# Zi Char in River Valley

Zi char stalls cook Chinese dishes to order for sharing, mostly in coffeeshops and hawker centres where prices are nett. Seafood such as chilli crab is often priced by weight at 'market price' – ask for the per-kg rate and the weight before it is cooked. Each stall holds its own SFA licence and SAFE grade.

## Key facts
- Listings: 8
- Median years in business: 8

## Licences
- **Food Shop Licence (SFA)** (Singapore Food Agency (SFA), required): Every restaurant, cafe, bakery, stall and food court outlet selling food to the public must be licensed by SFA. Since 19 Jan 2026 the licence carries a SAFE grade (A, B, C or NEW) based on the outlet's food-safety track record; scan the QR code on the displayed licence to see it. Check: https://go.gov.sg/sfa-track-records

## How to choose
- Ask for the per-kg price and the actual weight of crabs, lobster or fish before cooking; 'seasonal price' disputes are a common complaint.
- Order dish sizes (small/medium/large) to match the group – a small usually serves two to three.
- Check the stall's own SFA licence and SAFE grade; the coffeeshop and each stall are licensed separately.
- Coffeeshop zi char is usually nett; seafood restaurants in air-conditioned premises often charge "++".
- Return trays and crockery or leave them at the stall as instructed – table-littering rules apply in coffeeshops too.

## Red flags
- Seafood priced as 'market price' without a stated per-kg rate.
- Refusal to show the live weight of crab or fish before cooking.

## Listings (top 8)
- [Crystal Cafe](https://lookup.sg/biz/crystal-cafe), Somerset · 131 Killiney Rd · 4 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [One Prawn & Co](https://lookup.sg/biz/one-prawn-and-co), Robertson Quay · 46 Kim Yam Rd, #01-10 · 7 min walk from Fort Canning MRT
- [Sin Chao Gardens](https://lookup.sg/biz/sin-chao-gardens), Robertson Quay · 297 River Valley Rd · 6 min walk from Somerset MRT · registered 2018
- [Da Shi Jia](https://lookup.sg/biz/da-shi-jia), Somerset · 89 Killiney Rd · 2 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [San Shu Gong Private Dining](https://lookup.sg/biz/san-shu-gong-private-dining), Robertson Quay · 46 Kim Yam Rd, #01-01 New Bahru · 7 min walk from Great World MRT
- [Song Huat Bak Kut Teh Kitchen](https://lookup.sg/biz/song-huat-bak-kut-teh-kitchen), Somerset · 65 Killiney Rd · 2 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [Whampoa Keng](https://lookup.sg/biz/whampoa-keng), Somerset · Jewel @ Killiney Orchard, 110 Killiney Rd · 3 min walk from Somerset MRT
- [Pacific Teochew Porridge, Rice](https://lookup.sg/biz/pacific-teochew-porridge-rice), Somerset · SPC Killiney, 132 Killiney Rd · 3 min walk from Somerset MRT

## FAQs
### Why is chilli crab priced by market price?
Crab, lobster and live fish prices change with supply, so restaurants quote a per-kg 'seasonal' or 'market' price. Always ask for the current per-kg rate and the weight of the actual crab before it is cooked, and get the total confirmed – this avoids disputes when the bill arrives.

### What happened to the A, B, C, D hygiene grades in Singapore?
From 19 January 2026 SFA replaced the annual A–D hygiene grade with the SAFE framework. Outlets now get A (more than three years with no major lapse), B (one to three years), NEW (operating under a year) or C (a court conviction for a food-safety offence or a licence suspension under the demerit-points system). Scan the QR code on the SFA licence at the counter to see the current grade.

## Sources
- SFA – New Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/news-publications/newsroom/new-safety-assurance-for-food-establishment--safe--framework--to-strengthen-food-safety
- NEA – Stepped-up enforcement against table littering from 1 June 2023: https://www.nea.gov.sg/media/news/advisories/index/stepped-up-enforcement-against-table-littering-from-1-june-2023

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Source: Lookup (https://lookup.sg) · Data as of October 2026 · Listings compiled from Singapore government open data (data.gov.sg), OneMap and Overture Maps places. Free listings never show contact details; featured listings are labelled.