evening with friends, and less so like a special-occasion-only dining spot. There are plenty of small and big plates that encourage communal dining, too.

The playlist is an eclectic one as well — Chee is a music lover who drew on the cult favourite Roland TR-808 synthesiser as inspiration for the restaurant’s name. During our visit, we bopped to tunes from the 90s, but we understand that this can vary from anything from Teresa Teng to Nirvana.

Nonetheless, his culinary background still shines through, such as in the Chicken and Egg (S$4) — a chicken fat chawanmushi with creme fraiche.

There’s also pickled quail eggs (S$6) with black vinegar and molasses and duck fat financiers (S$10) — small cakes rendered in duck fat served with a generous serving of chicken liver mousse.

We particularly enjoyed the Sweet XL Clams (S$24), fresh clams in a hua-tiao wine broth and egg floss shavings, and the barramundi (S$28) with a spice-rich garam masala pumpkin puree.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more new stores to check out, read our stories on Luckin’ Coffee and BHC Chicken.

Book a ride to 808 Eating House.